Production
Development
The series, written by Shin Ha-eun, was her comeback after co-writing the 2019 drama The Crowned Clown. It was first announced on December 21, 2020, under the working title of Hong Ban-jang (홍반장). The series is a drama remake of the 2004 movie Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong starring Kim Joo-hyeok and Uhm Jung-hwa and written by Kang Seok-beom and Shin Jung-goo.[44]
Casting
Casting was first announced on December 21, 2020, with Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a being offered the lead roles.[44] On April 2, 2021, it was officially announced that Yoo Je-won will be directing the drama literally translated as Seaside Village Cha-Cha-Cha (갯마을 차차차). In the same time, Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a were confirmed as main leads,[45] also Lee Sang-yi was being offered the role.[46] The drama marked Director Yoo Je-won second collaboration with Shin Min-a after both worked on Tomorrow with You (2017).
Filming
The first script reading for the cast members took place on April 21, 2021. Filming was initially scheduled to commence on May 8 and primarily took place in Pohang.[47][48] The drama was planned to wrapped up filming on October 6, 2021.[49]
Music and choreography
The series features numerous onscreen song covers performed by the characters. Lim Ha-young, the music director, was responsible for selecting all of the songs used. However writer Shin Ha-eun, director Yoo Je-won, actors and the crews also actively contributed ideas. Similar to the character Hong Du-sik from the original film,[50] Kim Seon-ho had to sing and play guitar in the drama. In drama version, Du-sik covered "Old Love" from Lee Moon-sae, different song from the original film.[51]
Other characters in the drama also performed at Gongjin Village's "Lighthouse Song Festival." The opening stage of the festival featured Gongjin's pride, Oh Yeon, performing his only hit song, "Exercising in the Moonlight." To create a realistic festival atmosphere, Jo Han-chul sang and played the guitar live. Interestingly, "Exercising in the Moonlight" is an old song composed by Lim back in the nineties. It was selected to achieve an authentic nineties sound and was apt as popular hit ranking second in the 1993 K-pop Top 10 Gayo, making it the most significant achievement of the nineties singer, Oh Yeon.[52][53] According to the production team, the festival scene in the sixth episode was the most important but also the most challenging to film. It required a significant amount of time due to the involvement of a large number of people and the unpredictable weather during the rainy season. Additionally, the filming had to adhere to strict quarantine rules due to the COVID-19 situation.[54]
This drama featured a fictional idol group called DOS, known for their hit song "Just a Feeling." The choreography for the song was created by Jo Young-seo and Kim Do-gyun, who are choreographers and dancers from a group called Dance of Soul (DOS). Jo and Kim gained recognition as choreographers for the popular television show, Mr. Trot.[61] Jo mentioned that the original name for the idol group in the drama was "Choice," but writer Shin Ha-eun changed the name into DOS.[41][42] Jo and Kim also revealed that their appearance in the drama was a spontaneous decision. When they created the choreography, they were invited to act as idols in the drama.[39] Seong Tae, Baek Seung, Jo Young-seo, Kim Do-gyun and one more member from the dance team underwent a month of dance practice in order to portray the image of DOS perfectly. The dance was first performed at the "Lighthouse Song Festival," where Hye-jin and Du-sik acted as backup dancers for Oh Ju-ri, and later the idol group DOS surprised the audience with their performance at the festival.[61]
Reception
Big Data Reception
During its airing, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha achieved notable rankings and generated buzz according to various sources. In the Content Power Index (CPI) Content Power Index (CPI)[a] powered by RACOI, the drama entered the Top 10 in the drama category, ranking 6th in the 4th week of August (from 23rd to 29th).[82] It continued to perform well, reaching 3rd place in the drama category and 4th place in the overall category in the first and second weeks of September. In the third week of September, it claimed the 2nd spot in the drama category and 3rd place overall. For four consecutive weeks, from the 4th week of September to the 2nd week of October 2021, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha secured the 1st rank in the drama category. In the overall category, it attained the 2nd place in the 4th and 5th weeks of September, experienced a slight drop to 4th place in the 1st week of October, and then returned to the 2nd rank in the 2nd week of October.[83][84]
According to the Good Data Corporation,[b] Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha consistently charted in the Top 10 in the TV Topicality Ranking in the drama division category from the 3rd week of August 2021 to the 2nd week of October 2021. It ranked 8th in the 3rd week of August, 3rd in the 4th week of August, 1st week, and 2nd week of September, and climbed to 2nd place in the 3rd week of September. The drama eventually secured the top spot in drama popularity in the 4th week of September and 1st week of October. The main leads, Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a, consistently ranked high during this period, with Kim Seon-ho taking the 1st place and Shin Min-a ranking 2nd in consecutive weeks from the 3rd week of August to the 4th week of September. In the 5th week of September, Kim Seon-ho ranked 2nd, and Shin Min-a ranked 3rd. In the 1st and 2nd weeks of October 2021, Kim Seon-ho regained the top spot, while Shin Min-a ranked 5th in the 1st week and returned to 3rd place in the 2nd week of October.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha made its mark entering Top 20 'FUNdex,'[c] ranking 17th with a score of 83.13 out of 355 Korean dramas aired from 2018 to 2021. 'FUNdex' provides predictions on the fun factor and box office potential of content by integrating six data points: the number of household viewers, the number of viewers in the 2049 age group, topicality, performer topicality, clip views, and media attention. Good Data Corporation data and public data provided by RACOI were also used in this ranking.[87]
On April 18, 2022, the result of The 2021 Big Data Utilization Hallyu Market Research was announced. The report was published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and The Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE). Topic of this report is about the public interest in the Korean Wave. It analyzed the current status of Korean Wave by collecting and analyzing voluntary global reactions that occur online in real-time. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, along with its leads, Kim Seonho and Shin Min-a were among the most searched keywords (prominent keywords) related to K-drama on the report.[88][89]
The drama's popularity also had a direct impact on the brand reputation of its main leads. According to big data analysis by The Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, in September 2021, Kim Seon-ho topped the drama actor brand reputation ranking, while Shin Min-a secured the third position. The analysis considered factors such as brand participation, media volume, traffic volume, and communication volume, measuring and indexing them with a brand reputation algorithm. Compared to the drama actor brand data in August 2021, their brand reputation increased by 21.00%.[90][91]
In a year-end poll conducted by Gallup in South Korea, Kim Seon-ho was named Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year, and Shin Min-a ranked second, further affirming their popularity.[92][93]
Commercial performance
The commercial success of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha had a significant impact on the commercial performance of its production house. Studio Dragon reported sales of ₩64.9 billion in the third quarter of 2021, marking a 27.7% increase compared to the same period last year. The proportion of sales also rose to 55.9%, an 8.1% increase from the previous year. GTist, the production company involved in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, was believed to have achieved a full profit in 2021, with a net profit of ₩2.1 billion. CJ ENM, the parent company of GTist, Studio Dragon, and tvN, recorded consolidated sales of ₩857.5 billion and an operating profit of ₩87.8 billion in the third quarter of 2021. This represented a 7.4% increase in sales and a 23.6% increase in operating profit compared to the same period in 2020. The growth in sales was attributed to the success of major dramas, including Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. TV advertisements and content sales also saw significant increases of 22.9% and 33.3%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2020.[94][95]
The popularity of the drama led to the emergence of the term "Gaetcha Craze." The properties showcased in the series experienced a surge in sales. The wine that Yoon Hye-jin gifted to Hong Du-sik in episode 5 received a sudden influx of orders and temporarily sold out.[96] The bag worn by Yoon Hye-jin also sold out.[97][98] In addition, there has been a significant increase in inquiries about other clothing, jewelry, and shoes worn by Shin Min-a. Yoon Hye-jin's fashion gained popularity due to a delightful combination of sophisticated style and her unique, lovely charm.[99]
Kim Haeng-sook's poetry book, "Portrait of Echo," garnered renewed attention after one of its poems, "The Gatekeeper," was featured in the drama. Since its release in 2014, the book had never made it onto the bestseller list. However, thanks to its inclusion in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, the public rediscovered it after seven years. The book quickly climbed to the second spot on Kyobo Bookstore's bestseller list in the poetry section during the first week of October. It also entered the third spot on Yes24's bestseller list in the Korean poetry category by the second week of October.[100] Additionally, the Korean translation of Henry David Thoreau's Walden, which Hong Ban-jang read in episode 2 of the drama,[101] reached the 11th spot on Yes24's bestseller list in the essay category by the second week of October. In analyzing the book sales growth rate for one week before and after the exposure of "Walden" and "Portrait of Echo" in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, Yes24 reported significant sales growth rates of 369% and 3,257%, respectively.[102]
Yes24 reported that the limited first editions (the writer's edition) of the unedited scriptbooks for Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha 1 and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha 2, which include autographs and messages from writer Shin Ha-eun, actors Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho, quickly rose to the top of the overall bestseller list within just one day of pre-sale. On the day of publication alone, over 9,000 copies were booked, showcasing their immense popularity. In terms of the age group purchasing the script book, individuals in their 20s (36.8%) and 30s (32.4%) held the largest share, followed by those in their 40s (18.7%) and teenagers (7.4%). The male-to-female ratio was approximately 1:9.[78][103] According to an official from Aladin, the scriptbooks soared to the number one spot on Aladin's bestsellers list on October 16, 2021. The official stated, "While we have been selling scripts of popular dramas, it is rare for a drama script to top the bestseller list." This was reported by The Korea Herald.[104]
Critical reception
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha received critical acclaim, primarily for its simplicity, acting, cinematography, setting, and vibe. The show was acknowledged by Variety as one of "The Best International TV Shows of 2021," ranking sixth on the list. The story's simplicity and lighthearted nature has provided a refreshing escape amid the doom and gloom of the pandemic. On 21 December 2021 NME unveiled "The Best Kdrama of 2021", in which the series was ranked eighth. According to them, the show won viewers over with its upfront and straightforward approach in dealing with different dilemmas, without being overly preachy and tacky. Every episode is like a warm embrace from those once-strangers-turned-family, offering comfort and respite whether you're experiencing the highs or lows of every day. Graham Falk of The Scotsman also included the series on the list of "Best K-drama TV shows on Netflix: The 10 most highly rated Korean dramas on Netflix.[105]
Jan Lee of The Straits Times gave the drama a rating of 4/5 stars, pointing out three reasons to tune in to Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha were idyllic setting, charming leads and colourful supporting characters.[106] Pierce Conran from South China Morning Post gave the drama a rating of 3.5/5 stars and said that the hit romcom kept things simple and though it occasionally indulged in some hokey dramatics to strengthen its wafer-thin narrative, it was never in danger of alienating its committed audience, which was hooked to the last.[107]
S. Poorvaja from The Hindu said, "Ultimately, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is a good example of how K-dramas can get romance right, even as it attempts to provide more nuance and depth into the struggles of its lead characters. For everyone who has had their minds blown by Squid Game, this outing is a worthy representation of what else K-dramas excel at: slice-of-life goodness and wholesome romance of the best kind."[108] Chad de Guzman from Time included the drama in the list of the 8 best Korean dramas on Netflix and stated, "'Best' doesn't always have to mean 'intense and thought-provoking'. Sometimes it can simply mean easy, enjoyable viewing."[109]
Professor Mo Jong-rin, a professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies, praised the series as refreshing. Professor Mo suggest that, "Netflix, the provider, may not have intended it, but the Squid Game and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha are logically connected. The community of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha serves as an alternative solution to the harsh reality portrayed in Squid Game. I apologize to Squid Game fans, but I genuinely hope that foreigners to remember Korea as a warm country that presents a community-based alternative to societal issues, rather than a country that simply criticizes reality in a provocative manner."[110]
Joel Keller of Decider gave a mixed review, stating, "There's enough good things about Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, including the seashore scenery and the chemistry between the show's leads, to recommend it. However, there are moments when it moves so slowly that the momentum comes close to grinding to a halt."[111]
One of the pop culture critics, Jung Deok-hyeon, from PD Journal, described Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha as "Soft Healing Drama".[112] Meanwhile, Bang Yeon-joo, another pop culture critic from PD Journal, had a more mixed review. Bang pointed out some disappointing aspects, stating, "The portrayal of men and women in the drama followed typical stereotypes, despite attempting to showcase the contrasting personalities of Du-sik and Hye-jin in three dimensions. The episodes where the meddlesome Du-sik appeared to rescue Hye-jin whenever she faced a crisis were a clichéd setup that reduced Hye-jin to a 'damsel in distress' character."[113] Additionally, Bang acknowledged that despite the drama's plain subject matter and genre, it achieved commercial success. This was attributed to the development of not only the romantic relationships in Gongjin, a seaside town, but also the endearing and affectionate characters of the townsfolk, which created a calming and enjoyable atmosphere.[114]
Columnist Jung Deok-hyeon from Entermedia also expressed a similar sentiment, particularly regarding a scene involving a house trespasser that seemed to appear out of nowhere to further the relationship between Yoon Hye-jin and Hong Du-sik. Jung Deok-hyeon mentioned that this particular aspect of the drama felt like a weakness, as clichés that may have been more acceptable in the past are now harder to embrace due to changing sensibilities. Despite these perceived weaknesses, the viewer response was not bad, mainly because the fantasy depicted through the virtual setting of Gongjin in this drama was exceptionally compelling. This is especially notable within the context of a highly competitive reality, as depicted in the intense and gripping series "Squid Game."[115]
Tourism
There was also a noticeable increase in visitors to the various filming locations of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, which had a positive impact on Pohang tourism.[116] The drama's setting quickly became an integral part of Pohang's tourism itinerary. It is reported that the local commercial district and the overall economy experienced a revival thanks to the popularity of the drama.[117]
The drama's popularity also made a significant contribution to Yangju tourism. In the 12th episode of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, the Chang Ucchin Museum of Art was featured. It was established in 2014 by The Chang Ucchin Foundation in collaboration with the city of Yangju.[118] According to Yangju City's official, the museum caught the attention of viewers with its distinct white structure and its harmonious integration with the surrounding natural environment. This led to an increase in people seeking information about the museum.[119]
On November 24, 2021, the contents of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha were released through LG U+ XR platform U+DIVe. Studio Dragon utilized its premium intellectual property to present virtual reality (VR) contents in partnership with Korea Tourism Organization and LG U+. The project aimed to promote Korea's beautiful tourist destinations using drama content as a medium. All content was filmed in VR, capturing the unique emotions of various tourist spots in 3D 180-degree high-definition video to enhance the immersive experience. Lee Sang-yi reprised his role as Ji PD and became virtual guide for Gongjin VR tour.[120]
