18 Iconic K-Drama Locations You Can Actually Visit In South Korea
From plot twists to sappy romances, there's so many things to like about a good K-drama. But if you're like me and you're curious about where these dramas are filmed, this post is the one to save for your South Korea travel itinerary.
A day of eating at delicious restaurants and visiting locations where my fav K-dramas were filmed? Count me in!
But first, here are two helpful tips when traveling in South Korea:
1. Use Naver Maps to find directions! It's super easy to use and is available in English.
2. Make sure you have a bus and subway card. In South Korea, transportation by bus or subway is much more common and efficient than cars or taxis. So, to ensure that you're not stuck in hours of traffic, buy a bus and subway card.
Now, onto the locations:
1.Jageun Maeul
K-Drama: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Address: 35 Jeongneung-ro 6-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
The legendary Bok Chicken restaurant isn't exactly a fried chicken restaurant in real life, but it is open for business! They have a variety of traditional Korean dishes that you can try, ranging from traditional green onion pancakes to soft tofu stew. The seating arrangement is exactly like the one in the drama, so you'll get a perfect feel of what it was like filming there.
2.Jumunjin Breakwater
K-Drama: Guardian: The Lonely and Great God
Address: 81-32 Gyohang-ri, Jumunjin-eup, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do
Remember the "red scarf" scene where Eun Tak accidentally summons the Goblin? Re-create this iconic scene at Juminjin Breakwater on Juminjin Beach! This popular tourist beach is great for a day trip out in Gangwon-do.
3.Hansung Apartments
K-Drama: Fight for My Way
Address: 49-38 Beonna-gil, Suyeong-ro, Namgu, Busan
Four childhood best friends living right next to each other — what could go wrong, right? Famously known as the Namil Villa, this apartment complex gave way to countless memorable scenes. But even in real life, there are residents living in the apartments, so make sure to respect their privacy when visiting.
4.Sinchon Graffiti Tunnel
K-Drama: Guardian: The Lonely and Great God
Address: Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
*Cue the dramatic music* Re-create this iconic scene at Sinchon Graffiti Tunnel! All you need is a long black coat and a whole lot of confidence. (Also, maybe some green onions to make it a touch more authentic.)
5.Hapcheon Movie Theme Park
K-Drama: Youth of May
Address: 757, Hapcheonhosu, Yongju-myeon, Hapcheon-gu, Gyeongsangnam-do
A majority of Youth of May was filmed at Hapcheon Movie Theme Park, and it's easy to see why! The location is a bubble of what South Korea looked like in the 1980s, with makeshift stores and railroad-track roads.
6.Seoul Land
K-Drama: Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Address: 181 Gwangmyeong-ro, Makgye-dong, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
Planning a day at the amusement park with friends and family? Learn from Bong Soon's experience and visit Seoul Land! It has numerous roller coasters and even a movie theater — clearly perfect for all ages.
7.Baekje Cultural Land
K-Drama: Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Address: 455 Baekjemun-ro, Gyuam-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
Who's chopping the onions?! This iconic scene in Scarlet Heart Ryeo was shot inside Baekje Cultural Land. Inside the center, there is a museum, temple, restaurant, and rest areas. It's a true representation of the Baekja Kingdom, which is mirrored in Scarlet Heart Ryeo!
8.Garden of the Morning Calm
K-Drama: Love in the Moonlight
Address: 432 Sumogwon-ro, Sang-myeon, 상면 Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
Take in the beautiful sight of colorful flowers at the Garden of the Morning Calm. You'll be surrounded by more than 300,000 square meters of 5,000 plant species. In fact, it's actually the oldest private garden in South Korea — makes sense, considering that the drama filmed here was a historical fiction one!
9.Depohang Port Light House
K-Drama: Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Address: 64, Daepohang-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
Smile! Not only does this lighthouse call for an Instagram-worthy picture, it's also where Do Bong-Soon and Ahn Min-Hyuk had their date! While you're there, you can also spend a relaxing day at the beach and grab a bite to eat at Sokcho Jar Cold Raw Fish Soup, a restaurant famous for their fresh sashimi.
10.Hotel Seine
K-Drama: Hotel Del Luna
Address: 28-5 Donhwamun-ro 11-gil, Nakwon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Unlike the name, this place is actually a café. It's a vintage, hotel-themed café complete with a rooftop lounge, which is quite the opposite of its role in Hotel Del Luna. You're welcome to sit in one of the cozy parlors or go up to the lounge with a full view of the nighttime city lights. Fun fact: The rooftop lounge is named the "Full Moon Rooftop Lounge," which is the same as the meaning of Man Wol's name (full moon).
11.Seoul Fortress Wall
K-Drama: Itaewon Class
Address: 622-83 Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Remember Jo Yi Seo and Park Saero Yi's mini date in the last episode? The last destination they stopped by was here! The Seoul Fortress Wall runs 18.6 kilometers around the center of Seoul, making it a beautiful place to hike and view the city lights.
12.Dal.komm Coffee
K-Drama: Descendants of the Sun
Address: 23-5 Songdo 2(i)-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon
Dal.komm Coffee is a perfect place to enjoy a nice cup of coffee to start off your day! Yoo Shi Jin and Kang Mo Yeon had multiple coffee dates here in the drama, but they also experienced a breakup here (cue the tears). This was also the place where Yoo Shi Jin and Seo Dae Yeong brought their stuffed animal girlfriends!
13.Gwanghwamun Square
K-Drama: The King: Eternal Monarch
Address: 172 Sejong-daero, Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Gwanghwamun Square is just as beautiful in person as depicted in this scene. During the day, you can see a clear view of King Sejong's statue, whereas at night, the colorful lights and waterworks are the main spectacle.
14.Hotel Midas Resort
K-Drama: The Penthouse: War in Life (Season 2)
Address: 2245 Bukhangang-ro, Oeseo-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
Oh Yoon Hee and Ha Yoon Cheol famously crashed Cheon Seo Jin and Joo Dan Tae's wedding at the Hotel Midas Resort. If you do stay at the hotel, there probably won't be another wedding crash, but there are plenty of other sights to see. Because of the hotel's location, the rooms allow you to enjoy beautiful scenery right on the terrace.
15.Cheonggye Plaza
K-Drama: Vincenzo
Address: 162 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
The iconic Geumga Plaza is actually a real plaza IRL. Although it doesn't house the same residents and stories, you can visit to get a sense of what filming there was like. The upper floors are mostly residential housing, while the lower floors are mostly electronic stores.
16.Namdo Bunsik Ikseon
K-Drama: True Beauty
Address: 33 Supyo-ro 28-gil, Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Craving some Korean street food? Namdo Bunsik Ikseon's the place for you! Joo Kyeong and her friends constantly went there after school, sharing light-hearted conversations and making long-lasting memories. It's the perfect place to grab a quick bite!
17.Yonsei University
K-Drama: Extraordinary You
Address: 50 Yonsei-ro, Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
Spoiler alert: The high school in Extraordinary You isn't actually a high school at all. It's Yonsei University! The Sinchon campus is known for its ivy walls, which is featured in many other Korean dramas, one of them being True Beauty. The campus is open to the public, and visitors can stroll around the beautiful greenery.
