About this page
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (갯마을 차차차) aired on tvN in 2021. Shin Min-a plays Yoon Hye-jin, a dentist who opens a clinic in the seaside village of Gongjin, and Kim Seon-ho plays Hong Du-sik, the village’s jack of all trades. VisitKorea picked Cheongha Gongjin Market and Guryongpo for its February 2023 Hallyu travel theme.
Places named by both VisitKorea and Pohang City are confirmed; places named by Pohang City alone are reported. When the drama aired, crowds jammed village roads, so please visit quietly and park only where it is allowed.
Cheongha: the real Gongjin
Cheongha Gongjin Market, with the drama’s shops inside, is the heart of Gongjin. Along the same north coast, VisitKorea and Pohang City name the Cheongjin 2-ri breakwater, Sabang Memorial Park with the boat on the hill, and Gonryunsan. Pohang City also lists Igari Anchor Observatory and Wolpo Beach.
The red lighthouse at Seokbyeong 1-ri
South near Guryongpo, the red lighthouse on the Seokbyeong 1-ri breakwater appears in many scenes and is reportedly where Hye-jin confesses to Du-sik. It is also close to the When the Camellia Blooms street in Guryongpo; see our Pohang hub to plan both.
Getting there
From Seoul, KTX runs to Pohang Station, and SRT runs from Suseo to Pohang; check the official timetables on Korail and SR (checked Sep 29, 2026). Pohang Gyeongju Airport (KPO) has limited domestic flights — the train is usually the more practical option. Cheongha and Guryongpo are on opposite sides of the city, so a car is the easiest way to see both in a day; otherwise search each route on Naver Map (English UI).
For Cheongha Gongjin Market, take bus 5000 from the 포항역 (Pohang Station) stop and get off at the 청하시장 stop; the market is about 50 m on foot (VisitKorea, checked Sep 29, 2026). Check the official timetable on the Pohang bus information system before you go. For the other places, bus numbers and times are not listed here; check the local bus app.
Good to know: Seaside fishing village (어촌) culture
Cheongha is a real working fishing village — the model for the drama’s Gongjin. Here’s the culture behind it.
Korea’s fishing villages (어촌) run on a rhythm older than any K-drama: dawn markets, drying squid on racks, and a community where everyone knows everyone. Dramas like Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (filmed around Pohang’s Cheongha and Guryongpo) and Our Blues (Jeju) romanticize this life, but the real thing is worth experiencing on its own terms. The village market is the social center — many are “fifth-day markets” (5일장) held on dates ending in 1 and 6, or 2 and 7, drawing the whole area. Try the hoe (sliced raw fish) at a port-side restaurant; it’s often caught that morning. If you visit a working harbor, remember it’s a workplace: stay clear of boats being unloaded, don’t climb on fishing equipment, and ask before photographing fishermen. Coastal villages can be quiet after dark with limited dining options, so plan meals ahead. The famous haenyeo (female free-divers) of Jeju are a UNESCO-recognized tradition — if you visit Jeju, the Haenyeo Museum explains their remarkable culture. Bring layers: sea wind is colder than you’d expect, even in spring.
Sources
All sources for this guide
Accessed Sep 28, 2026 (Asia/Seoul) unless noted.
- VisitKorea — A Set-jetter’s Pohang Itinerary of “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha”
- VisitKorea — Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and When the Camellia Blooms in Pohang (Feb 2023)
- VisitKorea — Cheongha Gongjin Market
- Pohang City tourism — 청하공진시장
- Pohang City — Bus information system (checked Sep 29, 2026)
- Korail — Train timetable (checked Sep 29, 2026)
- SR — SRT routes (checked Sep 29, 2026)
- Metro Seoul — Pohang City release (Mar 13, 2023)
- Maeil Shinmun — Pohang City visitor count (Sep 30, 2021)
- Traveli — Pohang City filming list
- Kyungbuk Maeil — Cheongha Gongjin Market after the drama
- Korail — https://www.letskorail.com/
