Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 3 -| Review Score – 4.5/5 Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 5 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 6 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 7 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 8 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 9 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 10 -| Review Score – 4.5/5 Episode 11 -| Review Score – 3.5/5 Episode 12 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 13 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 14 -| Review Score – 4.5/5 Episode 15 -| Review Score – 5/5 Episode 16 -| Review Score – 4.5/5 Hometown Cha Cha Cha is a light, breezy k-drama; a show rife with romance, comedy and light bites of drama. It’s the perfect small town weekend treat and an undeniably fun watch from start to finish. The main premise is pretty straightforward and revolves around a woman named Hye-Jin. She’s a dentist from Seoul, but a series of unfortunate events see her wind up in the small seaside town of Gongjin. Once there, she immediately finds herself an outsider and struggles to fit in. When she decides to open a dentistry, it only exacerbates issues. Step forward “Chief Hong” Du-Sik. Du-Sik is a handsome and suave man who’s officially unemployed but undeniably a busy man. He helps out all the different residents and gives Hye-Jin some sound advice. As one may expect, the duo start to grow closer together and across the episodes each grow and evolve over time. Hometown Cha Cha Cha goes a lot deeper than a simple romance though, with a large ensemble of characters helping to flesh this show out. Chun-Jae is a former Seoul-bound singer who’s retired but itching to get back in the studio. There’s also Nam-Suk, the resident gossiper, and recently divorced Yeong-Guk and Hwa-Jeong. Their child Yi-Joon is caught in the middle of their marital issues but finds solace with the utterly adorable Bo-Ra. Now, Bo-Ra’s parents are expecting a child but friction between Geum-Cheol and Yun-Gyeong complicates matters. There are extra characters here too, including the young police office Eun-Cheol, Hye-Jin’s best friend Mi-Seon and her college friend/crush Seong-Hyeon. Oh, and that’s before mentioning the trio of Gongjin grannies. Given the sheer number of characters, Hometown Cha Cha Cha does an impressive job juggling everyone, with numerous episodes honing in on one or two residents. Within these chapters, Hye-Jin and Du-Sik work together to help that individual, whether it be through the dental clinic or resolving personal issues. Each of these stories have a consistent arc too, with a lovely conclusion by the end of the 16 episode run. In fact, every character in this show is given a decent ending by the time the final credits roll. Hometown Cha Cha Cha does have a few dud episodes but largely does well to keep things consistently engaging right the way through. Now, it’s not perfect and there is a weak attempt at a love triangle that doesn’t really work or fit within the context of the show. It’s little wonder that Hometown Cha Cha Cha drops this after a few episodes. There are also other subplots that fail to shine, specifically that of Geum-Cheol and Yun-Gyeong, but largely the show does well to keep things enjoyable right the way through. Ultimately, this is a light, breezy k-drama that’s easy to pick up and undeniably enjoyable. Like a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night, Hometown Cha Cha Cha will warm you right the way down to your core. This one’s a must-watch folks and definitely a contender for best K-drama of the year.
