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One Day in Suwon: Walking Through Korea’s Favorite Drama Sets
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Just 30 minutes south of Seoul, Suwon is best known for its UNESCO-listed Hwaseong Fortress. But for many K-drama fans, the city offers something even more exciting. Over the years, its historic streets and landmarks have appeared in productions such as Lovely Runner, Our Beloved Summer, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Twenty-Five Twenty-One, and numerous other Korean dramas, quietly establishing Suwon as one of the country’s favorite filming destinations.
Unlike purpose-built drama sets, these are real places where locals live, work, and gather every day. Walking through Suwon feels less like visiting a filming location and more like stepping into scenes you’ve already watched on screen.
If you’re planning an easy day trip from Seoul, here’s how to spend one unforgettable day exploring the city through its most iconic K-drama locations.
Start at Hwaseong Fortress
Featured in: Our Beloved Summer (2021)
There’s no better place to begin than Hwaseong Fortress, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that defines Suwon’s skyline. Built in the late 18th century by King Jeongjo, the fortress stretches nearly six kilometers around the old city, connecting gates, watchtowers, command posts, and scenic pavilions.
K-drama fans may recognize these walls from Our Beloved Summer, where several memorable dating scenes were filmed around the fortress and nearby neighborhoods. Walking along the walls today offers the same sweeping views that made the location so visually striking on screen.
Wander Through Haenggung-dong
Featured in: Lovely Runner (2024), Our Beloved Summer (2021)
Just outside the palace walls lies Haenggung-dong, one of Suwon’s most charming neighborhoods. Renovated hanok houses have been transformed into independent cafés, bakeries, lifestyle stores, and creative studios, giving the district a youthful energy while preserving its historic character.
The neighborhood became even more popular after Lovely Runner filmed many of its most memorable scenes here, including Haengnidan Street, the mural village, and several locations connected to Sun-jae and Sol. Fans of Our Beloved Summer will also recognize the surrounding alleys, which served as the hometown of Choi Ung and Kook Yeon-soo.
Visit Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion
Featured in: Lovely Runner (2024)
Looking over Yongyeon Pond, Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion is one of the most picturesque corners of Suwon. The elegant pavilion, calm water, and surrounding fortress walls create a setting that changes beautifully with every season.
In Lovely Runner, this peaceful spot became the backdrop for one of the series’ sweetest moments as Sun-jae taught Sol how to ride a bicycle. Since the drama aired, it has become one of the city’s most visited locations among international fans.
Stop by Hwahongmun Gate
Featured in: Lovely Runner (2024)
Just a short walk away stands Hwahongmun Gate, widely considered the most beautiful gate along Hwaseong Fortress.
The bridge in front of the gate was used for one of Lovely Runner’s most memorable confession scenes, turning what was once simply a scenic landmark into a pilgrimage site for drama fans. Visit during the evening, when the illuminated arches reflect across the flowing water beneath the fortress walls.
Explore Haenggung-dong Mural Village
Featured in: Lovely Runner (2024), Our Beloved Summer (2021)
Beyond the cafés, narrow residential alleys decorated with murals and street art reveal another side of Suwon.
For Lovely Runner, these quiet lanes became the route where Sol and Sun-jae walked to school. Fans of Our Beloved Summer may also recognize nearby residential streets, which represented the neighborhood where Yeon-soo lived. Today, visitors often recreate scenes while exploring the colorful walls and hidden stairways.
End Your Day at Flying Suwon
Featured in: The city itself
Rather than ending with another filming location, finish your day by seeing Suwon from above.
Flying Suwon is a tether observation balloon that rises high enough to reveal the entire outline of Hwaseong Fortress. From here, you can look back across nearly every location you’ve visited—from the palace and fortress walls to the neighborhoods that have quietly become some of Korea’s most recognizable drama settings.
As the sun sets over the city, it’s easy to understand why directors continue returning to Suwon. It offers something increasingly rare: authentic streets, preserved history, and everyday places that don’t need elaborate production design to feel cinematic.
Final Thoughts
Suwon proves that some of Korea’s most memorable stories begin just beyond Seoul. Whether you’re following in the footsteps of your favorite characters or discovering the city for the first time, it’s a destination where history and K-dramas come together in a way few places can.
Ready to experience it for yourself? Explore MASX’s REEL TO REAL™ South Korea package, or let us curate a personalized journey based on your favorite dramas and filming locations.
👉 https://masxworld.com/south-korea/
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