A practical guide to iconic K-drama filming locations in Seoul, covering Queen of Tears spots including The Hyundai Seoul (Queens Department Store) and Goblin's legendary Deoksugung Stone-Wall Road and Unhyeongung Yanggwan. Includes subway directions, photo tips, and honest access notes for every location.
Are you a fan of the heartbreaking romance in Queen of Tears or the mystical world of Goblin? Walking through the same streets as your favorite characters is the ultimate way to experience Seoul — and the good news is that most of the most iconic filming locations are completely real, fully accessible, and closer to each other than you might think. From the gleaming luxury of Queens Department Store to the ancient stone walls where a goblin first met his fate, here is your complete guide to the K-drama filming spots you can actually visit today.
Queen of Tears — Feel the Luxury at Queens Department Store
Location: The Hyundai Seoul (더 현대 서울) Address: 108 Yeoui-daero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul How to get there: Subway Line 5 or 9 → Yeouido Station (여의도역), Exit 3 or 4. The mall is directly connected via an underground walkway — no weather worries.
If you watched Queen of Tears and found yourself mesmerized by the glossy, enormous Queens Department Store where Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-won) reigned as president and Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-hyun) navigated the absurdities of chaebol life, you were looking at The Hyundai Seoul — one of the most talked-about retail destinations in the country.
Opened in 2021, The Hyundai Seoul quickly became the most commercially successful department store launch in Korean history, and it is easy to see why. The interior is unlike any traditional shopping mall: soaring ceilings, a stunning indoor garden called Sounds Forest on the 5th floor, natural light flooding every corner, and an atmosphere that genuinely feels more like a curated lifestyle experience than retail therapy.
The 5th-floor Sounds Forest is the spot to head to first. This indoor forest — complete with live trees, flowing water, and a skylit ceiling — was featured prominently in the drama and offers the best photo opportunities in the entire building. The contrast between its natural textures and the sleek luxury surrounding it is visually striking and deeply cinematic.
Beyond the drama connection, The Hyundai Seoul is genuinely worth a few hours of your time. Dining options span everything from high-end Korean cuisine to international cafe concepts, and many floors feature rotating pop-up installations and local designer collections.
Pro Tip: Visit on a weekday morning if you want to recreate drama-worthy photos without navigating weekend crowds. The Sounds Forest in particular becomes very busy by early afternoon on weekends.
Goblin — The Timeless Romance at Deoksugung Stone Wall Road
Location: Deoksugung Stone-Wall Road (덕수궁 돌담길) Address: 99 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul How to get there: Subway Line 1 or 2 → City Hall Station (시청역), Exit 2. The stone wall road begins immediately as you exit.
Few K-drama scenes have stayed with audiences as long as the moment Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) strolls along this ancient stone wall in the rain, catching a glimpse of the Grim Reaper's mystical tearoom through a gap that only those from another world can see. That wall is real, and it is waiting for you.
Deoksugung Stone-Wall Road stretches approximately 900 meters alongside the exterior of Deoksugung Palace, one of Seoul's five grand royal palaces. The road is flanked by old trees and traditional stone walls on one side and a mix of heritage buildings and modern streets on the other — creating that signature Goblin atmosphere of the ancient and modern colliding in the same breath.
The road is a beloved date spot for Seoulites year-round: cherry-blossom pink in spring, dappled green in summer, blazing amber and red in autumn, and quietly poetic under winter snow. Any season you visit, it delivers.
About the Goblin's House — An Important Heads-Up The exterior of the grand white mansion where Kim Shin and the Grim Reaper lived is actually the Unhyeongung Yanggwan (운현궁양관), a Western-style building located within the campus of Duksung Women's University. The building is genuinely beautiful and historically significant. However, it is not open to the general public, and the university has posted clear notices — in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese — asking visitors to respect the campus boundaries.
The good news: the traditional Unhyeongung (운현궁) royal residence directly next door is free to visit and gives a fascinating glimpse into the architecture and history of the late Joseon Dynasty era. It is located at 464 Samil-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Take Subway Line 3 to Anguk Station (안국역), Exit 4.
Goblin Bonus Spot — Olive Chicken Cafe (BBQ Olive Chicken)
Location: BBQ Olive Chicken Cafe, Jongno Branch (종로 관철점)
Fans of Goblin will remember Sunny (Yoo In-na), the sharp-tongued and unforgettable chicken restaurant owner, whose storyline carried equal emotional weight with the romance between Kim Shin and Ji Eun-tak. The fried chicken restaurant she ran in the drama has become something of a pilgrimage point for dedicated fans, and the BBQ Olive Chicken Cafe brand — the real-life inspiration for the in-drama restaurant — has welcomed K-drama tourism ever since.
For a full Goblin evening: walk Deoksugung Stone-Wall Road at dusk, then settle in at a BBQ Olive Chicken Cafe for fried chicken and beer (chimaek — the Korean cultural institution). It is the most comfortable way to close out a day of drama tourism.
Practical Tips for K-Drama Location Visiting
| Category | Tip |
|---|---|
| Best Time to Visit | Weekday mornings are strongly recommended for photos without crowds, especially at The Hyundai Seoul and Deoksugung Road. |
| Navigation Apps | Use Naver Map (네이버 지도) or KakaoMap — Google Maps is significantly less accurate for Seoul addresses and transit connections. |
| Photo Etiquette | At residential areas like the roads near Duksung University, be respectful and keep noise to a minimum. Residents live and work in these spaces. |
| Entrance Fees | Deoksugung Stone-Wall Road is completely free. Entering Deoksugung Palace itself costs a small fee. The Hyundai Seoul is free to enter. |
| Language | Most major tourist areas have English signage. Naver Papago is a reliable translation app for situations where English is not available. |
Final Thoughts
Seoul is essentially a living, breathing film set — and the beauty of K-drama tourism is that it layers meaning onto places that are already worth visiting on their own terms. Whether you are chasing the glamour of Queen of Tears through the stunning halls of The Hyundai Seoul or stepping into the melancholic poetry of Goblin along a centuries-old stone wall, these destinations will give you something richer than a simple photo. They will make the story feel real.
Which of these two dramas stole your heart first? And which filming location is already on your list? Drop your answer in the comments below — and let us know which K-drama you want us to cover next!
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