MANILA, Philippines — For two consecutive weeks, tvN’s "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" has been enjoying the spotlight and soaring high on television ratings, all thanks to Shi Min-a and Kim Seon-ho’s sizzling on-screen chemistry.
According to Forbes, "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" is currently ranked No. 8 worldwide on Netflix, and No. 1 on Netflix Korea based on the data it gathered on Oct. 4, 2021. The show also made it to the Top 10 in more than 20 countries including the Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
"Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" offers a quick break from the usual modern and metropolis-centric backdrop that most K-dramas seem to have in common. Filmed mostly in a picturesque seaside town of Pohang known for its iconic small traditional Korean houses, "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" is a light romantic comedy that stars Shi Min-a (My Girlfriend is a Gumiho) and Kim Seon-ho (Strongest Delivery Man).
The same week that the series snatched the No. 1 spot, both of its lead actors have also ranked high on the list of most buzzworthy Korean actors according to a report by Good Data Corp.
However, despite the show’s current success, it recently reported incidents of fans visiting the real-life locations in the drama, causing some of the residents to be overwhelmed. Addressing the situation, the producers of "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" have issued a statement asking fans to refrain from visiting the filming location.
The statement started by thanking the fans, “We would like to thank our viewers for giving us so much love,” and followed by the production crew’s immediate plea, “we would like to make one request regarding visits to our filming location. 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.”
Read the full statement below (originally published in Soompi):
Hello. This is the “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” production team.
We would like to thank our viewers for giving us so much love, and we would like to make one request regarding visits to our filming location.
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.
Out of consideration for people who want to experience the afterglow of the drama, the city of Pohang will be keeping the squid statue at Cheongha Market and the boat at Sabang Memorial Park even after the end of filming.
Once again, we thank you for giving your love to “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.”