Why K-Drama Fans Must Visit South Korean City Gyeongju
For first-time visitors, it helps to know how to say the name: Gyeongju, pronounced roughly as Gyung-joo, with a soft “g” and a gentle emphasis on the second syllable
If you’ve ever found yourself pausing a K-drama, less interested in the dialogue than in the moonlit palace behind it and the spectacular scenery that lifts the mood of the scene, chances are you’ve already visited Gyeongju — at least on screen.
This quietly magnetic city has appeared in series like Princess Hours, Mr. Sunshine, The Beauty Inside and, more recently, Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, often standing in for memory, power, or a pivotal turning point. Directors return here for the atmosphere. Once you recognise the location like Gyeongju in a K-drama series you know how it holds a frame and becomes a seamless character in the series itself.
On screen, it appears all soft lighting and lingering silences: pavilions reflected in still water, grassy mounds rising gently against wide skies, mountains that seem to watch rather than dominate. In person, the effect is even stronger. Gyeongju's scenery is a composed beauty that stays with you long after the scene cuts. This is exactly the heart of the city’s appeal for travellers. So K-drama fans? Most definitely.
Gyeongju invites you to step into a setting you already feel emotionally connected to, then rewards you with layers far deeper than a filming location pin on a map.
Long before it became a favourite backdrop for television, Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla kingdom, which ruled much of the Korean Peninsula for nearly a thousand years. From the first century BCE to the 10th century, this was the political, cultural and spiritual centre of ancient Korea. While other cities modernised upward, Gyeongju expanded outward, preserving its historical footprint in a way few places have managed.
Today, the city feels like a place where history simply coexists with daily life. Royal tombs sit beside cycling paths. Ancient observatories rise from quiet fields. Buddhist temples remain active places of worship. This continuity is precisely what gives Gyeongju its cinematic weight and why it resonates so strongly now, in an era fascinated by heritage, identity and storytelling from South Korea.
For first-time visitors, it helps to know how to say the name: Gyeongju, pronounced roughly as Gyung-joo, with a soft “g” and a gentle emphasis on the second syllable.
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What to See in Gyeongju
Start in the historic centre, where many of the city’s most recognisable sights are clustered within walking distance. Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond are best visited towards evening, when the light fades and the palace structures glow against the water. It’s one of Gyeongju’s most photographed scenes for good reason, and a familiar one for K-drama viewers who’ve watched courtly moments unfold here under lantern light.
Nearby stands Cheomseongdae Observatory, one of the oldest surviving observatories in Asia. Built in the seventh century, its stone form has become a visual shorthand for Gyeongju itself. Simple, symmetrical and quietly authoritative, it’s often used in dramas to anchor a story in time and it serves the same purpose for visitors finding their bearings in the city.
For a deeper dive into Gyeongju’s spiritual heritage, set aside time for Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, located on the slopes of Tohamsan Mountain. A Unesco World Heritage site, Bulguksa is known for its twin pagodas and serene courtyards, while Seokguram houses a seated Buddha that feels almost deliberately positioned for contemplation. These sites appear frequently in historical productions, but their impact off-screen is just as profound.
To see a different side of Gyeongju’s landscape, head towards Mount Obongsan. The rocky plateau known as Madangbawi, used in recent dramas for emotionally charged scenes, offers panoramic views and a sense of scale that contrasts with the city’s gentler spaces. It’s a reminder that Gyeongju’s beauty isn’t limited to palaces and temples.
Beyond filming locations, the city offers quieter pleasures. The Gyeongju Folk Craft Village preserves traditional techniques in a setting of hanok-style houses, while the K-Pop Museum near Bomun Lake provides a contemporary counterpoint, connecting Korea’s past to its global cultural present.
Finally, make time to walk among the royal tombs, particularly the Oreung cluster. These grass-covered mounds, believed to house Silla royalty, appear deceptively simple until you realise how often they’ve been used on screen to represent legacy, loss and reflection. In Gyeongju, even the landscape knows how to tell a story.
So there you go. Apart from adding Seoul to your travel bucket-list, maybe consider going to the ancient city of Gyeongju, too!