If you’re looking for a heartwarming Korean drama, my all-time favorite has to be Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
This drama is, by far, one of the cutest I’ve ever watched.
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha review in three parts:
the characters, a brief storyline, and my overall thoughts on the drama.
The Characters
First things first—the characters!
I initially wanted to watch this drama because of Kim Seon-ho, who plays the main male lead, Hong Du-sik. The first drama I saw him in was Start-Up, and I absolutely loved him there. Similar to that role, he plays a somewhat cold character at first, but is deeply caring and kind beneath the surface.
I loved how everyone in the town adored him—he’s open, straightforward, generous, and always willing to help others. I found myself adoring him even more after watching this drama. Aside from his personality, can we talk about his smile and dimples? He’s just too cute!
The female lead, Yoon Hye-jin, is played by Shin Min-a. This was the first drama I’ve seen her in, and I really enjoyed her performance. At the beginning, her character came across as selfish and inconsiderate toward the townspeople, which made her a bit hard to like. However, as she settles into small-town life, her character grows into someone great.
I realized she wasn’t a bad person at all—she was actually very caring. Watching her growth was one of my favorite parts of the drama. She became such a cute, bubbly character, and it felt like she truly started to sparkle. She’s a lovely and gorgeous actress with a beautiful dimpled smile.
One of the strongest aspects of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is the chemistry between the main characters. Their relationship never felt forced. They start as strangers, gradually grow closer through everyday encounters, and naturally fall in love.
My favorite moments were during their official dating phase. They perfectly portrayed the excitement and sweetness of first love and it was incredibly cute—I couldn’t stop smiling!
Another character I’d love to recognize is Ji Seong-hyeon, played by Lee Sang-yi. I really appreciated his character. He was high-spirited, kind, and mature. Even though he wasn’t chosen by Yoon Hye-jin, he handled the situation with grace and understanding. There was no unnecessary drama, and he maintained a respectful relationship with the couple.
Honestly, if more people were like this in real life, we’d all have fewer headaches.
Next, let’s talk about the storyline.
The story follows Yoon Hye-jin, a dentist who loses her job due to a mistake made during a time of heartbreak. Looking for a fresh start, she moves to a small seaside village and opens her own dental clinic.
Adjusting from city life to small-town living isn’t easy, but Hong Du-sik, the town’s beloved handyman, is there to help her every step of the way. As they face unexpected events together, their relationship slowly deepens and turns into something more meaningful.
Once they both realize their feelings, the drama enters its most heart-fluttering phase—the dating stage. Later on, Yoon Hye-jin notices Hong Du-sik emotionally distancing himself and does her best to help him confront his past and heal.
Final Thoughts on Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Overall, I enjoyed every bit of this drama.
While the first episode felt a little slow and Yoon Hye-jin’s initial attitude almost made me stop watching, I’m so glad I continued. The payoff was more than worth it.
The highlight for me was definitely the chemistry between the main characters. They were incredibly cute, supportive, and uplifting to one another.
Beyond the main couple, I also loved the individual stories of the townspeople. At first, the town felt overwhelming because everyone had such strong personalities. But as their stories unfolded, I began to appreciate each character more. Their love-hate relationships, support for one another, and strong sense of community made the drama feel warm and realistic.
If I were a producer, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha would be the perfect romantic comedy Korean drama I’d want to create.
If you’d like to give this drama a shot, you’ll be able to watch this on Netflix and Viki.
Youas Truly,
