What a phenomenal second episode. I'm not going to lie, the start was promising but I worried if the second episode would hold up. It did. In fact, I think it exceeded my expectations. Before I got into this drama, I made sure to look up what exactly the genre was. Assuming it is a genre it obviously isn't will throw you off at the simplicity. It is simplicity at it's core and it's wonderful because it delivers everything it promises to deliver. A simple, heartwarming rom com, that shows humans, at their most humane. Regret, pride, anxiety.
The most emotional scene definitely belongs to villager Oh Yoon, who showed how important validation and praise can be, when it's genuine, and the importance of empathy. But I won't spoil that. The story seems to have some clichés for sure, but the heartwarming kind that doesn't make you cringe, probably helped by the main leads chemistry. Their banter is delightful and healthy, the dynamic highly entertaining.
The stories link everyone in a subtle manner, and the lesson this episode delivers applies to not just Hyejin, our female lead in need of a rude awakening, but to the villagers as well. And there's so much potential, especially with the opening montage of everyone's "regrets". I myself have so many theories, but I think I'll hold them off for now and end with a satisfied nod towards the directing, the cinematography and of course, the acting.
Having watched some of his other dramas (do watch Catch the Ghost, impressive emotional range from the main cast) I've always appreciated his "eye acting", and his ability to emote and he displayed impressive emotive acting in this episode as well. But kudos in particular to Shin Minah who did an absolutely fantastic job in portraying Hyejin because I do believe anything less than, would make her unlikable, yet Shin Minah makes her not only tolerable but also relatable and sympathetic.
I'm looking forward to episode 3, and hoping the quality will remain consistent without dipping because Hometown Cha Cha Cha is off to a fantastic start.
This drama is definitely off to a promising start. The key to enjoying this drama is to acknowledge what it seeks to deliver. It's meant to be a "soft" drama, lacking the heaviness that many other 2021 dramas have, and I believe that if that was the goal, the first episode accomplished it. As with the case of many slice of life dramas, this seeks to present the daily real life struggles as well as the little bouts of happiness people experience in their lives. The plot is pretty simple, but the acting, the production and cinematography plays a huge role in making this show, well the pilot episode for now, entertaining. Shin Minah was delightful to watch, and Kim Seonho nails down his body language to a tee. The subtle reactions to conversations, very well executed. This story is not meant to be a thought provoking production for sure, but it definitely slowed down the rapid pace of the day and offered the relaxation it promises to deliver. Looking forward to the second episode to hold up that standard, and build on the chemistry of the main leads.
The most emotional scene definitely belongs to villager Oh Yoon, who showed how important validation and praise can be, when it's genuine, and the importance of empathy. But I won't spoil that. The story seems to have some clichés for sure, but the heartwarming kind that doesn't make you cringe, probably helped by the main leads chemistry. Their banter is delightful and healthy, the dynamic highly entertaining.
The stories link everyone in a subtle manner, and the lesson this episode delivers applies to not just Hyejin, our female lead in need of a rude awakening, but to the villagers as well. And there's so much potential, especially with the opening montage of everyone's "regrets". I myself have so many theories, but I think I'll hold them off for now and end with a satisfied nod towards the directing, the cinematography and of course, the acting.
Having watched some of his other dramas (do watch Catch the Ghost, impressive emotional range from the main cast) I've always appreciated his "eye acting", and his ability to emote and he displayed impressive emotive acting in this episode as well. But kudos in particular to Shin Minah who did an absolutely fantastic job in portraying Hyejin because I do believe anything less than, would make her unlikable, yet Shin Minah makes her not only tolerable but also relatable and sympathetic.
I'm looking forward to episode 3, and hoping the quality will remain consistent without dipping because Hometown Cha Cha Cha is off to a fantastic start.