“Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” is a viral hit romantic-comedy Korean drama and an outstanding remake of the 2004 film, “Mr. Hong”, starring Kim Seonho and Shin Mina.
It takes us to the daily life of residents at the seaside village of Gongjin where life is calm and slow-paced but where rich and profound stories abound.
Here are five takeaways on life and healing from the series:
1. Life’s challenges are inevitable.
“The sea won’t always be this gentle, though. We will be met with wind and waves. And even typhoons will come our way.” – Chief Hong
“We all have moments we regret in ife. Nevertheless, we can never turn back the clock.” – Yoon Hyejin
“You’re bound to meet unexpected situations in life. Even if you use an umbrella, you’ll end up getting drenched. Just put your hands up and welcome the rain.” – Chief Hong
“It’s okay to get lost or take the long route every now and then. Every time that happened, life took me on an interesting ride.” – Director Ji Seonghyeon
“Surfing is very similar to life. If a good wave comes along, you ride it and slide off it gently. Whether the waves are vicious or stagnant, accept it as is.” – Chief Hong
2. Pain demands to be felt.
“You know, they say when you lose a loved one, you should mourn plenty. If not, the grief travels all through your body, and it bursts later.” – Yoon Hyejin
“It’s better to talk about it. If you keep bottling up your emotions, you’ll get sick.” – Jo Namsook
“You have a hangnail that’s bothering you. It’s painful and irritating. You need to take care of it. If not, it’ll hurt even more.” – Director Ji Seonghyeon
“It’s best you pull it out. If not, the pain will just worsen.” – Yeo Hwajeong
“You can cry if you want. It must’ve been hard so hard for you. You must’ve hidden the pain deep down. You’ve been holding onto such a burden. You can be sad when you’re with me. You can show me your pain. You can cry.” – Yoon Hyejin
“Many fear the procedure but I recommend that you bravely dig it out rather than keep your pain hidden.” – Yoon Hyejin
3. Life is full of beauty.
“Look around you closely and you’ll realize that you’re surrounded by many precious things.” – Ms Gamri
“Look at this from a different angle. Who knows? Perhaps, life has something else in store for you.” – Chief Hong
“Rather than detailed paintings, I like simple ones like this. Adding elaborate details is easy. It’s harder to express the essence of something with ordinary drawings.” – Chief Hong
“I paint, brew coffee, and sail a boat. I don’t have a specific job right now. I chose to lead my own life instead of being led by someone else. Change your view on life just a bit, and this lifestyle will bring you joy. ” – Chief Hong
4. No two individual’s life experiences are the same.
“What may be easy for one person can be something difficult for another.” – Yeo Hwajeong
“Life isn’t so fair for all of us. Some spend their whole lives on unpaved roads, while some run at full speed only to reach the edge of a cliff.” – Chief Hong
“You learn the most by putting yourself in other people’s shoes.” – Miseon
“You freely judge other people’s lives, but are offended when you’re being assessed?” – Chief Hong
“Don’t judge a book by its cover. That’s being prejudiced.” – Chief Hong
5. To live life to the fullest involves letting go.
“Life may seem so long, but it really isn’t. Throw away unnecessary thoughts and be honest with yourself.” – Ms. Gamri
“How you help others is admirable but you must live your own life, too. Eat a lot of good food and be happy. You deserve it.” – Ms Gamri
“Those what-ifs are pointless. There are too many variables in this world and they’re beyond our control. So it’s not your fault.” – Yoon Hyejin
“I know these years haven’t been easy for you. Don’t worry about other things now, and only think about yourself.” – Ms Gamri
“Stop thinking and forget about it. What’s done is done. Just press delete, forget about everything, and feel at ease.” – Miseon
“As long as it’s not true, there’s no need to overreact. Let’s not be so sharp around the edges.” – Chiief Hong
Since its premiere on August 28, 2021, the show consistently took the highest nationwide viewership ratings in its time slot across all channels, with Episode 16 finale achieving the highest record of 12.7%, according to Nielsen Korea.
It is also currently on the Top 10 TV shows on Netflix in several countries such as the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and a lot more. As of writing, 98% Google users liked this show with a rate of 9/10 through the IMDB.
Drama Creators: Director Yu Je-won, Writer Shin Ha-eun
Photo cover: TVN Drama / Hanible Photography
KORB 