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Why you should watch new Netflix K-drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, the seaside village romcom starring Shin Min-a and Start-Up’s Kim Seon-ho

Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. Photo: @tvndrama.official/Instagram

Listen up, K-drama fans: there’s a new drama series to add to your watch list on Netflix! Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, which airs on August 28, is a romantic comedy starring big names like Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho, as well as rising star Lee Sang-yi, against the backdrop of a fictional seaside village.

The first episode will premiere on the Korean channel TVN, with episodes also available on Netflix.

Here are four reasons to watch the highly-anticipated K-drama series:

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The return of Shin Min-a

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’s leading actress Shin Min-a. Photo: @illusomina/Instagram
Model-turned-actress Shin Min-a marks her return to K-drama after an almost two-year hiatus. Shin has a lead role in the much-anticipated drama series, where she will be playing Yoon Hye-jin, a dentist who leaves behind her well-paying job in the city, and moves to a suburban seaside village in pursuit of a more meaningful life by opening a clinic of her own.

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Avid K-drama fans will remember that the talented actress last starred in the 2019 Netflix drama Chief of Staff, where she played a chic and ambitious politician.

In the past, the multifaceted actress has starred in a number of popular series such as My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, Oh My Venus and Tomorrow, With You.

Model-turned-actress Shin Min-a in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. Photo: @tvndrama.official/Instagram

After Chief of Staff, Shin was not only busy with roles in commercial films, but she was also taking care of her boyfriend, Kim Woo-bin, who was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer in 2017.

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Kim Seon-ho’s new role is a departure from his previous one

Kim Seon-ho in K-drama series Start-Up as Han Ji-pyeong. Photo: @tvndrama.official/Instagram
Kim Seon-ho skyrocketed to stardom in the K-drama world after his breakout role in in the 2020 series Start-Up alongside Bae Suzy and Nam Joo-hyuk. He played fan favourite Han Ji-pyeong – a picky, serious and wealthy venture capitalist whose only priority in life is his job. But the work-obsessed Han shows a more gentle and sweet side to his personality as the story unfolds, and he discovers he has feelings for Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy).
Kim Seon-ho in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha as Hong Du-shik. Photo: @tvndrama.official/Instagram

Kim’s role in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, however, is a divergence from his character in Start-Up. In the upcoming series, he plays the role of kind-hearted Hong Du-shik – an unemployed handyman in the village where the story is based. From a stoic venture capitalist to a handyman with a heart of gold – quite a change to look forward to indeed!

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The chemistry between the leads

Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho. Photo: @tvndrama.official/Instagram
Shin is well-known for having great chemistry with her co-stars, and fans are excited to see Shin paired up with Kim, as well as to watch their characters’ romance unfold on screen.
Lee Sang-yi in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. Photo: @tvndrama.official/Instagram
Rising star Lee Sang-yi, who appeared in 2020’s Once Again, is also in the series. It will be interesting to see how his character influences the dynamic between Shin and Kim in the show.

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The backdrop: the seaside village of Gongjin

A still of Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. Photo: @tvndrama.official/Instagram

Apart from the characters and the storyline, the backdrop of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha sets it apart from other Korean romcoms. The show is set in the fictional seaside village of Gongjin. The drama was actually shot in Pohang, which is known for its small seaside villages.

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K-drama news
  • After making fans swoon as a stoic venture capitalist in hit series Start-Up alongside Bae Suzy and Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim is back in quite a different role
  • Shin, who took a two-year hiatus after Chief of Staff, is joined by Once Again star Lee Sang-yi in the drama airing on Netflix and TVN from August 28