Cha-cha-cha la Malul Mării (2021)

A warm, healing slice of life drama

After draining my mind and heart with Squid games and One and Only, I just need something warm, a slice of life drama, so I’m checking out ”Hometown Cha Cha Cha”. Because of ML’s recent scandal, I couldn’t bring myself to complete the last two episodes of the drama, but I think it’s still fair enough to wrap up the review.
The script is nothing new. It is a story of Oh Hye Jin, an uptown girl with a promising professional career in Seoul, but had to move to remote seashore area in Gongjin to start her new life. There she met Hong Du Shik, an unemployed man, but kind and skillful, is willing to do any kind of job to help out the people in the village. He also had his hidden past and is trying to move on and live his simple life.
Oh Hye Jin is nice, but also cold toward people. She is straightforward, calculative and practical. She has a sense of upholding justice and does not sweet talk or sugarcoat. And because of that, there was some misunderstanding and she did not leave good impression on people.
However, with the help of Du Shik, people in town started to recognize the different warm side of Hye Jin, and she got to learn to open herself, understand that “life is not always fair to all people and thus everyone has his own stories and difficult time”.
When watching Hometown Cha Cha Cha, it reminds me of my hometown where both definitely has cultural similarity. People in town know each other. They gather together to eat, cook and gossip, but at the same time they help each other to overcome life challenging.
Aside from our main leads, the story also emphasize on side characters. Their daily stories and challenging they emphasize were truly reflecting realities that one may see them through their characters. We learn to appreciate our partners, to nurture parents-children relationship, to have good parenting and understanding our future generations.
I especially love our side couples Mi-Seon and Eun-Chul. Their cute interaction and confession always make me laugh and giggle.
Mi-Seon and Hye Jin friendship is truly golden, and that is one that everyone could wish for.
Overall it is a good slice of life drama though there are some clingy moment, and the music is just okay.

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COMPLETE romance ? ? with no open endings

I literally cannot think of one thing that I didn't like about the drama. I love the complete ending and how there was no dumb open ending. I love how there was no unnecessary breakups. I love how they gave everybody in the crew their own story but it didn't overshadow the main characters and they only gave them a little bit so it's not like a full episode. I loved the overall message of hope and beauty and how it taught you not to only look for CEOs as your man. It was down-to-earth, it felt real and relatable. It felt like you were in the small town in South Korea. It was so cute.
I just really liked the way the writers went about this. I gave it and I 9.5 Because I feel like it's still not perfectly complete with the whole package exactly like I wanted. But it's still so good. I really love this and recommended it 10 out of 10.

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Under the same sea and sky.

“Sometimes, our pain is so private. And no one knows but you how painful it can be, you know? Not even your family. “ That’s how i’ve decided to start writing this review. To the person who’s reading this right now, i must tell you that this drama will make you feel like you are actually watching “real” life instead of a drama. Why? Because this drama is extremely realistic. Obviously if you excuse the non realistic parts that not even in real life can happen. This drama talks about loneliness, about dealing with your pain after losing someone you loved, it talks about grieving and how you should feel about that, it teaches you about how hard is to be a solo parent, and how lovely it’s to live alone but surrounded by a lots of people. It talks about first loves and soulmates.
For me there a lot of things that i could write about but english isn’t my first language so i’ll stay with the basics. “Look around yourself closely and you’ll realize that you’re surrounded by many precious things.”
It’s not your fault, it’s your right to feel sad and mad, but you can’t change the future or the past and even the present isn’t predictable.
Last but not least “and when we meet again, let’s go fishing”.

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An enjoyable beachside romance

This drama is not overrated in the slightest.

I’m not one for romantic comedies especially in a small town setting but this one has a special place in my heart. I’ll share about what was really enjoyable for me and what I felt could’ve been better.

- CHIEF HONG

Every episode was interesting for me and the humour was OUT OF THIS WORLD. No seriously, shut up I’ve never laughed so hard my entire life. I loved, loved and LOVED chief hong’s character. The way he managed everything in the small town and had so many official licenses. He was so cheerful and charming that I couldn’t help but adore him even if I personally am not a fan of Kim Seon Ho. His character had so much substance and humour. Plus, his interactions with grandmother was so touching and tear jerking. When he piggybacked her and that boyish laugh he let out…God, I was done for. When I learnt about his past and what he had gone through in Seoul, it was the only time I ever cried with a character. His backstory wasn’t what moved me but more of the way he finally let out his bottled up emotions and dropped the act. Goes to show that behind every smile, there really is something more.

- THE VILLAGERS

Every form of entertainment came from them. The three grandmothers, Bora and her family, the divorced couple with their son. All of them made a lasting impression with their funny interactions and bittersweet moments. Personally, I liked the little boy whose name I can’t seem to recall the most. He was so mature for his age and when he cried, it really stuck with me.

- THE PLOT

There wasn’t a lot of drama because this was a lighthearted watch and the events that took place were quite trivial, with occasional conflicts here and there getting resolved fast. It wasn’t entirely based on the main lead’s romance because most of their interactions were centred around things happening in the town. The main “plot twist” or “climax” was really discovering about Chief Hong’s tragic backstory. Other than that, everything was enjoyable and realistic.

- THE FEMALE LEAD

Yes. I understand that in the end, there was character development but her personality thoroughly annoyed me even until the very end. She wasn’t excessive or anything but her disdain towards her was very apparent and I didn’t like how she had to rely on Chief Hong to save her ass. BUT what I did like was how realistic and refreshing her character was at the same time. Sounds contradictory but hear me out. Despite how difficult the dentist was at first and how rude she was to her neighbours, I couldn’t help but relate to her in some ways and find bits of myself in her reactions. I liked how honest and upfront she was about her feelings but yet, she also felt apologetic when she knew she was in the wrong. Her character isn’t perfect or ideal to say the least but that’s the part that moved me the most.

- THE TEMPORARY LOVE TRIANGLE

It wasn’t much of a love triangle but rather a history between the dentist and her ex classmate who after so long, still pined for her but respectfully did so. It was an unrequited love and a matter of bad timing and I do like how unlike some typical seconds leads who spend their entire lives in a one-sides love, this man got a decent ending of his own. It wasn’t rushed or anything but a slow matter of healing from his first love and embracing a new one. It felt natural and refreshing.

I’ll now be moving on to the parts which I personally didn’t like but didn’t find unbearable to watch.

- THE (CRINGE) PARTS

My cringe tolerance is very, very low so rest assured it’s probably won’t be cringe for you. Just throwing this out there. I was up to my neck when they took pictures in school uniforms and the female lead was constantly whining or shrieking in ways that…bothered me. Some parts were okay, quite sweet but it felt overdone a little. I won’t say much but yes, that is my take on the romance and if you enjoyed it, don’t let my opinion spoil your enjoyment :)

- THE GRANDMA DID NOT NEED TO PASS AWAY

Yes. There was already enough going on what with Chief’s Hong past getting revealed and his backstory. I was praying hard that the grandma would not die when she said those sad things before sleeping and it broke me when she didn’t wake up the next morning. I felt it would’ve been better if she had at least seen Chief Hong come out of his house before she passed on because the last time she went to visit him was to leave him corn on his doorstep .

Overall, this was a lighthearted drama with hilarious scenes and a perfect beachside romance. It’s something like crash landing on you with the village camaraderie and all but very different in a way. A must-watch if you’re an emotional person!

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A drama full of life lessons

The drama in general is already perfect in every aspects so i wont discuss much about acting, plot, ost etc.

What made this drama stand out is the life lessons the writer and director managed to incorporate. The drama was highly anticipated because of the leads but as the drama progressed it was no longer just about chemistry and typical romcom that we watch to free ourselves from stress. It has become the light and reflection of our past our present and our future. When i watched this drama it had me thinking of the life choices i made. It is very rare for a drama to bring an impact on viewers and having read alot of comments im not the only one. Im so proud to the whole production of this drama. I wish nothing more but for more dramas like this.

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¿MEJOR DRAMA DEL 2021? SI

Empecé este kdrama con la idea de que sería un drama gracioso y que me haría pasar un buen rato, sin embargo fue mucho más que ello.

Es una historia que habla acerca del amor, todos los tipos de amor: romántico tanto en su etapa inicial como en su etapa más cruda y realista; amor entre amigos, amistades que están allí para apoyarte y guiare; amor familiar, de los padres a sus hijos y viceversa, amor de nietos; y un último el que le da la esencia al programa, amor de comunidad: Gongjin en si es un propio personaje.

De igual manera es una historia que nos habla acerca de las diferentes etapas de la vida y de las emociones que podemos tener en momentos muy específicos: arrepentimiento, fraternidad, tristeza, alegría, amor... Este es un kdrama que te hace sentir de muchas maneras: vuelves a creer en el amor, ríes, aprendes, creces junto a los personajes y lloras, porque las historias están llenas de un sentimiento único.

Adoro a esta serie y puedo decir que se ha convertido en mi favorita. No puedo dejar de recomendarla porque realmente me sentí sanada y espero que todos puedan ver la historia tan significativa de Dusik, Hyejin y de todos los habitantes de Gongjin, porque otro plus a lo anterior son los personajes tan maravillosos: mujeres fuertes, hombres serviciales, abuelas sabias, amigos carismáticos, personas reales.

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NO SPOILERS!! - the most heartwarming drama ever! perfect for relaxation. MUST WATCH!!

Even if you don't enjoy light-hearted dramas, this drama is still definitely worth watching once in your lifetime. Here are some clarifications to help you out! NO, this is not one of those "cheesy" dramas that make no sense and have no character development! NO, this drama is not cliche! There are parts where you can anticipate what happens next, but they're not really related to the romantic aspect of this drama. Now, onto the reviews of separate aspects!

For the romance aspect, this drama is definitely heavy. It's pretty centered on romantic relationships and progressions, but it's WELL WRITTEN! And very much realistic! The pacing is perfect, it's not a slowburn that makes you bored out of your mind, it's not so fast that it makes no sense, it's perfect. Of course, they come around hardships, but those hardships are very realistic, and you see them in the real world too. They also MAKE SENSE.

Next, the characters! Each and every character in this drama was written carefully and beautifully, from the townspeople to the children to the main leads. You can see each character's past and connect it with their actions in the present, and I really love that. It's not like the writers are trying to make some petty excuse for a villain's rampage. This drama shows traumas, pains, and most importantly, of course, realism. Personally, I value the realness of dramas, which is why I love this drama so much. It really connects with the real world, which made me extremely emotional while watching. I'll probably write another review with spoilers because I really cannot get over each character's stories. I will tell you here and now, however, that the female lead makes sense. She is not stupid. She breaks many stereotypes. She has a healthy relationship mindset. She is strong mentally, and her instincts and common sense are perfectly intact. I love that about her. The male lead is well written. He is not a jerk, hell no, he is an absolute sweetheart! His character has a lot of depth, and his thoughts and actions make sense. The second male lead is also very worth praising! He also has a loooot of depth. He has reasons for having feelings for our female lead, and he is not just there as a nuisance. Personally, I did not feel bad for him because while he has an amazing personality, so does the male lead. This is one of the very few dramas I've seen where both male leads make sense, and the male lead overpowers the second male lead. The second male lead's confession was straightforward, the female lead's rejection was also straightforward, and it's just *chef's kiss*. I love it.

Alright, the ACTING! Please, oh my god, the cast is insane. It's perfect. Kim Seonho as such a flexible range, and his microexpressions are really well depicted. You can see him reminisce about the past with a hint of sadness in his eyes. He gets that teary-eyed look when he uses expressions of affection, and most of these are similar to Shin Min-ah's acitng style as well! They are both amazing actors. I really love Shin Min-ah's voice. It's very relaxing. I also really feel the need to praise the townspeople's acting. They have such amazing duality, and they really go all out. I don't why, but a lot of times, the side characters have better acting than the leads. In this case, the leads' acting falls just a tiny bit short of the side characters. But the leads' acting is not at all bad! The side characters are just phenomenal.

Slice-of-life aspect: Apart from all the romance and stuff, what made me most emotional was how realistic this drama was. As the synopsis states, our female lead, Yoon Hyejin, moves to a small seaside town named Gongjin due to some personal issues. Now, the town Gongjin is very well depicted. They live traditionally, but you still see hints of modern-ness around. Like Juri stanning a K-pop group and the presence of technology. It's not like she went to the stone age, so I appreciate the realness of it. It's hard to write about this without spoiling anything major, but I'll just say that I really respect the authors of this drama for the realism. I love it when things are realistic but spicy.

Lastly, personal opinions. Personally, I tested positive for Covid and was quarantining, so I thought I'd watch this drama because I've seen it around a lot. And at first, I thought it was a cheesy cliche drama, haha! But I was watching Lawless Lawyer, and I got a little tired of all the scheming and stuff. I appreciated the romance in Lawless Lawyer, but like... I didn't really want to watch two people being affectionate when there's people trying to murder them all around. So, I sought out something more light-hearted, and tada! I ended up with Hometown Cha Cha Cha. And I am honestly so, SO glad I decided to watch it. I actually pulled through with it, because it got interesting right after the first episode, and it just kept getting more interesting. No disappointments whatsoever, at least for me. I think I'll end it here, HAHA. I rambled off. All in all, this is definitely worth watching. I gave it a low rewatch value because I still haven't recovered from crying my eyeballs out over it, but I know I'm definitely going to rewatch some parts, maybe even the whole thing. I just love it so much. Be sure to check it out!

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I regret watching it late...

I mean, why did I come to know this masterpiece now, it's just too beautiful.
No boring episode, even the back story was just so beautiful.
I found everything about this drama beautiful, I couldn't even stop until I finish watching, I spent two full days watching.
The ending was perfect too.
This drama indeed is a masterpiece and it portrays life well.
I mean, everyone has a past they want to hide so bad, and there are people who are already used to their pains that they find it hard to tell others about it.

Please go and watch this drama if you haven't.
it's worth all the time.

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Best drama of 2021

Best drama of 2021 and that's a fact, relative to life instead of fiction. Shin Minah is a queen and a goddess, since i saw her in tomorrow with you that was when I fell for her, she's so sexy, talented and beautiful. She always slay her roles in any drama. This is my first Korean drama that I have watched within a span of 2 days instead of years, was hooked right from the first episode,the casts nailed it and I hope they get to bag all the awards they will be nominated for especially the male lead, first time seeing him in a drama and it felt as if I have been watching all his drama which shows that he really knows how to act and deliver his roles well. Super realistic and all about life, took me back to reply 1988. TvN really know how to make a good quality drama and no wonder their dramas are all a hit. I love this drama so much, love all the casts and I'm sad that I finished it already.

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IT HAS EVERYTHING WHAT NEED FOR A GREAT SHOW!!!!!

Ah! where do I start...
This series contained everything. It is a slow glow romance but throughout eventful. How it started how it spread out through the level of 16 episode is something else. It feels like those 16 episodes are not enough. One of the other things are that aesthetic view and the production the locations they choose, with those it feels likes the story the characters the acting glows more and more enlighten this thing.

Taking about the episodes....
-> The first few episodes their interaction is great all time when she needs, he was there. The one thing I find great is all time their interaction is their which is very important in a slow romantic drama somewhere I feels lacks in the other dramas like those. There are some scenes where they mad at themselves those feel very cute and romantic.

-> Now the middle part this is very important part for the show as their romance starts here how they deal with their emotions is totally stunning especially she. She was totally sure about her feeling although her friend confesses but she knows that who is the one for her. Dealing the story at this place may seem slightly low (only with respect to the others parts of the story which sets a very high level) but in the end it doesn’t seem that way because they sort the things out in the end

-> In ending, it is the most important thing any drama most drama of them goes with the break up scenes and that’s here this drama specially rise out from others. The dark past of him was always haunt him there. They know that the story will be monotonous after the confession so they now go with his past which is good in my opinion and enough helps people to keep attached and this thing may seem odd but I feel the levels of the episodes somewhere fluctuates as the 15th episode is fully packed with the events. GOSH! I never see such a fully packed 15th episode yes things change in dramas in 15 episode but here it something more happed, At the ending episode they end this in a lighter note which is also great and pleasing to see.


o) Now about the story....
This is the one of the most well-constructed slow burning romance stories I have ever seen. This story has everything for hang around till last. As start from the first how she left everything to come here and settle how their inter action goes till the end is very great. How he was helping her for small things like set up, that misunderstanding with their people, with that pervert etc. all are great to see. The jealousy of both him and her is quite good to see and enjoyable till the last. One thing I really feels great is their romance starts exactly when needed not too early they given the time to develop their feelings they didn’t rush to show them together which is big plus to the story. (I am telling this because I saw many slow rom com drams where they stared this too much fast which kind of makes the whole thing boring and mono tonus.).How they pan out the after confession thing is also quite thoughtful to see they show many things like keeping their relationship a secret, misunderstanding, inferiority complex, need of time and space in a relationship all those things I think is in the right amount not everything too much. They hover around the past of him with the whole series but they choose to tell this when that needed at last stepping stone, that shock at the end of 14th episode and that eventful 15th episode is something else. The supporting characters is also quite great her friend who was with her everything. The stories of the other supporting characters is also very well constructed it shows the real self of how some people their dreams in an small village how they support each other during their difficult time and give space when needed. Even the story of the director is also quite greatly accomplished that is deal with right value.

Another thing about the story is they conclude the story in one season it’s like that they have a clarity of thought don’t unnecessary hanging or half-hearted business which may going to solve out in the season 2 or not which left the people frustrating and gives a wholesome complete experience.

One thing I really feels sad that nobody tells sorry him even at once (about the past). I mean That guy literally did not do anything at all in the investment case. He literally doses everything to stop that man from investing he gives him warning thousand times the only fault that the guy done was he did not able to see his investment only for the cause of the hectic work and he also pay them off and does everything he could with the shock of lose his brother like friend and also, he listens those disrespectful words from his mother. In the accident case also, he has nothing to do yes for him they were heading there. I mean they could show the father of the director’s colleague and could ease the things out at least once and a sorry form the guy and I can understand about the case of his friend’s wife she was too shock to tell anything. Another thing that I really hate that when comes to beat him and accusing him that happened in front of every one but when the time comes sort things out and the real truth that he told in the night solely and nobody was there. Those thing I think does not matter the most but I felt some where weird.

o) Now about the acting...
Those kinds of drama are actually a lot depend on acting not only of the amin cast but with the supporters as well. With the story the acting is also flawless that’s what make this series greater. It’s the acting which makes the characters livelier and more relatable. The acting of the of both of them show a really great character growth the fear of him about the past and how he let them go and how he always left alone is quite heartbreaking to see. On the other hand, sheer character growth is also remarkable
settling down a small see side town coming from a modern vast city is not so easy the interaction with the residents how they will accept her is delighted to see here. She at the end even taken a big leap to left everything and married him.
One other character who was wonderful was that old lady (sorry! I forget the name) she has every bit of influence on their life whether she or he every time some odd thing happened; she was there to drive them the right way. She literally saves him and she treated her as her own daughter and tell her how lonely he was. Others acting was also up to the mark.

o) About music...
I generally do not talk about or understand the music of K-drama but here it is quite different the primary song is really soothing to hearing the ears. and somewhere feels like started al new beginning and really refreshing. Overall, there nothing odd are there and the music quite remarkable.

o) Rewatch value...
For me the rewatch value determines by how many short, satisfying incidents or interaction is present in between the leads.as I spoke earlier that the stalker scene, that pervert scene, those drinking scene, her confession scene, the golf scene these things generally add the rewatch value in the show. Those people like that the gossiping woman makes the show relatable and good to watch. And the last thing is the whole story is quite eventful not one-sided mad boring which is main thing for rewatch.

In the end the best thing about the show is You can watch the show with always a smile in your face which is always mind and mood refreshing. I Khow its quite a big review but I can still write around many things as it is that much great.

SO, THANK YOU FOR THIS SHOW!!!

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