I’ve had a weird thing on my South Korea bucket list for while: watch a K-drama and then visit the set it was filmed at. And we were finally able to make it happen with a visit to Dae Jang Geum Park just an hour away in Yongin. The set is huge and since it’s a movie set and not a functioning town, it really feels like you’re stepping back in time to the Joseon Dynasty.
Dae Jang Geum Park in Yongin
I first heard about this film set from Missy’s blog post about their visit. After learning that it was the biggest historical drama set in the country, I went on the hunt for a historical K-drama that I could watch before visiting. I ended up finding The King’s Affection on Netflix. While this particular K-drama is put out by KBS, they were able to film it on the MBC-owned Dae Jang Geum Park because the setting was exactly what they needed for this Joseon-era story.
There is no shortage of K-dramas that were filmed here. Others include: Queen Seondeok, God of War, The King’s Doctor, Goddess of Fire, The Night Watchman’s Journal, Shine or Go Crazy, The Crowned Clown, My Country, and so many more that I won’t list. And it’s not just K-dramas that have been filmed here. There have also been music videos for popular K-pop bands like BTS and Stray Kids filmed within the set. Of course, we had to dance in the exact spot where Stray Kids filmed their music video for the English version of their song “Double Knot.”
The day we visited was overcast and drizzly, which proved to be the perfect weather for this adventure. It wasn’t cold by any stretch of the imagination, but the sun wasn’t shining directly on us for most of our visit. And besides, the overcast skies made for perfect lighting for ALL the pictures (and I definitely took WAY more pictures than I needed, as per the usual).
The surrounding mountains were misty from the rain and the whole surrounding area was lush and green and beautiful. And although the entire thing is just a movie set, it was incredible how real everything felt. These are not just hollow buildings built solely for exterior filming – you can go inside each of them. It’s obvious that there was a lot of work, care, and research that went into designing all aspects of this set: from the incredible palace walls, to the courtyards, to the individual rooms within the buildings.
There were incredible bridges (some of which were closed to us as they are meant solely as props), beautiful ponds, and plenty of thatched-roof houses that I’m a total sucker for. When walking the streets of the set that is meant to be a market and residential area, it was hard not to compare it to Oeam Folk Village that we’d visited a few weeks before.
We explored the entire park – which was WAY bigger than I had expected it to be – and managed to kill about three hours. None of us had expected to spend that much time there, but we also hadn’t expected to enjoy it as much as we did. The kids loved indulging in Orea Bingsu at the café within the grounds and they also loved visiting the prison set and locking themselves in the cells.
Throughout the park there are informational signs talking about different dramas and scenes and where they were filmed. It’s great for helping you picture these locations in action, although I hadn’t seen any of the dramas that they highlighted. In addition, they had multiple signs talking about Suga from BTS and his music video “Daechwita.” Is the song (or BTS in general) my cup of tea? Absolutely not. But it was fun watching the music video before and after our visit to its filming location and recognizing all the places he goes.
Overall, I’d say it was a successful Saturday adventure. I’m glad the weather cooperated enough for us to get out (this was right after Typhoon Khanun had ripped through parts of the country) and that we get to live in such an amazing place!
Even if you’re not a historical K-drama fan, Dae Jang Geum Park is worth a visit. It’s built in the authentic Joseon style, making it an interesting place for K-drama and history fans alike. If you catch yourself with a free afternoon, don’t skip out on this park.
’til next time…
Ash
How to visit Dae Jang Geum Park in Yongin
Directions & Parking: Paste 경기 용인시 처인구 into or use this link to get to the Dae Jang Geum parking lot. The parking lot is free to use and it’s a decent size. There were plenty of spaces available when we arrived, but I’m guessing it is busier on days without any rain.
Cost:
General admission
Adults – ₩9,500
Teenagers – ₩8,000
Children – ₩7,000
Children under 4 years old – FREE
Group admission (more than 20 people)
Adults – ₩7,500
Teenagers – ₩6,000
Children – ₩5,000
Children under 4 years old – FREE
*Hours:
Open daily from 9:00am – 6:00pm
LAST ENTRY AT 5:00PM DAILY
*Hours are subject to change at any time without notice. Hours listed are true according to information available at the time of this posting.
Amenities: There are bathrooms located in the parking lot, as well as in various places throughout the park. There is a café located at the very back of park, next to Muryangsujeon Hall. There are signs throughout the park that can help direct you to the café. They serve a variety of drinks and desserts including lattes, lemonades, cookies, and bingsu (Korean shaved ice). There is a gift shop at the front of the park, just inside the ticket office.
Accessibility: Many areas of the park are accessible by wheelchair or with a stroller, however some locations will be more challenging to navigate. The roads are mostly paved (with a few areas that are packed dirt), making most of the park easily accessible. If you have children who struggle with walking for a long time, consider bringing a hiking backpack or a stroller for them.
