K-Drama Filming Site in Pohang: A Visitor's Guide

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Why Pohang draws K-drama fans

Pohang isn’t Seoul or Busan, but that’s exactly its appeal to production crews: the city preserves pockets of old Korea that are hard to find elsewhere. The standout is Guryongpo (구룡포), a fishing port on the Homigot peninsula that retains a cluster of Japanese colonial-era wooden buildings from the early 20th century, when the town was a base for Japanese fishing fleets. Its low-rise streets, faded signage, and harbor views gave “When the Camellia Blooms” (2019) its nostalgic small-town backdrop, and the area has since become a minor pilgrimage site for fans wanting to walk the same alleys.

Getting there

From Seoul, the fastest route is the KTX to Pohang Station (roughly 2.5–3 hours), followed by a local bus or taxi to Guryongpo, about 30–40 minutes away. From Pohang’s Intercity Bus Terminal, city buses run directly to Guryongpo Modern History Street — ask staff at the terminal for the current route number, as bus numbers occasionally change. If arriving by car, the drive from central Pohang along the coastal road takes about 40 minutes and continues on to Homigot. There’s no subway system in Pohang, so buses and taxis are the practical options.

What to see

The heart of the filming area is Guryongpo Modern Culture Street (구룡포 근대문화역사거리), a preserved row of wooden Japanese-style shopfronts now housing small cafés, a history museum, and a few retro-themed photo spots. Look for the sloped stone stairway and narrow lanes behind the main street — these appear repeatedly in drama scenes and are easy to recognize by their weathered wooden facades. The Guryongpo Modern History Museum, set inside a restored Japanese merchant’s house, gives useful context on the town’s fishing and colonial past in about 20-30 minutes.

From Guryongpo, it’s a short drive (10-15 minutes) to Homigot, the easternmost point of the Korean mainland and one of the country’s most famous sunrise-viewing spots. Homigot Sunrise Square features the large bronze “Hand of Harmony” sculpture rising from the sea, paired with a matching hand on the shore — a popular photo pairing even for visitors with no drama connection. The National Lighthouse Museum sits nearby if you want to extend the visit.

For food, Guryongpo’s harbor is known for gwamegi (반건조 꽁치, semi-dried saury), a local specialty traditionally air-dried in the winter wind and eaten wrapped in seaweed or lettuce with garlic and chili paste. Small harborside restaurants also serve fresh hoe (raw fish) sourced straight from the morning catch.

When to go

Early morning is best for two reasons: soft light for photos along the wooden street, and to catch Homigot’s namesake sunrise if you stay overnight nearby. Weekdays are noticeably quieter than weekends, when day-trippers from Daegu and Busan arrive by the busload. Winter (December-February) is gwamegi season and also when the coastal wind gives the town its characteristic bracing, moody atmosphere — arguably closer to how it looked on screen. Spring and autumn offer milder weather for walking the open, exposed coastal paths.

Nearby & tips

Budget half a day for Guryongpo and Homigot together, more if you plan to eat a proper seafood meal. Comfortable shoes matter here — the historic street has uneven stone paving and gentle slopes. Signage in the older part of town is limited in English, so a translation app or offline map is genuinely useful. If time allows, Pohang’s Yeongildae Beach and the Space Walk sculpture park back in the city center make an easy add-on for a full-day itinerary, and both are a short taxi ride from Pohang Station.