How to Use This Tour Guide
This guide splits Seoul's top 10 K-drama filming locations into two half-day courses. Course A covers the historic Jongno and Bukchon area in the morning, while Course B moves south through Jung-gu and finishes at the Han River in the evening.
Each stop includes the dramas filmed there, a photo tip, suggested visit time, and directions โ Stop 1 lists routes from major accommodation hubs, while Stop 2 onward gives walking or subway directions from the previous stop.
You can follow both courses in a single day, or pick just one if you're short on time.
Course A is best started by 9AM; Course B pairs perfectly with the late afternoon golden hour and evening fountain shows.
Download Naver Map before you go โ it gives more accurate Seoul subway directions than Google Maps, including real-time train arrivals.
Course A: Jongno & Bukchon (Morning to Afternoon)
This morning course takes you through the historic heart of Seoul โ the royal palace district and the traditional neighborhoods that have appeared in dozens of beloved K-dramas.
Start at Gyeongbokgung when it opens at 9AM to beat the crowds, then make your way northeast through Samcheong-dong, Bukchon, and Insadong before finishing at Cheonggyecheon Stream in the early afternoon.
๐ Stop 1: Gyeongbokgung Palace (๊ฒฝ๋ณต๊ถ)
Featured in: Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, Kingdom, My Demon, Mr. Queen
Korea's most iconic royal palace is also one of its most-filmed K-drama locations. The sweeping courtyard of Geunjeongjeon (the throne hall) appeared as the royal court in Moonlight Drawn by Clouds, while Kingdom used the palace grounds for its Joseon-era zombie thriller sequences.
If you arrive at opening time, the morning light hitting the main gate is extraordinary.
Rent a hanbok from one of the shops on Hyoja-ro โ it grants free entry and makes for incredible photos against the traditional architecture.
๐ธ Photo Spot: Hyangwonjeong Pavilion (ํฅ์์ ) โ the wooden pavilion over the lotus pond in the rear garden, best at 9AM before crowds arrive.
โฑ Suggested Time: 1.5โ2 hours
Getting There (from accommodation):
- From Myeongdong: Line 4 โ Chungmuro โ Line 3 โ Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5 (21 min)
- From Hongdae: Line 2 โ Euljiro 3-ga โ Line 3 โ Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5 (30 min)
- From Gangnam: Line 3 direct โ Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5 (30 min)
๐ถ Next Stop: Walk 5 min north along Samcheong-ro toward the National Folk Museum gate โ
๐ฝ๏ธRestaurants near GyeongbokgungTraditional Korean, hanok cafes, and bibimbap โ 5 min walkExplore โ
๐ Stop 2: Samcheong-dong (์ผ์ฒญ๋)
Featured in: Coffee Prince, Goblin, My Mister
The cobblestone streets of Samcheong-dong were where Choi Han-gyul's cafรฉ stood in Coffee Prince, and the neighborhood's moody autumn atmosphere matched perfectly with Goblin's bittersweet tone.
Today it's lined with indie cafes, contemporary art galleries, and small boutiques tucked into traditional buildings.
Walk slowly โ the best spots are in the side alleys off the main road, not on Samcheong-ro itself.
Stop for a coffee and a window-seat view of the mountains behind.
๐ธ Photo Spot: The forked alley at Bukchon-ro 5-gil junction โ traditional wall on one side, cafรฉ awnings on the other.
โฑ Suggested Time: 45 min โ 1 hour
Getting There (from Gyeongbokgung):
- Walk 5 min north along Samcheong-ro from the National Folk Museum gate โ Samcheong-dong's main street begins where the palace wall ends
๐ถ Next Stop: Walk 5 min east up the hill along Bukchon-ro โ
๐ฝ๏ธRestaurants in Samcheong-dongIndie cafes, Korean fusion, and street snacks along Samcheong-roExplore โ
๐ Stop 3: Bukchon Hanok Village (๋ถ์ดํ์ฅ๋ง์)
Featured in: Personal Taste, True Beauty, Love in the Moonlight
The steep alleyways of Bukchon Hanok Village โ with their grey tiled rooftops stretching toward the mountains โ have become one of the most recognized images of Korea abroad.
In True Beauty, the heroine walks these lanes in her natural face for the first time, and the location captured the vulnerability of that moment perfectly.
This is a living residential neighborhood, so please keep noise to a minimum and avoid visiting before 8AM.
The most photographed viewpoint is at Gahoe-dong Alley (๋ถ์ด 8๊ฒฝ 2๊ฒฝ), where the lane descends steeply with a perfect row of hanok rooftops on each side.
๐ธ Photo Spot: Gahoe-dong Alley viewpoint โ face north for the classic postcard shot with rooftops and mountains behind.
โฑ Suggested Time: 45 min โ 1 hour
Getting There (from Samcheong-dong):
- Walk 5 min east up the hill from Samcheong-dong main street along Bukchon-ro โ the alley viewpoint is signed from the Anguk-ro intersection
๐ถ Next Stop: Walk 10 min downhill southwest toward Anguk Station, then south along Insadong-gil โ
๐ฝ๏ธRestaurants near BukchonTraditional tea houses, rice cakes, and Korean fine diningExplore โ
๐ Stop 4: Insadong (์ธ์ฌ๋)
Featured in: Lovely Runner (Sunjaega Tuieo), Coffee Prince, Reply 1994
Insadong's pedestrian street was where Ryu Sun-jae and Im Sol wandered together in Lovely Runner, the drama's warm color grading matching the neighborhood's earthy palette of pottery, wooden signs, and lantern-lit alleys.
Browse traditional craft shops for Korean souvenirs โ hanji paper notebooks, celadon pottery, and handmade accessories.
The courtyard complex Ssamziegil has indie crafters and a rooftop with good views. Try hotteok (a sweet, crispy pancake stuffed with brown sugar and nuts) from the street stalls โ โฉ2,000 and unmissable.
๐ธ Photo Spot: Ssamziegil inner courtyard โ the spiral ramp and hanging lanterns frame beautifully.
โฑ Suggested Time: 1โ1.5 hours
Getting There (from Bukchon):
- Walk 10 min downhill southwest from Gahoe-dong Alley toward Anguk Station โ Insadong-gil starts just south of the Anguk intersection. The pedestrian street is clearly signed.
๐ถ Next Stop: Walk 15 min south along Insadong-gil to Jongno, turn right and continue to Cheonggye Plaza, or take Line 3 Anguk โ Euljiro 3-ga โ Line 2 โ Euljiro 1-ga (8 min) โ
๐ฝ๏ธRestaurants in InsadongKorean tea houses, traditional rice cakes, and hansik diningExplore โ
๐ Stop 5: Cheonggyecheon Stream (์ฒญ๊ณ์ฒ)
Featured in: City Hunter, W: Two Worlds Apart, Healer
Cheonggyecheon is an 11km urban stream that cuts through downtown Seoul, restored in 2005 after being buried under a highway for decades.
In City Hunter, Lee Yoon-sung and Kim Na-na's quiet moments beside the stream contrasted powerfully with the thriller's explosive action sequences.
The stream runs below street level, creating a surprisingly peaceful pocket of nature in the middle of the city.
Walk east from the Cheonggye Plaza fountain โ the stretch between the 1st and 5th bridges is the most scenic, with weeping willows and lantern installations.
Come back here on your last night in Seoul for the evening glow.
๐ธ Photo Spot: Gwangtonggyo Bridge area at dusk โ the illuminated bridge reflects beautifully on the water.
โฑ Suggested Time: 45 min โ 1 hour
Getting There (from Insadong):
- Walk 15 min south along Insadong-gil to Jongno, then continue south to Cheonggye Plaza at the stream's western start
- Or take subway: Line 3 Anguk โ Euljiro 3-ga โ Line 2 โ Euljiro 1-ga, Exit 3 (8 min)
๐ฝ๏ธRestaurants near CheonggyecheonGwangjang Market street food, bindaetteok, and mayak gimbapExplore โ
