Our Beloved Summer has stolen so many hearts for its laid-back nature and original characters. The unique chemistry between leads Choi Woo-sik and Kim Da-Mi is something I haven’t seen in a drama for a while! If I went to South Korea with this show in mind, here’s where I’d go!
Onbit Natural Recreation Forest is incredible! Here, the characters Choi Woong and Gook Yeon Soo were forced into a woodland escape to try and build a connection between them for the documentary. This is a privately owned forest with a picturesque lake next to a beautiful yellow house. Apparently, even though this is privately owned, it is open to visitors.
If I came here, I think the best time would be summer or fall. The change of the leaves would look stunning against the reflection of the water. However, the deep greens are just as appealing in summer. Either way, this is a prime spot to visit if you enjoyed the show.
To anyone else, it might be a normal park…but to capture the feeling of butterflies, Darden Park is the place to be for an Our Beloved Summer fan. Here Choi Woong and NJ chat whilst eating ice cream. I would love to recreate this scene by snagging some ice cream of my own. I hope there’s an ice cream shop close enough! This would be a fun place to stop and relax during a busy day of sightseeing.
Here’s the biggest bonus of this park…Our Beloved Summer is not the only K-drama filmed here. Boys Over Flowers also has a romantic scene in this park! (To be honest, I might want to see it more for the Boys Over Flowers connection).
Lee Min-ho as Gu Jun Pyo surprises Jan-di with a romantic gesture in the form of a transformed playground. I can’t believe the odds of two amazing K-dramas having scenes in the same park! Because of this, Darden Park is definitely on my list of places to see! It also feels a little like a hidden gem because it masks itself as a normal playground.
This spacious music library is something I would want to visit even if it wasn’t briefly seen in Our Beloved Summer’s final episode. The Korean Herald writes, “To most Koreans, Uijeongbu is synonymous with the US Army, as the city has hosted the American military since the 1950-53 Korean War. While most of the troops have now been moved to Pyeongtaek in southern Gyeonggi Province where the largest overseas US military base is located, the sound of Western pop music was long common across the city.
That aspect of the city is reflected in the African American focus of its new music library. The library offers a wide range of resources on jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, gospel and hip-hop, as well as other genres. Well-known hip-hop music couple Tiger JK and Yoon Mi-rae, who are also Uijeongbu residents, donated a large collection of CDs and have been actively promoting the new library, according to the museum.”
The first floor has a reading room with thousands of children’s and adult books. The second floor carries roughly 2,000 sheets of music. The third floor is where the magic happens with CDs, records, DVDs, and even a practice piano. On this floor, there are listening rooms and a grand music hall which streams concerts and operas from the DVD collection. In the stairwell, there are several picture-worthy graffiti murals that reflect different musical genres.
I can easily see myself spending a few hours here, as I love music! With easy listening and so much selection, this is a music lover's paradise.
This museum is an incredible structure that sits right on the sea. There is a Korean culture facility inside, which features plenty of historical displays to see what the Korean way of life was like centuries ago. The great thing about this is that you don’t have to speak Korean to understand what is trying to be conveyed! There are also real artifacts encased with each exhibit. There are four floors and plenty to see.
What I particularly like about this filming location is the architecture and design of the building. It has a very clean-cut white aesthetic inside and out. It would be a great stop on a hot summer afternoon if I’m ever in the area!
On a rainy afternoon, the main characters sat together under a small shelter and made their feelings known. For those of us who enjoyed Our Beloved Summer, this is where the magic happened. I’d love to stop here and have a picnic or take a break to upload some pictures from my trip. With the pretty trees and a calm environment, this would be a great pit stop.
Our main characters once had a picnic with this beautiful fortress in view, and it’s no wonder! This place is amazing, and there’s a reason why it tends to pop up in several K-dramas. Here’s some information from the United Nations World Heritage List on its history:
“When the Joseon King Jeongjo moved his father's tomb to Suwon at the end of the 18th century, he surrounded it with strong defensive works, laid out according to the precepts of an influential military architect of the period, who brought together the latest developments in the field from both East and West. The massive walls, extending for nearly 6 km, still survive; they are pierced by four gates and equipped with bastions, artillery towers and other features.”
There is a small tour fee if you’d like to go inside…but who wouldn’t!? Look at this place! I feel like this is a perfect opportunity to learn and experience some Korean history and see beautiful architecture in the process!
I would be amiss if I didn’t visit where it all started for this amazing duo! Turns out this school has turned up quite a bit in the drama world. Check out the list of dramas filmed here: True Beauty, Love Alarm, Love with Flaws, Goblin, One Fine Day, and Winter Sonata (among others!).
There is free entry to the grounds, which include statues and a picturesque yard. I think that I would only visit on a weekend, to avoid disturbing students. For the best shots, I’d want to wear something smart. I can imagine going in fall and wearing a long plaid skirt, polo shirt, and trench coat with a pair of black boots.
Something I love about this building is that it is an actual school. I can’t imagine being a student in such a beautiful building. And I’m so thankful that someone gets to experience it as an academic institution!
Though this was not featured in Our Beloved Summer, it is art-related! At one time, Daelim Museum featured one of my favorite Korean artists–JaeHoon Choi. He did the animation for RM’s “Forever Rain” music video and I’ve loved his work since.
Daelim Museum is small but features well-curated modern art. Despite its size, there is a café inside. I read that it’s best to buy tickets online for this museum as the wait to buy tickets in-person can get long depending on the featured exhibit.
This was such a great show and it was only enhanced by these amazing filming locations. I hope to visit at least a couple of them while I’m in Korea. Though they’re all incredible, if I had to choose a top three from this list, I would pick Darden Park, Music Library Of Uijeongbu, and Choong Ang High School! Where would you like to visit?
