Suncheon Open Film Set

Step into an alley of slate-roofed shacks crowded along a hillside and you could be standing in a 1970s Seoul hillside slum. Suncheon Open Film Set (Suncheon Drama Set) recreates Korean streets and neighbourhoods of the 1960s to 1980s and is the largest film and drama set in the country; more than 80 productions have been shot here. Renting an old school uniform and wandering the period alleys is a favourite with visitors.

What to see: three eras, three neighbourhoods

The set is divided into three main areas.

• 1960s Suncheon town centre: a recreation of a provincial town's main street.
• 1970s Bongcheon-dong hillside village, Seoul: rows of shacks and narrow alleys packed up the slope; the view down from the top makes the best photos.
• 1980s Seoul outskirts: a recreated shopping street on the edge of the city, where you can also try old arcade games.

Productions filmed here

Dramas shot here include "Love and Ambition" (2006), "East of Eden" (2008), "Bread, Love and Dreams" (2010), "Giant" (2010), "Lights and Shadows" (2011) and "Inspiring Generation" (2014). Films include "A Werewolf Boy" (2012), "Gangnam Blues", "Chronicle of a Blood Merchant", "A Taxi Driver" (2017) and "The Drug King".

Good to know

• The set sits on a hillside in Jorye-dong, Suncheon. It is a set, not a real village, so most buildings are empty inside, but from the outside every roof and sign is styled to its decade.
• On filming days some areas may be closed to visitors.

Nearby

• Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve: coastal wetlands about 8 km away, known for vast reed beds and migratory birds. The S-shaped channels seen from Yongsan Observatory at sunset are the classic view.
• Suncheonman Bay National Garden: a huge garden developed from the 2013 garden expo grounds, often visited on a combined ticket with the wetland.
• Nagan Eupseong Folk Village: a Joseon-era walled town with thatched houses where people still live, an interesting contrast between the film set's recreation and a real old village.
• Seonamsa and Songgwangsa temples: two historic temples on either side of Jogyesan, 30 to 40 minutes away by car.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00), open all year.
• Admission: adults KRW 3,000, teenagers and soldiers KRW 2,000, children KRW 1,000. Free for visitors aged 65 and over and for children aged 6 and under accompanied by a guardian, among others.
• Parking: cars KRW 1,000, compact cars KRW 500.
• Time needed: 1 to 2 hours for all three areas, a little more if you rent a uniform. The hillside village involves slopes and steps, so wear comfortable shoes. Many visitors pose for photos in uniforms in the narrow alleys, so take turns and keep the path clear.
• Combine with: Suncheonman Bay National Garden and Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve are a short drive away, making an easy full day in Suncheon.