Gunsan Movie Filming Locations: Walk Through K-Cinema History

Step off the train in Gunsan, and the modern world slips away into a quiet haze of retro signboards, red-brick western facades, and wooden Japanese-style architecture. Located on the west coast of Jeollabuk-do, this coastal port city feels less like a modern Korean municipality and more like an open-air film set frozen in time. Directors have flocked here for decades whenever a script calls for nostalgic 1990s romance, gritty colonial-era crime, or emotional historical drama.

For film lovers, walking through Gunsan is an immersive experience. The city played a central role in Korean cinematic history when the 1998 masterpiece Christmas in August put its quiet residential streets on the map. Since then, hits like Tazza: The High Rollers, When a Man Loves, and The Age of Shadows have used Gunsan’s preserved historic neighborhoods to evoke raw human emotions and bygone eras. If you want to experience real-life locations that feel completely unchanged from the screen, Gunsan belongs at the top of your Korea itinerary.

Chowon Photo Studio (초원사진관)

In the classic 1998 romantic film Christmas in August, this modest studio serves as the heart of the story. It is where Jung-won, a small-town photographer facing a terminal illness, spends his final days taking portraits and developing film, while quietly developing feelings for Da-rim, a local traffic control worker who frequently stops by.

In real life, Chowon Photo Studio was originally built specifically for the movie inside a quiet residential garage. After filming wrapped, the set was dismantled, but overwhelming fan demand convinced the local government to rebuild it as a permanent public historic location. Inside, you will find vintage cameras, photos from the movie, and authentic 1990s furniture. The iconic yellow motor scooter driven by Da-rim and Jung-won’s framed framed photographs remain preserved for visitors.

How to get there

From Gunsan Station, take Bus 1 or Bus 2 and get off at the Modern History Museum stop. From there, walk south into the Wolmyeong-dong neighborhood for about seven minutes. The studio sits right on a readable street corner. If you are starting from the Gunsan Intercity Bus Terminal, a short ten-minute taxi ride will drop you right outside the entrance.

Shinheung-dong Japanese-Style House (신흥동 일본식가옥 / Hirotsu House)

This striking wooden home appears prominently in Choi Dong-hoon’s hit crime film Tazza: The High Rollers (2006). It serves as the residence of Mr. Pyeong, the master gambler played by Baek Yoon-sik, where Goni (Cho Seung-woo) undergoes his rigorous gambling training. Its long corridors and tatami rooms also featured in classic period films like The General’s Son and Fighter in the Wind.

Built during the Japanese colonial era by a wealthy rice merchant named Hirotsu Kichisaburo, this two-story residential house is an official Registered Cultural Heritage site. It offers a rare look at traditional Japanese residential architecture built with Korean materials. While visitors are generally restricted to the outer courtyard and garden perimeter to preserve the aging wooden frame, looking through the glass sliding doors gives you a clear view of the interior hallway where iconic scenes were shot.

How to get there

The house is located roughly 400 meters west of Chowon Photo Studio in Wolmyeong-dong. You can walk there in less than five minutes by following the directional street signs marking the historic district walking paths. From Gunsan Station, take local bus 1, 2, or 11 to the Old Gunsan Customs or Wolmyeong-dong stop.

Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village (경암동 철길마을)

In the emotional 2014 melodrama When a Man Loves, Tae-il (played by Hwang Jung-min) walks down narrow train tracks squeezed between weathered tin-roof houses alongside Ho-jung (Han Hye-jin). The location captures the raw, rough-around-the-edges neighborhood life that mirrors the main characters’ blossoming relationship.

The tracks were originally built in 1944 to transport raw paper materials from paper mills down to the Gunsan port. Homes were constructed directly against the tracks, leaving barely two meters of clearance between front doorways and passing trains. Freight trains stopped running in 2008, transforming the narrow corridor into a retro tourist lane. Today, local vendors sell vintage 1980s candy, rent out vintage Korean high school uniforms, and offer candy-making stalls along the preserved rails.

How to get there

Located near the center of town, Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village is easily accessible from the Gunsan Intercity Bus Terminal. Take Bus 3, 7, or 12 from across the terminal street, get off at the E-Mart Gunsan stop, and walk two minutes toward the train tracks behind the main street. A taxi from the bus terminal takes under five minutes.

Old Gunsan Customs House (구 군산세관 본관)

This historic red-brick building provided an authentic period backdrop for Kim Jee-woon’s 2016 espionage thriller The Age of Shadows, as well as several historical dramas set in early 20th-century Korea. Its distinctive European facade instantly transports viewers back to the 1920s resistance era.

Completed in 1908, this is one of only three European-style customs buildings surviving in Korea alongside former customs facilities in Seoul and Incheon. Built using imported Belgian bricks and featuring Neo-Classical architectural elements, it served as the customs headquarters through the rise and fall of Gunsan’s international port trade. Today, it houses a small museum showcasing historic customs records, smuggled goods seized over decades, and administrative artifacts from early maritime trade.

How to get there

The Old Customs House sits right next to the modern Gunsan Modern History Museum near the port district. From Gunsan Station, take Bus 1 or 2 straight to the Modern History Museum bus stop. The distinct red-brick building is visible immediately beside the main museum plaza.

Dongguksa Temple (동국사)

Dongguksa served as a filming location for classic historical films like The General’s Son and Fighter in the Wind, where its unique architectural style emphasizes the tense social backdrop of early 20th-century Korea. Its quiet surroundings have also featured in television travel features and documentary drama segments.

Founded in 1909 by Japanese Buddhist monk Uchimura Mukak, Dongguksa is the only remaining Japanese-style Buddhist temple in South Korea. Unlike traditional Korean temples featuring curved eaves and vibrant multicolored dancheong paint, Dongguksa features steep, unpainted wooden roofs and simple geometric lines. Behind the main hall sits a dense bamboo forest, creating a quiet atmosphere right in the middle of the city.

How to get there

Dongguksa is situated at the southern edge of the Wolmyeong-dong historic district. From Chowon Photo Studio, it takes about ten minutes on foot heading south down Dongguksa-gil. From the main bus terminal, take Bus 81 or 82 to the Dongguksa Temple stop.

Make a Day of It

Gunsan’s historic core is remarkably compact, making it simple to combine film locations with world-class local dining and historic sightseeing. Everything in the Wolmyeong-dong neighborhood can easily be covered on foot over a single afternoon.

Category	Spot Name	What Makes It Special
Food	Lee Seong Dang (이성당)	Korea’s oldest operating bakery, world-famous for vegetable breads and sweet red bean buns.
Food	Jirin-seong (지린성)	Famous for legendary spicy Gochu-Jjambppong and Gochu-Jajangmyeon noodles.
Attraction	Gunsan Modern History Museum	Interactive exhibits detailing port life, colonial history, and local resistance movements.

Start your morning grabbing fresh vegetable bread at Lee Seong Dang, located just three blocks east of Chowon Photo Studio. For lunch, treat yourself to a bowl of Gunsan-style seafood jjambppong, a local specialty loaded with fresh mussels, squid, and local green onions. Finish your day strolling past the modern history exhibits at the harbor before grabbing sunset drinks along the old port seawall.

Photo Tips

To capture Chowon Photo Studio without crowds of tourists standing outside, arrive before 9:30 AM. Stand on the sidewalk directly across the street using a standard 35mm lens angle to frame both the retro wooden window frames and the parked yellow scooter outside. For Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village, late afternoon light (around 4:00 PM) casts long shadows down the narrow train tracks, giving your photos a golden, nostalgic tone perfect for vintage filters.

FAQ

How do I get to Gunsan from Seoul?

Take an Express Bus from Seoul Central City Bus Terminal (Express Bus Terminal Station) directly to Gunsan Intercity Bus Terminal. The ride takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. Alternatively, take the KTX train from Yongsan Station to Iksan Station, then transfer to a local train or bus for the quick 20-minute connection into Gunsan.

Can I walk between all these filming locations?

Chowon Photo Studio, Hirotsu House, Dongguksa Temple, and the Old Customs House are all within 10 to 15 minutes of each other inside the Wolmyeong-dong historic district. However, Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village is located about 3.5 kilometers away; you will want to take a short five-minute taxi ride or local bus to reach the tracks from downtown.

Do I need to buy admission tickets for these locations?

Chowon Photo Studio, Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village, Dongguksa Temple, and the exterior grounds of Hirotsu House are completely free to visit. Opening hours and interior access policies for public historical sites can change, so always verify current visiting schedules at the tourist information booth near the Modern History Museum prior to your walk.

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