Recap Korean Drama "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" Episode 2

Ah, remember how Hye-jin was bullied in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 1 and then she had a tiff with her ex-boss and decided to come back and open up her practice in Gongjin? Well, here we are with Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2 to see how that decision turns out.

The episode opens with some of the residents thinking about their past, maybe some regrets. We also see Hye-jin in her already completed dentist clinic. Then we go two weeks back to when Hye-jin is going through a space to rent, with Du-sik’s help. However, he has only one space to show her, which is a bit shocking, for her and me. He then takes her to see her home for the foreseeable future, and it is a bit apparent that Hy-jin does not have an idea about how small towns work.

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Anyway, it turns out that the dentist space belongs to Hwa-jung. Hye-jin is, understandably, a little confused as to what is going on. However, Du-sik shows her the prices for the area and after that, she is all on board to rent in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2. After the papers are signed, Hye-jin leaves without paying Du-sik, which is a little surprising because… you need to pay the people whose time you just used up for your benefit? Like, I don’t think she’s that dense. However, she acts all confused when he asks for his fees.

 

Du-sik next tells her that he can help her with the renovations as well and then shows her a long list of things that he is certified to do. Hye-jin is shocked. After she goes home to pack, Mi-seon is angry and heartbroken that she is moving so hurriedly. However, not much can be done about that.

 

As she drives to Gongjin in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2, it seems like she feels happy and hopeful. As she’s moving her stuff, the neighbours all gawk at the pretty dentist that they cannot believe is moving in.

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That night in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2, Du-sik comes over to tell Hye-jin about taking out recyclables and the combination to her home lock, which is, surprisingly his birthday. She mentions that he’s only a year older than her and Du-sik tells him to not flirt. Hye-jin immediately tells him that that’s not what she was doing.

Hye-jin is now the talk of the town in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2. As the oldies all discuss her while walking down the road, they spot her on a run and slut-shame her, which is… expected? I don’t know. I am not getting a lot of good feels about this place!

 

She reaches her freshly painted clinic after her run and is happy to see the work that Du-sik has done. However, if it wasn’t enough, the three oldies tell Du-sik about how “raunchy” Hye-jin was looking. She was literally wearing leggings and a crop top which wasn’t even that short. Poor Hye-jin is up for a huge challenge here.

Anyway, at the oldies party that Hwa-jung invites her to, Hye-jin is totally clueless about the way she behaves with her neighbours. I don’t think she does it out of malice but she manages to mostly insult everyone around her. She realizes that she has fucked up as well, but it’s too late as everyone leaves her. Thus, Hye-jin is left alone, bored and uncomfortable with Chun-jae.

Du-sik meets her after she manages to get away however she brushes him off as well. As she talks to Mi-seon on the phone and blasts the townspeople, she accidentally goes live on the speaker and everyone hears her insult Chun-jae. Although she didn’t know what was going on, it’s a mess. Chun-jae is heartbroken and the people are angry with her.

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Now, see. I agree that she shouldn’t have said anything outside the confines of her own home. However, this was said in private during a period when she was having a huge problem with adjusting to a vastly different lifestyle. You can see both sides of the coin. However, the townspeople don’t see it as such and everyone is angry and disappointed with her.

 

Anyway, Du-sik goes to meet Chun-jae and tries to lighten his mood in Hometown Cha Cha Chae episode 2. However, he refuses and says that he needs to make lunch. It’s just so sad. Meanwhile, that night, Hye-jin is also extremely sad about what she has done and contemplates leaving the town. As Du-sik delivers a parcel to her at that moment, he humiliates her and tells her that there are people who have not gotten it easy in life and that she shouldn’t judge people. Just because she’s privileged, doesn’t even everyone is.

Again, I agree. However, he doesn’t know what she has gone through so saying this is unnecessary and unwarranted. That being said, she should’ve apologized to Chun-jae then and there which she didn’t do, so really, I am in no one’s league.

 

Anyway, later, Mi-seon unexpectedly comes over at Hye-jin’s place in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2. She’s crying – her boyfriend was two-timing her. As luck would have it, she decides to stay with her and work for her at her clinic. Now, I don’t like this twist. It’s unnecessary and there is no way this girl, who was totally against the idea 5 minutes ago, totally changed her mind within a few hours. However, it’s a K-drama, so it’s all fine.

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Soon, it’s D-day, and Hye-jin and Mi-seon are ready to take on the day. However, as the day ends, not one person comes over to the clinic. Later, out to run errands, both the women realise that no one really wants to talk to them. In fact, everyone is steering clear of them like the plague. Mi-seon is clueless as to what is going on, and when Hye-jin comes face to face with Chun-jae, she is left embarrassed.

 

When Mi-seon learns the truth from Hye-jin in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2, she enquires why she didn’t tell her this sooner. Hye-jin tells her that if she had told her this, Mi-seon wouldn’t have moved here. So, she tricked her friend into staying here without telling the entire truth and she still hasn’t apologized! Ok, I agree that Hye-jin is entitled.

Mi-seon tells her in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2 to move back to Seoul and cut her losses while she is ahead. However, Hye-jin decides to go on a run to clear her head. There, she meets Du-sik, who just tells her to wear something less revealing and that the town hasn’t caught up with Seoul. He further adds that Hye-jin needs to meet the town halfway and give them some time to adjust. The slut-shaming though – I might just gag.

However, he does mention that it’s not her fault that the mike was on and that everyone badmouths others. He gives her an idea to send rice cakes to her neighbours, however, people aren’t interested to take her olive branch just yet. Nevertheless, she does end up taking care of a hedgehog, thanks to Yi-joon and Bo-ra.

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Anyway, Du-sik comes around the next day again to tell her that the rice cake attempt was pathetic and insincere. He instead takes her to the neighbourhood meeting and tells her to apologise to everyone sincerely, i.e., if she doesn’t want her business to tank.

 

During the meeting, the townspeople are shitting on Hye-jin behind her back, in front of kids, might I add, when she comes inside. Du-sik follows her in with snacks and tells everyone that it’s from Hye-jin as she wanted to apologise. After the meeting is done and everyone is happy with her, we still don’t hear an apology from Hye-jin, at least for Chun-jae. As everyone leaves, she thanks Du-sik for having her back and he hands a huge bill for the snacks.

For the neighbourhood cleaning thing, Hye-jin, again refuses to participate. However, Du-sik forcefully gets her out of the house and she reaps the benefits of it soon. People, whom Du-sik recommended apparently, go over to her clinic and she’s ecstatic. Du-sik later hears that the experience was great and he looks pleased.

Du-sik later, in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2, helps out Chun-jae, who seems to still be heartbroken about what Hye-jin said, and rightfully so. However, after some soul searching due to her newfound fame, Hye-jin apologises to, and even compliments, Chun-jae. Poor thing is over the moon that the simple compliments. My heart broke for him!

Next, Hye-jin goes to meet Du-sik in Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2. She thanks him for what he told her and how he helped her. And then, obviously, while trying to help Hye-jin up, she falls in his arms. Ah, and thus starts a romance between the leads!

The last scene of Hometown Cha Cha Cha episode 2 is when Hye-jin and Du-sik met when they were kids. It’s such an adorable moment and Du-sik remembers how he and his father had taken a photo that day.

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Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha episode 2 proves to be quite the exciting episode, with lots of character developments and flaws and thus, lots of growth to look forward to. I like the title characters, although they can be very annoying sometimes. However, I see a bright future for this K-drama.