Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Travel Guide: The Seaside Romance That Healed the World & Pohang Tour
Aired on tvN in 2021, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is a delightful, healing romance between a pragmatic dentist and 'Chief Hong,' an unemployed jack-of-all-trades, unfolding in the seaside village of 'Gongjin'. Starring Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho, this masterpiece recorded a peak viewership rating of 12.7%.
Without any bloody revenge or provocative incidents, it ranked in the TOP 10 of Netflix's Global Non-English TV category for an extended period, gently disarming the tense hearts of viewers worldwide. It is the perfect textbook example of a Korean healing drama, inviting you to leave the suffocating competition of the city and enter a slow-paced daily life filled with the sound of waves and human warmth.
The Healing Power of a 12.7% Rating: Letting Go of 'Competition' and Seeping into the 'Village'
The core charm of this drama, which features no villains, lies in the process of the Seoul-born protagonist, who strictly guarded her privacy, slowly breaking down her emotional walls as she clashes with the nosy and loud people of the seaside village.
The neighbors' interference, constantly bringing her side dishes and asking "Have you eaten?", was initially uncomfortable, but she realizes that it was actually the strongest 'emotional safety net' sustaining her life. This warm community culture and deep 'Jeong' (affection and bond) unique to the Korean countryside provided profound comfort to global viewers exhausted by busy and isolated lives.
The Pace of Life Delivered by the Sea and Korea's Warm Community
The drama never rushes emotions. Rather than resolving tangled incidents dramatically all at once, it slowly heals the old wounds each person held in their hearts with the help of the villagers and the love that silently stands by their side.
The romance of the male and female leads gently builds over the peaceful, repetitive daily scenery of the countryside, such as the blue sea sparkling in the sunlight, the old local market, and fishing boats anchored at the port. Just watching the visuals gifts viewers with a forgotten 'peace of mind' and comfort.
The Perfect Seaside Village Tour Course for Travelers to Korea
Take a trip to Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the actual main filming location of the drama, and personally experience the relaxed rhythm of 'Gongjin' village from the screen.
Cheongha Gongjin Market in Pohang, Gyeongbuk
This is the central local market where the giant squid statue stood and the villagers gathered to chat every day in the drama. The exteriors of the drama sets, such as Bora Supermarket, Cheongho Hardware Store, and Gongjin Chinese Restaurant, are preserved exactly as they were, allowing you to take excellent verification photos. If you visit on a day when the actual 5-day market is held, you can experience the unique vitality and warm hospitality of a rural market.
Mugeunbong Peak at Sabang Memorial Park, Pohang
This is the very iconic spot where the male lead Chief Hong's grandfather's boat was unexpectedly placed on top of a mountain. After climbing a few stairs and a hiking trail to the top, it is Pohang's best photo spot where you can look down at the overwhelming, panoramic view of the deep blue East Sea at a glance.
Igari Anchor Observatory Walk
This is a giant anchor-shaped marine observatory that gives you the thrilling sensation of walking directly over the clear waters of Pohang. Enjoy the romantic healing of the late afternoon by walking on the observatory while feeling the cool sea breeze or taking a drive along the coastal road.
Travel Precautions
Pohang, the filming location, can be reached very comfortably in about 2 hours and 30 minutes by taking the KTX (high-speed train) from Seoul Station. However, main destinations like Cheongha Market or Sabang Memorial Park are quite far from downtown Pohang.
Since it is on the outskirts, the interval between public transportation (city buses) is very long, so it is much more advantageous for itinerary management to charter a taxi or rent a car to save time. Also, the path up to see the boat on the mountaintop (Sabang Memorial Park) has many stairs and is steep, so you must wear comfortable sneakers on the day of your visit to prevent injuries.
Key Summary
- Aired in 2021, this well-made romance starring Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho led a global healing syndrome on Netflix with a 12.7% viewership rating.
- It depicts the process of leaving a busy, cold big city, melting into a warm seaside village community, and healing each other's deep wounds.
- Visit 'Cheongha Gongjin Market' in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, the actual filming location, and personally experience the atmosphere of the drama sets and the friendly rural market.
- We highly recommend an itinerary climbing Mugeunbong Peak at Pohang 'Sabang Memorial Park', where the wooden boat is placed on the mountaintop, to take in the refreshing view of the open East Sea.
- When moving to filming locations outside Pohang, the intervals for public transportation are long, so renting a car is a good idea, and be sure to prepare comfortable shoes for climbing the hills.
▶ Check 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha' info on Wikipedia
▶ Visit Korea Official Travel Guide