Mr. Sunshine (미스터 션샤인) is one of the most visually breathtaking K-dramas ever made — a sweeping romance set against the dying years of the Joseon Dynasty and the rise of the Korean Empire. I've recommended a lot of period dramas to friends, but this is the one I always describe as "a moving painting." Every frame looks composed, the costumes are extraordinary, and the locations carry real historical weight. The production team built and used some of the most beautiful sets and historic sites in Korea, and the lovely thing is that many of them are open to visitors today.
I want to be honest with you upfront about what these locations actually are, because that matters for a trip. Some are purpose-built film sets that were preserved after filming — you go to see the show's world, not a "real" historic place. Others are genuine centuries-old buildings and pavilions that the production borrowed for a few days. Both kinds are worth visiting, but they feel completely different in person, and I'll tell you which is which as we go. What follows is my honest guide to walking through the world of Eugene Choi and Go Ae-shin — what each place is, what was filmed there, and how to actually get to it.
One thing to set expectations on: this is not a Seoul day trip. The Mr. Sunshine trail is genuinely spread across the country, which is part of why I love it — it pulls you into provinces most tourists skip entirely. If you only have a couple of days, pick one or two of these and do them properly rather than racing between all four.
Mr. Sunshine (2018) follows Eugene Choi, a Korean-American Marine Corps officer who returns to Korea in the early 1900s and falls in love with Go Ae-shin, a noblewoman secretly fighting for Korean independence against Japanese encroachment. Directed by Lee Eung-bok and written by Kim Eun-sook, starring Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-ri. A story about love, sacrifice, and a country at a crossroads.
Why the Mr. Sunshine locations matter
Mr. Sunshine is set in a very specific, very painful moment in Korean history — roughly 1900 to 1907, as the old Joseon order was collapsing and Japanese influence was tightening into what would soon become outright occupation. That period left almost no surviving cityscape. The Hanseong (old Seoul) of the show — gaslit streets, a tram clattering past Western-style banks and a grand hotel — simply doesn't exist anymore, because most of it was either destroyed or built over during the colonial decades and the rapid modernisation that followed. So the production couldn't just film on a preserved old street the way a European period drama might. They had to build the world from scratch.
That's the key thing to understand before you plan a trip. The drama's "city" is a constructed set, and the genuinely old places it used are not Seoul at all — they're scattered Joseon-era houses, pavilions and estates out in the provinces, the kind of buildings that survived precisely because they were far from the capital. Knowing that actually makes the trail more interesting, not less. You're not chasing a single neighbourhood; you're seeing a built recreation of a lost city in one place, and then the real, weathered, lived-in remnants of that era somewhere else entirely. I'll flag exactly which is which for each stop.
The signature location
Sunshine Studio is the massive open-air set built specifically for Mr. Sunshine in the city of Nonsan. It faithfully recreates the streets of Hanseong (old Seoul) at the turn of the 20th century — Western-style buildings, the famous Glory Hotel facade, a French bakery, a streetcar, traditional Korean tile-roof houses, and Japanese-era storefronts all standing side by side. After filming wrapped, the set was preserved and opened to the public. Visitors can wander the streets, take photos in 1900s clothing rentals (both Western and hanbok), and stand in the exact spots where Eugene and Ae-shin's story unfolded.
I'll be straight about expectations here: this is a film set, not a real preserved old town, and you can feel that when you walk it — building facades, props, a constructed sense of scale. But honestly, that's exactly why it works for fans. Nowhere else lets you stand in the actual "Hanseong" of the drama, because that Hanseong only ever existed here. If you've watched the show, the Glory Hotel exterior and the main street hit you immediately; you recognise them before you've even read a sign. Give yourself time to walk slowly. The detail in the storefronts and the tram is where the production design really shows off, and it photographs beautifully in soft afternoon light. Of all the stops on this trail, this is the one I'd never skip — it's the closest thing to actually entering the drama.
The easiest way from Seoul is to take the KTX to Nonsan Station (about 1 hour 20 minutes). From Nonsan Station, take a taxi (around 20 minutes) directly to Sunshine Studio. You can also reach Nonsan by intercity bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal. Allow at least 2–3 hours to explore the studio properly.
Historic sites used in the drama
Manhuijeong is the small wooden pavilion and footbridge where one of the drama's most quoted scenes takes place — the moment Eugene tells Ae-shin, "Let's walk together, even if it's only one step." Built in the 16th century by a Joseon scholar as a place of retreat, Manhuijeong sits beside a stream surrounded by mountains and old pine trees. The narrow wooden bridge crossing the stream is exactly as you saw it on screen, and it's almost impossibly beautiful in person.
Unlike Sunshine Studio, this is the real thing — a genuine 16th-century scholar's pavilion, not a recreation, which is why it has that worn, settled quality you can't fake. The walk in matters as much as the pavilion itself: you follow a stream up through trees, the sound of water the whole way, and then the bridge appears. It's the kind of place that's small and quiet, so a busy afternoon with a tour group can dent the magic. I'd come early or late if you can, partly for the light and partly for the calm. Stand on that little bridge, look back at the pavilion above the stream, and the famous scene reassembles itself in your head without any effort at all. It is, genuinely, one of the prettiest single spots in this whole guide.
Take the KTX from Seoul to Andong Station (about 2 hours). From Andong, a taxi to Manhuijeong takes around 30 minutes — there is limited public transport, so a taxi or rental car is recommended. Combine your visit with the nearby Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is one of Korea's best preserved Joseon-era villages.
Unjoru is a stunning 18th-century aristocratic estate at the foot of Jirisan Mountain. With its sweeping tiled roofs, courtyards, and traditional gardens, it served as a filming location for several of Ae-shin's noble household scenes — the kind of refined Joseon family setting the drama portrays so beautifully. The house is famous in Korean history for its inscription "타인능해" ("anyone may take freely"), reflecting the family's tradition of sharing rice with the hungry. The atmosphere of quiet, dignified old Korea is exactly what Mr. Sunshine captures.
This is another genuine historic site rather than a set, and what I love about it is how unhurried it feels. You're at the foot of Jirisan, in a corner of Jeollanam-do that most foreign visitors never reach, walking through courtyards a real noble family actually lived in. The "anyone may take freely" rice-jar story always gets me — it tells you something about the kind of household this was, generous in a quiet, undramatic way. For Mr. Sunshine, it stands in for the refined Joseon family world that Ae-shin comes from, and the proportions and craftsmanship feel exactly right on screen. It's the most off-the-beaten-path stop here, so go for the atmosphere and the surrounding scenery as much as the drama connection; you'll likely have a lot of it to yourself.
Take the KTX from Seoul to Gurye-gu Station (around 3 hours). From Gurye-gu, a local bus or taxi can take you to Unjoru in about 15–20 minutes. It pairs well with a trip to Jirisan National Park or the nearby Hwaeomsa Temple — easily a full weekend escape from Seoul.
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Period film sets
Hapcheon Image Theme Park is a large outdoor film set built to recreate Seoul's streetscape from the late 1900s through the mid-1900s — Japanese colonial-era buildings, old streetcars, period storefronts, and government offices. It has been used in countless Korean period dramas and films, including several scenes in Mr. Sunshine. Walking the cobbled streets feels like stepping straight into the show's atmospheric exterior scenes. Costumed photo experiences are available on site.
A small honesty note, because accuracy matters more than hype: Hapcheon is a set built mainly to recreate the colonial and mid-century eras rather than the precise turn-of-the-century world of Mr. Sunshine, and it's been used by so many Korean productions that you'll spot it in films and dramas you didn't realise you'd seen. If you're a completist who wants to cover every set the production touched, it earns its place. But if your time is tight, I'd be upfront that it's the most "optional" stop on this list — it overlaps in feel with Sunshine Studio, and the latter is the one purpose-built for this show. Treat Hapcheon as a bonus you fold into a wider Gyeongsang trip, not a destination you cross the country for on its own.
Take the KTX to Daegu Station (about 1 hour 40 minutes from Seoul), then transfer to an intercity bus to Hapcheon (about 1.5 hours). A taxi from Hapcheon Bus Terminal reaches the Image Theme Park in around 10 minutes. The site is best combined with a visit to nearby Haeinsa Temple, home of the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks.
Plan your Mr. Sunshine pilgrimage
Unlike most filming-location trails, the Mr. Sunshine locations are spread across the country rather than concentrated in Seoul. That actually makes it a wonderful way to see parts of Korea that most tourists never reach. Here's how to make it manageable:
- Start with Sunshine Studio in Nonsan — it's the closest to Seoul and gives you the full visual world of the drama in one place.
- Combine Andong (Manhuijeong) with Hahoe Folk Village — a perfect overnight cultural trip from Seoul, full of Joseon-era atmosphere.
- Pair Gurye (Unjoru) with Jirisan — beautiful in autumn for the foliage and in spring for cherry blossoms.
- Hapcheon Image Theme Park works well as a stop on a wider Gyeongsang province road trip, alongside Daegu and Busan.
- Bring or rent period clothing — many of these sites offer hanbok or 1900s-style Western outfit rentals, and photos in costume on the actual sets are unforgettable.
- Combine these stops with our 7-day Korea itinerary for K-drama fans if you have a full week.
▶ See real fan visits to these locations →
How to visit (the realistic version)
Here's the part people underestimate: because these four stops sit in four different provinces, you can't do them as casual day trips from a Seoul hotel. You have a few honest options, and the right one depends on how much of a completist you are.
If you only want the essential Mr. Sunshine experience, do Sunshine Studio in Nonsan and stop there. It's the closest to Seoul, it's the only set built specifically for this drama, and it gives you the whole visual world in a single afternoon. You can leave Seoul in the morning and be back by evening. For most fans, that's genuinely enough.
If you want more, build the trail into a wider loop rather than treating each spot as a separate trip. Andong (Manhuijeong) pairs naturally with Hahoe Folk Village as an overnight cultural trip. Gurye (Unjoru) belongs to a Jirisan-and-southern-Jeolla escape. Hapcheon slots into a Gyeongsang route alongside Daegu, Haeinsa and even Busan. Trying to chain all four in two days means you'll spend the whole time on trains and see very little. I'd rather you did two stops slowly than four in a blur.
Practical bits: most of these sites charge a modest entry fee, and several offer period-costume rentals on site — worth it, because a photo in 1900s dress on the actual set is the souvenir you'll keep. Bring some cash; smaller rural sites and the costume stalls don't always take foreign cards smoothly.
Best time to go
Honestly, autumn is the answer for this trail. Mr. Sunshine is a drama drenched in golden, melancholy light, and Korean autumn — roughly late October into mid-November — gives you exactly that. Manhuijeong with red and gold leaves over the stream is unreal, and Unjoru sits at the foot of Jirisan, which puts on one of the country's best foliage shows. Spring is the runner-up: cherry blossoms and fresh green make the same sites feel softer, and Gurye in particular is lovely with blossom.
I'd be cautious about high summer. July and August in inland Korea are hot, humid and prone to heavy monsoon rain, and several of these spots involve walking outdoors with little shade — Sunshine Studio's open streets get genuinely roasting at midday. Winter is quiet and atmospheric, and you'll have places almost to yourself, but rural sites can have shortened hours and the cold is real out in the provinces, so check opening times before you commit to a long journey. Whenever you go, aim for early morning or late afternoon at the outdoor sites: better light, fewer crowds, and far kinder temperatures.
Getting around
The backbone of this trip is the KTX high-speed rail network, and it's excellent — fast, punctual, comfortable. But the consistent catch on the Mr. Sunshine trail is the "last mile." The trains get you to a regional station; they don't get you to a rural pavilion or a film set on the edge of town. For that final stretch you're almost always relying on a taxi, an infrequent local bus, or your own rental car.
My honest advice: if you're serious about doing more than just Nonsan, a rental car transforms this trip. Manhuijeong and Unjoru in particular have thin public transport, and a car lets you pair them with the nearby villages and national parks that make those regions worth the trip. If you'd rather not drive, plan to use taxis for the short hops from stations and don't over-schedule — rural taxis aren't always waiting at the rank, so it's worth asking your driver to come back for you or noting a local call number.
For getting around at all, download NAVER Map before you go; Google Maps is close to useless for walking and transit directions in Korea, while NAVER handles buses, walking routes and even taxi-hailing properly. And grab a T-money card — it works on subways and buses nationwide, including the local routes out in these provinces, and saves you fumbling for change.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do all the Mr. Sunshine locations in one day? No, and I'd gently steer you away from trying. They're spread across four provinces, so a single day realistically gets you one stop — Sunshine Studio in Nonsan is the best choice if you only have a day. Doing the full trail comfortably is more like a long weekend or a leg of a wider Korea trip.
Is Sunshine Studio a real old town or a film set? It's a purpose-built set, constructed specifically for the drama and then preserved for visitors. That's actually its appeal — the turn-of-the-century Seoul of the show doesn't survive anywhere else, so this is the only place you can walk it. Just go in knowing it's a recreation, not a centuries-old neighbourhood.
Which single location is most worth it if I'm short on time? Sunshine Studio for the full immersive drama world, or Manhuijeong if you care more about genuine historic beauty and that one iconic romantic scene. Those two are the heart of the trail; the other two are lovely bonuses for fans who want to go deeper.
Explore our guides to Welcome to Samdalri (Jeju), Goblin, Crash Landing on You, Itaewon Class, It's Okay to Not Be Okay, and Squid Game filming locations.
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