Visiting the Little Forest Movie Filming Location in Gunwi

Riding a yellow bicycle past emerald-green rice paddies with the crisp breeze of rural Korea on your face feels instantly therapeutic. When director Yim Soon-rye adapted the Japanese manga Little Forest into a Korean feature film in 2018, she selected Gunwi County as the main backdrop for Hye-won’s story of healing, seasonal home cooking, and self-discovery. Starring Kim Tae-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol, and Jin Ki-joo, the movie struck a profound chord with viewers worldwide who felt exhausted by the hyper-fast pace of modern city life.

For international K-drama and movie enthusiasts looking to step outside the urban sprawl of Seoul or Busan, traveling to the little forest movie filming location in Gunwi offers a slice of slow living. Gunwi, which was recently incorporated into Daegu Metropolitan City, remains a peaceful rustic countryside filled with rolling mountains, apple orchards, historic train stations, and preserved filming sites. This guide covers the exact places where Hye-won cooked cabbage pancakes, prepared dried persimmons, and reconnected with the land.

Plan Your Visit

Area / Transit Line	Est. Time Needed	Rough Budget Range
Gunwi (Hwabuk-myeon) via KTX Dongdaegu & Rental Car / Local Taxi	4 to 6 Hours (Full Day Trip)	₩30,000 – ₩70,000 (Low-Mid)
Hwabon Station area via Korail Mugunghwa Line	2 to 3 Hours	₩10,000 – ₩25,000 (Budget)

Note: Always verify hours, train schedules, and site access before visiting.

Hye-won’s House in Gunwi (혜원의 집)

This traditional house serves as the emotional heart of the film. After leaving her exhausting life in Seoul behind, Hye-won returns to her childhood home in this very house, spending four distinct seasons gathering ingredients from the yard, cooking warm dishes, and bonding with her dog Ogu and close friends Jae-ha and Eun-sook on the wooden veranda.

In real life, the house is located in Lyeo-ryong-ri, a quiet village nestled within Gunwi’s Hwabuk-myeon region. Local municipal authorities have carefully preserved the home as an open film set for the public. Visitors can step through the front wooden gate, walk into the courtyard, sit on the broad wooden maru (porch), and peek inside the retro kitchen where the cooking scenes were filmed. The yellow bicycle Hye-won rides in the film is kept on site for visitors to see and pose with.

How to get there

To reach Hye-won’s House from Seoul, take a KTX high-speed train from Seoul Station to Dongdaegu Station (approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes). From Dongdaegu Station, you can rent a car for a smooth 50-minute drive northwest into Gunwi, or head to the Dongdaegu Intercity Bus Terminal to catch a bus toward Gunwi Terminal or Hwabuk-myeon. Alternatively, express buses depart from Seoul Express Bus Terminal directly to Gunwi Terminal. From central Gunwi, local village buses run toward Lyeo-ryong-ri (려룡리), though service frequency is limited to a few times per day. Taking a local taxi from Gunwi Terminal or Hwabon Station to Hye-won’s House (around 15 to 20 minutes) is the most convenient option if traveling without a car.

Hwabon Station (화본역)

Hwabon Station serves as the rustic gateway between Hye-won’s high-pressure life in Seoul and the slow rhythm of her home village. In the film, characters arrive at and depart from this charming rural stop during seasonal transitions.

Built in the 1930s, Hwabon Station is frequently cited as one of the most picturesque traditional railway stations in South Korea. It remains an active stop on the Central Line (Jungang Line), featuring a preserved tiled roof, retro waiting area wooden benches, and an iconic 25-meter-high brick water tower once used to supply steam trains in the early 20th century. Visitors can buy a small platform entry pass for a nominal fee to walk around the tracks and inspect the historic water tower up close.

How to get there

Regional Mugunghwa trains stop directly at Hwabon Station along the line connecting Dongdaegu and Cheongnyangni (Seoul), though daily train services are infrequent. If traveling by train from Dongdaegu Station, check the Korail schedule in advance for direct Mugunghwa departures to Hwabon. If you are already in Gunwi town center, local county buses run periodically to Hwabon-ri. Hye-won’s House is located roughly 7 kilometers from Hwabon Station, making it easy to combine both locations using a short taxi ride.

The Village Paths and Rice Paddies of Hwabuk-myeon

These sprawling country lanes are featured in some of the film’s most memorable visual montages. Whether Hye-won is pedaling her bicycle beneath bright summer foliage or walking beside golden autumn rice stalks with Jae-ha and Eun-sook, these roads embody the changing seasons of rural Gyeongsangbuk-do.

The agricultural pathways running through Lyeo-ryong-ri and neighboring Seonggu-ri offer clear views of the surrounding mountains, trickling streams, and farming plots. Depending on when you visit, you will witness bright green sprouts in spring, deep emerald fields in summer, golden harvest hues and ripening persimmon trees in autumn, or quiet snowy vistas in winter.

How to get there

These scenic lanes begin directly outside the entrance of Hye-won’s House. After exploring the house, simply stroll along the paved agricultural roads leading down toward the village stream and surrounding farmland. Because traffic is extremely light, walking or cycling along these roads is safe and leisurely.

Make a Day of It

Gunwi offers plenty of cultural sights and local food to complete your day trip after visiting the movie locations.

Local Food to Try: Gunwi is celebrated throughout the region for premium Gunwi Hanwoo (Korean native beef). Near the town center, several ranch-direct beef halls offer high-grade Korean BBQ at accessible prices. If you prefer simple countryside cooking inspired by the movie, stop by local eateries near Hwabon Station for seasonal dishes like cold soybean noodle soup (Kong-guksu) during summer or potato pancakes (Gamja-jeon) paired with local rice wine (Makgeolli).

Nearby Sights: Located just a five-minute walk from Hwabon Station is Mom and Dad’s School Days (엄마아빠어렸을적에), a retro theme museum housed inside a closed elementary school. It recreates 1960s and 1970s Korean streetscapes, complete with vintage classrooms, a barber shop, comic book stores, and traditional snack shops. For nature lovers, Sayuwon is a world-class private arboretum located in Gunwi featuring modern architectural pavilions set quietly inside forested mountain valleys.

Location	Main Highlight	Best Season
Hye-won’s House	Preserved set, courtyard maru, retro kitchen	All 4 Seasons
Hwabon Station	Historic 1930s train station & water tower	Spring & Autumn
Mom & Dad’s School Days	Retro 1970s school & street exhibit	All Year

Photo Tips

The Veranda Angle: Sit cross-legged on the wooden maru (veranda) of Hye-won’s house, looking out toward the sunny yard. Mid-afternoon light creates soft shadows under the tiled roof eaves, mimicking the peaceful scenes from the film.

The Bicycle Shot: Frame a horizontal photo with the classic yellow bicycle resting against the stone-and-mud courtyard wall. Position yourself at a lower camera angle to capture the traditional clay roof tiles and sky in the background.

Hwabon Water Tower: Walk behind Hwabon Station to the base of the tall brick water tower during late afternoon golden hour. The warm sunlight hitting the dark red brickwork gives photos an authentic vintage look.

Fan Checklist & Etiquette

1. Photo Sequence: Start at Hwabon Station water tower, stroll through the Hwabuk-myeon rice paddy paths, and end with veranda photos at Hye-won’s House.
2. Respect Local Residents: The surrounding village in Lyeo-ryong-ri is an active residential area; keep noise levels low and avoid entering private farmland.
3. Set Care: Handle the yellow bicycle and courtyard props gently so other fans can enjoy them intact.
4. Leave No Trace: Carry out all personal trash to preserve the pristine countryside environment.

FAQ

What is the best season to visit the Little Forest movie filming location?

Because the movie highlights the distinct beauty of all four seasons, there is no wrong time to visit. Spring (April to May) brings fresh green fields and fruit blossoms, while summer (July to August) offers deep green foliage and vibrant weather. Autumn (October to November) is widely considered the peak season due to golden rice paddies, red foliage, and clear skies. Winter delivers a quiet, cozy atmosphere with occasional snow falls across the rural roofs.

Can you go inside Hye-won’s house and cook there?

Visitors are allowed to enter the house grounds, walk onto the wooden porch, and view the interior rooms and preserved kitchen from the doorway.

Key Takeaways

• Gunwi provides an authentic countryside retreat centered around preserved filming locations from Little Forest, including Hye-won’s house and historic Hwabon Station.
• Navigating the area is easiest via rental car or local taxi from Dongdaegu or Hwabon Station due to limited daily bus schedules in rural Gyeongsangbuk-do.
• Combining set visits with local dining like Gunwi Hanwoo and retro attractions like Mom and Dad’s School Days makes for a well-rounded day trip.

Keep Reading

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• The Host Movie Locations on the Han River, Seoul
• Korean Movie Set Tours & K-Drama History
• Timeless Journeys: Exploring Classic K-Drama & Film Locations in Korea