Queen of Tears to CLOY: Real Seoul KDrama Mall Locations

Step inside any high-end Seoul department store on a rainy weekend, and you immediately understand why K-drama directors love these spaces. Vaulted glass ceilings, indoor botanical gardens, and polished marble floors do far more than display luxury handbags; they set the stage for chaebol rivalries, romantic reunions, and glamorous shopping sprees. From the gleaming glass towers of Yeouido to the sprawling underground avenues of Gangnam, Seoul’s retail spaces are designed to dazzle both real-life shoppers and on-screen audiences.

For international drama fans visiting South Korea, these shopping destinations offer a perfect blend of pop culture nostalgia and modern Korean lifestyle. You can trace the exact footsteps of your favorite leads, grab world-class food in the subterranean food halls, and capture stunning photos without spending a single won on admission. Here is a local guide to four of the most iconic department store and mall filming locations in Seoul that belong on your itinerary.

1. The Hyundai Seoul (Yeouido)

This architectural masterpiece serves as the primary visual inspiration and exterior layout for Queens Department Store in the smash-hit 2024 drama Queen of Tears, where Hong Hae-in reigns as the formidable CEO. It also makes prominent appearances in A Business Proposal during stylish weekend date sequences.

Opened in early 2021, The Hyundai Seoul is currently the largest shopping mall in the city, famous for revolutionizing retail design by dedicating nearly half of its floor space to public indoor green areas. Instead of dark, enclosed hallways, sunlight pours through a massive glass skylight illuminating multi-tiered indoor waterfalls and a 3,300-square-meter indoor park known as Sounds Forest on the fifth floor.

How to get there

Take Seoul Subway Line 5 or Line 9 to Yeouido Station. Follow the clearly marked underground pedestrian pathway connected directly to Exit 3 or Exit 4. The moving walkway brings you right into the B2 entrance of the mall without walking outdoors.

Photo Tips

For the definitive Queen of Tears perspective, take the central escalator up to the fifth or sixth floor. Position yourself along the curving white balcony railing overlooking the central atrium with Sounds Forest behind you. The absolute best lighting occurs between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM when natural daylight streams straight down from the geometric glass ceiling.

2. Starfield COEX Mall & Starfield Library (Samseong-dong)

The iconic 13-meter tall wooden bookshelves framed by glowing warm light appear in Record of Youth as the scenic backdrop where Sa Hye-jun and An Jeong-ha browse books together. The surrounding mall corridors also double as meeting points in Vincenzo and Lovestruck in the City.

Situated in the heart of Gangnam, Starfield COEX Mall is a legendary underground convention and shopping facility. At its center lies Starfield Library, a open-concept public cultural space housing over 70,000 books and magazines. It functions as a real, working reading hall where locals relax alongside tourists taking photos.

How to get there

Board Seoul Subway Line 2 and travel to Samseong Station. Take Exit 5 or Exit 6, which leads directly into the underground concourse of COEX Mall. Follow the overhead directional signs for “Starfield Library” for approximately three minutes.

Photo Tips

To capture the grand sense of scale seen on screen, stand at the base of the central escalator on the lower ground level while looking up toward the illuminated bookshelf towers. Alternatively, head up to the second-floor perimeter balcony for a panoramic view of the entire hall. Arrive right around 10:30 AM when the mall opens to avoid heavy foot traffic in your background shots.

3. Lotte World Mall & Avenuel (Jamsil)

This high-end retail complex mirrors the glamorous shopping sprees featured in Crash Landing on You, where Yoon Se-ri buys an entire wardrobe of tailored suits for Captain Ri, as well as high-stakes confrontation scenes in Penthouse.

Located directly adjacent to the 123-story Lotte World Tower, Lotte World Mall is split into several distinct zones, including the ultra-luxury Avenuel wing, a massive cinema complex, an indoor aquarium, and premium global fashion storefronts. The interior interior design features sweeping curved marble bridges, artistic light installations, and expansive glass atrium voids.

How to get there

Take Subway Line 2 or Line 8 to Jamsil Station. Use Exits 1 or 2 for direct subterranean access into the lower levels of Lotte World Mall and the Avenuel building.

Photo Tips

Head to the 3rd or 4th floor bridge walkways in the central atrium of the main mall. Frame your shot looking across the curving white architectural rings with the glass dome above. If you visit in the late afternoon, step outside to the World Tower Lawn Plaza behind the mall to capture the dramatic exterior glass facade.

4. Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch (Myeongdong)

The dazzling exterior light displays of this classic venue were immortalized in The Legend of the Blue Sea, where Heo Joon-jae meets Shim Cheong under the glowing festive decorations, as well as classic scenes in earlier romance dramas.

Originally established during the 1930s, Shinsegae Main Branch blends historic stone masonry with modern retail annexes. It is widely considered the pioneer of luxury department store culture in Korea. Every winter from November through January, the exterior stone facade transforms into a massive LED media facade showing cinematic holiday light stories that draw crowds from across Asia.

How to get there

Ride Subway Line 4 to Hoehyeon Station and leave via Exit 7, which connects to the underground department store arcade. Alternatively, take Subway Line 4 to Myeongdong Station, Exit 5, and walk straight for about five minutes toward Namdaemun.

Photo Tips

For exterior nighttime photos, position yourself across the main street near the plaza of the Bank of Korea Money Museum. This gives you an unobstructed panoramic angle of the entire store facade lighting up. Use night mode on your camera and aim for dusk (blue hour) around 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM for the most vibrant balance between sky color and artificial illumination.

Make a Day of It

Visiting these filming locations offers an ideal anchor for exploring nearby neighborhoods. You can easily pair your drama pilgrimage with great local food and scenic walks:

• Around Yeouido (The Hyundai Seoul): After exploring the mall, walk out to Yeouido Hangang Park. Grab instant ramen from a convenience store riverfront cooking station, rent a bicycle, or take a sunset cruise along the Han River.
• Around Samseong (COEX Mall): Cross the main boulevard right outside Exit 7 to visit Bongeunsa Temple, a peaceful 1,200-year-old Buddhist temple offering a striking visual contrast between ancient traditions and modern skyscrapers.
• Around Jamsil (Lotte World Mall): Walk directly out the back doors of the mall to reach Seokchon Lake. The circular walking path offers beautiful views, especially during spring cherry blossom season and autumn foliage peaks.
• Around Myeongdong (Shinsegae Main Branch): Take a short three-minute walk to Namdaemun Market for famous street eats like handmade knife-cut noodles (kalguksu) and savory vegetable pancakes (hotteok).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to buy tickets to visit Starfield Library or The Hyundai Seoul?

No, admission to both facilities is completely free. Starfield Library is an open public space inside COEX Mall, and public access areas inside The Hyundai Seoul, including the fifth-floor Sounds Forest garden, are open to all visitors during regular mall operating hours.

Are photography and filming allowed inside these Seoul department stores?

Casual personal photography and mobile phone photography are widely accepted in all common public areas, indoor gardens, and mall hallways. However, avoid taking direct photos of private shop displays, store security staff, or close-up photos of other shoppers. Tripods and commercial video equipment are generally restricted without prior press permits.

What is the best time of day to visit to avoid heavy crowds?

To enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and capture clean photos, aim to arrive right when the stores open, typically around 10:30 AM on weekday mornings (Monday through Thursday). Weekend afternoons between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM are extraordinarily busy with local shoppers and long dining queues.

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