K-Drama Filming Locations on Jeju Island: A Complete Guide

When Life Gives You Tangerines (폭싹 속았수다), Netflix's 2025 drama starring IU and Park Bo-gum, brought a massive wave of Jeju tourism. The drama is set across several decades of life on Jeju, and its production used multiple authentic island locations. The Seongsan Ilchulbong (성산일출봉, Seongsan Peak) area appears in multiple scenes. This UNESCO-listed volcanic tuff cone is one of Jeju's defining landmarks. Climbing to the summit takes 30–45 minutes and rewards you with sunrise views that have appeared in every Jeju drama ever made. It's on the island's eastern coast, 75 minutes from Jeju City by bus. The tangerine orchards central to the drama's imagery are scattered across Seogwipo. Many family orchards (감귤체험농장) on the southern coast offer tangerine-picking experiences, particularly in November and December during harvest season. The Gamgyul Museum in Seogwipo runs short educational tours. Hallim and the western coast — where some of the drama's rural village scenes were shot — offer the black-rock beach scenery and village atmosphere. Hyeopjae Beach and nearby Aewol coffee street (애월 해안도로) are the accessible tourist-grade versions of the coastline the drama captured. IU's character ages across the drama, and several age-specific scenes were filmed at separate locations stitched by editing. The production didn't release a comprehensive location map, and some scenes were filmed on smaller uninhabited coves not reachable by public transit. Fan maps circulate on Naver and Instagram — search for '폭싹 속았수다 촬영지' for the most current crowd-sourced locations.

Our Blues (우리들의 블루스) was shot extensively on Jeju, particularly around the eastern coastal villages. It's the drama that put Jeju filming tourism into wide mainstream attention before the 2025 tangerines surge. The main filming village was Pyoseon (표선) and the nearby coastal areas. The specific fictional village in the show was a composite of Pyoseon Haebichi Beach, its inland village, and neighboring fishing ports. Pyoseon Haebichi Beach (표선해비치해수욕장) has long, fine-sand beach walks and appears in multiple scenes. It's about an hour from Jeju City by the 201 bus or about 50 minutes by taxi. The haenyeo (female divers) scenes were filmed with cooperation from actual haenyeo cooperatives, primarily around Jeju's east coast villages. You can visit the Haenyeo Museum (해녀박물관) in Hado-ri to understand the culture the drama portrayed. Real haenyeo diving demonstrations run daily at certain beaches — check current schedules at the Tourism Bureau kiosk. Seongsan and the Seopjikoji (섭지코지) promontory appear in romantic scenes between various pairings. Seopjikoji is a walkable coastal trail with the Hyuga-ri lighthouse and open meadows; entry is free and it's a popular sunrise/sunset spot. The market scenes filmed at Jeju's traditional markets, most notably Dongmun Traditional Market (동문재래시장) in Jeju City. Dongmun is a 5-minute taxi ride from the airport and the main traditional market for the island — produce, seafood, black pork restaurants, and household goods. Visiting the market is the closest to 'being in Our Blues' that you can reach without private transport.

Welcome to Samdalri (환영합니다, 삼달리), starring Ji Chang-wook and Shin Hye-sun, centered on a fictional coastal Jeju village. The production based its aesthetic on Samdal-ri (삼달리), a real village on Jeju's eastern coast near Seongsan. Samdal-ri itself is visitable and has become a minor tourist destination post-drama. The village is small — a walk of about 30 minutes covers the main area — and includes the coastline the drama used as backdrop for key scenes. Access from Jeju City by 201 bus plus a taxi for the final leg, or about 70 minutes by car. Several scenes filmed at Cheonjiyeon Falls (천지연폭포) in Seogwipo, one of Jeju's three famous waterfalls. Admission around 2,500 won; a short, well-maintained walk from the entrance to the falls viewing point. The wedding hall scenes and some interiors were filmed at closed sets. The production's exterior-heavy approach means most photogenic locations are visitable, even if specific bedroom or café interiors aren't. For fans of Welcome to Samdalri specifically, the drama's crowd-sourced fan map covers roughly 15 distinct Jeju locations. Popular post-drama visitor destinations have clustered around the Samdal-ri village walk, Cheonjiyeon Falls, and the eastern coastal road from Seongsan to Pyoseon.

Several earlier Jeju-set dramas remain worth location-pilgrimage for long-time fans. Warm and Cozy (맨도롱 또똣, 2015) starring Yoo Yeon-seok and Kang So-ra filmed in the general Aewol and Hallim area on Jeju's western coast. The café and restaurant the drama revolved around was a purpose-built set that has since been partially preserved as a tourist destination. The drama's western-coast scenes captured exactly the stretch of coastline between Hallim and Aewol that has since become one of Jeju's most visited cafe coasts. Canola (계춘할망, 2016) starring IU and Youn Yuh-jung — technically a film, not a drama, but widely loved — filmed around Jeju's southern coastline. The house and the tangerine fields in the film were real locations; the specific house is private property but the surrounding Seogwipo area is accessible. Some Like It Hot (걸크러쉬 2010) had Jeju scenes along the coastal road, as did The Legend of the Blue Sea in its island-escape episodes. Older historical dramas have also used Jeju's landscape. Its volcanic terrain and coastline can double for any mythical island setting, and productions have done so occasionally. For a broader filming-location overview: Jeju Film Commission (jejufc.or.kr) maintains a database of productions filmed on the island with rough location indicators. It's geared toward industry users more than tourists but gives a good sense of how deep the filming history runs.

The most efficient way to see multiple drama locations is to rent a car. Jeju's public bus system covers most of the island but slowly, and several filming areas (small villages, specific coastline access points) aren't reachable without private transport. Car rentals start around 50,000 won/day from the airport; an international driving permit is required. A typical 3-day Jeju drama pilgrimage loop: Day 1 (East): Jeju City → Dongmun Market (Our Blues) → Samdal-ri village (Welcome to Samdalri) → Seongsan Ilchulbong (multiple dramas) → Seopjikoji → overnight in Seongsan or return to Jeju City. Day 2 (South): Seogwipo area → Cheonjiyeon Falls → tangerine orchard (When Life Gives You Tangerines area) → Jeongbang Falls → overnight in Seogwipo. Day 3 (West): Hallim → Hyeopjae Beach → Aewol coffee coast (Warm and Cozy) → return to Jeju City for departure. Best seasons for the pilgrimage: April-May for cherry blossoms and pleasant temperatures, October-November for tangerine harvest and fall colors, winter (December-February) for the snow scenes some dramas captured. Summer is busy and hot. Typhoons can disrupt June-September travel. Food pairings: Jeju black pork (흑돼지) at a local restaurant appears in multiple dramas; Jeju-style seafood hot pot is another classic. Gosohan Gamgyul (tangerine-flavored drinks) and hallabong sweets are the souvenir picks drama characters are often seen buying. Finally, a practical note about courtesy. Many filming locations are real working villages where people live. Haenyeo are professionals whose work predates Our Blues by centuries. Fishermen's ports are working infrastructure, not drama sets. Be a respectful visitor — don't block working areas for photos, ask before photographing residents, and contribute to local businesses when you visit.