20th Century Girl Filming Locations in Cheongju

Step Back Into 1999 in Cheongju

When Netflix released 20th Century Girl, Korean viewers instantly recognized the scenic hillsides, quiet alleys, and historic downtown streets of Cheongju. While modern Seoul often fills the background of contemporary K-dramas, this nostalgic romantic film chose Chungcheongbuk-do’s capital city to recreate the tender atmosphere of 1999. With its preserved neighborhood architecture, dramatic cityscape views, and timeless urban parks, Cheongju serves as the perfect canvas for Na Bo-ra and Poong Woon-ho’s unforgettable high school memories.

Located just an hour and a half south of Seoul, Cheongju offers international fans an authentic look at provincial Korean life away from the typical tourist routes. Visiting these locations feels like walking directly into a film frame, complete with late-90s warmth, rustling autumn leaves, and panoramic sunsets over the valley.

1. Suamgol Mural Village

In the movie, Na Bo-ra navigates these steep, winding residential alleyways on her daily walks home from school and while keeping a watchful eye on her best friend’s crush. The neighborhood’s vintage residential aesthetic gives every scene a gentle, sunlit intimacy that captures the essence of teenage life in the late nineties.

In real life, Suamgol was originally built by refugees during the Korean War and remained largely frozen in time for decades. In the late 2000s, local artists transformed the neighborhood into an open-air gallery, painting whimsical murals on the concrete walls. Today, it is one of Cheongju’s most beloved cultural quarters, featuring narrow pathways, vintage houses, and artistic installations alongside modern hillside cafes overlooking the city skyline.

How to get there

From the Cheongju Express Bus Terminal, take city bus number 105, 502, or 831 toward the city center. Get off at the Uam-dong or Cheongju University stop, then follow the road signs leading uphill toward Suamgol Mural Village. The walking ascent takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, a taxi from the bus terminal takes around 20 minutes.

2. Cheongju Jungang Park

This lush green space serves as the background for quiet moments between the main characters, most notably under the massive canopy of golden ginkgo leaves during autumn encounters that highlight their growing friendship.

Jungang Park (Central Park) is a historical heartland in downtown Cheongju. It houses several regional historic landmarks, including the Mangseon-ru pavilion and a famous 900-year-old ginkgo tree known locally as the Amnok Ginkgo (Duck-foot Ginkgo). Elderly locals gather here daily to play traditional Korean board games, making it an excellent spot to observe local community culture in a serene urban environment.

How to get there

Jungang Park is located directly in central Cheongju. From Cheongju Intercity Bus Terminal, catch bus 502 or 105 and get off at the Seongan-gil or Jungang Park bus stop. Walk two minutes down the main pedestrian lane to enter the park grounds.

3. Seongan-gil Pedestrian Street

The lively commercial alleyways of Seongan-gil were used to film scenes representing late-1990s central Cheongju, where students gathered after school to visit sticker photo booths, purchase cassette tapes, and hang out with friends.

Seongan-gil is Cheongju’s premier downtown shopping district, often compared to Seoul’s Myeongdong but with a distinctly local atmosphere. While modern retail shops now line the pedestrian thoroughfares, the underlying alley architecture and narrow side streets retain the classic layout of late-20th-century urban Korea. It remains the top spot in town for youth culture, street snacks, and local fashion shopping.

How to get there

Seongan-gil is immediately adjacent to Jungang Park. If taking a local bus from Cheongju Intercity Bus Terminal, ride bus 502, 831, or 105 directly to the Seongan-gil stop. The entire shopping zone is strictly pedestrian-only.

4. Uamsan Mountain Observatory

Na Bo-ra and Poong Woon-ho spend a quiet evening overlooking the illuminated expanse of Cheongju from this hilltop vantage point, taking in the serene night air away from school and family pressures.

Uamsan Mountain sits on the eastern edge of central Cheongju, providing a green backdrop to the city during the day and a romantic scenic lookout at night. The Uamsan Observatory, located along the winding Uamsan Ring Road, features a wooden boardwalk platform where visitors can admire panoramic nighttime views of Cheongju’s sprawling urban valley.

How to get there

Because bus service along the mountain ridge road is limited, taking a taxi directly to the Uamsan Observatory (우암산 전망대) from downtown Seongan-gil or Suamgol is the most convenient method. The taxi ride takes about 10 minutes from Suamgol. Walking up from Suamgol takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes along a paved hillside trail.

Make a Day of It

Because Cheongju’s main filming locations are concentrated around the Uam Mountain area and central district, you can easily experience the entire movie landscape in a single smooth itinerary.

• Morning: Start your day early at Seongan-gil before the shops get busy. Grab a fresh pastry at a local neighborhood bakery and stroll into adjacent Jungang Park to see the historical pavilions and ancient ginkgo tree.
• Lunch: Walk five minutes from Seongan-gil to the nearby Seomun Market Samgyeopsal Street. Cheongju is famous across Korea for its unique pork belly tradition, where fresh pork slices are dipped in a seasoned soy broth before hitting the hot grill.
• Afternoon: Head uphill to Suamgol Mural Village. Explore the painted side streets and stop by one of the cliffside cafes along Suamgol Cafe Street for iced coffee and sweeping city views.
• Evening: Walk or take a brief taxi up to Uamsan Observatory just before sunset to watch the twilight colors transform into the sparkling night landscape seen in the film.

Photo Tips

To capture photos that match the vintage film tone of 20th Century Girl, keep these framing suggestions and times of day in mind:

• Jungang Park Ginkgo Tree: Visit in mid-to-late October when the 900-year-old tree turns brilliant yellow. Shoot from a low angle looking upward toward the pavilion roof to frame your subject against the golden canopy.
• Suamgol Alleyway Overlook: Head to the uppermost concrete staircases in Suamgol during golden hour (roughly one hour before sunset). Stand at the top of the stairs looking down into the alley with the tiled residential roofs and distant city buildings stretched out behind you.
• Uamsan Night View: Arrive at the observatory platform 20 minutes after sunset during blue hour. Use a stable surface or tripod to capture clear low-light shots of the Cheongju city grid lights.

FAQ

How do I travel from Seoul to Cheongju for a day trip?

The fastest route is taking the KTX high-speed train from Seoul Station or Yongsan Station to Osong Station (approx. 45 minutes), then taking local city bus 502 or 747 into central Cheongju (approx. 30 minutes). Alternatively, express buses run frequently from Seoul Express Bus Terminal (Gangnam) to Cheongju Express Bus Terminal, taking about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Are the vintage shops and video rental store from the movie still open to visit?

Many of the interior 1990s sets, including the cassette and video rental shop, were temporary movie sets built specifically for production or filmed inside studio spaces. However, the surrounding streets, park structures, and hilltop viewpoints are public locations open to visitors year-round.

What is the best season to visit these 20th Century Girl locations?

Autumn (October to November) is the ideal season to visit. During this period, the foliage around Uam Mountain and the massive ginkgo tree in Jungang Park match the warm, golden color palette featured heavily in the film’s most nostalgic scenes.

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