Who else here is looking forward to the weekends to get their fill of Hometown Cha Cha Cha? Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is the story of Seoul city-girl Hye-jin who arrives at the seaside village of Gongjin after leaving her job and what unfolds upon her arrival. Six episodes in and the kilig is sooooo real. We were lucky enough to be able to join an online press con with the cast before the series aired and what Kim Seon-ho, who plays Chief Hong in the show, said makes so much more sense now.
Image courtesy of Netflix
When asked why they decided to join the series, Seon-ho points out that Hometown Cha Cha Cha is truly a heartwarming story and a warm story all around. “I felt like it was very human,” he says. “I play the role of someone who is unemployed but capable of everything. I wondered what I could bring to the character and I thought it could be a lot of fun.” Seon-ho adds that he was very drawn to the story and really wanted to be a part of it. “No regrets there,” he exclaims.
Shin Min-a, who plays the lead role of Yoon Hye-jin, shares that she has been wanting to return to the rom-com genre. While looking for a rom-com to return to, she shares that she came across this solid, well-written script with a lot of wonderful characters. “I was really drawn to the character of Hye-jin,” she admits. She also thinks that she shares a lot of similarities with Hye-jin. “It was easy for me to immerse myself into Hye-jin’s emotions. I think Hye-jin is a bit more honest about her feelings and what she’s feeling. She can be more direct, but if you look into the heart of Hye-jin, there are a lot of things that I share in common with her.”
Image courtesy of Netflix
As for preparing for the role, Min-a says that she visited her dentist. “I had my teeth looked at and tried to observe my dentist’s facial expressions,” she shares. “I also tried to spend some time understanding the dentist’s feelings.”
Without a doubt, though, Seon-ho was the one who had to prepare the most. After all, he does so much in the show and has so many licenses! Because of this, Seon-ho had to set apart some time to learn all of his abilities, like surfing and making coffee as a barista. “I was really interested in his realtor license,” Seon-ho points out. A lot of people are interested in real estate these days. Du-sik is literally capable of everything and he has a realtor license. One of his licenses certifies him as a professional fruit plater, so he lays out fruit on a plate.”
Image courtesy of Netflix
So, why should you watch Hometown Cha Cha Cha (if you don’t yet)? Min-a believes that Hye-jin can be a relatable character. “She’s a realist and a perfectionist, but there are elements of her that are a bit clumsy,” she explains. “She looks perfect, but she’s actually not and I think that’s really an appealing and lovely trait of hers. I tried not to emphasize too much of the loveliness of her character; but hopefully, a lot of women watching can connect with the character.”
Seon-ho says, “I think it would be really nice if women who watch the drama think that it would be nice to have a boyfriend like Du-sik.” MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, Seon-ho. We definitely dream of having a Du-sik of our own.
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