Netflix K-Drama Filming Locations You Can Actually Visit

Squid Game (2021) filmed in locations scattered across Seoul and Incheon, though the game arena itself was a massive studio set in Daejeon. In Seoul, the Ssangmun-dong neighborhood in Dobong-gu is where Gi-hun's world exists. The Baegun Market (백운시장) area, including the fish shop used as Sang-woo's mother's store (Paldo Dried Fish, 삼양로154길 36), is a real working market in a residential neighborhood. It's gritty and authentic—exactly the lived-in Seoul that the drama portrayed. The CU convenience store at Ssangmun-dong where key scenes took place is a real store. Yangjae Citizens' Forest Station (양재시민의숲역) on Line 3 is where Gi-hun's fateful ddakji game with the salesman begins. Yeouido's BNK Financial Tower area is where the game pickup van collected players. In Incheon, the island of Seongapdo (선갑도) in Ongjin-gun provided exterior shots for the game facility. Getting there requires a ferry and it's quite remote. Gyodong Elementary School on Ganghwa Island was used for childhood flashback scenes. The Airport Cargo Terminal Station on the Airport Railroad served as the station where Gi-hun boards before the finale.

The Glory (2022-2023) surprised many fans by filming primarily outside Seoul. The drama's school and residential settings are spread across smaller cities, giving them a suburban Korean atmosphere that felt distinct from typical Seoul-set dramas. The elementary school where Dong-eun becomes a teacher is actually Solbit Elementary School (솔빛초등학교) in Bangok-dong, Sejong City. The modern architectural style of Sejong's new town provided the affluent suburban look the drama needed. In Cheongju, the go (baduk) scene between Moon Dong-eun and Yeo Jeong was filmed near the old ginkgo tree in Jungang Park (중앙공원), Sangdang-gu. This tree is designated Chungbuk Memorial Object No. 5. Incheon's Cheongna Lake Park featured the baduk park set—a 258㎡ outdoor go board installation that was built for filming. The cafe scenes involving Ha Do-yeong's wife Sa-ra were shot at a cafe called 'Meongttaerim' on Ganghwa Island, Incheon. The school violence scenes in the gymnasium were filmed at a former girls' commercial high school in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. These locations require some effort to reach since they're spread across multiple cities, but they represent the real middle-class Korean suburban landscape that gives The Glory its uncomfortable authenticity.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) turned a 500-year-old hackberry tree into one of Korea's most-visited natural landmarks. The 'Sodeok-dong hackberry tree' (소덕동 팽나무) is actually located in Dongbu Village, Daesan-myeon, Uichang-gu, Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do. Standing 16 meters tall with a trunk circumference of 6.8 meters, it's a protected natural monument that became an overnight sensation when it appeared in episodes 7 and 8. After the drama aired, tourist traffic to this small farming village exploded. Local authorities added parking facilities and walking paths to manage the influx. The tree is genuinely impressive even without the drama connection—it's one of the oldest and largest hackberry trees in the region. The drama's Seoul office scenes were filmed at various locations in the Yeouido and Gangnam business districts. Woo Young-woo's kimbap restaurant was a real shop that became impossibly crowded after the drama aired. The dolphin-watching scene was filmed on Jeju Island, connecting to the real phenomenon of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins that frequent Jeju's southern coast. Tour boats from Seogwipo offer dolphin-watching trips that mirror the drama's scenes. If you're making a trip specifically for the hackberry tree, combine it with Changwon's other attractions—Jinhae's cherry blossom festival (early April) is one of Korea's largest, and the cities are adjacent.

All of Us Are Dead (2022) turned a zombie outbreak loose in a high school. The school building was filmed at a location in Hyoseong-dong, Incheon, using an existing building modified into the drama's Hyosan High School set. The claustrophobic interior shots are all set construction, but the exterior and neighborhood establishing shots show real Incheon residential areas. Kingdom (2019-2020) broke ground as Netflix's first Korean original series and used Korea's historical sites extensively. Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung appeared in court scenes, while the zombie village sequences used the Korean Folk Village in Yongin and various mountain temple locations. The drama's Sangju castle was a built set, but the surrounding Gyeongsang Province landscapes are real. Sweet Home (2020-) filmed its apartment complex scenes using studio sets, but the surrounding Seoul neighborhood shots include real locations in Mapo and Yeongdeungpo districts. Crash Course in Romance (2023) filmed school and neighborhood scenes across Sejong City, similar to The Glory's suburban setting approach. The trend of filming outside Seoul gives these dramas a distinctly different visual texture from older K-dramas.

Netflix drama filming locations tend to be more spread out than classic K-drama spots, which concentrated in Seoul. You'll need a different approach to visiting them. For Squid Game locations in Seoul, the Ssangmun-dong area is accessible via Seoul Metro Line 4 (Ssangmun Station). It's a residential neighborhood, so be respectful—people actually live there. Don't pose dramatically in front of someone's shop without asking. For locations outside Seoul—Changwon, Sejong, Cheongju, Nonsan—the KTX and intercity bus network connects these cities, but plan for a full day per destination. Changwon is about 2.5 hours from Seoul by KTX. Some Netflix drama locations are genuinely remote. Seongapdo island from Squid Game requires a ferry from Incheon and isn't set up for casual tourism. Check access conditions before committing to the trip. Fan-maintained maps on Naver Map and Google Maps (search the drama's Korean title + '촬영지 지도') are the most reliable location guides. Korean drama wikis on Namu Wiki also maintain detailed filming location lists with addresses. Unlike classic dramas whose locations are well-established tourist stops, Netflix hit locations may still be in residential or working areas. The best visits combine a drama location with the city's other attractions rather than traveling hours for a single photo.