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Creepiest K-Drama Filming Locations You Can Visit IRL

Despite an ultra-modern society and the gigantic swell of the Korean wave, South Korea quietly fosters a fascination for the dark and supernatural. Unfulfilled souls and ghosts of the dark past persist in locations obscured by skyscrapers and attractive landscapes. And some places have been given a fresh breath of life, albeit brief, by K-dramas and you may not recognize the creepy locations until after the lights and cameras are cleared out. 

From an abandoned theme park to majestic palaces, here are the creepiest K-drama filming locations paranormal thrill-seekers should visit in South Korea.

 

 

Yongma Land

via Christian Bolz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Just because this amusement park in Seoul is already barren and abandoned doesn’t mean it can’t deliver any more thrills. It’s the chilling kind of thrill, though. It hasn’t been long since Yongma Land was closed in 2011—after a young girl met with a fatal accident during a faulty ride. Since then, the girl’s spirit is said to have been roaming the park grounds.

Despite its eerie state, it’s quite versatile as a K-drama—and even K-pop MV—filming location. Though not currently operational, the park has come alive in K-dramas such as Perfume. On the other hand, K-dramas such as Tell Me What You Saw and Alice have cashed in on its image as a dark and desolate place. 

Yongma Land is open to visitors for a fee of KRW 10,000.

Location: 118 Mangu-ro 70-gil, Mangu-dong, Jungnang-gu, Seoul

Featured in: 

Alice (2020)
Tell Me What You Saw (2020)
Perfume (2019)

 

 

Sinseol-dong Station Ghost Platform

via Viu

Beneath the modern-day Sinseol-dong is a so-called “Ghost Platform.” It was built in 1974 but quickly became obsolete due to route developments. It exists behind purple steel doors—a cold and dreary subterranean tunnel that makes it an attractive passage not for trains but for things beyond our realm. 

The Ghost Platform is currently closed for visitors, but it has been opened to the public on a few occasions in the past, so we can hope for the city government to open it again for tours. For now, you can visit Sinseol-dong Station itself, look for the steel passage, and savor the otherworldly charm of this aged station. 

Location: Yongsin-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul

Featured in: 

He Is Psychometric (2019)
Catch the Ghost (2019)
Bring It On, Ghost (2016)

 

 

Changdeokgung Palace

via Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation

Have you tried visiting a Korean palace at night? They’re some of the creepiest places to be in the wee hours, potent with ghosts of the past. Changdeokgung is most notable, said to be haunted by spirits of royal blood and nobles.

In present times, the palace easily obscures its dark history by offering a beautiful backdrop for historical K-dramas such as The Crowned Clown and Love in the Moonlight.

Location: 99 Yulgok-ro, Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul,

Featured in: 

The Crowned Clown (2019)
Love in the Moonlight (2016)

 

 

Gyeonghuigung Palace

via Korea Tourism Organization

With a presence more subdued, Gyeonghuigung is arguably the creepiest (also the smallest) out of the five grand palaces of Seoul. Deep inside the palace, past Sungjeongjeon Hall, a cursed rock called “Seoam” sits radiating the aura of past kings—some of whom are not the most virtuous. 

It’s said that you can hear disembodied voices here at night. The palace being poorly lit at night adds to the creepy factor. 

Location: 45 Saemunan-ro, Sajik-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Featured in: 

Do You Like Brahms? (2020)

 

 

Yongin Korean Folk Village

via Korean Folk Village

Another popular filming location for historical and fantasy K-dramas is the Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do. While it’s a great place to stock up on knowledge about South Korean history and tradition, it will also give you a good dose of heebie-jeebies with tales of hanbok-clad long-haired virgin ghosts.

If you want the ultimate thrills, Korean Folk Village also houses “Legendary Hometown” and “The Horror of Ghost Zone,” featuring immersive experiences of South Korea’s ghosts and legends including the famed virgin ghost. Enter at your own risk.

Location: 90 Minsokchon-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do

Featured in: 

Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020)
100 Days My Prince (2018)
The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012)

 

Wonder how these locations look on the small screen? Download the Viu app for free and binge-watch the K-dramas featuring these creepy locations!

 

Check out more historical and cultural sites worth visiting in South Korea on KKday!

 

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