The thread is now open for spoilers and discussions.
(I know this post is early but my schedule will be tough this week.)
Shin Minah plays a dentist down on her luck so she moves her practice to a small village by the sea. There may be a mystery or two involving the real identity of the local handyman Doo Shik (played by Kim Seonho) but I doubt that he’s going to be an ax-murderer on the lam with a smile like this —
By the way, don’t rave about his dimples. “Dimples,” “oppa,” and “handsome” are going to be on my list of banned words for this kdrama. 😂
If you want to see a “slice of life” drama, I think you’re better off watching the variety show “2 Days, 1 Night.” However, if you’re looking for a light-hearted romcom, this might do the trick for you. I’m crossing my finger that the story is worth all the hype and that the main feature of this drama isn’t merely the slick visuals of the lead actors.
From the previews, we were already given an explanation for the title.
He thought she was asking for tea or “cha” and offered her his flask of tea.
She clarified that she didn’t mean “tea” and pretended to steer an imaginary wheel with her hands, while chanting, “Cha-cha-cha.”
Save the date: Saturday, August 28.
Let’s enjoy the show.
Thank you for this thread. I’m not following any other kdrama besides HP2 and Nevertheless so hopefully this will be a good one like you said. You won’t have a problem with me saying the banned words. 🙂
@Packmule3, as someone already cleverly dubbed it, can’t we even call this the Dimple Drama? DD is easier to type than HC3.
You have my empathy, facing a tough week at work. Although we can’t hear about the challenges before you, please know that we support you in whatever way we can. Here’s a glass of wine to enjoy in the calm preceding the storm. 🍷
I need some fluff. And this looks like it fits the bill. And it’s on Netflix so I will watch.
Thanks @pkml3! Hi Friends, I’ll see you hear as and when I can. This is about the only newly airing show that has a premise close to what I’d find interesting. May it indeed be fun, funny, fluffy and sweet!
Thank you, @packmule3. Everyone, I’ll join you.
Thank you @Packmule3!
I agree with @Welmaris about DD!
I do hope we will enjoy something light that will make us laugh!
Let us enjoy this!
I doubt a murderer plot for his mysterious past with that puppy smile 🤣 plus is time for a drama to be purely light-hearted romance!
The Cha-cha-cha is also because the slogan is “The moment our hearts started to dance” and the writer said that although the drama is not about dance she hopes the viewers hearts can dance while watching it.
I’ve never watched this female lead character but goodness, she is stunning. I don’t know why I’ve never found him attractive. He just looks very…soft. The first thing I ever watched with him was You Drive Me Crazy and I never warmed up to him.
I just finished a binge of uncontrollably fond since it’s just been made available on VIKI for my region and although I try not to get too invested in celebrity couples, I do hope SMA and KWB procreate just to see what beautiful creature emerges 😉
I’ll be joining you all with this drama! I second the motion pm3, totally over the dimples rave. I feel like every hour for the past 2 weeks I’ve seen a tweet anticipating the drama because of their dimples/visuals 🙄
I’ve watched the movie this is based on and lol he was no way near an axe-murderer. Tbh his background wasn’t very exciting, more pitiful. I’ll go research on what the writer is looking to bring to this and how different it is to the movie, so I can prepare myself!
Would have joined you guys for this if not for Kim Seon-ho — I’ve been wary of him since Start-Up and he just does nothing for me, unfortunately. @pm3 please book slots for Mount Jiri/Jirisan threads in advance for me, would love to see BoD/HP community there ❤️
@dashman1010,
I can tell you now that I’m writing a “glowing” review of HometownCCC and make those KSH fans (and anti-Dosan) die for my weekly reviews. 😈😂😂 They despised my “long” write-ups on Start-Up but I’m sure they’ll crave the same amount of attention when its their idol I’m writing about. 🤡
@pm3 *grabs popcorn and dashes to claim the front to seat* 🍪😉
@dashman1010, my reply is in the Alfresco Thread, Ep 10. 😉
LOL @PM3! I’ll be watching with caution. I hope the fangirls behave themselves now that their idol is the lead.
Goodness. Episode 1 and my laptop is submerged in froth.
Can you imagine the casting? Wanted: scores of cute grannies.
@Fern LOL. Yes, I felt inundated by cute grannies!! I like that being honest, while it brings difficulties in a dishonest world, also reaps good rewards in friendship and trust. This is one of those Shows where we must note: watch the epilogue!
I have a soft spot for grannies, I like that the community focuses on them in the day to day work and activities.
On KSH acting, I find it awkward and many times, he’s like posing (for fan service, I’m sure). He already has a shower scene in ep1 and lots of dimple shots but I did not feel it as natural acting most times. FL is very good and natural and of course, the grannies and the 2 kid bffs.
@Janey, yes to the somewhat awkward feel to KSH acting, yet I think this sort of thing will be his bread and butter. Shower scene in ep. 1 was totalllllly not necessary. Gosh, he has a torso! 😄 Good. That’s ticked off the tropes list. But that is the director’s choice.
Why was he on a surf board in very calm water? There weren’t even small waves; it was literally lapping on the beach. It was a better site for SUP or even an inflatable. Maybe he just goes out regardless of conditions to meditate or for stress relief. I’m no surfer so I shouldn’t judge. It just immediately seemed curious.
As to the grannies, it’s a bit like where I live. The community immediately uphill from me is all small duplexes filled with elderly people. We all know each other from our walks here and there.
I wonder if we’ll meet up with the first old lady and her unseen daughter at some point.
@Growing Beautifully, it is a good point about honesty and being respectful of others’ situations wherever possible. 💐
So far, it’s light and feel good! 🥰 Must confess, I love love love, love the beach — and I have a partiality for very simple, part-of-everyday-living beaches accessible by a few hours’ drive from the city — so, the beach-loving girl in me, who hasn’t been to any beach since this pandemic started 😭😭😭 is unexpectedly triggered. 😅 I am living vicariously through Hye Jin. I feel like just watching the waves and imagining the wind is already giving me good vibes. 😊
I agree, the grandmas and the the two BFF kids are adorable! (And I’m happy that the cuteness is not OTT.) @Janey, I have a soft spot for grannies (and gramps), too. Piggyback grandma is quickly stealing my heart.
Did the dad remarry? I assume he did. I just got confused because I thought the mom and the new wife were the same.
And on the surfboard, yeah, I thought that, too. 🤭 A skimboard, too, may have been appropriate, but I guess it’s more “handsome” if the male lead is shot with a surfboard. So in my head, yeah, I’ll just rationalize that he likes to float around on a board to relax. Haha.
Hi Everyone, Just finished watching Hometown Cha cha cha. I enjoyed it immensely. First off I’m a big fan of Shin Min-a. I loved her in OH My Venus and she hasn’t disappointed here. She isn’t cloying and has range. She also can do comedy. As far as Kim Seon-ho goes, I think he plays a more genuine character and will probably be okay as the antagonist-love interest. What made me happy were some of my favorite support players; Kim Young-ok, granny and court lady in The King, Jo Han-chul a go to guy who plays excutives well, and the cameo by Lee Jung-eun, who can do no wrong.
I’m looking for something a little light-hearted and this seems to be it. I just finished binging On The Verge of Insanity, a workplace drama with an older cast that had some serious themes, so I’m up for a change. I would recommend that drama for people interested in watching work life balance played, 5he usual political stuff, the problems with ambition, technology changes-lots of themes. Warning, if you watch the midsection can be a slog so I’d recommend fast forwarding in parts. But the cast headed by Jung Jae- young and Moon So-ri, is excellent. There is not a clinker in the group.
@pandamilktea, I was also t that inspired to think I may need a trip to a nearby coastal area. Are you forbidden to travel to the seaside? 😭😭😭
The lady was the step-mother. She seems sympathetic. It seems that the Dad forgot his first wife’s birthday. Oops.
I like the fish-shop owner. Wasn’t she in Run On? And the singer/coffee shop owner was the evil prosecutor in Vincenzo and cyber crimes cop in Healer. It’s good to see familiar faces.
@PandaMT and @Fern – living in a coastal town is one of my heart’s desires. Our last trip to the city, we had to take side trip to the beach even if for a short stop! I love that several dramas are showing that recently: “Nevertheless” – Navi’s aunt’s pottery and home and the noodle shop with beach view. “YAMS” – DJ’s mom’s pizza place. And now with HCha3! I’m living coastal vicariously in these shows.
The surfboard is more manly, I guess. One poster in another thread mentioned being surprised with KSH on a surfboard (in the trailer) because he did not seem to be the sporty type of person. Yup, no waves were ridden here, just floated on… it was all aesthetics there. LOL!!!
@OAL, Piggyback granny KYO has been carried by many handsome actors like Woo Do Hwan in “Tempted”, Nam Joo Hyuk in “Radiant”. She’s an awesome actress and I’m glad she is still very active in recent shows.
I’ll wait until watching episode 2 to write commentary, but wanted to say hi to everyone watching this. I’m looking forward to this seaside trip we’ll take together.
I also noted a lack of surfable swell when Chief Hong was out in his board, but it would still be lovely to lay on the board in the sun (wearing coral-reef-friendly sunscreen) and be gently rocked by the sea.
When I saw Hye Jin walking in the sand wearing those expensive shoes, I thought she was crazy. Taking them off was a good idea, but walking away from them wasn’t clever in the least. From hints we got in the epilogue, I’m going to wager that the shoes were not swept out to sea, but that Hong snagged them to use as an excuse to meet Hye Jin. He only returned one to her so he’d have further opportunity to connect with her.
Hi @Welmaris with the sea in your name. Surfboards and heros in wetsuits followed by short shower scene (shoulders, no abs,) equal instant gratification fan service to satisfy the female gaxe. 😍
I’m in because of SMH, my favourite Granny of all time, Kim Young-ok (I love watching her since Goong, Coffee Prince and TKEM), the seaside scenery (loved hearing the waves), Ijun & Bora and the whole community.
KSH is the all rounder guy. But I’m really not into him. Sorry. 😬🤞🏻
I felt Hye-jin’s bad luck started when she didn’t park her car properly. 😁 from there, she lost her expensive shoes (should have just carried it if she was going to walk far), had to walk in toilet slippers, car wouldn’t start, no cash because there’s no connection.
Chief Hong has a great spot for his boat house. 😍 So he’s seen Hyejin first by the beach.
The posters of one-hit-wonder and now cafe owner, Oh Chun Jae, in his younger days: actor Jo Han Chul dug into his archives and got us a couple convincing images. With that shaggy hair, he did look like a heartthrob rocker in the 90s, didn’t he?
I agree @Welmaris. I thought he looked good. 😁
But his coffee wasn’t. 😂
Yes I was grinning about those posters, too. I imagine that Chief Hong makes better coffee, of course. Coffee and sea, what’s not to like? It’s a town similar to DDSSLLS and It’s Okay -, and Chocolate. I wonder where it was filmed?
Ouch, broadcasting a private conversation deriding the very people who are overhearing! Something like that was bound to happen – Hye-jin’s EQ was high for some things and not others. I was surprised that she could be so perceptive about what patients needed or could afford according to their circumstances in episode 1, yet manage to offend so many people who had no choice about their circumstances or location in the small town of Gongjin in episode 2. It made her seem unsophisticated or socially unskilled.
Actually I was wondering how I would react to being fed directly by a stranger. I think I would cry off during the pandemic, certainly. I had to laugh when Granny Gam-ri licked the sauce off her fingers afterwards.
I liked that Hye-jin listened to Cheon-jae’s CD and found a song she could compliment. I think that his luck will change, right? And she took the little hedgehog in for the children.
Is it common in Korea to bleach young children’s hair? I was a bit surprised that it is okay, but a running outfit isn’t. I suppose it’s all what one is used to.
The young Hye-jn and Du-sik were pretty adorable. He knew how to make her smile.
In the most basic cha-cha-cha steps, a dancer goes forward and backward, and that’s what we’re seeing in the lives and attitudes of Hye Jin and longtime residents of Gongjin. Episode 2 opened with words about regret. We see hints about what causes regret for some in Gongjin: Yeo Hwa’s Jung’s marriage/divorce; Jo Nam Sook’s daughter, perhaps now just a memory; Oh Chun Jae’s stalled singing career; Hong Du Sik’s previous life in which he wore a suit. Hye Jin, as another shown in this montage, seems to have regrets about the turn her career path has taken, leading her from Seoul to a small town. Hye Jin’s voiceover says you can’t return to the past. But later, her friend reminds her that dreams of the past can still be precious in the present. Past-present, dreams-reality, fulfillment-disappointment… they’re steps in the dance we make throughout life.
The town hall meeting snacks incident shows us this dynamic on a smaller scale. Hye Jin was afraid to attend the meeting herself, and was relieved when Chief Hong showed up despite saying he wouldn’t go with her. Hye Jin was grateful Chief Hong provided the meeting snacks on her behalf, softening the attitudes of the aggrieved townspeople toward her, but she became ungrateful when Chief Hong expected her to cover the cost of the snacks. (Hye Jin didn’t notice she got a bargain in that Chief Hong didn’t charge her labor.) Hye Jin’s quick change in attitude almost gave me whiplash.
When dancing the cha-cha-cha with a partner, sometimes when one is stepping forward the other is going backward: push and pull. Sometimes partners stand side by side and move the same direction at the same time. Sometimes partners step away from each other, then return. As long as the partners are moving in unison to the beat, focused on each other, they’re dancing as a unit. It’s a wonderful metaphor for life, whether the partners are a couple, friends, neighbors, or coworkers.
And what is it with Hye Jin trying to walk places with completely impractical shoes? Not only could she damage her beloved shoes, but their not being appropriate might lead to injury. Again, we have a metaphor for Hye Jin’s life. She’s stubborn in clinging to what may hurt instead of help her.
@Fern, I think she is drawing the line between personal and professional space. With her condo neighbor, she was uncomfortable knowing info about her and her daughter but once she was a patient, she considered those circumstances in consideration for her treatment. Little does she know that in a small community, those boundaries become blurred.
I like the message of the show so I’ll stick around.
Will have to do trope checklist – young ML and FL meet at the beach when they were kids. Why do kdramas use this trope a lot?
I’ve been thinking about the regrets montage shown at the beginning of Ep. 2. When seeing a woman grieving in a little girl’s room, a natural assumption is that the child is dead or in the custody of the other parent after divorce, the unused room left as a shrine. But I suspect there might be another interpretation of what we briefly saw: either a mom wished for a girly daughter, but her child feels more comfortable as gender neutral (kid with dyed hair and big eyeglasses?), or was born with male genitalia but identifies as female (preferred identification publicly hidden because of gender neutral school uniform). We shall see if my theory stands as the story progresses.
@Welmaris, very perceptive. Perhaps no child at all? But then it would probably have been a baby’s room. I thought both of the 9 year olds have parents (boy to Hua Jung and ex-husband; didn’t the shop owner say she was the Bo-Ra’s mother?) Another possibility would be a child removed by social services (thinking of Nam Sook’s habit of hitting people) but I don’t think that would fit here. The child could also have been relinquished for adoption, sent to live with relatives because of circumstances or kidnapped. It would be good if your theory was not the usual trope.
I also wondered why Chief Hong has returned? He is acting as the missing child for all of the elders, but it goes beyond that. Why does he do all jobs for minimum wage, even jobs for those who could afford more? So no one will be offended? He takes all money in cash – to not be traced for some reason?
@Fern, Chief Hong told Hye Jin to wire him the repayment for the snacks, so I don’t think he’s trying to keep all payments under the table. He may operate on a cash basis sometimes because that’s what the elders are familiar with, and since they’re a significant population of the town, others in the town also take cash payments (such as shops the elders would frequent).
Chief Hong reminds me of a character in Lovestruck in the City: the friend of the female lead who insisted on staying a part time worker. She wanted a life with less consumerism and less work stress. She made a lifestyle choice based on her ethics. It could be Chief Hong was once part of the corporate rat race and turned his back on it. It looks like working odd jobs for minimum wage empowers him because he can come and go as he wishes, doing what interests him. And I think what interests him the most are people. I’ll have to go back and find that quote from Thoreau’s Walden that he read in Ep. 2 because it reflected on that, if I remember correctly.
You are right, @Welmaris. I forgot about the bank transfer.
Kalimera ladies!
I watched the first episode and the first half of the second episode.
It was obvious what would happen with that microphone when she entered that room.
I love Shin Min-Ah and she is great.
@Welmaris, I have to read what you wrote but I need finish the episode for more.
It was an amazing thing to see that Kim Young-Ok is playing here as well.
I loved her in TKEM and here she is amazing too! Look how she changed her dialect to talk as a villager. She is indeed a Halmeoni!
From the other villagers, I like Cha Chung-Hwa, Lee Bong-Ryun and Jo Han-Chul.
As for Kim Sun-Ho, I think the general request from the director is both the main leads to show their dimples. He is good though. His voice is steady and I can see emotions when he is on the scene. These are my first impressions, but I need to see more to comment on his acting range.
P.S. I haven’t read all your comments so far, let me return later on!
Just watched Ep1. SMH is great. KSH…patchy. I can’t buy him as an all round handyman kind of guy? 😂. The only scene I thought he relaxed into the role was when he gave grandma a piggyback…and I put it down to granny being the one steadying the ship there by putting him at ease? Other than that I found him a bit awkward in all the other scenes where he was trying to portray being a Jack of all trades. He just looked…out of place for some reason.
I am here for the beachside and idyllic slow paced rural lifestyle. Might was well vicariously head off on a coastal holiday. 😂
KSH is a grandmama’s boy, be it Startup, and now Hometown Chachacha.
I actually teared up watching Episode 2. When he said, “some spent their whole lives on unpaved road, while some run at full speed only to reach the end of a cliff. The rest of the villagers were the former, I feel that he is the latter.”
He might have been promising in his youth, but my guess his grandfather died leaving him an orphan, and the whole village raised him up as their own son. He would have wanted to go after his dreams, but he didn’t have the heart to leave the village after everything they have done for him.
Hye Jin’s just misunderstood by the villagers, but she’s actually nice in her own right. She’s independent and honest and earnest and generous too! She donates to causes.
Hi All, I think Chief Hong jumped away from the corporate world and the rat race. Note the scenes when he looks at his suit and the one where he is throwing it out. I think our dimpled actor is doing fine. He is not playing the same character that he did in Start Up where to me he never rose to the degree of polarization and disgust as Shin Hyun Been does on the HPL series where I just think she is one note.
I also think they used s language coach for him in episode one, where I think he’s actually speaking Russian to the seasick “sailor”. Usually Kdramas use English, Japanese or a Chinese dialect or Mandarin. This is expanding the Hallyu effect.Lookong forward to see if he will speak other languages like Spanish for the international audience
Dear @OAL,
He indeed speaks Russian!
Spaciba means thank you.
I was wondered if the new sailor could be a refugee? He supposedly came to Korea for work, but fishing is clearly not something he has experience in. He must be working at whatever is available. Russian might be a language the two have in common. But I’m probably overthinking. In any case, he’s one of the many who have had a rough road and little choice in this drama. I feel for him and his sea-sickness.
Hi @Cleopatra and @Fern, What a fun fact! I know spacuba and da and net and khorosho. I have lots of Russian emigre friends where I live and actually studied Russian literature in translation for a year when I went to college in the stone age. One grandfather of mine came from Belarus. So I got a charge out of it. I watch a few YouTube channels that explore Russiw and the former Soviet Union. I think about the birch trees and permafrost and the romance of Eurasia. And here we get a reference in a K Drama.
@Fern, I too wonder if the sailor is an emigre. Given the Chekov’s gun rule of drama, we might see him again down the line. As I live in New York City, an international place, I can report that we have at least one Russian Korean restaurant in Brooklyn and that there is a community of !Orleans Russians/Russian Koreans here.
Cool start so far, I’ve been wanting a good laidback romcom so hopefully this is it. 2 things stuck out to me when watching the first 2 episodes.
1. Shoes
Her shoes are like Seoul and the life she’s used to. His shoes are the small town life, she’s reluctant to put them on and get into the swing of things in the village. Even though she only has 1 shoe left, she still contemplates going back- one foot in Seoul, the other in Gongjin. There was also a sequence where Hong goes around town in ep1 telling the seniors about the fire, I feel like Hye Jin will get a taste of what it’s like to walk in his shoes. I also won’t be surprised if her other shoe turns up, when she has to make a definite choice between the two places.
2. Hong’s character
Even though he’s a prickly guy, he cares. He defends her in front of the halmeonis, says she bought the meeting snacks and even recommends her clinic to people. I just hope he’s quick to admit that he likes her and doesn’t put on a front for too long because I really don’t like male characters like that 😪
About the little girl with the dyed hair, I was quite shocked. She’s only 8 years old irl, that can’t be good to be bleaching her hair already.
Looking forward to the journey they’ll both go on and the whole village community!
@OAL, don’t quote me on this because I can’t find my source, but awhile back I read that KSH studied Russian and French in college and would have liked to become a teacher of those languages if he hadn’t succeeded as an actor.
Annyeong,
I have watched Ep 1… and i like the (beach/small town/good townfolk) vibes already. was taken a back how antagonistic Dusik is to her. guess that’s their beginning. although i think it’s love at first sight for him hmmm.
@welmaris – i agree with you about her leaving her expensive blingy shoe behind. who does that? also, i like the idea that Dusik kept the other shoe – so cinderella-ish vibes haha. i hope he does have the other shoe. poor shoe, lost at sea. so sad.
@pandamilktea, the two kiddos bff are adorable. and so behaved. awww so loving and understanding of each other. so sweet and respectful. and that “holding hands” awwwww. i did not have a guy bff when i was young.
it’s interesting that Dusik is an all around handy man/jack of all trades. he’s everywhere. haha. amazing that he had time to surf or float haha. i float when i’m in the pool like that, looking up. i love it. it’s so relaxing. the sea does look calm.
HJin’s braveness/courage to stand up for herself and the poor led her to quit/shunned by the dental community and led her to a whole new chapter of her life – the unknown … shows you the price of doing the right thing – but all in good time… for a brighter future. may she continue to be brave and courageous.
with great expectations ~
Hi @Welmaris, I hope your information is correct because it was so much fun to hear a new language and have a potential storyline. I think Russian viewers will get a big kick out of this.
Am looking forward to our leads’ back story. We know they both lost parents and that they met by chance when they were children (Korean child actors are so good-love the two friends). Tropey K Drama coincidences , for no good reason, are so satisfying to me. I get so sappy over these things. They must hit me at the subconscious level.
This drama got off to a good start. Am happy to have a replacement for YAMS and Nevertheless and something to bring some joy as I anticipate disappointment from HPL2.
I just also completed On The Verge of Insanity (good workplace drama that flags in the middle but provides a satisfying ending) and The Witch’s Diner (a good fantasy drama with two great female leads,Song ji-hyo and NamJi Hyun. Loved this and recommend it for fantasy lovers). These two have satisfying endings.
Hi Everyone, I’m glad we’ve a community here enjoying this show. I’ve no time to really watch slowly and all but a couple of thoughts and questions came to me.
Du Sik is shown to be obviously attracted to Hye Jin, even from when they were kids. So is his OTT churlishness reserved only for her to test her?, to hide his true interest? or because he does not want to have anything to do with city life, including a city girl? We need to see if he treats other strangers in the same way that he treated Hye Jin.
I did read other surmises on this above… here’s another one …Did Du Sik look at his black jacket pensively and decide to throw it out because it was worn at his grandpa’s funeral? Did he not want a reminder of that or was it really because he had turned his back on the corporate world?
He seems to be pretty well up in up-to-date stuff. He digitised Chun Jae’s music from the analog tape, and he knows about the latest workout wear. He obviously would be able to manage well enough in the city, but he has chosen to stay in the historical boondocks. I’m sure we’ll find out why in time.
As for little Bo Ra with her ‘white’ hair… is it meant to imply that she has Albinism? I don’t see the reason for her mum to be heartbroken, however, unless mum was crying over another child who has already been lost. The other conjecture about gender neutrality is interesting though.
It’s strange that kdramas employ the childhood meeting trope so extensively. Surely a couple can still be ‘fated’ to be together even if they never knew each other before age 12?
I’m guessing that Hye Jin’s mum died shortly after that photo was taken of the family at Gongjin. So there was some parallel connection… Du Sik’s granddad took their photo and then was inspired by them to have himself and Du Sik’s family photo taken as well. So both Hye Jin and Du Sik have their family photos from that time with them, and likely grandpa also passed away. So these are perhaps the last family photos.
@Esst3 I agree with your interpretation of the shoes metaphor. I, too, expect that the other half of the expensive heels may turn up. I hope Hye Jin does not throw away her remaining shoe before it does though!
I have the same question on childhood trope, @GB. We’ve seen it in probably every other kdrama. Sometime it’s purposeful but if used often, it can get stale and a cop out for determining OTP.
I like the metaphors of the cha Cha dance by @Welmaris, lots of give and take steps in this dance but being synchronized is the key. And the shoes metaphor by @Esst. With the cha cha dance of give and take, what shoes will HJ wear? Right now, it’s still the fancy bejeweled ones. We’ll see how that will progress.
@Growing Beautifully, I was thinking that Du Sik’s OTT churlishness was all of those reasons you listed. 😊 But he gives her chances to redeem herself as well…
Yes, to the dance steps of the cha cha cha mentioned by @Welaris. -Sometimes it’s give and take and sometimes they mirror each other. I’ve forgotten how much fun it is to dance like that and how to interesting to interpret little signals from the partner to stay in synch with their planned movements.
@Fern… yes I like the Cha Cha Cha… reminds me of the push and pull of relationships to make them more ‘exciting’ or never boring, rather.
One thing that became conspicuous by its absence … usually senior folk will be interested in match-making the young ‘uns. Du Sik at 35 should be considered a kid by the grannies, and yet although they gripe that he has not got himself a wife, they don’t try to pair him off with Hye Jin or even her best friend.
@Esst3, on Chief Hong’s cranky front, me too, same sentiments! Generally, I dislike the tsundere trope. It’s my personal pet peeve. I have little patience for cranky men that secretly have romantic feelings. 😅😂
But to be fair, Chief Hong doesn’t annoy me. 🙂 Still, I hope the one-layer cranky front doesn’t get dragged for too long.
I love Chief Hong’s real-talk to Hye Jin. I’m glad he pierced some sense into her low-key judgmental and uppity perspective. (But I’m with her about not wanting to eat the food Granny prepared. 😂 Oh how to avoid politely and charmingly! 😅)
@Growing Beautifully, ah, the matchmaking. I think it will happen. The elders would still assessing the situation and they are protective of Chief Hong and what he means to the village. They wouldn’t want to push him towards someone who will take him away. The cafe owner has noticed something, though. 😉
Clearly Chief Hong showed his tsundere side only to Hye Jin. I thought that he was also pretty quick to judge her at their first meeting and he gave her some harsher than needed words. It made me wonder if he had a bad experience with a well-shod city woman before this.
Annyeong,
I finished watching Ep 2 😊
@Esst3, good observation regarding the symbolishm of the shoe… her expensive high heels = Seoul living. His toilet slippers = county living.
@GB, good thoughts on Hong being up to date with current tech and fashion. loved how he advised HJ on how to meet the more older conservative town folks – meeting them halfway… and toning down her exercise gear hahaha. oh my. it’s risque and scandalous for the townfolks already hahaha.
question: did HJ recognize the young Hong from looking at the portrait (of hong and grandpa) outside the shop?? coz she said something about how the boy looks all innocent but she can tell otherwise??? it’s interesting how she stopped and took her time observing the portrait. hmmm. not sure if she connected how she’s meet this boy before. maybe it just intrigued her on the spot. but i think it was cute that hong made her laugh at the beach just in time to take the family shot. too cute. and they kept looking at each other as hong and grandpa disappeared… already looked like a love-hate relationship there haha.
Having watched both episodes and read through the thread, I am impressed by the detail that has gone into this drama. There are lots of characters and from the grandmas to the children, we’ve seen lots of details about these people. I get the feeling that the writer wants to showcase the humanity of these characters by hooking us into them. Then we get a real feel m for Chief Hong’s impressive skill set. We see raw space and then his single handed beautiful renovations. We now know he speaks Russian and can sign. He is able to easily explain the modern world to his seniors. I have no doubt that we’ll see even more of his s,ills going forward.
We are not given as many clues for HJ. We know that she is physically fit a n d looks great in athleisure clotning(scandalized lots of the townsfolk). We know she is ethical in her business practices and that she is a good dentist. She is opinionated and wary. She likes fashion. She likes good hygeine(but J often wonder about this in all the dramas where food is readily shared and chopsticks g into many mouths).Maybe soju acts as a disinfectant.
The set up of this dramais very clever because with all the detail we can hitch ourselves to lots of characters.
To use the dance analogy, I go back to thevrules of old time ballroom dancing. One partner, traditionally the male would lead while the female followed.2ill that be the actual set up where Chief Hong leads or will the lead change. City slicker/country bumping. Male/female. ETC. Will they complete each other? Only time and writer will tell.
@Old American Lady, and what about when another dancer taps one of the pair on the shoulder and cuts in? Gosh, shades of Lawrence Welk. Looking over the cast list, there is bound to be a love triangle or rectangle, right?
Hi @Fern, yep, there’s always those cut in scenes, especial.y in the old 1930 to 1940s movies. I wonder who will complicate romantic matters. Tho old formula boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl or vice versa now could be turned on its head. Have no clue how it will p l ay out.
@OAL, on Chief Hong’s characterization, I think we the viewers are supposed to see him as an intelligent person, both skills-wise and books-wise. (He has so many skills, and he does his works well. He also seems book-smart — he reads books, speaks a foreign language fluently, knows how to sign, etc.) So he seems the “underachiever” trope so far, I guess — an intelligent, skilled/talented, minimum-wage earning guy.
I also wonder about the regret surrounding his suit.
I think when he gave HJ the smackdown, he wasn’t just talking about his neighbors. He was also speaking from personal experience.
@OAL and @Fern, now that you’ve mentioned it, the opening credit makes no hints of second leads. Don’t KDramas usually include the second leads even in the cutesy opening animation? 😂
@pandamilktea I get the feeling he left the town for the big city lights. And then returned to the simple life when he got sick of it. His “Walden” experience. 😂. I am halfway through Ep2. It’s a fun watch. I pity poor HJ though. Not her fault that she’s suddenly intimidated by the country folk and their nosiness. I had a friend who moved to the country and realized that the one thing she had to get used to was the intrusiveness of country folk. She was so used to not talking to her neighbors and her own space that she found it a huge learning curve to have everyone “pop by” or strike up a conversation when she wasn’t exactly in the mood for it. 😂
Thoreau’s Walden, another reason to think that this drama is more than it appears to be. There is some heavy philosophical underpinnings to this drama related to world views. From HJ’s reluctance to engage with her Seoul neighbor’s mother, the anonymity and lone.iness of city life, materialism, how people g et first impressions, defining people by their work, status.i like that there’s a lot going on. One of my favorite so far is HJ and the so gutting squid. So funny. And then the subsequent comments about HJ’s dexterity-what a hoot.
I hope this drama keeps it up. It’s easy to get lost in al, of its thematic references. It’s not even a guilty pleasure but a real pleasure to watch and think on it.
Does anyone think Chief Hong kept her other shoe? 😂. I just get the feeling he did. On purpose.
@nrlee – I have the same feeling, too! When the time comes that HJ will decide if she will leave town or stay for good, I think that’s when the other shoe will be presented.
The sea was fairly calm and those shoes would have been close to each other if it drifted away.
Korean dramas didn’t invent the trope of the OTP having a brief meeting as children that sealed their fate as a couple in the future. Coincidence has been used as a plot device in theater, literature, film, TV throughout the ages in many cultures. Here’s a famous quote by Charles Dickens’s friend and biographer, John Forster:
“On the coincidences, resemblances, and surprises of life, Dickens liked especially to dwell, and few things moved his fancy so pleasantly. The world, he would say, was so much smaller than we thought; we were all so connected by fate without knowing it; people supposed to be far apart were so constantly elbowing each other; and to-morrow bore so close a resemblance to nothing half so much as yesterday.”
In my search, I found this short blog entry about writers using coincidence. I think it worth reading: https://simondillonbooks.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/coincidence-a-mortal-sin-for-writers/
I also found an interesting discussion on the difference between coincidence and fate: http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-fate-and-coincidence/
Then there’s the difference between fate and destiny, which some consider interchangeable terms. But in mythology, fate is an event or course of events spun by the gods that cannot be changed or avoided. Destiny, with the same root as destination, is the path a person takes through life.
Coincidence: It just happens at the same time. No agency.
Fate: Events predetermined by a divine or natural power. Agency lies outside the person.
Destiny: What results from a person’s choices and actions/inactions. The person has agency.
If we stick with the distinctions drawn above, we can say the following about some of what we’ve seen in HC3:
–HJ & DS meeting as children on the Gongjin beach when the photo was taken was coincidence or fate.
–DS charming HJ into smiling with his antics was the beginning of their intertwined destiny.
–HJ choosing to go to Gongjin beach to console herself on her deceased mother’s birthday, and after quitting her job, was destiny. She may have been motivated to go to that location by happy memories from the past, encapsulated in the family photo she keeps on display in her home. HJ’s destiny.
–HJ chose to ignore the low tire pressure indicator in her car and drove to Gongjin with a tire puncture. By the time she learned she had a flat tire, it was too late to get it fixed, making it necessary for her to spend the night in Gongjin. HJ’s destiny.
–A fire caused a widespread communications failure that included Gongjin’s mobile phone and banking services. HJ did not have cash on hand to cover her expenses in Gongjin. Coincidence.
–HJ chose to wear her fancy high heels to Gongjin beach. She told her friend that buying those expensive shoes she’d longed for represented a new beginning after quitting her job. Choosing to wear those shoes with so much symbolism for her on a day of upset and sadness was an act of self-comfort. HJ’s destiny.
–DS saw HJ sitting on the beach. Coincidence.
–HJ took off her fancy shoes and left them behind, on the sand, while she walked along the shoreline. HJ’s destiny.
–DS gained possession of one of HJ’s shoes. If it just floated onto his surfboard as he claims, it was coincidence or fate. If DS snagged HJ’s shoes while she wasn’t looking, it was destiny.
I could go on, but you get the idea, I hope.
@Janey the shoe he returned to her didn’t look particularly wet to me 😂. And he saw her sitting on the beach (with her shoes besides her) whilst on his surfboard. I think when she walked off absentmindedly reminiscing, he may have ducked back to shore and picked up her shoes and kept them (safe keeping). Not that they were in danger of being washed away. The waves weren’t exactly lapping at her feet where she was sitting. 😂
@OAL I think most of us have had Walden-esque pinings. This pandemic has definitely stripped away the frivolous and forced many to go back to basics.
@welmaris I liked your write up about destiny and fate. 👍
I am sitting out of this one but reading your views @Welmaris provides further insights on kdrama most, if not, overly used trope i.e. childhood history, over and over again for the OTPs. Of course the reason behind it varies depending on the required plot.😉
Thank you for an interesting read ladies 😘
@pandamilktea, I looked at the cast list on another site because I can’t remember names very well. There were many people who weren’t introduced in the opening credits. Don’t look if you don’t like spoilers.
“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” said Thoreau. The themes behind Walden, of giving up the struggle to own property and experiencing a more stress-free and meaningful life, being able to have time to smell the flowers as it were — that was very popular in the late 1960s and 1970s in many places. Thoreau couldn’t keep it up himself for more than 2 years nor can most. Communes sprang up because numbers working together might help with the labour needed but many of those just became smaller versions of feudal societies. But we have many good thoughts contained within his book. For me the value of people (and their labour) in all walks of life is one of the most important.
It’s interesting. Where I live, even before the pandemic, there was always an influx of big city folk who come out to ‘escape’ the rat race and find a more meaningful life. But few take on the jobs that are begging for workers – farming, fishing, mining – and instead bring their city work with them via the internet. With the pandemic, this has increased mightily, with housing prices in small towns and picturesque villages rising so the locals can’t afford to live there. The newcomers buy from the internet – like Hye Jin – and don’t help to support the local economy. When the shops fail, expensive chains or boutique shops and restaurants open that cater to tourists and the newcomers. The lovely views become something that mainly well-to-do people can see out of their windows. The locals can’t afford to vacation on their own coast and end up travelling to another part of the country on their holidays. It’s as though something of a Walden philosophy went bad.
@Fern that’s interesting about city folk heading to the countryside. Now with the advent of working remotely, you can pretty much work from wherever. You are no longer tied to the city life. I know of country folk who bemoan their city slicker neighbors…who complain about noisy animals…err…you moved to the country where roosters crow? And cows moo because they are milked at the crack of dawn? What did you expect? 🙄🤷🏻♀️. But that is sad about country folk no longer being able to afford living in rural spots anymore. And the resulting change to the whole charm of rural living with the influx of big chain stores and fancy restaurants.
I wonder if the same thing is happening world wide? It’s not the chain stores and fancy restaurants so much as the widening gap between those who can afford them and those who can, who have lived there for generations. It will be interesting if this drama addresses any of that. I think it’s one reason why Chief Hong only charges minimum wage regardless of the job involved or who is paying. He’s making a statement that all jobs are valuable.
@Fern, you bring up a good point. The emergence of AirBnB years ago (even before pandemic) also prompted this conundrum. Places like Venice where locals work but don’t live there anymore as they have rented out their places and/or high house prices and rent make it impractical to stay. This is further exacerbated by the pandemic and remote work/school set up for sure.
HJ’s objective is still monetary driven at this point hence it’s not permanent. We will see her transformation to be a local coastal girl.
Great points on the childhood meeting trope, @Welmaris! I’ll read up on the articles. Although I have to say that leaving your expensive shoes on the beach is more idiocy (or director’s orders!) than destiny. LOL!
@Janey, destiny can be driven by bad choices as well as good, or a choice to do nothing instead of taking action.
I think in YAMS it was a statement that the Dr Hollow figurine (he gives his heart away to help others) was rare, but the Bad Choice figurine was plentiful.
@Fern, on the cast, oooh intriguing!!! 😮 but i won’t look at the list so I won’t be spoiled. 🙂
Thank you ladies for so many interesting reading points! From the discussion of fate/coincidence/destiny (and even how they are used outside of kdrama) to “Walden”, and the countryside as impacted by the influx of city-dwellers. 👏👏👏👏👏 Such rich discussions! ❤😊
Actually, this is the first time I’m hearing about “Walden”, and thanks, everyone 💕 for pointing out that the reference seems intentional given the the themes of the show (e.g., simple living). This makes me appreciate the show even more!
And on the effects on the countryside, great points!
(@Fern, @Janey, @nrllee, in passing, the effect is a little different where I live. Usually the residents in the countryside welcome commercial development as it may mean that the value of their property may also increase.)
For a time I worked in an office that developed commercial establishments in different parts of the country. On the one hand, there is the advantage of improving the economy of the area — more jobs are created, there is now more access to businesses and lifestyles similar to those found in the city — but I agree that this affects what makes the countryside the countryside. How and where does one draw the line in terms of “development”? For the residents there, do they draw the line at the increase in traffic? pollution? The changes to their simpler lifestyle? The influx of global brands?
Somehow, I can imagine Chief Hong’s contempt for these things both on the philosophical and practical levels. The grannies, too, but on the more practical side. (“Aigoo. So expensive for mediocre coffee!” 🙃)
I have watched the first two episodes and am pondering whether I will continue to watch it as it comes out or will wait for all the episodes so I can watch them all at once (FF-ing through any slow parts) .
The greatest joy for me was seeing actors from other dramas and trying to remember where I had seen them previously. For example, the dentist’s first customer (I think) is the creepy guy from DDSSLLS. [It would be fun (and super meta) if some of the characters were the same characters from their other k-dramas, who happened to cross into this town (or dimension). What prompted this idea was that DDSSLLS was also a seaside drama, so creepy guy could have come from a nearby town. But I guess this is too far-fetched since Kim Young-ok would have had to come from a TKEM/parallel universe and Cha Chung Hwa would have had to come from the Joseon/Mr. Queen past…]
Everyone seems strong in their parts, and Shin Min-A is particularly charming. The weakest length for me, unfortunately, is KSH/Good Boy, whose range seems only to stretch between scowling and smiling cutely. Maybe that’s just the way his part has been written in the earlier episodes, and his character (and acting skills) will evolve.
Hi Everyone, I think this drama has great potential. From the get go we see that this will be more than a simple rom com. As our hero is a jack of all trades, I thinkwe’ll see episodes bui l t around spec I fic parts of his skill set. I look forward to seeing whether they will use specific cameos too.
The discussion of gentrification in country towns is especially troublesome because natives are pushed out and the places have changed.. We see it in NY in the Hudson Valley, one very beautiful place. Celebrities have found it and have changed some, but not all of it. Newspapers like The NY Times also touting how wonderful these communities are, create the demand for city folk moving to the country. Instead of eating toast or biscuits or donuts and coffee at breakfast, the demand is for croissants and lattes. Diners become gourmet see t outpos t s that locals can’t afford. And many who a.legedly move to these communities are there only seasonally. The irony of it all can be tragic because newcomers can also influence young locals to leave their communities. For this drama I hope the locals triumph.
C x
Just finished Ep2. So Walden (and Thoreau) does get a mention. 😂
https://i.ibb.co/PFR31vq/946-E6083-01-A8-4-D67-B864-42547-C4-ECFEC.jpg
It’s a fun watch but I am with @BethB about KSH. He’s okay but doesn’t quite seem totally comfortable in the role. I am loving the Cafe owned by the washed up Singer though.
@Old American Lady, was your area flooded? I just saw some crazy photos of NYC.
@Fern, Thanks for your concern.We are fine. Our son lives in a different borough and got into Manhattan for work and said his trip was good. We were also lucky we didn’t have power outages
The people in New Jersey and Pennsylvania had tornados.
We live in climate change insanity. We got huge quantities of water while @, Cleopatra got crazy heat and nearby fires
If I could I would love to send cooling rain her way and to my friends in California. And to make it all the more crazy we have the pandemic.
I am thankful to you @Fern for the care and friendship and also to BODs everywhere for your true kindness. I am happy I found this wonderful blog.
.
@OAM, I’m relieved that you and yours are okay. My brother in CT said that there were some tornados to the south of NYC, but just rain where he was. The videos of rain cascading into the NYC subway lines were shocking.
All past now, I suppose. On the way to us maybe?
@,Fern, Keeping my fingers crossed that it misses you and just dissipates.
NYC had one of the oldest subway systems on the world with below ground and above ground tracks. It gets flooded from time to time even in regular rain storms.Since Superstore Sandy they have tried to build in resiliency but it’s a huge undertaking. Two steps forward, one step back.
@OAL, glad to know you are ok! My relatives in NJ are in higher area and was not affected by flooding, thank God.
@Fern, I watched the same video of NYC subway flooding! It’s indeed shocking and scary, probably shown in a more dramatic way vs what @OAL states. I hope your family stay safe as well.
Hi @Janey, I am so happy to take part in BOD because of the wonderful people here like you. This is such a caring community. Thank you.
@Packmule3, our next two episodes of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha will be Saturday and Sunday. Please open a thread for us to discuss 3 & 4. Thanks, and here’s a glass of red wine for you, because that’s what I’m drinking right now: a 2015 shiraz. 🍷
@Welmaris, thanks! 👍👏🍷
Dear BOD Community, so thankful I can enjoy this drama with you all and it’s been fun reading all your insights, as usual. I decided to watch this since I wanted a lighthearted comedy (and have been so disappointed with Hospital Playlist S2) to watch and reward myself after work.
So far, I am really enjoying it. Like @Welmaris, @Fern, @Janey and others have stated, on the surface it looks like a lighthearted comedy, but the writer touches on universal themes of choice, destiny, materialism, living a life in pursuit of self-fulfillment rather than wealth, etc. @Welmaris, thanks for your discussion about fate/coincidence and destiny. It was a reminder to me that we control our destiny with the choices we make, just like Hye-Jin is choosing to start a new life in the countryside and how she will change and grow as a person due to this choice. Although she has “expensive” tastes, she supports multiple charities, is kindhearted, is sensitive to people’s economic status and has a sense of righteousness and justice. I appreciate her character for trying to make amends for her initial judgemental observations, especially to the singer.
My first Kdrama (or any drama to be honest, was not into dramas before 2019 and our family didn’t have a TV growing up) was Crash Landing on You, so as a relative newcomer it’s been fun to see some of the actors from CLOY, IOTBNO, DDSSLLS, Run-On, Fight for Your Way, Jealousy Incarnate and Dr. Romantic play various roles here.
It’s obvious Chief Hong is attracted to Hye-Jin from when he first sees her. I feel he wants to push his feelings for her away since he believes she won’t stay because he knows she is just a visitor. However, when he finds out she will stay, both fate and destiny start bringing them together.
His actions (bringing her with him as he checks up on the grandmas, introducing her to the squid work, working at the sauna place so he can observe her more, staying up nights to put in new wallpaper and renovate her house, buying the snacks for her at the neighborhood meeting, knocking on her door until she joins the town cleaning session, etc.) SHOW us that he cares a lot about her, even though he seems gruff with her and tells her not to lean on him. His secret grins reveal his true feelings about her. He is obviously well-educated and well-read (he has an extensive library) and must have experience living a city, corporate lifestyle.
Those closest to him can tell that he treats her differently. I loved the soap scene where grandmas talk about her, and he makes a mistake and breaks a piece of soap when talking about Hye-Jin. Those grandmas have known him all since he was a child and can immediately pick up when he acts differently, that’s why they had a funny expression on their faces when he talked about her. (Also the coffee shop owner.) Chief Hong does everything skillfully and carefully and cares for those around him, like Hye-Jin.
From Mydramalist.com, it looks like there will be another male lead, Lee Sang Yi. I wonder if he is the guy who always waits for Hye-Jin as seen in the preview and if he will also move to Gongjin so he can win her heart. There will probably be a love triangle, hope it won’t be a toxic onw. Love how in the previews, Chief Hong offers to go to Seoul with Hye-Jin so he can understand her life more…
This is my first time watching Shin Min-ah in a drama and she’s strikingly beautiful! Happy to read that she has been dating Kim Woo-Bin for a number of years.
Lastly, as someone who comes from a family where we are all dimpled (parents, siblings, etc.) I LOVE their dimples. 🙂