Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha

a very, very Romantic Sunday in dramaland!

Hometown Cha cha cha is very much like the ost of its - Romantic, so so romantic in all the ways that it could be, and so so refreshing and exciting as a Sunday; makes you enjoy yourself while preparing you for the journey thats about to come.
HCCC talked about love like love deserves to be talked about, the love for ones self, love for smallest things and life, and most importantly love for other people.
The characters were like water; fluid and developing. HyeJin, you may not like her at first and Hong Banjang may be the first to catch your eye, but HyeJin definitely was the one i fell in love with the most. Her strong will had her standing head held high even in the deepest waters, she taught us emotional vulnerability, transparency and honesty is a strength not to be ashamed of. Hong Banjang taught us to hang onto love, even in the darkest times. If not for yourself, then love for other people.
Behind the scenes characters were just as strong and not overshadowed by the main leads, each getting their own stories and character depths. All the people of Gongjin, no matter how broken, come together in this witty little town that lifts up all our spirits.
The acting was impeccable. HyeJin is probably my favourite character Shin MinAh has ever played, just how realistically she captured her development throughout the episodes is truly, truly, amazing. Kim SeonHo, guys, dont get me started on him. I love that man to bits, and here he outdid himself. Layers and layers of expressions and micro-expressions, they made Hong Banjang into the character that we have all come to love. He was amazing.
and so was the rest of the crew, the chemistry was off the charts. esp love the bromance between KSH and Lee SangYi.
The drama had the best love triangle in kdrama history, the best breakup, and the best friendships. Genuinely good portryal of what it truly means to be a good human.
the production, music, setting was all so fresh. i couldnt recognize most of the artists in the OSTs. It included Seungmin's solo debut, which was IMMACULATE might i add. all the songs felt new and refreshing. Romantic Sunday, Here Always and Wind are my favourite osts.
The story is warm, like the sand on the beach, and the slow melting of ice in a jar. It melts you along with it and soon you find yourself a part of it, all warm and cozy inside. I dont think ive ever cried at a confession scene, but i did here. the emotions were all too real and all too there, it was difficult not to be teary eyed.
overall, a beautiful, beautiful slice of life masterpiece that will definitely go down in books. amazing. ill be so sad to let it go and not wait for it every week. will definitely rewatch for all the good vibes <3

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WORTH THE HYPE, WORTH THE WAIT

This is one of the purest drama I've ever seen. Hometown cha-cha-cha is a well penned, casted and directed drama with beautiful visuals and cinematography.
From the first trailer itself I was looking forward to this. I usually don't watch ongoing dramas. I have always thought future viewers are lucky since they don't have to wait inbetween episodes. But this one was an exception.This is the first time I am happy that I decided to watch a drama while it was still airing. Every weekend was a worth wait. Every episode got better and better. And my weekends are never the same after homecha ended.

PLOT
The story is simple and pure. A city girl Yoon Hye Jin ,a dentist had to move to a village Gongjin and there she encounters a village boy, Hong Doo Shik( chief hong). Their multiple encounter eventually makes them fall in love. This looks like a typical cliche storyline, right?? But this is not just that. But yes, there are usual cliches. But the way they dealt with it is what makes it special. This is light, warm, refreshing and healing drama with a group of loving Gongjin villagers. This is not just the story of the leads. The side characters are not some filler characters. They also have their own story and a life to deal with.This show is about love and how it makes us stronger.


With all these cliches what makes Hometown Cha Cha Cha the best?
No messy love triangles,no toxic relationships, no unwanted misunderstandings and break ups, no hate, just love and forgiveness.

SPOILERS AHEAD

WHY THE TITLE HOMETOWN CHA CHA CHA??

I read this somewhere where that the title, CHA means car and Gongjin is the HOMETOWN here. And the three cha's refers to the cars of Dusik, Hyjein and Sung Hyun. All three came to Gongjin is somewhat connected to car. One of the reasons Dusik came to Gongjin is because he lost his hyung in a car accident, Hyjein couldn't go back to Seoul because her car needed a repair and had to stay back in Gongjin and Sung Hyun lost his way and ended up in Gongjin. So their cars(three CHA's) led them to Gongjin (HOMETOWN). And that's the title HOMETOWN CHA CHA CHA.

MAIN LEADS- Dusik , Hyjein and Sung Hyun (Ji PD)

SikHye(Dusik and Hyjein) have one of the most healthiest, mature and wholesome relationships amongst all K-Drama couples. They acted like a married couple even before they started to date. They fight,annoy, bicker and care for each other. They're the definition of opposite attracts so it's a given for them to constantly argue. But I love how their misunderstandings were quickly solved. They are the definition of healthy relationship. They talk everything out and endlessly support eachother.
There is a love triangle. But this is not your typical love triangle with leads fighting for the same girl. I am not a fan of love triangle. But here it was quickly solved and all you can see was their bromance.They proved love triangles can be healthier too. HCCC have one of the best resolution of love triangle. And this love triangle was never an issue because the main leads were mature and understanding.
Their wholesome relationship is the actual reflection of how a healthy relationship works. They had their own struggles and hardships but they never broke up. And they never said the cliche line "I'm breaking up with you coz I don't want to hurt you". I believe nothing hurts more than your loved one leaving you during your hardest time just by saying they don't want to hurt you!! LOL.
When we were expecting love triangles they gave us bromance . When we were all prepared for the rejection by Dusik, he accepted her feelings. When most of them(not me) were expecting for a break up between ep 12 and 14 saying that's the usual kdrama troupe, they showed how a healthy relationship should be.To add-on to the cliche thing there was also childhood trope. But they fell in love not because of that. It was just a pigment to the whole story.

FAV EPISODES
Ep 10
The realisation, confession, acceptance with a kiss everything happened here. The realisation of Hyjein was the best part here. The way she walked in the rain realising her feelings for Dusik and that gradual changes in her expression was perfect. Special claps for Shin Min Ah for that particular scene. That's my most fav scene.

Ep 16- THE FINALE
I love how they wraped the whole drama so perfectly. They also had the funniest and cutest proposal ever. The way Hyjein told to consider the proposal as a relay and handed the baton to dusik when he was upset for her getting ahead and proposing first will never not be funny.Their confession and proposal was sincere and full of love.

FAV LINES
"Who cares if the wind blows a little when we're in the same boat?"- Hyjein
"Life isn't a mathematical equation. It doesn't have a clear answer either." - Dusik
And many many more.......

FAV SCENES
Ep 12 -- In that nightmare when he was afraid in the dark it's hyjein he calls out to. Because she is his light.
Ep 9 -- Hyjein was relieved when she saw dusik at that night. Ji pd gave all the tools to protect her from harm. But she just want Dusik's arms. And the ending hug was just wow. That felt so real.

They bicker all the time but that they are eachother's safest place.

I love the way the writer dealt with hyejin dusik relationship without breaking them up. Also Hyjein's character breaks all the stereotypes. When she was aware of her feelings she proposed to him. She was the first one to kiss, first one to confess and first one to propose. She just don't care about all these stereotypes. When she realised her feelings she run towards him instead of running away. She knows what she she wants and is sure about it .Hyjein is so far my favorite FL. I saw many comments hating her. But for me she is one the realistic FL ever. Hyejin is not your typical girl who asks for a break up when things aren't going well. Coz usually in kdramas these issues are more than enough for the couple to break up. But she handled it differently. She gave it a good thought and decided to wait for him. How many female leads will do this?? Most of them will break up without even thinking twice. That's why I say HYJEIN IS A STANDARD.

The fact that most of us were expecting a rejection from dusik but instead he accepted her feelings was a different twist. Even though he was healing inside he didn't push her away like how the usual ML's do. He's not your typical arrogant angry guy, he's just an ordinary guy.Out of all the doubts, fears, anxieties inside his head, there is one thing that he’s sure of, he loves hyejin.

All the characters were realistic and well portrayed by all of them. This is my first Kim seonho drama and he's already my favorite. His micro expressions are everything.I’ve never been this impressed by someone’s skill and personality in such a short amount of time.

The top-tier writing with an amazing cast made this drama heart warming. This deserves to bag lots of awards. Also the OST'S are soothing. la la la la la keeps playing in my head ever since I started this drama. Whatever I do, all my head does is go......Lalalalalala!!! For me homecha is a gem. My love for them is as deep as lake baikal :)

You should give it a try if you want some light hearted healing drama. It's better you don't go for it if you are here expecting some twists and turns. As I said this is just a simple story with relatable characters. Do watch this if you’re into healing dramas or romcoms! You won’t be disappointed.

PS it's been a month since homecha ended. But I'm still not over them. I miss them like crazy: (

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Wholesome and Romantic

I don’t usually write reviews but I just had to give my thoughts on this drama! It honestly made me so happy, it was so wholesome and it’s so easy to fall in love with Chief Hong. I was nervous that there would be too much of a love triangle but it wasn’t focused on too much which I was glad of. Also the lesbian representation was done well and made me so so so happy!! The only downside was that when the main couple got together it did start to get a bit boring? I’m not sure if it’s just the loss of the thrill of their initial falling in love, but it did kind of feel like they changed completely as people when they became a couple. Also they were a bit cringe lol. But overall this drama was such a good watch!

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The Perfect Fairy-tale with a Realistic touch

It may seem like 10/10 is saying a lot but honestly i'm not one to give a perfect rating just like that. I have watched my fair share of kdramas and when i say this one really touched my heart, i mean it. This is my first time writing a review because i feel this drama genuinely deserves it.

Not only did this kdrama captivate me from the very start, it kept making me want more. The home-ly, heartwarming and wholesome vibe it has is honestly unbeatable. The characters are so interesting and the writer managed to give depth to all of them, be it a main lead or supporting cast. each person had a story, background and life that you want to know about and not just skip cause it feels forced. the second lead couple was adorable, so were the rest of the gongjin residents.

its really hard to keep a person's attention if the show goes slow but this one went at the perfect pace. it defied the usual kdrama cliches of evil step-moms and broken families, inevitable break up between the leads due to some misunderstanding, troubled past for both the leads, etc. Sure the main male lead does have trauma but it doesn't feel like the cliche plot. This kdrama gives you all the butterflies, happiness and princess-y feelings you want but with a much needed realistic touch. It is lighthearted but does not lack depth. A fairytale romance but not one that consumes its leads instead it betters them. Plus a great ending. It basically gives you alot of hope in life tbh. that's what it did for me.

Overall, to me this is the perfect show and i honestly have no flaw to point out. Definitely one of my go-to kdramas for when i want a serotonin boost.

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A Heartfelt Journey and Comedy

"Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" is a true gem in the world of Korean dramas, perfectly aligning with my expectations. This drama, which tells the story of life in a small seaside village in Korea, was exactly what I was looking for.

The plot is wonderfully simple yet profoundly deep, showcasing the daily lives and struggles of each character. What particularly moved me was how the drama portrays people who smile every day but hide their sorrows and worries inside. This theme adds authenticity and emotional depth to the story, which is rare to find in such productions.

The final episodes were an emotional rollercoaster for me—I shed a sea of tears, but the ending was just as I had hoped. All the storylines were perfectly wrapped up, leaving me thoroughly satisfied with the entire narrative. Despite usually not being a fan of love triangles in dramas, this one was so well-executed that it didn't bother me at all.

I can't find any flaws in this drama. It is a production that will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I will definitely revisit it in the future. "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" is an excellent drama that proves that simple stories about everyday life can be just as moving and inspiring as more complex ones.

Personally, I am thrilled with it and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for something warm, genuine, and full of emotions.

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A warm and refreshing dose of escapism

I loved this show. From the moment it began, I was enamoured with it. The acting of the lead pair was brilliant in exhibiting the right energy and aura of their characters. An urban raised middle-class girl with smug dismissal of the poor rural countryside folk and the man with little ambition in life other than to see the sun rise the next morning. This show was great. I enjoyed how it introduced and warmed us to the ethos and social norms of the town folk by essentially taming Hye-Jin's assumptions and forcing her to see the beauty of a simpler, less noisy life. Yes there's fewer opportunities to stardom, but there is peace and relative sanctity from malicious gossiping and the choking competition and judgement she faced back in Seoul. I loved how she was portrayed, and found her character to be refreshingly engaging, easy to sympathise with. Her flaws weren't ever annoying traits but understandable ones that made you empathise with her.

Chief Hong was a vibrant male lead and he had to the right amount of exuberance and compassion to make you love him. Plus, he is a really beautiful man when he smiles. I'm a heterosexual guy and I'm telling you right now - I got butterflies whenever he was laughing.

The show was carried by the chemistry of these two whenever they shared a scene that helped bridge the differences and create a grudging respect for who they were. Watching them fall in love didn't feel stale because of its inevitability, because they still wrote the scenes with realism. The show was also helped by not focusing too much on an overarching plot ahead of its character directions. Though this sometimes created problems when it came to laying the seeds for conflicts concerning Chief Hong, it meant you could get more invested in the characters.

I loved the town folk - the support cast were terrific. I was less interested in the film crew and didn't have time for those scenes but that's really my only quibble with it.

Overall, this was such a good show.

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Very long, but a comfort to watch

This drama was good - but, why. do. the. episodes. have. to. be. so. long?

Okay, so it started out and I was like, “why does this man do literally everything in this town? It’s so unrealistic.” But then my sister reminded me that it is a drama and not made to be realistic, obviously. But still, when he revealed his whole wallet of cards for trades he was registered in I was like, “come on, really?”

Hye-jin - I really liked her character. I thought she was a strong female lead who knew her own mind and what she wanted in life. Very driven. Her little dentist surgery was so cute and the big tooth sign out the front just made it. I felt so bad for her when she was stating the blatantly obvious about Cheon-jae while the mic was on. Thinking about that man even now makes me chuckle.

The fact that Hye-jin and Chief Hong were so different made it hard for me to picture them together in the end, and even ship them throughout the show. I liked their characters individually, but together I just couldn’t really see it. Even when they confessed to each other and kissed I felt no sparks for them. During that scene, all I was really enjoying was the song. Seungmin has a beautiful voice!

I found myself liking all of the side characters and was actually interested in their storylines. These people definitely boosted the show's rating in my opinion:
* Hye-jin’s friend and Eun-chol are just the cutest - I think I shipped them more than the main characters.
* The children! Omg they were so cute! Yi-jun is such a respectable little man. God bless him. Bo-ra - her too! When she sang that song at the talent show it made me weep.
* Cheon-jae’s daughter was also cute and funny. Her enthusiasm about DOS is great.
* Yi-jun’s parents

Towards the end, of course, as with any drama, it was dragging but then it suddenly got really deep which I was not expecting. And then Gam-ri died and it was just sad.

The soundtrack was great - I even bought a couple of songs after completing it because they just gave me the feels.

I feel like maybe I’d watch this one again. It was definitely a comfort show and was well produced with a great cast etc.

-E

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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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A slow-burning romance in a country side

I love slow-burning romance dramas that are executed nicely. And that is exactly what we have in this drama. Two great main leads with a great team of supporting characters, great cinematography, and a storyline that fully holds up this beautiful drama. First of all, I loved our dimple couple in this drama. Their chemistry was off the charts. I loved how they slowly got to know and love each other.
I liked how all the characters had an emotional side story. It helped me connect more with them and also get to know them better. Even though the drama is light-hearted and funny for the most part of the drama it is also emotional at times. And I rate emotional scenes over funny scenes any day. As it is easier to make a person smile rather than making them cry for a character. As the story needs to touch the heart of the viewer for them to become emotionally attached to it.
There is only one thing I disliked in this drama and that is the love triangle. I know that it was good, as it made the ML realize his love interest in the FL and made him more active in pursuing the FL during the story. It was like a wake-up call for him. But still, I don't prefer love triangles.
Apart from the love triangle, I loved the drama and its beautiful cast. The drama is still ongoing let's see how it turns out to be.

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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.

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