Hometown Cha Cha Cha – Full Review
Welcome to Hometown Cha Cha Cha – Full Review. Life in a small, seaside town gets interesting when a career-driven city dentist shows up and opens her own clinic. If you haven’t watched this drama yet, I recommend checking out my unspoiled review here.
Hometown Cha Cha Cha
♥ Aired: August 28 – October 17, 2021
♥# of Episodes: 16
♥Where to Watch: Netflix
♥Genre: Romantic Comedy
♥Starring: Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho
.
The Story
After getting into an arguement with her boss that puts her on the blacklist of every dental clinic in Seoul, Yoon Hye Jin decides to start over by opening her own private practice in the quiet, seaside town of Gongjin. Chief Hong is a handsome handiman who seems to hold down every part-time job in town. His laid back personality is the exact opposite of her, but she is drawn to his views on small town living and simplicity. Can a city girl with a love of material success and name brands learn to live in a small community where love and friendship are the most valuable commodities?
The Leads
Shin Min Ah as Yoon Hye Jin
Yoon Hye Jin was a successful dentist at a big dental office in Seoul until a drunken rant against her boss landed her on a city-wide blacklist. Needing a break from the stress of city life, she spends her late mother’s birthday in the small town where they had taken their last family vacation. But when a woman in town suggests she stay and open a clinic, Hye Jin jumps at the chance to have a fresh start and earn enough money to open her own office back in the city. As she begins to adjust to small town living, she forges friendships with the people around her, particularly the mysterious town handyman, who seems to live his life day by day, without a care in the world.
Yoon Hye Jin is cautious and driven by money and success. She has kept to herself and avoids getting too involved in anyone else’s life. Living in the city, and buying fancy, name brand products, has suited her well. But as she gets to know the people of Gongjin, she begins to see the joy of living in a close-knit community. Shin Min Ah plays this role well, but her character did seem to fall a bit flat at times. There wasn’t a lot of depth and personal growth to her character, especially as compared to Doo Shik.
Kim Seon Ho as Hong Doo Shik
“Chief” Hong has lived in Gongjin his whole life, with the exception of the mysterious missing 5 years. With a wallet full of certificates in every career and skill you can imagine, he is the jack-of-all-trades who helps anyone in need; from serving coffee to repairing electronics. Doo Shik does it all. When a beautiful dentist shows up and sets up shop in town, he takes it upon himself to try to help her settle into small town living. The more time he spends with her, the more attracted he is to her. But a secret from his past holds him back and threatens to destroy any chance they might have at a relationship. Will he be able to find the strength to open up his heart and share the pain he has gone through?
Hong Doo Shik lives a carefree life running errands and doing part time jobs. He is known for his cheerful personality, but he has a secret guilt that haunts him in his dreams. Responsible for destroying the lives of two people who were close to him, and their families, he doesn’t believe he is worthy to be happy. Kim Seon Ho, both as an actor and as the character of Doo Shik, is the backbone of this drama. His charming personality drew me into the story and made me love him and the community of people who surround him.
Supporting Characters
Lee Sang Yi as Ji Sung Hyun
Ji Sung Hyun went to college with Hye Jin. He had a crush on her but missed the chance to confess his feelings. Now he is a famous tv producer. On the way to film a new program, he gets lost and finds himself in Gongjin. When he sees Hye Jin in town, he decides to film his show there and hopefully rekindle his relationship with his first love.
Gong Min Jung as Pyo Mi Seon
Pyo Mi Seon is Hye Jin’s best friend. When Hye Jin decides to open her own clinic in Gongjin, Mi Seon joins her as her dental assistant. She instantly falls in love with the handsome Officer Choi Eun Chul and finds small town living to be very much to her liking.
Kim Young Ok as Kim Gam Ri
Kim Gam Ri is one of the town elders. Since Doo Shik’s grandfather died, she has taken him under her wing and treated him as both a son and grandson. She is wise and loving, and an honorary grandmother for the whole town.
Things I Liked
♥ Realistic, Relateable Characters
The extended cast for this drama portrayed some wonderful characters. I loved the diverse roles and how well each character was developed. You were drawn into each of their stories and invested in the outcome. Maybe that is, in part, because this drama is based on a novel where character development would be more important. Whatever the reason, I appreciated getting to know all of the residents of Gongjin.
♥ Mystery #3
Introducing the three mysteries of Gongjin was a fun story technique and I enjoyed slowly learning the answer to each one. But I never saw mystery #3 turning out the way it did. I was sure that Gam Ri had the lottery ticket and had just forgotten about it. I expected them to find it after her death. But I never imagined it would be quiet Officer Choi who had secretly collected the money. What a fun twist!
♥ Doo Shik and Gam Ri
Doo Shik has a special relationship with many of the people in town, but his interactions with Gam Ri are special. The pure affection that is shown between the two of them is touching and I looked forward to their screen time together. I also loved how she saved Doo Shik’s life without even knowing it. Their strong connection defied reason and that just made it all the more heartwarming.
Things I Didn’t Like
Pacing
It’s not unheard of for kdramas to start lighhearted and get more serious as they go, but in this case the pacing felt too obviously out of sync. Everything was cute and sweet, and the last few episodes just kept the punches coming. I feel like they could have spread some of those heavier stories out a little more evenly. It also seemed to make the last episodes feel a bit slow.
Not Doo Shik’s Fault
Once the truth is all revealed, it is easy to see that Producer Kim and Jung Woo’s wife suffered terrible loses, but neither of them were directly caused by Doo Shik. Doo Shik allowed the guilt he felt when losing his grandfather to influence his feelings about the other deaths as well. But while both Producer Kim and Jung Woo’s wife offer Doo Shik their “forgiveness”, I feel like no one tells him that it wasn’t his fault in the first place. Maybe it’s just me, but I think Doo Shik deserved more than just “It’s okay. I’ve gotten over it.”
Too Many Coincidences
With any romantic comedy, we need to suspend our disbelief to a certain degree, and I’m okay with that, but this one pushed the limits a bit. Does Gongjin just have a magnet that mysteriously pulls people there? The idea that Hye Jin met Doo Shik when they were children works okay. She did visit there with her family and it’s a small town, so I can give them that one. But it’s the layers of coincidences surrounding Sung Hyun that really got to me. First, he gets lost and just wanders into town to find his first love. And then the fact that he is Jung Woo’s brother-in-law is a little too convenient. And then, he employs Producer Kim which is yet another layer. It was all just a bit much.
The Ending
“Hometown Cha Cha Cha” ends with a bittersweet ending cushioned by a load of happily ever afters. First off, we have to say goodbye to the wonderful Gam Ri, who represents the older generation of Gongjin. Everyone in town is saddened by her passing, but they give her a celebration of life that involves the residents spending time together, laughing and sharing memories, just the way she would have wanted. Aside from that solemn affair, we have lots of neatly tied strings for everyone in town. Sung Hyun has finally realized that he likes Ji Won and the two are now dating. The success of their tv show “The Seaside Grasshopper” has helped not just them. It has revitalized the town of Gongjin and brought in loads of tourists. It also got Chun Jae an offer to sing on a tv show. Mi Sun and Eun Chul are officially dating and plan to get married and buy a house together some time next year. Hwa Jung and Young Guk are back together and making a fresh start on their marriage. Hye Jin and Doo Shik have a mutual proposal and plan to live happily ever after. The series ends with the couple taking their own wedding photos, with the help of everyone in town. Just the way Gam Ri would have wanted.
Should I Watch
“Hometown Cha Cha Cha” is a sweet romantic comedy that embraces the idea that family is about more than just blood. But don’t let the levity and bright colors of the first couple episodes fool you. The second half of this drama does dig into some heavier, more serious topics. So, if you are just looking for a fun, feel good drama that won’t require tissues, you may wait on this one until you are in the mood for something with some depth. As a romantic, slice of life style drama, many of the plotlines follow simple day to day events, so don’t expect a lot of fast-paced excitement. This series is much more focused on well-thought out characters who are quirky and interesting, and the quaint seaside town gives the story it’s own unique flavor. I give “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” an 8 out of 10 ramen.
🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜
I just finished this Kdrama and I totally agree with you! Doo Shik’s character development was just outstanding.
Doo Shik and Gam Ri’s relationship was also super special. Why did they have to kill her off??!!! On the funny side, I have to say that Mi Sun and Eun Chul’s relationship was super adorable and gave me and my daughter the most laughs. Thanks for your review! It’s on to the next Kdrama!
Lilian,
I’m glad you and your daughter liked this one too. The characters were just so fun and there were plenty of laughs. It would have been nice if they hadn’t killed Gam Ri, but it made sense in the ending. I can’t wait to hear what you watch next. Enjoy your adventures in kdrama!