This review may contain spoilers
Sweet healing romance that managed to be underdone and overcooked
As a rom-com I can't fault its setting, both M/FL and support casting. OTP chemistry and swoon worthy moments. They are all present and accounted for, if anything, someone must have done a checklist so that every item was ticked and double checked. The problem lies more in the show's desire to please "everyone". To be honest, the writer-nim largely succeeded in doing this but it was also its Achilles heel.The premise of the show is simple, the FL is forced to restart her dentist career out in the boondocks and there she found love as well as new friends and found family. It is a well used trope and with the show navigating a fairly safe path meant that for the longest time, it never hits any real highs or lows. I think that may well be because it is the FL's first show after 2 years away from the limelight. She probably wanted a high profile hit and this definitely delivered.
Having said that, the meet-cute and the OTP's journey to true love was well done and there is always something happening to push them closer together. The seaside village of Gongjin cannot be more idyllic. It was picturesque day and night. The FL is in her 30's (ML is 1 year older), well dressed, sophisticated and pretty. She became all giggly and with aegyo dialled up after she fell in love. To be honest, it was a little jarring. This was initially matched by her best friend who also fell in love with a local and formed half of the 2OTP but she is a lot more grounded as the relationship progressed. The ML was handsome, charismatic, chilled, helpful, friendly and a bit eccentric. A total opposite to the usual cold, rich, man-child of a ML. The local villagers were a eclectic bunch. They are classy actors who knew their trade and will steal the scene if you let them. It was clever of the writer-nim to drip-feed their backstory slowly so that what appeared to be just the usual nosy neighbours and busybodies were shown to be true friends and have raison d'être for their behaviours.
The deft hand of the writer-nim is evident else where. There are lots of tropey plots and cliché scenes but they were seldom over the top to the point where you facepalm and groan out loud but they can also be undercooked so that it became a bit superficial. One area where the writer-nim went a bit overboard was the fate motif. There were just too many coincidences to be believable.
Hence, it was quite odd when around episodes 14,15 the story became a potboiler/melodrama. There were certainly buckets of tears (have tissue handy). The whole plot about the ML's role as a fund manager was overcooked. Seriously, it wasn't really his fault and certainly in regards to his friend's death. So it was drama for drama sake and not very convincing. After all the hints of a dark past, it turned out he was even more saintly than he already is.
The "tread lightly" approach also meant that there was not a lot of growth in the characters but more like story progression. Old wrongs were righted, broken or strained relationships were healed. Naissance love triangle morphed into a bromance. The snobbish and judgemental FL became someone who appreciates the country lifestyle and her new friends but she was essentially the same decent person. The ML stays the same except now everyone knew his backstory and loved him even more.
It was no surprise that everybody got a happy ending. Sunshine, rainbows and a herd of unicorns roamed the land. :D It was sugary but it brought the show to its own logical conclusion. At least it was not rushed and there was enough time to give everyone a proper sent off.
OST was nice and breezy. Production value was high. Quality cinematography captured the lovely sceneries. I really enjoyed this show so rewatch value is there for the swoon worthy and feel good bits but skip ep.15 if sentimentality is not your cup of chai. Almost forgot to mention the PPL, there were quite a bit of it. Not egregious but more than I'd care for.
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This review may contain spoilers
This show is very subtle and pure and it will change your perspective
I really liked it starting, in starting it was like a romance comedy type of show but as the story progress we get to see all type of emotion, the love between husband and wife, the romantic story of our main leads, the difficulties and beauty of childbirth, love between two best friends, a love of a father for her daughter, death of someone dear to you, regret and difficulties of this modern life with revolves around money. And many more stories, This show's characters are very deep and the romance of this show is very pure. I would love it if you all try this show, It will literally change your perspective on many things . I know you will definitely like it.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This show was such a treat ♥︎ the vibe is so refreshing and good for the soul. I already miss it.First of all, love seeing my angel Shin Min-ah back on screen. And even happier seeing Kim Seon-ho be cast as a male lead! He’s been second male lead after second male lead - it was his time!! And their chemistry, omg they are the gold standard.
Their love story is the heart of the show but you also get to watch the lives and stories of the other main residents in town. I’m not usually one for lots of side stories but as the show goes on you do get more attached to the townspeople and seeing their stories progress truly brings a smile to your face. I was especially a sucker for Mi Seon and police officer Eun Chul, they were adorable.
Although do be prepared for some heavy topics, and it can come as a bit of a shock when it’s right after episodes of fluff and happiness. Hometown Cha Cha Cha is a love story but it is also a story of healing. The burden and trauma that Hong Doo Shik carried..no wonder it was so difficult for him to open up after a life of those around him leaving him. I’m so glad that Hye Jin was there to be his rock so he could finally learn to forgive himself.
On the whole, a really beautiful show and I’ll miss the seaside town of Gongjin and its characters so much. I really want to go to the beach now ^-^
I’d highly recommend this show for viewers looking for something light and easygoing but who are also prepared for the angst and trauma that comes before healing. I promise the payoff is worth it!
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All about community !
This is a drama that sounds like a hallmark rom-com; a city girl who focuses a lot on frames and her career moves to a beautiful small town and meets a scruffy local men that she falls in love with. But this is actually a slice-of-life story. It’s overflowing with warm feelings and wonderful, deep and imperfect characters that you will fall in love with along the way. It’s almost like a warm drink on a rainy day in kdrama form. Hometown Cha Cha Cha is one of those dramas that really moved me from the very first episode as there was something so cozy and homely about them that just gripped me by the heartstrings and would not let me go.The story may not be big but it seems to be enough there that the story never drags it’s legs or or goes into endless circles with the plot. It spends a good time with all the characters and the introspection of those characters that takes place within the drama.
Hometown Cha Cha Cha strikes a pretty good balance between having a story that is constantly moving forward while also capturing this mundane life and the quiet moments as we follow all of these different characters and their lives in this small community where everyone knows everyone.
All the characters we meet on our way through the story are interesting and it’s fun to watch them and their impact on each other’s lives. Everyone has their own burdens and baggage’s in life that the drama manages to explore quite well. Watching people’s walls break down over time and people face their demons without it ever dragging too long or being too dramatic.
We get to see the different sides of most of all the characters and how complex and human they are. Each episode of the drama is more than an hour long, which I usually do moan about, but here I hardly felt it. Because I enjoyed the time with the characters so much.
There is almost this subdued suspense that is there all the way through the story. It never get’s too big, too dramatic or too ahead of itself. It captures this feeling that life can be messy but it’s also just a series of moments that pass and fade over time really well. Some moments are wonderful, warm and calm but some cruel and sad. But life still goes on somehow. The message of the story and the story itself is not much bigger than that, but it works really well.
So much of the romance, but also just the friendship that is going on, is just about the individual’s personal boundaries and the communication between them. Everything about how the romance was built radiated comfort and warmth in my opinion, which I found really sweet and just pleasant to watch. Like everything about the drama was. Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho, as well as all the other actors, fill their characters with life and emotions.
There is also a really good balance between the love stories within the drama and the other stories that deal more with people’s personal lives and their position in life. The love story will never be too sappy, which would not suit this type of story, but rather it seem more human and sensible. Even if misunderstandings occur it is quickly worked out and one can understands the reason why the character act a certain way because they story has worked for it. These people are complex and you get to see them from many angles.
The love story is still a very big part of the story; both when it comes to the main characters and the supporting characters. But even though the story is about them falling in love, it is also so much about these characters learning to love themselves as well as the other characters around them. But the drama also deals with loads of different themes such as loneliness in old age, divorce, there is a lgbt character, and many other things that crop up as we go through the lives of the characters of this small town as this is ultimately a story about the community.
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Here fo you the best k-drama of 2021!
Yes, I say it and I'll confirm it for life, "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" is the best k-drama of 2021, if not one of the best in recent years. Why? Well, nothing is missing: complete characters, a wonderful soundtrack, fantastic light, colors and shots, not to mention the story! But what is it about?The story revolves around Yoon Hye-jin, a beautiful city girl who works as a dentist in Seoul, but who is fired one day for accusing (rightly) her boss of suggesting expensive treatments to patients just to make more money. At that point, without a job, she immediately decides to look for another job, but unfortunately her sweet ex-boss has spread false rumors about her, and for this reason Hye-jin have to resign. In the meantime, she decides to take a short trip to Gongjin, a small earthly paradise located by the sea where she used to go with her parents as a child, and here she meet Hong Du-sik. Du-sik is literally the opposite of Hye-jin: a handyman country boy who is even called a "village chief" by the citizens precisely because he knows how to do any type of job and above all because he takes care of the village elders. The two initially don't get along very well, but over time, as they continue to cross paths, they take a liking to each other. At this point Hye-jin decides to open a dental office in Gongjin, but initially things will not go as expected due to some misunderstandings, but luckily Du-sik intervenes to get her out of trouble, and things will slowly start to settle down.
The strong point of the drama are certainly the two leading actors, who are played respectively by Shin Min-a (Oh My Venus) and Kim Seon-ho (known for Start Up). In particular, this was the first leading role for Kim Seon-ho, who I can say managed to bring out the best of himself for this rural and unconventional character, in addition to his smile that I personally find very sweet (and not only his but also that of Shin Min-a, if you want to know why I warmly invite you to see it and grasp this adorable detail that binds them). Another familiar face of the cast is certainly Lee Sang-yi (found in Youth of May), who plays a former director of Hye-jin's schoolmate who wants to shoot a new show in Gongjin.
"Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" is one of those romantic comedies that will remain in your heart for a long time; thanks to the skill of the actors and some issues that are addressed, it will be able to warm your soul and make you feel part of a big family: the one of Gongjin. So, if you want a funny and light story, but at times also very dramatic (I cried a lot in some scenes), I recommend this beautiful k-drama, it will not disappoint you.
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The Most Heartwarming Drama Ever Watch
My, this drama may beat It's Okay That's Love to become the most heartwarming drama I've ever seen. From Gongjin village, to the people, and the main characters, all are bathed in the bright gorgeous Gongjin sun and sea breeze that everything is so warm and sweet and pleasant. I especially love how the writer does not only focus on the main characters, but also gives a backstory to almost everyone that appears in the drama. Kim Seon Ho and Shin Min A are superb in their actings, their laughters and cries make your heart pour out to them. There is not a single character that is the villain in the story (except maybe the stalker) so it lightens your mood and become something I look forward to every weekend. I will definitely miss Hometown Chachacha and will rewatch with my loved ones. You should give this drama a try!Was this review helpful to you?
Therapy is no longer necessary
this drama changed me i love it so much i feel myself becoming a good person my life will never be as great as the time i watched thisSTREAM 2 BADDIES ON YOUTUBE
Hmm, ah
Two baddies, two baddies, one porsche
Two baddies, two baddies, one porsche
I don’t know what you’re saying
Look at the coolness as it is
Money and manner
Uh, one-of-a-kind influence is me
Look in my eyes, yeah
Inside the giraffe painting, I drew move, yeah
Look outside the window, open the door
Right now, yeah
I gotta go time is gold
We are the next, yeah
We pulling up, and we cutting the line
If it doesn’t shine, it isn’t mine
At the right timing, the sign reveals
Open the keys, open the mind
Too fast ㅠㅠ
Movement is blues clues
Everybody jealous
Try and follow if you can new rules
(oh) stand against the dangerous thoughts (oh)
This time, I’m not gonna be shy (oh)
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This review may contain spoilers
I guess this would count as a 'healing' drama, a term I see all over Mydramalist these days. There are some traumatic experiences in our male lead's past as well as some sad things in the female lead's past, and the drama addresses each of them thoroughly, but the over-arching story and the way it unfolds on screen is very much one of hope and restoration through a cozy, warm-hearted lens, hence making 'healing' an apropos descriptor. It's not necessarily a new story, but the over-all charm of the characters and the setting make it a pleasant watch.That being said, I was personally impressed with the drama's focus on forgiveness and redemption. This is not a typical topic in Korean dramas, namely because of an aspect of Korean culture called Saving Face, but Hometown handles the subject with thoughtfulness and fairness. It never openly mentions Saving Face, but it treats the male lead and difficult past with graciousness.
Of course, it's sad that after portraying such a beautiful story of hope and redemption, the actor playing the male lead has found himself in a very real scandal of his own, and for behavior far more egregious than his character's. We've been seeing a lot of serious scandals recently in the Korean entertainment industry, and each time, there's the same conversation. Should we dump the person, should we dump the media they were part of, should we forgive them, should we believe in their innocence? For my part, I hope Hometown's male lead actor and his ex-girlfriend can work through what happened in their relationship and apologize honestly for the things that went wrong and then move into the future healthier and making better choices. It's a sad situation but not one that cannot be redeemed.
As far as whether you should watch this drama or not after this scandal, that will ultimately be up to you. I don't think it is something that should stop you if you've been eyeing this drama since it started, but you also do not have to watch it if you just can't. There are so many drama's out there. If you are aware of the scandal and are more concerned with whether Hometown will suit your particular drama tastes, then here are my thoughts: If you like 'healing' drama's, then this is a good drama to watch. It has a warm and cozy feeling with charming characters and a beautiful story of redemption and restoration and hope for the future. And if you're looking for a drama that has that perfect, gooey, romantic ending, then is definitely the drama for you. There's some straight cheese in the finale that will be right up your alley, lol.
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One of the best dramas to watch when you mostly want to chill and have some laughs.
It's been long since I watched an adult rom com Kdrama that is this wholesome, chill, realistic, straightforward, and funny. The FL was awfully likeable and sweet (Yeah she does start as kinda stuck up and whiny, but changes greatly pretty quick. Besides I related to her about being impatient and caring a lot about honesty in relationships), I loved all of her outfits too, especially that pink one, the white dress, and green & red dress in eps 12 and 13, they fit her perfectly. Everyone's style overall was nice.Both the main and second male leads were a 10/10 boyfriend materials, I would be okay if FL chose to be with 2nd male lead too which is rare (Only other Kdrama were I also loved both the male leads along with the FL was True Beauty), since most of time only one of the male leads will be super likeable while the other will be a total jerk, or the FL will be annoying as heck and unworthy of both of the male leads' attention.
The main leads here had very strong and natural chemistry so it felt like watching an actual couple goofing around and being grossly lovey dovey, I did feel jealous not gonna lie. Their way of behaving mostly after they became a couple luckily wasn't painfully cringe for their ages, just moderate level, FL did get quite childish at times, but it wasn't irksome, just amusing. I think I will add them to my top 10 straight couples list. I just dig healthy adult couples <3 the marriage proposal scene killed me, love it when for a change the girl propose first, but his reaction was hilarious.
They all handled their feelings in a very healthy and mature way, confessed straightforwardly and simply. The upbeat friendship between male leads was adorable to see (I highly admired how Director Ji decided to stay friends with ML and treated him normally even after knowing him and FL are into each other instead of turning into a bitter prick), also I liked how that FL decided to reject him instantly after ML told her he liked her back, instead of letting him have false hopes for days and gave the luck charm back. At least 2nd ML still had another woman who cared for him.
The town people were also pretty funny and likeable (Maybe except that Chinese restaurant lady whom I wished would go completely mute at some point lol, but apart from her everyone else were cool). The FL had a very cute and strong friendship with her bestie which was also great to see since in many dramas female relationships gets ruined and they stab each other in the back all the time by them fighting over guys and crap of the sort. I even enjoyed the romance between the awkward police dude and FL's friend. The OSTs were pretty good.
The FL's parents were sweet as well (Glad her father approved of ML and regretted the crap he said about him, he was a decent father and her step mother was decent as well, even though lots of times they like to make step parents evil as hell). The town looks beautiful, wouldn't mind living there myself honestly, and the overall cast were great, the main leads are really good looking (Especially ML, not gonna lie I have a crush on this actor now since I'm really weak to hot guys with gorgeous smiles and sexy manly voices).
Of course there were some typical clichés like:
1- The main leads meeting each other before as kids, teens, and even back when ML wanted to commit suicide she saw him (The whole fate bullshit).
2- Them having tragic past stories is also a huge cliché. Like why are Asians obsessed with making everyone orphans??! Even in anime 80% of MCs have both/one of their parents dead or have messed up/abusive/neglectful parents and cursed family tree. ML here had everyone he cared about die, his parents, his grandfather, Ms. Gam Ri, the man whom he viewed as an older brother (Who happened to be the director's cousin husband to add salt to the wound), there was also the whole thing about that dude's paralyzed father, I was expecting the FL to die as well to complete the cycle lmao that was just overly dramatic and depressing!
Loved how everyone freaking said all that shit was Du Sik's fault, like that dude's father made the choice to risk his money without talking to him first and paid the price for it, Du Sik tried his best to help them financially too. The director's brother in law made the choice to drive the car that day, and yet ML had to handle all the burden for years and even got blamed for everything...yeah they were heartbroken so they lashed out on him and basically made up with him later, but it's still unfair. That whole part just pissed me off.
3- The town people being a bit retarded and weird at first (In this type of shows the town people always start as backwarded and judgmental assholes for some reason then turn into very likeable people afterwards).
4- Also I didn't give two fucks about the love triangle between the Zone chief, Village chief, and that teacher.
5- The ML getting hurt while protecting the FL from some criminal maniac or perverted bastard, male leads always have to play the hero role and save the damsel in distress.
6- That childbirth scene...love how that woman easily gave birth without filling the whole bed, her own clothes, and the FL clothes with blood and sometimes even poop...etc they make childbirth seem like you just pull the baby out of the damn vagina cleanly and that's it, in reality the dentist's bedroom would look like a homicide scene, with blood and horrifying sights everywhere, especially since she gave birth in a house and in a rushed manner instead of a hospital so it will be more messy.
7- The main leads hiding their relationship for a while, I mean I get that yes the town people would tease them to death, but still like ML said they will end up knowing anyways so what's the point of them acting as if they are having an affair and then FL ends up hitting/slapping the ML whenever someone sees them being romantic by accident, that was a bit too cringe and rude for my liking and I felt sorry for him.
Finding out that everyone already knew yet they all decided to punish them by separating them for some time till they admit it themselves was golden though. But all said clichés weren't much of a big deal in the end, and I forgot about them later due to how good the drama was.
8- The ads were so in your face lol, I get they are important and all, but they always get me a bit out of the mood.
Another thing, Bo Ra...why is that kid's hair dyed?! I mean I do dig hair dye and all, and would love to try many colors myself, but a child that awfully young having her hair dyed was just odd, first time seeing a child like that in an Asian drama for me especially since that in Asia they seem to mostly hate dyed/bright unnaturally colored hair, even adults would get judged sometimes for it (Unless they are celebrities) and they ban it in many schools there. I think it makes sense to at least wait till someone is a teenager then try such things, hair dye is toxic and can lead to the ruin of someone's hair if used too much, so kids need to stay away from chemicals as long as possible be it dye or beauty cosmetics/creams to give their bodies a chance to grow properly. No need to rush lol
The revelation about that teacher being a lesbian was surprising, never guessed the reason she never bothered with relationships was due to her being gay, that was a bit depressing since her family didn't approve of it and treated her like a maniac, even forcing her to leave the town to stay away from the girl she liked. Then she gets confessed to by the guy who got married to her first love, that all was just choatic as heck! I didn't care about the love triangle, but still felt sad about the teacher being that miserable, at least the zone chief didn't discriminate against her.
Anyways this drama was a 10/10 for me, I binged it in like four days, it's highly rewatchable (Although I rarely rewatch stuff), and a great way to cheer up my mood and relax (As long as you forget about the awfully sad two last episodes, the ending is happy for everyone though).
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A refreshing romantic slice of life story
I was absolutely excited seeing Kim Seon Ho being partnered up with the absolutely beautiful Shin Min Ah. The ending results was absolutely beautiful with the picturesque scenery of Gongjin highlighted with the sheer talents of the cast in bringing their characters to life. A beautiful OST to blend it all in, and a consistent calm story that dictates the lives of the Gongjin residence with care and substance is also a plus. Almost of all the characters were likable and had interesting side stories to them and Kim Seon Ho's back story (revealed in ep 15) was such a tragic story bounded with the wonderful acting performance of Kim Seon Ho. The chemistry between Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho was an absolute delightful with their hilarious banters and cringy yet endearing relationship made the show even more enjoyable. If you want a little slow burn romance with a great scenic background and likable side characters then you have Hometown Cha Cha Cha to look forward to.Was this review helpful to you?
not as good as i expected rrom reading reviews
I find it challenging to express my thoughts on this drama in this review. It's a good show, and I'm a devoted fan of romance K-dramas. However, despite my fondness for slow-burn narratives, I felt that this one was excessively prolonged. I might be biased, but I struggled to connect with the main character, who came across as overly uptight, which was quite frustrating for me. I didn't have any major issues with her, but it became difficult to stay engaged in the story as she maintained the same demeanor throughout most of the series. I want to clarify that I don't consider it a bad show at all. I truly enjoyed the storyline and the sweet romance in the ending. However, when I see all the 10 out of 10 reviews, I feel they might be a bit exaggerated, as I wouldn't label it as the absolute best. I understand that everyone has different opinions, but I wanted to share mine.Was this review helpful to you?
If you are looking for a healing and soft drama, this was made for you. "Hometown Cha Cha Cha" has the cliché that we love so much in Dramaland and also a mature story for the ones who are tired of childish characters. I loved Hye Jin! At the first sight, I thought that I would hate her personality, but with the pass of the episodes, we can see a peculiar way that we don't see in many female leads. She is apparently superficial, but actually has a unique way to see the people and the world. The thing I loved the most about her was her facility to ask for forgiveness. We don't see this in many main characters. Shin Min Ah is so cute and so femme fatale at the same time! I love her since "My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho" and now is just another character of her that I really appreciate. Doo Shik was also pretty good to me, but I wanted a little more deepness in his character. His background was built with so much expectation, and I had the feeling that everything was solved too easily. Kim Seon Ho's great performance in cuteness is undeniably good, but I think that he shines better when it becomes deep drama. I hope that his next projects explore this.
The side characters were also pretty good. The story of Young Guk and Hwa Jeong made me melt into tears. Eun Chul and Mi Seon not so much. Ji Sung Hyun was the second lead that we love until the end, without craziness, evilness, and nothing that makes us angry. I cheer for him until the last second, not with Hye Jin, but with the OBVIOUS CHOICE (right???).
I'll give the position of pretty good to this one (★ ★ ★ ★ ★★ ★ ★ ). It is a drama that will warm your heart and make you feel light and peaceful.
XOXO, Mari.
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