Viewership Television broadcast Streaming television Following its release on Netflix,
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha became one of the platform's most-watched non-English television shows. According to FlixPatrol, a website providing global rankings for shows on Netflix, the series placed number 8 on its global chart. It remained on Netflix's most-watched non-English popular television show list for 16 weeks in global top ten rankings, and reached the top 10 charts in more than 20 countries. It also remained on Netflix's Top 10 Chart for television shows for more than two months from its last episode.
Data Analysis and Survey During its run, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha achieved notable rankings and generated significant buzz. In the Content Power Index (CPI), powered by RACOI, the drama entered the Top 10, ranking 6th in the 4th week of August (August 23–29). It continued to perform strongly, reaching 3rd place in the drama category and 4th overall in the first and second weeks of September. By the third week of September, it climbed to 2nd in drama and 3rd overall. For four consecutive weeks, from the 4th week of September to the 2nd week of October 2021,
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha secured the 1st rankin the drama category. In the overall category, it placed 2nd in the 4th and 5th weeks of September, dipped slightly to 4thin the 1st week of October, and then returned to 2nd in the 2nd week of October. According to the
Good Data Corporation,
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha consistently charted in the Top 10 of the TV Topicality Ranking in the drama division from the 3rd week of August to the 2nd week of October 2021. It ranked 8th in the 3rd week of August, 3rd in the 4th week of August, and the 1st and 2nd weeks of September, then climbed to 2nd place in the 3rd week of September. The drama eventually secured the top spot in drama popularity in the 4th week of September and 1st week of October. The main leads, Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a, consistently ranked high during this period; Kim Seon-ho took 1st place and Shin Min-a ranked 2nd for consecutive weeks from the 3rd week of August to the 4th week of September. In the 5th week of September, Kim Seon-ho ranked 2nd and Shin Min-a 3rd. In the 1st and 2nd weeks of October 2021, Kim Seon-ho regained the top spot, while Shin Min-a ranked 5th in the 1st week and returned to 3rd place in the 2nd week.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha also made its mark by entering the Top 20 "FUNdex," ranking 17th with a score of 83.13 out of 355 Korean dramas aired from 2018 to 2021. "FUNdex" predicts content's fun factor and box office potential by integrating six data points: household viewers, 20-49 age group viewers, topicality, performer topicality, clip views, and media attention. This ranking utilized data from Good Data Corporation and public data from RACOI. On April 18, 2022, the results of The 2021 Big Data Utilization Hallyu Market Research were announced. This report, published by the
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and The Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), focused on public interest in the Korean Wave. It analyzed the current status of the
Korean Wave by collecting and analyzing real-time global online reactions.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, along with its leads, Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a, were among the most searched and prominent keywords related to K-drama in the report. The drama's popularity directly impacted the brand reputation of its main leads. According to big data analysis by The Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, in September 2021, Kim Seon-ho topped the drama actor brand reputation ranking, while Shin Min-a secured the third position. The analysis considered factors such as brand participation, media volume, traffic volume, and communication volume, measuring and indexing them with a brand reputation algorithm. Compared to the drama actor brand data in August 2021, their brand reputation collectively increased by 21.00%. In a year-end poll conducted by
Gallup in South Korea,
Kim Seon-ho was named
Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year, and
Shin Min-a ranked second, further affirming their widespread recognition.
Critical reception Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha was met with largely positive reviews. Jan Lee of
The Straits Times gave the series 4 out of 5 stars, praising its "idyllic setting, charming leads, and colorful supporting characters." Pierce Conran in the
South China Morning Post gave it 3 out of 5 stars, noting that the show "kept things simple." He added that while it occasionally indulged in "hokey dramatics," it never risked alienating its dedicated audience. S. Poorvaja of
The Hindu noted it as a worthy representation of "slice-of-life goodness and wholesome romance of the best kind." Some critics offered mixed assessments. Joel Keller of
Decider highlighted the "seashore scenery and the chemistry between the show's leads" but criticized the slow pacing. Similarly, Bang Yeon-joo of
PD Journal critiqued the reliance on traditional gender stereotypes, specifically citing the recurring "damsel in distress" trope where Du-sik would repeatedly rescue Hye-jin. However, she also acknowledged the show's commercial success, which she attributed to its ability to create a calming and enjoyable atmosphere by developing not just the central romance, but also the heartfelt stories of the town's charming residents. Pop culture critic Jung Deok-hyeon described the show's reliance on clichés as a weakness, identifying a scene with a house trespasser as contrived and an outdated plot device to bring the leads closer. Despite these criticisms, Jung Deok-hyeon described the series as a "Soft Healing Drama," attributing its positive reception to the compelling fantasy of Gongjin Village, which provided a stark contrast to intense dramas like
Squid Game.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha was included in various critics' top-drama lists.
Variety ranked the series sixth on its list of "The Best International TV Shows of 2021," noting its lighthearted nature and simplicity offered a "refreshing escape amidst the pandemic's gloom." Chad de Guzman from
Time included the drama in his list of "The 8 best Korean dramas on Netflix," remarking, "'Best' doesn't always have to mean 'intense and thought-provoking'. Sometimes it can simply mean easy, enjoyable viewing." The drama also sparked a "Gaetcha Craze," where products featured in the drama having a surge in demand. The wine Yoon Hye-jin gifted Hong Du-sik in episode 5, as well as Hye-jin's bag, both temporarily sold out. Interest in Hye-jin's fashion, including her clothing, jewelry, and shoes, experienced a notable rise. Her style was praised for its charming combination of sophistication and unique charm. Two books featured in the show experienced a rise in popularity. After Chief Hong recite Kim Haeng-sook's poem, "The Gate Keeper," her poetry book, "Portrait of Echo," garnered renewed attention and enter best seller list seven years after its release. The book peaked at second place on Kyobo Bookstore's poetry bestseller list for the by the second week of October and entered third place on Yes24's Korean poetry bestseller list. The Korean translation of
Henry David Thoreau's
Walden, read by Chief Hong in episode 2, also climbed to 11th on Yes24's essay bestseller list by the second week of October. Yes24 reported a sales growth of 3,257% for "Portrait of Echo" and 369% for
Walden the weeks following their exposure in the drama. The limited first editions of the unedited scriptbooks for
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha 1 and
2, which included autographs and messages from writer
Shin Ha-eun and actors
Shin Min-a and
Kim Seon-ho, quickly topped bestseller lists. According to Yes24, over 9,000 copies were pre-ordered on the publication day alone, with buyers primarily being women in their 20s and 30s. The scriptbooks also reached number one on Aladin's bestseller list on October 16, 2021, with an official from the company noting that it is rare for a drama script to achieve such a high ranking.
Tourism Hometown Cha-Cha-Chas significantly boosted tourism in its filming locations. The drama's setting in Pohang became a popular part of tourism itineraries, reportedly revitalizing the local commercial district and economy. The series also contributed to tourism in
Yangju, where the
Chang Ucchin Museum of Art, was featured in episode 12. Following the episode, officials noted a rise in inquiries about the museum, with viewers drawn to its unique white architecture and natural surroundings. On November 24, 2021,
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha content became available via the
LG U+ XR platform U+DIVe.
Studio Dragon partnered with the
Korea Tourism Organization and
LG U+ to present
virtual reality (VR) content using the drama's intellectual property. This project aimed to promote Korea's beautiful tourist destinations through drama content. All content was filmed in VR, capturing the unique emotions of various spots in 3D 180-degree high-definition video for an enhanced immersive experience.
Lee Sang-yi reprised his role as Ji PD, becoming a virtual guide for Gongjin VR tour. ==Accolades==