Ihwa Mural Village: A Famous Korean Drama Filming Site

Ihwa Mural Village is one of the most famous filming locations for Korean dramas including the Encounter of Park Bo Gum and Song Hye Kyo.

If there’s one place that will make you fulfill your bucket list of Korean drama filming locations – Ihwa Mural Village is the best! It is a famous place for our favorite Korean dramas like Encounter, The Sound of Magic, Rooftop Prince, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Doctors, and many more.

Ihwa Mural Village

I’m talking about the famous Ihwa Mural Village (이화동벽화마을) located in the neighborhood of Ihwa-dong, Jongno district of Seoul. The village is known as daldongnae or ‘moon village’ due to its mountain hill type of neighborhood.

It was set to demolish but it was revitalized through the help of the Naksan Cultural Project by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2006. Almost 70 artists joined the project, they painted the stairs, walls, and fences and put installation art too.

Ihwa Mural is actually one of my favorite places whenever I wanted to be alone and unwind. It has so many things to offer just like the murals, arts, the beautiful view of Seoul, and the welcoming neighborhood.

It was just sad because the other murals have been erased just like the stairs with flowers and fishes due to the influx of visitors every day.

But as of 2022, some of the murals are still intact and a few has been repainted due to faded colors.

Things to Remember When Visiting the Village

• Give respect to the elderly and greet them if possible.
• Please keep quiet when visiting.
• Restaurants, shops, and cafes can be easily recognized so please do not enter private residences.
• Throw your garbages properly.
• Do not take photos of the locals without their consent.
• Please consider visiting during the daytime instead of in the evening.

Ihwa Mural Village Filming Locations

Cafe Gaeppul [개뿔]

Cafe Gaeppul has been featured in many Korean dramas like Encounter of Park Bo Gum and Song Hye Kyo in 2018. It was also seen in Undercover, a drama aired on JTBC. In 2015, Sensory Couple drama also filmed one of their scenes here.

Address: 18-2 Naksanseonggwakseo 1-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울 종로구 낙산성곽서1길 2 (이화동 9-443)

Lihuazhongxin [이화중심 — 梨花中心]

Lihuazhongxin [이화중심] is an art cafe featuring cats and actually next to Cafe Gaeppul. This cafe was seen in the drama Encounter/Boyfriend and Because This is My First Love. When I passed this cafe I also saw cute cats wearing GPS trackers I think so better not hurt them or take them.

Address: 18-4 Naksanseonggwakseo 1-gil, Ihwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울 종로구 낙산성곽서1길 18-4 (이화동 9-70)

(House) Ihwa Mural Village

I think everyone knows what Korean drama was filmed here. It became famous after being featured in the drama Encounter. When you look above from this spot you’ll see the filming location of The Sound of Magic, where Lee Eul (Ji Chang Wook) helped Yoon Ah-yi from her boss who’s harrasing her.

Address: 57 Yulgok-ro 19-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울특별시 종로구 율곡로19길 57

Museum next to Cafe Gaeppul

If I am not mistaken this front of this museum was seen in Goblin. I am not sure with the name of this museum since I forgot to write it down. But this is actually next to Cafe Gaeppul.

Address: 149-1 Ihwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울 종로구 낙산성곽서1길 14 (이화동 9-769)

Ihwa-dong Village Museum

This building has been featured as a house but in real life it is actually a museum. This was the seen as the house of Do Bong Soon (Park Bo Young) in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. Likewise with Park Shin-hye’s drama Doctors.

As of 2022, the museum was painted in gray color.

Address: 28 Naksanseonggwakseo 1-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울 종로구 낙산성곽서1길 28 (이화동 9-442)

508 Shop [508샵]

This mini shop was one of the filming location of The Sound of Magic of Ji Chang Wook and Two Cops starred by Jo Jung-suk and Kim Seon-ho.

Address: 9-525 Ihwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울 종로구 이화동 9-525)

Flower Staircase

This flower staircase was actually featured in the Korean drama Rooftop Prince starring Park Yoo Chun and Han Ji-min.

Address: 9-542 Ihwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Korean Address: 서울 종로구 이화동 9-542

Stairs at Ihwajang 1na-gil

This stairs were painted with fishes before but has been removed by the residents. It was featured in Because This is My First Love episode 9. If you follow the stairs you’ll reached 508 Shop and the Ihwa-dong Village Museum.

Address: 76 Yulgok-ro 19-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울 종로구 율곡로19길 76 (이화동 9-549)

Oh Cho Rim’s House or Cafe Gaeppul Backside

This was actually the backside of Cafe Gaeppul and still have the same color until now. It was seen featured as the house of Oh Cho-rim (Shin Se-kyung) in the drama Sensory Couple/The Girl Who Sees Smells.

Address: 18-2 Naksanseonggwakseo 1-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Korean Address: 서울 종로구 낙산성곽서1길 2 (이화동 9-443)

Cinemascope

This restaurant was featured in the drama You’re Too Much and the first restaurant you’ll see when you reach the Ihwa Mural Village.

Address: Ihwa Mural Village (near the entrance parking lot of Naksan Park)

How to get here?

From Hyehwa station take exit 2 and walk going through the information center, pass Arko Arts Theater then turn left and follow the road signs going to Ihwa Mural Village. When you reach the Naksan Park entrance turn right and just continue walking. When you start seeing the art installations and murals you’ve already arrived at the village.

Where to go after here?

After looking around the village you can also head to Naksan Park. Following the Seoul City Wall starting from the Ihwa-dong Village Museum (Do Bong Soon’s house) you’ll able to reach the Heunginjimun Park at Dongdaemun. From there you can visit Dongdaemun Gate and Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Or go back to Hyehwa station to and do some sight-seeing at Daehak-ro and Marronnier Park. Also, Philippines Market during Sunday is a bonus!

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사랑, Hyejin 

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