Sumith Prasad
Developed for tvN by Kim Je-hyeon and Studio Dragon, ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ is a South Korean romantic tv series that follows the life of Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min Ah), a dentist who shifts her practice to the seaside village of Gongjin from the city. Hye-jin’s life embarks on a different path when she meets Hong Du-sik (Kim Seon-ho), a jack-of-all-trades, who is admired all across the village. Based on the 2004 film, ‘Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong,’ the series is a heartwarming portrayal of a moving relationship between Hye-jin and Du-sik and the hassles they face to be together.
The show became an international sensation through Netflix and garnered praise for its arresting depiction of rural South Korea — instead of the sprawling metropolis — a milieu that’s uncommon in Korean television dramas. Its success has increased the curiosity about the idyllic village, which enhances the protagonists’ romantic adventures and conflicts. Inspired by the captivating beauty that forms the backdrop of the gratifying tale of Hye-jin and Du-sik, we have covered the filming locations of ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ in detail. Let’s take a look!
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Filming Locations
‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ is filmed in its entirety in South Korea. The filming of the inaugural season of the show took place with no reported delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The production reportedly began in early May 2021 and concluded in October of the same year. Let us go through the filming locations in detail!
Pohang, South Korea
‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ is set in the fictional seaside village of Gongjin. However, the show is filmed in the city of Pohang, in the North Gyeongsang province of South Korea. One of the major seaport cities in the country, Pohang is known for its villages and rural living, making it a perfect choice for the show’s countryside setting. Some of the most scenic spots in the city hold a special place in the storyline of the series.
The beach where Hye-jin meets Du-sik for the first time as the latter is surfing is Wolpo Beach, one of the significant tourist attractions in the city. The red lighthouse seen in the series is the Cheongjin Hang East Breakwater Light, whereas the breathtaking panorama of the coastline is shot in Mount Gonryun. The homes of the main characters, including Du-sik’s and Grandma Gam-ri’s, are traditional coastal houses facing the sea, a specialty of living in Pohang.
Due to the popularity of the show, fans flocked to the filming locations, which caused inconvenience to the residents of the properties that doubled up as the houses of the characters that the makers leased for the purpose of filming. To ease the situation for the owners, the producers released a statement requesting fans to avoid entering private properties.
The statement, partly, read: “Hye Jin’s house, Doo Shik’s house, Gam Ri’s house, and Cho Hee’s house in the drama are spaces that we leased for filming purposes for the duration of our shoot, and at the moment, their owners are currently residing in those homes. They helped our drama out with good intentions, but they are currently suffering disturbances to their everyday lives because of visitors. For the reason described above, when you visit our filming location, we ask that you refrain from entering these houses.”
The Gongjin Market seen in the series is Cheongha Market in Pohang. The market holds a pivotal place in Hye-jin’s stay in Gongjin as numerous events that turn her life around happen in the Gongjin market. The iconic boat on the hill is shot in Sabang Memorial Park, particularly Mugeunbong Peak, another prominent tourist attraction in Pohang. In an official statement, the producers of the series promised that the squid statue at Cheongha Market and the boat at Sabang Memorial Park would be kept intact for the fans to reminisce some of the crucial scenes in the show.
Filming of ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ also takes place at Cheongjin 3-Ri Fishermen’s Welfare Center, Bora Supermarket, a restaurant named Bada Punggyeong (pictured above), and the local Village Hall. The impressive Live Café and Pub in the series is actually a hardware store in Pohang, named Cheongho Hardware Store.
Read More: Is Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Based on True Story?
