[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" Episode 9

This episode is bookended by the initial observation of, and ultimate conclusion to, the local issue of the streetlights in Gongjin not being in good working order. This has surprisingly little to do with the actual plot, as the mysterious night stalker does not make an appearance. What's more, the friendly neighborhood policeman Eun-cheol (played by Kang Hyung-suk) is seen running errands for local grannies rather than investigating the criminal element. Also he breaks Mi-seon's heart, but probably only temporarily.

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The bulk of the runtime here is actually devoted to an unexpected visit from Hye-jin's father Tae-hwa (played by Seo Sang-won-I), who is stubborn and judgmental, but for the most part surprisingly similar in temperament to his dentist daughter. In a surprisingly subtle dive, a situation is contrived by which Tae-hwa has to interact with Chief Hong for most of the day. And for the first time, we see how and why a person might have a genuine reason to dislike Chief Hong.

Granted, Chief Hong has had the same mildly antagonistic chemistry with Hye-jin this entire time. But whereas that could easily have been interpreted as being Hye-jin's reaction alone, Tae-hwa demonstrates how lots of people could run afoul of Chief Hong. For Chief Hong, Gongjin isn't just an escape, or a place where he can feel helpful. It's a location where Chief Hong can just be himself, in his own element, and be so accepted by the larger community he doesn't feel the need to justify his entire existence.

"Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" excellently captures this sense of existential dread despite not being at all unpleasant compared to its usual adventures. Multiple romantic rejections this episode are considerably more cringeworthy than the deliberately contrived interactions between Chief Hong and Tae-hwa. These moments also serve as a reminder that despite being a legend in his community, Chief Hong isn't really a part of that community. He can't hurt or be hurt like the actual citizens.

At the very end we get some hints about where Chief Hong's tragic backstory is going in that regard. These bits feel somewhat perfunctory- I continue to prefer Chief Hong as a guy who just considers life to be more important than fame or fortune, with no real mystery to speak of. Appropriately enough, this also makes him a less convincing romantic rival than Seong-hyeon, whose own brief backstory is surprisingly compelling by the sheer force of its normalcy.

Review by William Schwartz

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"Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" is directed by Yoo Je-won, written by Sin Ha-eun, and features Shin Min-a, Kim Seon-ho, Lee Sang-yi, Gong Min-jung, Seo Sang-won-I, Woo Mi-hwa. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2021/08/28~Now airing, Sat, Sun 21:10 on tvN.