From Japanese drama and Terrace House, I tried watching Korean dramas just late last year when a friend sent me a link to Moonlight Drawn by Clouds (also known as Love in the Moonlight). I had no expectations, but then I slowly caught myself finishing at least one episode every night! When I started eating more bibimbap and bingsu, and following Korean actors' Instagram accounts, I knew I was hooked! Since then, I never stopped my nightly K-Drama habit, moving on to next "recommended" ones every time I finish a series.
As for my K-Drama Tour Instax series, it happened very randomly, a personal project that I came up with just the night before my flight. It wasn't my first time in Korea, so I've already covered most of the country's must-see places and the usual tourist spots. My original plan was just to catch springtime in Seoul, my favorite season.
Since I had around five days, I realized that I needed a game plan to maximize this trip. Aside from spotting cherry blossoms, I listed a K-Drama Bucket List with shooting locations and Korean drama experiences. From just three to five, my list grew to 10+ sites and activities with at least one for each K-Drama I've seen. Because I'd be traveling solo, I printed Instax photos from the K-Drama scenes as my travel guide. With the language barrier in Korea, it's also easier to ask for directions when you just show a photo of where you're heading.
At the airport while waiting for my early flight schedule, I dined in a cafe and took out the list to search online for their addresses or the nearest subway. Then I arranged them by subway line number, all handwritten at the back of my AirAsia receipt. I was almost all set by the time I boarded the plane.
And because I love Candymag.com, I am sharing my #KDramaTour itinerary to you below!
Goblin
Entrance Fee: Free
How To Get There: Anguk Subway Station Line 3, Exit 4. Walk straight from exit until you reach Duksung Women's University.
I stayed near Seoul National University of Education Station Line 3, so I looked for a place in my bucket list that's in the same line number. Turns out, the lone location in Line number 3 is the Goblin's House!
Legend of the Blue Sea
Entrance Fee: Free
How To Get There: Get off Myeong-dong Station. Look for the cable car of Namsan Tower (I used Google Maps). Heo Joon Jae's house is just before climbing the stairs to the cable cars. Address: 29 Sogong-ro 4-Gil
It took me long walks and many wrong turns just to get here! My clue from research is that it's near the entrance of Namsan Tower's cable cars. I followed the tower from Myeong-dong, and since "Heo Joon Jae's House" is not in Google Maps (lol), I typed in "Namsan Cable Car."Â
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Entrance Fee: Free
How To Get There: Get off Gireum Station Subway Line 4, Exit 3. Take a bus (171, 1112, 1213, 7211) to Kookmin University. Just cross the street from the university and go down the stairs. You'll see Bok Chicken is on the left side.
In time for dinner, I chose to navigate Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo's Bok Chicken. I love love the Goblin and Heo Joon Jae's houses, but I was even TEN TIMES KILIG when I saw Bok Joo's! All Weightlifting feels came rushing back!
The Heirs
Entrance Fee: Just buy a drink (5900 KRW for the Mango Coconut Smoothie)
How to get there: Sinsa Station Line 3, Exit 8
Park Shin Hye worked here in the classic K-Drama The Heirs. Found a branch near Sinsa Station, although it's not the same as the one from The Heirs (which is in Gangnam). I ordered the Mango Coconut Smoothie, the same drink Lee Min Ho and Kim Woo Bin had! Super unique combi, and it's yummy.
Goblin
Entrance Fee: Free
How to get there: Yongdap Station Line 2, Exit 2
Funny story, I got so excited and immediately took so many pictures on the first bridge I saw from Yongdap station's exit, only to realize that it was the wrong one! Had to go up a few flights for the right bridge. So remember, it's the one with the white bars. Anyway, there was almost no passerby when I took photos here, so you can have your "Grim-Sunny-jade ring moment." Hehe.
Cheese in the Trap
Entrance Fee: Free
How to get there: Gangbyeong Station Line 2
For the actual Coffee Bay from the series: Gasan Digital Complex Station Exit 4
It's not the same branch where Hong Seol worked as a cashier/barista in the series, and I wasn't able to dine because of time constraints, but hey, it's a Coffee Bay cafe!
Legend of the Blue Sea
Riverside Spa Land
Entrance Fee: Basic rate is 9000 KRW
How to get there: Gangbyeong Station Line 2
Jimjilbang is Korea's version of a traditional public bathhouse, which has been on my Korea travel bucket list for a while now. Finally got to try it during this trip, and at the same branch where they shot scenes from LOTBS!
Descendants of the Sun
Entrance Fee: Free, my coffee was around 4800 KRW
How to get there: Jeongja Station Line B, Exit 3
Ended my second day with a cup of latte in the classic K-Drama cafe: Dal.Komm! I've seen this logo so many times in several dramas like Descendants of the Sun, but I realized that I haven't been in one on any of my Korea trips. The actual shooting location is usually far, but I spotted a branch in Seoul through Google Maps, and it's an easy walk from the train station.Â
Goblin
Entrance Fee: Free
How to get there: City Hall Station, Exit 1
Passed by this area during our Deoksugung Palace walking tour with Trazy. Several scenes in Goblin were shot here, including the one in my Instax print. It's also the place where Kim Shin first met the Grim Reaper.Â
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Entrance Fee: Free
How to get there: City Hall Station, Exit 1
The backdrop in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo after she had her "first date" with obesity doctor and her big-time crush Jung Jae Yi. It is actually in front of Seoul Museum of Art, which we also accidentally passed by during the Deoksugung Palace walking tour with Trazy.
My Love from Another Star
Entrance Fee: 13.5 USD
How to get there: Yeouinaru Station Line 5, Exit 3
It's a 30-minute leisurely cruise around Seoul's Hangang River. Aside from spotting popular landmarks like the Namsan Tower and National Assembly Building, the cruise also reminded me of my favorite love team Do Min Joon and Cheon Song Yi from My Love from Another Star. They even played the drama's theme song on the boat!
Legend of the Blue Sea
Entrance Fee: Free
How to get there: Yeouinaru Station Line 5, Exit 3.
Didn't realize this was a Legend of the Blue Sea shooting location, but I immensely enjoyed my stroll around Hangang Park on my way to my cruise schedule. It was where Heo Joon Jae and his mom watched fireworks when he was a kid. Only found out thanks to Instagram comments when I posted this photo! Aside from this park, which is now my new favorite place in Seoul, also in the area is the 63 Square where Shim Cheong "worked" as a mermaid.
I can't pinpoint just one reason why I am so hooked with K-Dramas. Sure, there are the super handsome oppas and poreless leading ladies with the most kilig love stories ever. I also admire their cute sense of style, and get a serious case of LSS with their OST. But above that, I noticed that in most Korean dramas that I've watched, the main character always puts value in hard work, loving one's self, and showing how important families and friends are in their life.
Also, I always get all sorts of ~*feels*~ for every episode that I watch, so I guess relatability is the ultimate K-Drama charm. And being in the exact same spot where I've watched a good scene, I can almost hear the theme song playing! In a way, it makes me feel like I am even closer to my K-Drama type of happy ending. ♥
What K-drama shooting locations do you want to visit in the future? Share them with us below or via Twitter @candymagdotcom. We always love hearing from you. :)
From The Candy Bulletin Community
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