How a 2004 cult film blossomed into a global television sensation in 2021
In short: When screenwriter Shin Ha-eun was asked to remake the 2004 film Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong, she initially hesitated, fearing she might tarnish the original's legacy. Yet, by reimagining the story for 2021 and populating the seaside village of Gongjin with a rich ensemble cast, she created a record-breaking international hit.
The 2021 series Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, which aired on tvN and Netflix, follows Yoon Hye-jin, a perfectionist dentist from Seoul who moves to the idyllic village of Gongjin. There, she encounters Hong Du-sik, a jack-of-all-trades known as Chief Hong. While the show is a romantic comedy centered on their evolving relationship, its success is rooted in the expansion of its world. Screenwriter Shin Ha-eun, who had a personal connection to the late Kim Joo-hyuk—the star of the original film—was initially wary of the project. She eventually found her way into the narrative by focusing on the 'what-if' potential of placing the iconic Hong Banjang character into a modern setting.
To distinguish the remake from the original film, which featured a limited cast, Shin developed an intricate web of 16 distinct village residents, each equipped with specific backstories and roles. This ensemble approach transformed the story into a community-focused drama. The production, helmed by director Yoo Je-won, became one of the highest-rated dramas in the history of Korean cable television. Its final episode secured a 12.665% nationwide rating, and it consistently ranked first in its timeslot throughout its run from August 28 to October 17, 2021.
Beyond its domestic performance, the series achieved significant global reach as one of Netflix's most-watched non-English television shows. The project, co-produced by Studio Dragon and Gtist, successfully balanced the spirit of its predecessor with a modernized, character-driven identity. By centering the narrative on the interconnected lives of Gongjin's inhabitants—ranging from the grandmothers led by Kim Gam-ri to the workaholic production director Ji Seong-hyun—the show resonated with audiences far beyond its original cultural context, proving that a localized story could find universal appeal through careful, character-first world-building.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
- Also: Wikidata — Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha · CC0
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