Crash Landing on You Filming Sites: What You Can Actually Visit in Seoul (Self-Guided)

Here is the honest version most fan blogs skip: most of Crash Landing on You was not filmed in Seoul. The paragliding crash was shot at Hallasan National Park on Jeju Island, the North Korean village was a built set in Taebaek (Gangwon Province, about three hours from Seoul), and the famous bridge and lake scenes were filmed in Switzerland. So if you arrive in Seoul expecting to walk straight onto Ri Jeong-hyeok's street, you will be disappointed.

The good news: a handful of real, verifiable CLOY spots are inside Seoul or a short ride away, and you can string them into a self-guided day using nothing but the subway, NAVER Maps, and a T-money card. This guide lists only locations confirmed by Seoul's official tourism organization and major travel outlets, with the exact stations and exits so you do not waste a half-day on guesswork.

The Seoul locations you can reach by subway

Seoul Star City — the "Pyongyang cafe" with a Han River view

In episode 8, Seo Dan meets Gu Seung-jun in what looks like a cafe in Pyongyang, with the city skyline behind a curved glass wall. That skyline is actually the Han River. The real venue is Seoul Star City, a circular restaurant on the 7th floor of the Star City Building in Gangdong-gu. Every table gets a river view, which is exactly why the production used it.

Getting there: Cheonho Station (Line 5, also Line 8), Exit 1, about 8 minutes on foot. It opens in the late afternoon on weekdays and around midday on weekends, so this is a sunset-and-dinner stop, not a morning one. Address: 140 Gucheonmyeon-ro, Gangdong-gu.

Wolfgang's Steakhouse, Cheongdam — the episode 1 date

The very first episode opens with Yoon Se-ri on a date with her boyfriend at a steakhouse, where paparazzi catch them. That scene was shot at Wolfgang's Steakhouse in Cheongdam-dong, less than a minute from Apgujeong Rodeo Station (Bundang Line), Exit 3. It is a real, working high-end steakhouse in Seoul's most expensive neighbourhood — book ahead if you want to actually eat there rather than just photograph the entrance.

BBQ Olive Chicken near Ewha Womans University

A BBQ Olive Chicken branch used in the drama sits near Ewha Womans University Station (Line 2), in an area packed with cheap street fashion and student-priced food. This one is easy to fold into an afternoon of shopping, and unlike the steakhouse, it will not dent your budget. Order the fried chicken, sit by the window, and you have ticked the box.

Day-trip spots if you want the iconic scenes

These are not in Seoul, but they are doable as day trips and they deliver the postcard moments:

• Sunyeo Rock (Seon-yeo Bawi) Beach, Yeongjong Island, Incheon — the first South Korean sea the characters reach after their escape. It is close to Incheon Airport, so it works as a first-day or last-day stop. Reachable by airport rail plus a local bus.

• Hantangang Sky Bridge, Pocheon — a 200-metre swaying suspension bridge 50 metres above the Hantan River gorge, used for a dramatic scene. Roughly two hours from Seoul by intercity bus; best paired with the nearby Pocheon Art Valley.

• The North Korean village set, Taebaek (Gangwon) — about three hours out, but this is the real deal: Ri Jeong-hyeok's house, the village laundry area, and Young-ae's house are preserved as a fan attraction. Only worth it if you are a serious fan with a full day to spare.

How to run this as a self-guided day (no tour needed)

You do not need a paid CLOY tour bus. Here is the efficient version:

1. Morning: Start in Gangnam/Apgujeong. Photograph the Wolfgang's Steakhouse exterior at Apgujeong Rodeo, then walk the Cheongdam designer street where Se-ri's chaebol world was set.

2. Afternoon: Take Line 2 to Ewha for the BBQ Olive Chicken stop and cheap shopping.

3. Evening: Ride Line 5 east to Cheonho for sunset dinner at Seoul Star City, recreating the "Pyongyang" Han River shot.

Pin all three in NAVER Maps before you leave your hotel — Google Maps walking directions are unreliable in Korea, but NAVER's are exact. Tap each station exit number; the app routes you door to door.

Make it a real Seoul itinerary, not just a photo run

Three filming spots is half a day at most. The smarter play is to wrap the CLOY stops into a broader self-guided Seoul route so the day feels full. After your Apgujeong morning, our Temple & Palace Quest turns Gyeongbokgung and the surrounding palace district into a GPS-guided walk with challenges at each gate — a strong contrast to the modern Gangnam scenes, and it is the same self-guided format with no guide to follow.

If your trip is more about K-culture than royal history, the K-Pop Seoul Quest maps the entertainment-agency district and idol training spots into the same kind of self-paced challenge. Both run on your own phone, on your own schedule, the way you would explore CLOY locations anyway.

Practical notes for foreign visitors

• Buy a T-money card at any convenience store (about ₩2,500–₩4,000 for the card, then load cash). It works on every subway line and bus, and you will use all of them on this route.

• Use NAVER Maps or Kakao Map, not Google Maps, for walking and transit directions in Korea. Both have English interfaces.

• Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Seoul, including small restaurants — but the Pocheon and Taebaek day trips run through smaller towns where some buses and shops are cash-only, so carry some Korean won.

• Restaurants change. Seoul Star City and the BBQ branch were confirmed CLOY venues, but hours and even tenants shift — check NAVER Maps for current opening times the morning you go.

Walking these spots yourself, at your own pace, is the whole point. You do not need a tour guide narrating the plot — you already know it. Pin the locations, tap your T-money card, and go.