Exploring K-Drama Locations in Seoul

Almost every neighborhood in Seoul has a handful of filming spots that make it famous. There’s the footbridge next to Noksapyeong Station that is featured heavily in “Itaewon Class” or the back alleys of Anguk Station where “Our Beloved Summer” was shot.

So on a hot and sunny Monday afternoon, my husband and I were invited on a special tour hosted by the Seoul Spot event where they highlight scenes of movies and dramas in the areas they were filmed.

A Surprise Guest

We’ve been on a few tours in Korea, but this might be one of the best thanks to our docent guide. Nam Jung-woo is an actor who’s appeared in several popular dramas like Welcome to Samdalri, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, and Crash Landing on You.

Yep, our tour guide was a K-drama actor.

Having a tour exploring the hidden gems of Seoul and seeing where iconic scenes of famous K-dramas were filmed is fun. Having that explained to you by an actor who’s both enthusiastic and has an insider view about K-dramas and theater was awesome. We got stories about meeting with friends in the movie theater district in Jong-ro and shopping for theater lights at the plaza where Vincenzo was filmed.

It wasn’t just a tour of K-drama backdrops, it was a personalized tour delving into the contemporary history of Seoul from a local film buff… who happens to have been in some films.

But Also… K-Dramas

The first stop on our tour was Tapgol Park which was featured in Squid Game season 3. Specifically, the scene where Gong Yoo offers homeless people either bread or a lottery ticket, then proceeds to stomp on the bread when no one chooses it.

It’s also a historical landmark where the March 1st Independence Movement against Japanese occupation started in Seoul. And it’s that contrast that drives a sense of nausea when people watch that scene in Korea. Of course… then we got some complimentary scratch tickets and bread to recreate the scene for pictures.

• Tapgol Park (Google Maps, Naver Map)

Next up was Jonggak Station on the Dark Blue line just a few blocks away. I’ve traveled through the stations countless times, but I’d never gone to the furthest corner of the station that our guide led us to. That might explain why I’d never noticed the plaque on the wall commemorating the filming of Squid Game not to mention a QR code for an AR game you can play while you wait for the next subway car.

• Jonggak Station (Naver Map, Google Maps)

It’s a busy station so we had to balance taking photos and playing games with leaving enough space for commuters to get through. But we walked away with photos, videos and a curious coupon which could be exchanged for a prize at the Squid Game pop-up in Gwanghwamun Square.

Our final stop on the tour was the Sewoon Shopping Center in Cheonggye Plaza, one of the main locations of “Vincenzo” featuring Song Joongi. It features heavily as an old, almost decrepit shopping mall in “Vincenzo”.

• Sewoon Bridge (Naver Map, Google Maps)

In real life, the city’s done a lot to keep the shopping center from falling into ruin. And while it might be located in one of the older parts of the city, there are still active bars and trendy cafes all around the area. The area surrounding it is even referred to as “Hip-jiro” thanks to the thriving nightlife.

Gems in the Fading Light

That’s where our tour ended and our merry band split up. We waved goodbye to our comrades who sweat it through a two-hour tour as well as Jung-woo who took the time to take photos and videos with everyone. Honestly, the tour would’ve been much harder without his anecdotes about shopping for theater lighting at Sewoon or meeting for dates in Jong-ro.

It was late afternoon and the sun was beginning to set, but we could already hear everyone making plans for the night. A few of the group banded together to visit some of the old-school cafes that still call Sewoon home. Others headed off to the nearby Squid Game pop-up back where our tour started. But we all got a small map marked with other Seoul Spots scattered throughout Seoul promising more adventures in the future.

But we were exhausted. Two hours of walking through the city in the late afternoon took its toll and we promised ourselves we’d visit more Seoul Spots in the future. We might not have Jung-woo with us on future trips, but his fun stories and upbeat demeanor made our afternoon one to remember.