Paju K-Drama Filming Locations: Day Trip to Heyri and Gardens

Just an hour north of Seoul, the air in Paju smells distinctly like pine needles and fresh printing ink. While casual tourists know this peaceful border city for its sprawling outlet malls and book warehouses, K-drama lovers know Paju as the quiet heartbeat of Korean television production. Whenever a script calls for a sleek modern art gallery, a grand fairytale library, or a romantic illuminated garden walk, directors almost always send their camera crews straight up the Jayuro Highway to Paju.

As someone who grew up in Korea watching these iconic scenes unfold on TV, visiting Paju always feels like stepping onto a set while the crew is just out on lunch break. The city’s unique blend of avant-garde architecture, dense green landscapes, and spacious design makes it a favorite playground for major broadcasting stations. Whether you are rewatching the dreamy fantasy sequences of Hotel Del Luna, the polished gallery rivalries of Her Private Life, or the cozy bookish moments in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, chances are high that your favorite drama spent several filming days right here in Paju.

Taking a day trip from Seoul to explore these spots is one of the easiest and most satisfying itineraries you can plan. You do not need to rent a car or navigate confusing rural routes; a single reliable red bus from central Seoul connects you directly to the action. Here is your local breakdown of the top paju kdrama filming locations you can easily visit in one memorable day.

1. Forest of Wisdom (Paju Book City)

In It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, this dramatic location served as the grand backdrop for Ko Moon-young’s intense book signing event, and it also appeared in The King: Eternal Monarch as a majestic imperial study space. The towering wooden bookshelves reaching all the way to the high ceilings give the entire room a majestic, timeless feel that immediately pulls you into a fantasy world.

In reality, the Forest of Wisdom (Jihye-ui Sup) is a massive, publicly accessible cultural center situated inside Paju Book City. It functions as a gigantic free reading space housing over 200,000 physical books donated by prominent Korean publishing houses. Visitors can grab a coffee from the internal cafe, browse through endless rows of literature, or simply admire the impressive scale of the floor-to-ceiling timber book walls that stretch across multiple large halls.

How to Get There

Take the Seoul Subway Line 2 or Line 6 to Hapjeong Station. Head out of Exit 1 and walk straight to the bus stop in the middle of the road. Hop onto red Express Bus 2200. Ride the bus for approximately 35 minutes and get off at the Eunseokgyo Bridge / Paju Book City stop. From there, it is a short 3-minute walk to the main entrance of the Forest of Wisdom building.

2. Cafe White Block (Heyri Art Village)

Fans of modern romantic comedies will instantly recognize the crisp glass facades of Cafe White Block. This elegant building served as the main gallery venue in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, as well as a sleek backdrop for art exhibition scenes in Her Private Life and She Was Pretty. It is the quintessential location for dramatic eye-contact moments across polished concrete floors and floor-to-ceiling windows.

In real life, White Block is both a public contemporary art gallery and a spacious minimalist cafe situated inside the famous Heyri Art Village. The building sits directly alongside a quiet natural pond, allowing sunlight to flood through its clean glass architecture. You can order a fresh pour-over coffee or a seasonal fruit tea on the ground floor, then wander through three floors of rotating modern art exhibits created by emerging Korean visual artists.

How to Get There

If you are traveling directly from Seoul, take Express Bus 2200 from Hapjeong Station (Exit 1) and stay on board for about 50 minutes until you reach the Heyri Art Village Gate 4 or Gate 1 stop. If you are coming from the Forest of Wisdom, simply hop back onto Bus 2200 heading north for another 15 minutes. Once inside Heyri Art Village, follow the pedestrian walking paths toward the central pond area to find White Block.

3. Byeokchoji Gardens (Byeokchoji Hanok Arboretum)

If you have watched high-concept fantasy dramas like Hotel Del Luna, The King: Eternal Monarch, or classic favorites like Boys Over Flowers, you have already seen Byeokchoji Gardens. The lush botanical grounds served as the ethereal garden paths surrounding Del Luna’s mysterious underworld hotel and provided the regal floral backdrops for royal strolls in alternate dimensions.

In real life, Byeokchoji Gardens is a private 120,000-square-meter botanical garden carefully designed to showcase a unique blend of Eastern and Western landscape styles. One side of the property features peaceful Korean lotus ponds, traditional wooden pavilions, and dense pine groves, while the opposite side transitions dramatically into a European-style neoclassical garden filled with marble fountains, ancient myth statues, and manicured hedge mazes.

How to Get There

Because Byeokchoji sits further east in Paju, the easiest transit route is via the Gyeongui-Jungang Subway Line. Take the train to Geumchon Station. Exit the station and head to the local bus stop to take local Bus 067 directly to the garden entrance. Alternatively, taking a local taxi directly from Geumchon Station takes around 15 to 20 minutes and is very affordable if you are traveling with friends.

4. First Garden (Paju)

First Garden made a splash on screen during key romantic scenes in The Uncanny Counter and Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol. The expansive terrace grounds, sweeping water fountains, and dramatic nighttime light displays provided the ultimate background for emotional heart-to-heart conversations under the stars.

In real life, First Garden is a multi-purpose cultural park spanning over 20 acres. It features 23 distinct themed gardens, a Tuscan-style main plaza, an open-air amphitheater, and a popular evening illumination festival where millions of LED lights transform the park into a glowing wonderland after sunset. It is private property, so visitors pay a general entry fee at the front gate, which gives access to all public walking gardens and light displays.

How to Get There

Take the Gyeongui-Jungang Subway Line to Unjeong Station. From Exit 1, cross over to the taxi stand or local bus stop. You can board local Bus 088, which takes you directly near the park entrance, or take a quick 10-minute taxi ride straight to the main ticket gate of First Garden.

Make a Day of It

To get the most out of your day trip without rushing, group your stops logically. Start your morning early at Paju Book City to enjoy the calm morning quiet inside the Forest of Wisdom. Afterward, take Bus 2200 north to spend your afternoon exploring Heyri Art Village.

Heyri is an incredible pedestrian-friendly complex filled with hundreds of independent artist studios, ceramic workshops, architectural homes, and cozy dining options. For lunch, try one of the local restaurants near Heyri serving traditional Paju Jangdan-kong (locally grown soybean) tofu stew, or enjoy fresh pasta inside one of Heyri’s architectural cafes. If you have extra time in the late afternoon, take a 10-minute taxi from Heyri to Provence Village, a quaint Mediterranean-themed outdoor shopping complex filled with colorful pastel storefronts and bakery cafes.

As dusk approaches, head over to either Byeokchoji Gardens or First Garden. Arriving right before sunset allows you to catch the golden sunlight filtering through the trees, followed by the enchanting evening lights that illuminate the park grounds after dark.

Plan Your Visit

Note: Always verify hours, admission policies, and transit access before visiting, as seasonal operating schedules may vary.

Location / Transit Area	Rough Time Needed	Rough Budget Range
Forest of Wisdom (Paju Book City / Express Bus 2200)	1–2 hours	Free admission (Cafes ₩5,000–₩10,000)
Cafe White Block (Heyri Art Village / Express Bus 2200)	1–2 hours	₩5,000–₩15,000 (Drinks & exhibits)
Byeokchoji Gardens (Geumchon Station + Bus 067/Taxi)	2–3 hours	₩10,000–₩20,000 (Entry + transit)
First Garden (Unjeong Station + Bus 088/Taxi)	2–3 hours	₩10,000–₩20,000 (Entry + transit)

Photo Tips

• Forest of Wisdom: Stand at the base of the central high wooden bookshelves in Hall 1. Have your photo taken from a low angle looking upward to capture the sheer height of the book walls while keeping other visitors out of the frame.
• Cafe White Block: Grab a seat by the second-floor floor-to-ceiling glass window during late afternoon to capture the soft natural light reflecting off the central pond.

Fan Checklist & Etiquette

• Suggested Photo Route Order: Morning at Forest of Wisdom → Afternoon at Cafe White Block & Heyri → Sunset/Evening at Byeokchoji Gardens or First Garden.
• Quiet Zone Etiquette: Forest of Wisdom is an active reading hall; speak in soft whispers and keep photography silent or low-profile.
• Gallery Etiquette: Respect art display boundaries at Cafe White Block and avoid flash photography inside ongoing exhibitions.
• Garden Etiquette: Stick to public walking trails and open plazas at the botanical gardens; avoid stepping into plant beds or flower displays for photo angles.

Key Takeaways

• Paju is one of the most accessible and popular K-drama filming regions, easily reachable from Seoul using red Express Bus 2200 or the Gyeongui-Jungang Line.
• Combining literary sites (Forest of Wisdom), architectural art cafes (White Block), and grand arboretums (Byeokchoji / First Garden) makes for a well-rounded single-day itinerary.
• Visiting gardens at dusk provides a dual experience of daytime natural greenery and beautiful evening illumination displays.
• Always double-check transport connections and garden opening hours ahead of your trip to ensure seamless transfers.

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