Host Minal is joined by Vipula and Benny to discuss the 2021 hit Kdrama Hometown Cha Cha Cha. The episode is full of spoilers so we suggest you watch the drama before listening to this episode.

Hometown Cha Cha Cha is a 16 episode romance + slice-of-life drama that ran from Aug to Oct 21. The drama is a remake of the movie Mr. Hong starring Uhm Jung Hwa and Kim Joo Hyuk (Argon, Reply 1988 - Cameo Elder Taek)

Director: Yoo Je Won - Oh My Ghost, Crash Course in Romance, Love Next Door

Writer: Shin Ha Eun (The Crowned Clown, Love Next Door).

Lead Pair: Kim Seon Ho/ Shin Min Ah

Gongjin Gang

Plot summary: Yoon Hye-Jin (Shin Min-A) a successful dentist and city girl moves to the small village of Gongjin and runs into Hong DuSik (Kim Seon Ho). Hong DuSik is a man with many skills and jobs. Their opposite personalities and outlook to life clash and sparks fly. Their journey combined with those of their village family makes this drama more of slice of life intertwined with a solid romance.

Key themes:

Trope Reversal: Ms. Grumpy meets Mr. Sunshine
Found family
Women friendships
Portrayal of strong women across all age groups
Mature handling of a love triangle and its resolution

Some of our posts on Hometown Cha Cha Cha:

Representation of women :

Strong women from Little Bora to Gam Ri Haelmoni across all age groups Minal on the women in this drama

Vipula on Hye Jin , Part 2

Best Love triangle resolution in Kdramas?

Hands down the best!

Two scenes reflect mature handling of this triangle

The HedgeHog: Why Minal thinks Dusik is the The Hedgehog and not HyeJin

Literary References in the show

Henry David Thoreau‘s Walden
The Doorkeeper Poem [ Dusik reads to Hyejin in E10]

Favourite Scenes mentioned:

Comedy scenes:

Things that didn’t work for us:

HyeJin beating Dusik to hide their relationship
The stalker episode
Trauma overdone:

Assistant director blaming DuSik for his father’s investment woes from the financial market crash
DuSik’s senior’s wife holding DuSik responsible for her husband’s death

Music Credits: Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter. License code: LU8KUCTYYYAA2KKL

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Hometown Cha Cha Cha - Deep Dive