A new year brings new beginnings; that’s certainly the case for us here at KDL. If you’ve been wondering why we’ve been a rather quiet as of late, well — that’s simply because our real lives has overtaken our reel lives, ever so slightly. This is also the reason we had to take a week off earlier last month. Once again, thank you for understanding!
That being said, we will still do our best to keep up with the latest filming locations — and we already have some currently airing and upcoming dramas that have caught our eye 😉 (Seo Kang-joon, anyone? — Mich)
OUR HIGHLIGHTS
Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life (2019-20, episode 13)
We’re pleased to have tracked down this park, which we’d been trying to find even as early as last year. Thanks to the location team of Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life for bringing it into the light (no pun intended)!
Love With Flaws (2019-20, episode 5)
I (Mich) am personally quite happy to see this location FINALLY up on our screens. It may have been featured in at least one or two music videos, but considering how Instagrammable a place it is, it should have been a filming site from years ago! Well, better now than never, as I like to say.
I also made another visit to South Korea last month (Go Kyung-pyo is out of the army! HURRAH!) and managed to find time to visit some filming locations in between. The other highlight of this trip was most certainly Samcheok, and being able to finally see the beauty of the East Sea for myself.
In comparison to its hipster relations of Hongdae, Hapjeong and Sangsu, the neighborhood of Mangwon wouldn’t normally come to mind as a ‘cool’ place to be. But on my recent visit there (and it being my first), I (Mich) actually found it rather fascinating.
Aside from tracking down some locations from past dramas (anyone still remembers Dae Jang Geum Is Watching?), I also got to discover the duality of Mangwon: its colorful, bustling market stalls and the season shopowners who run them, and the cool, minimalist exteriors of cafes and stationery shops. It’s quite a sensory experience and certainly makes for an interesting afternoon out. Be sure to make time to visit this neighborhood if you’re ever in that neck of the woods!
NEWLY ADDED FILMING LOCATIONS
Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life (2019-20, episode 189
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans 🙂
Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
My Holo Love (2020), ♡ added by Marine
— Calming down [E1]: Le Pul [르풀]
I Wanna Hear Your Song (2019), ♡ added by Marion KDL
— Meeting up [E13]: Café Dssom [카페 디썸]* *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
The Last Empress (2018-19), ♡ added by Lr
— Ewha Palace: Baekje Cultural Land [백제문화단지]*
— Asking for compensation [E2]: Gungnamji Pond [궁남지] *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
Moonlight Drawn By Clouds (2016), ♡ added/submitted by Marion KDL
— King’s Birthday Festival [E2]: Buan Cine Theme Park [부안영상테마파크]* *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
Gyeongbokgung Palace [경복궁], ♡ added by Lr
The Royal Gambler; Deep Rooted Tree; Jang hee-bin; Empress Myeongseong; Tears of the Dragon; Ladies of the Palace; Princess’ Man added by Lr
Reading has mostly been a solitary endeavor in K-Dramaland. Yoon Ji-ho and Nam Se-hee read alone, for instance, Kang Dan-i and Seo-joon read alone (at least most of the time), Kim Jin-hyeok reads alone and so did Seo Yi-do in Perfume.
This is not so in When the Weather Is Fine; here, reading is a community experience. Some of the residents of the tiny village of Bukhyeon share stories, legends, poems and book passages and their thoughts on them in their Goodnight Bookstore Book Club. It is as if these characters defy with all their might what sociologist Robert Putnam decried in his 2000 book Bowling Alone, in which he discusses how people in the States are increasingly disconnected to family, friends and neighbors — they even bowl alone (hence the book’s title).
But the drama also seems to tell us that there is much more to defy Bowling Alone than meeting up with people and sharing a hobby with them. Bukhyeon’s residents have their own pace: they live in a rhythm in which digital and analogue seem to meet in the middle. They still have landlines and make use of them. But they do not renounce their smartphones, even if they are used rather seldomly. People are not “busy” at and because of their job. Instead, they only hurry and get busy when it comes to their hobby, their book reading club. They seem not to work for life and are not out for monetary profit. They rush customers along so as to be in time for their book club meeting. Also, Im Eun-seob (Seo Kang-joon) does not seem to mind not to have customers in his shop (and even put a book keeping system for them in place) as he gets by with his online shop.
It is no wonder, I think, that quite some viewers are put off by this rhythm that simply represents a different conception of life and what living together means. Isn’t being uncomfortable with When the Weather Is Fine just a sign of how much every thing (and every person) rushes by us nowadays and how much we are constantly, nervously in a rush? Without taking the time: To make a coffee. To sit down with a book. To make time to meet friends. To help people in need.
A big thanks to this drama for making us uncomfortable.
This first entry on When the Weather Is Fine follows the drama’s book club winter themes and compiles its books, poems and tales read* and shared in episodes 1 to 4.
*Note that some of the poems shared in the show may not have been translated in its entirety.
A Book to Collect
The Wind in the Willows
[버드나무에 부는 바람]
(1908)
Author: Kenneth Grahame
This children’s novel by Scottish author Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908, is Eun-seob’s favorite book, so much that he owns a collection of at least twelve different editions — in Korean. He bought different versions “to see if they all tell the story the same way” as he tells Mok Hye-won (Park Min-young) in episode 1. His favorite edition, as he shares with his blog’s readers ‘The Good Night Club’ in episode 2, is the one with Patrick Benson’s (b. 1956) illustrations, published in 1994 by HarperCollins in English.
This is also the edition that Hye-won borrows from him in episode 2, and what might have inspired her to draw willow leaves with henna on her wrist the evening. In episode 3, Hye-won brings this book with her to read on her trip ‘down town’ to Caffé Tiamo — Yeongwol Jungang-ro Branch [카페띠아모 영월중앙로점] while waiting for Eun-seob to finish his business discussions.
Choi Soo-jung (Lee Sun-hee) reads the poem “A Drink” from the poetry anthology The Person I Love in episode 2 to her book friends at the Good Night Bookstore’s reading club. Famous poems of the author Jung Ho-seong are collected in this book, like the title piece “The Person I Love (내가 사랑하는 사람)”, “Spring Road (봄길)” or “From Sadness To Happiness (슬픔이 기쁨에게)” — the latter is also featured in many South Korean middle school textbooks. But instead, Soo-jung choses the poem ‘A Drink’ to read aloud for the evening’s topic: poems and novels related to winter.
‘A Drink’ / ‘술 한잔’
Life has never bought me a drink. On many winter nights at a snack stall in a dead-end alley. I emptied out my pockets… to buy life a drink. But life has never bought me a single drink. Whether it as a snowy day or a day when stone lotus flower silently bloomed and fell.
인생은 나에게 술 한잔 사주지 않았다 겨울밤 막다른 골목 끝 포장마차에서 빈 호주머니를 털털 털어 나는 몇 번이나 인생에게 술을 사주었으나 인생은 나를 위해 단 한 번도 술 한잔 사주지 않았다 눈이 내리는 날에도 돌연꽃 소리없이 피었다 지는 날에도
In episode 3, Hye-won reads in this book at night and recites the poem ‘To the Daffodil’. Doing so, she travels back in her thoughts to a moment when Eun-seop read out the poem in front of their class and her voice becomes his.
‘To the Daffodil’ / ‘수선화에게’
Don’t cry. To be lonely is to be human. To live is to endure loneliness. Don’t wait for a call that never comes
When it snows, you walk on a snowy road
When it rains, you walk down a rainy path
The black-chested sandpiper in the reed field is watching you. Sometimes even a deity cries from loneliness.
Birds sit on branches because they’re lonely. The mountain shadow comes down to the village once a day because it is lonely. The peal of bells rings out because it too is lonely.
울지 마라 외로우니까 사람이다 살아간다는 것은 외로움을 견디는 일이다 공연히 오지 않는 전화를 기다리지 마라
눈이 오면 눈길을 걸어가고 비가 오면 빗길을 걸어가라 갈대숲의 가슴 검은 도요새도 너를 보고 있다 가끔은 하느님도 외로워서 눈물을 흘리신다
새들이 나뭇가지에 앉아 있는 것도 외로움 때문이고 네가 물가에 앉아 있는 것도 외로움 때문이다 산 그림자도 외로워서 하루에 한 번씩 마을로 내려온다 종소리도 외로워서 울려 퍼진다
A Book For A Very Cold Winter Day
Every Day, A Glass of Poetry
[매일, 시 한 잔]
(2019)
Author: Ko Jeong-hee at al. (고정희 외)
Publisher: BLC (Book Log Company) (북로그컴퍼니)
English translation: None
Eun-seob starts each day of his with a coffee and a book. Quickly joined by Hye-won in episode 2, he hands over his coffee and starts reading Every Day, A Glass of Poetry; both welcoming the day in calmness.
Every Day, A Glass of Poetry is a 2019 poetry collection that compiles poems by the most renowned South Korean poets, such that every reader can find their poem of the day. While Eun-seop appears to read randomly from the book, Kwon Hyun-ji (Choo Ye-jin) has seemingly already found ‘her’ poem with “Small Love Song” (조그만 사랑 노래) by Hwang Dong-kyu (황동규). She shares it with her book club friends as a poem perfectly fitting a very cold winter day (minus 17 degrees Celsius, at that) in episode 4.
The poem originally appeared in the book A Snow Which Falls in Samnam [삼남에 내리는 눈] published by Minumsa Publishing in 1975. Hwang Dong-kyu (b. 1939), professor of English Literature at Seoul University, is one of the more known poets also outside South Korea, who’s had some of his work translated to German, English, Spanish and French. He also has received several prestigious South Korean literary prizes.
‘Small Love Song’ / ‘조그만 사랑 노래’ by Hwang Tong-gyu
I received a letter which held yesterday. The path that had always trailed behind you suddenly disappeared, and everything that wasn’t the path went with it. Scattered stones which played with us as kids hide away their faces. I love you, I love you … and in the cold, clear night sky I see the steady cracking of gold. A thin snow falls. Unable to settle anywhere on the ground, a pair of flakes close their eyes and tremble as they drift together endlessly.
어제를 동여맨 편지를 받았다. 늘 그대 뒤를 따르던 길 문득 사라지고 길 아닌 것들도 사라지고 여기저기서 어린 날 우리와 놀아주던 돌들이 얼굴을 가리고 박혀 있다. 사랑한다 사랑한다, 추위 환한 저녁 하늘에 찬찬히 깨어진 금들이 보인다. 성긴 눈 날린다. 땅 어디에 내려앉지 못하고 눈뜨고 떨며 한없이 떠다니는 몇 송이 눈.
Listen to Hwang Tong-gyu reciting one of his poems.
Folktales For A Cold Winter Evening
When The Weather Is Fine (2020, episode 2)
The topic of episode 3’s book club meeting was of favorite folk tales that take place in winter. These are tales passed on in school, sometimes narrated by grandparents, and thus presented to us as part of popular knowledge. Because they are known by most of the book club members, they also take turns in reciting the tales — something that would spur you to join a book club like this one… right then and there.
But more than putting winter at center stage, these are tales of broken trust (Crane’s Return of a Favor, The Wolf’s Silver Eyelash), human’s wickedness (Yeon and Young Master Willow) and loneliness (The Wolf’s Silver Eyelash) — thus feeding into the larger narrative frame of When The Weather Is Nice and what the main protagonists are and have been experiencing.
Crane’s Return of a Favor [Tsuru no Ongaeshi/鶴の恩返し/학의 은혜 갚기/츠르노 옹가에시]
Crane’s Return of a Favor is a popular Japanese folktale that takes place on a snowy night.
It is narrated as follows by book club members and class mates Kwon Hyun-ji and Im Whi (Kim Hwan-hee):
“There was an elderly couple living in the mountains. One day, the husband rescued an injured crane. Then a few days later, a young woman came by and asked them to adopt her. (…) She weaves a fine piece of hemp fabric every night and tells the elderly couple to never peek inside the room. At first, the couple sold the fabric at the market, and the three of them were happy together. But eventually, their curiosity got the best of them, so they peeked inside the room. Inside the room, the couple saw the crane that they rescued in the past plucking its feathers using its beak and weaving the fabric using them. When the couple found out about the cranes secret, the crane became utterly disappointed in humans in general so it just flew away into the sky. The end!”
Yeon and Young Master Willow [연이와 버들도령]
Soo-jung starts to narrate this classic Korean winter folktale –again, with willows!– and when Bae Geun-sang (Lee Tae-hyung) remarks that he knows it too, she asks him to continue. When he leaves it open ended, Jung Kil-bok (Lee Young-suk) jumps in and adds the happy ending.
“This is a story about Yeon and Young Master Willow. On a cold winter day like this, Yeon’s stepmom kicked her out of the house, telling her to got find wild herbs. She combed through the fields but couldn’t find any herbs as it was in the middle of winter. Then she meets Young Master Willow. He goes to a cave and finds some herbs for her. Yeon’s stepmother becomes jealous and kills Young Master Willow in his cave. In the end, Yeon finds a flower and she makes medicine with it. Young Master Willow comes back to life and they live happily every after.”
The Wolf’s Silver Eyelash [늑대 은빛 눈썹 이야기]
At the end of the book club, it is Eun-seop’s turn to share his favorite winter tale and he narrates, with Hye-won interrupting him once:
— Once upon a time, there lived a boy. People would hurt him all the time. Because he was innocent, people always deceived or betrayed him. One day, he met a wolf on a mountain. Giving one of his eyelashes to the boy, the wolf said, “Try looking at people through this silver eyelash of mine. It’ll make you see who they really are.” Sly monkeys, cunning foxes, mean pigs, and evil raccoons. They boy saw no real people in the world. In the end, he decided to look for a place where real people live. — Did he find such a place? — No. He could not find any place where real people lived. So the boy eventually lived alone in loneliness and died.
As nrllee points out in a comment on Soompi, this tale not only narrates Eun-seop’s loneliness but mirrors also the one of Hye-won and both their quest of a possible trust in fellow humans. S/he also highlights how Hye-won also “gave her own version of an alternate ending to that story” in the drama: “Whilst Eun-seop’s version had the little boy dying a lonely death (one of resignation to his fate), hers was one where she would hug the little boy and tell him that he was not alone in this world.”
(Please note that this might be a fictitious ‘folktale’ invented for the drama or book [see below]).
A Book For A Very Cold Winter Eve
Owl At Home
[집에 있는 부엉이]
(1987)
Author: Arnold Stark Lobel (아놀드 로벨)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Korean Translation: Eum Hye-sook (엄혜숙)
It doesn’t come as much of a surprise that the youngest in the book club, Jung Seung-ho (Han Chang-min), chooses Owl At Home, a children’s book by American author Arnold Stark Lobel (1933–1987), as the book he wants to share under the ‘cold winter day’ theme. “Owl was at home,” he reads to everyone and continues: “Owl said: ‘It feels so good to be sitting by this fireplace. It’s so cold and snowy outside.’ And then he heard someone knock on his door. It was poor old winter. Owl thought to himself: “All right, I’ll be kind and let winter come in.” “Winter, come on in! Come inside and warm yourself for a while.” Yes. This is what Owl said to winter. “Winter, you’re my guest. Behave yourself.”
When The Weather Is Fine (2020, episode 2)
When Seung-ho has finished, Im Hwi turns to Lee Jang-woo (Lee Jae-wook) and requests for him to recite something that will make everyone feel even colder. He answers that he had meant to recite ‘Me, Natasha and the White Donkey (나와 나타샤와 흰 당나귀)’ — a poem by Baek Seok (백석)– if they hadn’t already at the end of their meeting.
‘Me, Natasha and the White Donkey’ / ‘나와 나타샤와 흰 당나귀’ by Baek Seok
Tonight the snow falls endlessly because I, a poor man, love the beautiful Natasha.
I love Natasha, the snow falls endlessly, and I sit alone, drinking rice wine. Drinking rice wine, I think:
the night the snow falls endlessly I would like to ride, with Natasha, upon a white donkey to a remote, mournful mountain village and live in a cottage.
The snow falls endlessly. I love Natasha. Natasha must be coming. She has already come in quietly and tells me: “You throw away such a thing as the world because it’s muddled, but going to a remote mountain doesn’t mean you lose it all.”
The snow falls endlessly, the beautiful Natasha will love me, and somewhere the white donkey, too, will cry out, delighted with tonight.
가난한 내가 아름다운 나타샤를 사랑해서 오늘 밤은 푹푹 눈이 나린다 나타샤를 사랑은 하고 눈은 푹푹 날리고 나는 혼자 쓸쓸히 앉어 소주를 마신다 소주를 마시며 생각한다 나타샤와 나는 눈이 푹푹 쌓이는 밤 흰 당나귀 타고 산골로 가자 출출이 우는 깊은 산골로 가 마가리에 살자 눈은 푹푹 나리고 나는 나타샤를 생각하고 나타샤가 아니 올 리 없다 언제 벌써 내 속에 고조곤히 와 이야기한다 산골로 가는 것은 세상한테 지는 것이 아니다 세상 같은 건 더러워 버리는 것이다 눈은 푹푹 나리고 아름다운 나타샤는 나를 사랑하고 어데서 흰 당나귀도 오늘 밤이 좋아서 응앙응앙 울을 것이다
Until the next book recap…
… STAY WARM
… and share with everyone here your favorite winter texts in the meantime!
Read On
When The Weather Is Fine (2020, episode 3)
Did you know? The drama The Weather Is Fine is itself based on a book. The book is called I’ll Visit You When The Weather Is Fine ‘날씨가 좋으면 찾아가겠어요’ and was written by Lee Doe (이도우) in 2018.
Special thanks to Earthna (DB) for the additional translations for ‘To A Daffodil’.
We’re barely a quarter into 2020, and it’s already been rather eventful on the global front (we’re looking at you, COVID-19). Wherever you may be in the world, we hope you are well; please practise the necessary hygiene habits, and be discerning about travel during these uncertain times.
When The Weather Is Fine (2020, episode 3)
It’s good to know that some K-drama productions are exercising caution as well, in light of South Korea’s current COVID situation. When The Weather Is Fine, for one, announced a pause in their filming schedule to ensure the safety of their team. Though it might be quite a wait for the next episodes, we thought we’d fill in the gap for you with our first books recap for the show — so let us know which one are your favorite winter books and tales!
OUR HIGHLIGHTS
When The Weather Is Fine (2020, episode 4)
I, Marion, love to discover the locations of When The Weather Is Fine as it transports me to South Korea’s countryside through this drama — and not just for half or a full episode long, as usually the case. This drama might appear to be the country bumpkin among all its contemporaries –up until its 4th episode at least– but in a very good way. It also gives us a new challenge for tracking down locations as, of course, there are less staples (actually none so far!) to rediscover in a new and different setting.
When The Weather Is Fine (2020, episode 2)
OUR FAVORITE STAPLES
Because It’s My First Life (2017, episode 2)
I remember how much Mich and I searched for this bus stop three years ago — and now it is about to become a staple?
I (Marion) still can’t decide which one is sweeter: the Swiss scenery or the kiss?
SPOTLIGHT ON AN AREA: NEIGHBORHOOD SEARCH
We’ve overhauled our neighborhood search page! It’s interesting how South Korean neighborhoods shift over the years; sometimes they’re split into two or more neighborhoods, they get subsumed under other, and at times, even whole districts get renamed. As much as we do our best to keep it up-to-date, there are times that we might end up missing out on these changes. If you ever discover anything new about a certain neighborhood, feel free to reach out and let us know!
NEWLY ADDED FILMING LOCATIONS
My Holo Love (2020, episode 6)
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans 🙂
Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
Since our last Saturday Summary, it seems like the world beyond K-Dramaland hasn’t changed much for most of us. We continue to look out from the inside of our homes, through our windows (or stepping out for the occasional run for essentials).
But, believe it or not, K-Dramaland still comes with unmapped territories for us, and continues to make us discover new places — even if (only?) virtually. While some recent dramas are definitely S(e)oul-food for us and take place in favorite staples (that’s you, Find Me In Your Memory!), other currently airing dramas keep us excited and with numerous question marks surrounding their locations. When The Weather Is Fine now finally feels familiar location-wise after a month or so of being introduced to new sites, but it is Meow, The Secret Boy (Where is that park and that café, that part of the Fortress Wall?!) and A Piece of Your Mind (Where is that village in Norway? Is it even in Norway? And where is the recording studio?) that now keep us on our toes here at KDL.
But what counts for us the most is that you are safe and protected, wherever you are, as these two were at that special moment. Stay home, and stay healthy.
OUR HIGHLIGHTS
Itaewon Class (2020, episode 12)
You might have noticed that we’ve been adding some locations’ opening or establishment date here at KDL for a while now, to better understand when they became important in K-Dramaland. For some, it is difficult to find out, but others reveal that information themselves — just like how we spotted that one of our favourite staples has been around “Since 1995”, thanks to Itaewon Class! The restaurant has even had an Instagram account since February 2018 (actually two), which we’ve only just discovered. Even after at least 55 K-Dramas that have been filmed here, we’re still learning new things about it.
We will also be making occasional updates to our existing locations, just so we keep the information recent and relevant for those who come across it for the first time. For example: did you know that our beloved Cafe Blute now has a new name?
My Princess (2011, episode 15)
I (Marion) always believed that Sanmotoonge [산모퉁이] was a one-off location reserved for Coffee Prince. So it was quite funny to discover in my My Princess re-watch this month that Park Hae-young and Oh Yoon-joo also had a conversation at this café’s terrace.
OUR FAVORITE STAPLES
Find Me In Your Memory (2020, episode 6)
One of our favorite K-Dramaland outlooks is back! Eungbong Mountain Park [응봉산 팔각정] might have appeared in dramas we’ve not featured on KDL since Are You Human?, but we are still very happy to welcome it back after its two year hiatus on our site.
Meow, The Secret Boy (2020, episode 4)
Also, one of our favorite staircases has also been making quite a number of appearances just within the first quarter of the year alone. Where else will we see it next?
Itaewon, a neighborhood in Seoul’s Yongsan District, should be no stranger if you are a regular visitor to K-Dramaland. It even made our 2017 Most Seen Neighborhood List and a year later, shows like Strongest Deliveryman and My ID Is Gangnam Style made us discover some new sides of this neighborhood. This year’s hit drama Itaewon Class is also set in this neighborhood (and neighboring Huam as well) and we wouldn’t be surprised to welcome it again at the end of this year as one of the 2020 neighborhoods.
Apart from a few new locations to discover, Itaewon Class gives us another introduction to this neighborhood and an idea of how it ticks and feels like. Because as far as we know, it is the first time that a drama character describes and introduces a neighborhood; in this case, Oh Soo-a describes Itaewon to Park Sae-Ro-Yi in a letter like this:
“Have you been to Itaewon before? On October 31 every year, people enjoy this festival from the States here. Apparently they try to comfort the spirits of the dead and ward off evil spirits. People are dressed in strange costumes and bizarre makeup so evil spirits won’t do them harm. The day is Halloween Day. A lot of people come to Itaewon to celebrate Halloween Day. A lot of grownups enjoy this festival in funny costumes. Besides this festival, Itaewon is still an attractive place. There are pretty buildings and a variety of people from across the world, which makes you feel like you’re on an overseas trip. And everyone there looks so free. It’s a place where you can enjoy a walk. It feels like the whole world is condensed into this street. And I fell in love with this place.”
But Itaewon Class did more than the other dramas –or at least so it feels– than introducing us a bit more to Itaewon as a neighborhood and its characteristics. It also marked (together with other dramas, of course) a shift in K-Drama narratives and representations, especially with regard to foreigners and (South Korean) people of color. Only a few years back in K-Dramaland, people of color were signifiers for what had gone bad in South Korea (like in Live Up To Your Name, Dr. Heo when Heo Im discovers 2017 Seoul and colored people with a shock) and white people either had to play the roles of evil, unsympathetic business partners, secret agents and/or military personnel; in other words: intruders one had to deal with by necessity. Tourists only existed in foreign countries (but not South Korea) and even American-Koreans needed to be disciplined about their behavior (which had to become too Americanized so that they were constantly reminded by fellow characters that they were now in South Korea and had to assimilate and got tipps how to do so). Finally, Koreans were no other than native Koreans with the right skin color and family tree.
But not in Itaewon Class. Tourists were great to have (being able to speak English became an asset) and racism was talked about openly and not tolerated. All this could only happen –as this drama told us– because it was set in this very place: Itaewon.
Itaewon Class (2020, episode 4)
NEWLY ADDED FILMING LOCATIONS
Hyena (2020, episode 1)
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans 🙂
Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
Queen In-hyun’s Man (2012), ♡ added by Marion KDL
— Spaghetti kiss [E15]: Pomodoro [뽀모도로]* *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
We’re only a quarter-way into 2020 and I’m pretty sure many of us already want the year to hurry along and pass us by! Sadly, it’s been a rather unprecedented time for many of us around the globe, most of that being spent indoors — not entirely by choice. With much of the world now currently on lockdown, overseas travel is now virtually impossible, and it seems like global tourism will take a long time to recover from the impact of the far-reaching COVID-19 pandemic.
My First First Love (2019, episode 12)
But, if there’s a silver lining to the lockdown — especially for you homebodies who spend hours binging on K-Dramas — it means, well, you can spend more hours watching them. While you’re at it, why not jump into some overseas-themed dramas to curb your wanderlust, at least for the time being?
Since we’d last covered overseas locations in our 2018 KDL Roundup, K-Drama writers and production teams have set their stories against other exciting international locations. Of course, there are also classic travel destinations that are perennial bucket list favorites. As a guide, I’ve selected cities off this travel bucket list article and this ranking list based on the overseas destinations we’ve seen on our screens, thanks to the wonder of K-Dramas. Note that the countries are not ranked in any particular numerical order.
With many romantic movies and novels set in the French capital, it’s no wonder that the City of Love will always be romanticised in the minds and hearts of many. In K-Dramaland, Paris was featured in the classic 2000s drama Lovers In Paris, and modern-day tales of Shopping King Louis and The Package. Being able to see the iconic Eiffel Tower in a K-Drama is truly a wonder in itself!
Greece
To many, Greece is characterized by the sweeping views of Santorini whites and blues; but Chocolate and Descendants of the Sun chose to showcase a different — but equally stunning — side to the country. Clearly, there’s more of the country to see — when we can finally leave our houses to do so.
USA — Los Angeles
What we would give to be able to enjoy such a view again! Maybe a rewatch of The Heirs will be able to help place you in this warm, West Coast setting — now with fresher air, thanks to a sharp decrease in traffic on LA’s normally jam-packed freeways.
Singapore
It’s a pity that Singapore hasn’t been seen on K-Drama screens since 2011’s Spy Myungwol, but the Lion City continues to be a fave feature in various Korean variety shows such as Battle Trip and The Return of Superman. With the opening of some stunning attractions since then (like Gardens by the Bay and Universal Studios Singapore), hopefully K-drama producers will consider setting their stories again in Singapore!
Jordan — Petra
2014’s worklife-centered drama Misaeng made history for being the first K-Drama to film in Jordan, a milestone that was covered by media outlets both in Jordan and South Korea alike. One notable location featured was the Al-Khazneh temple in Petra, which was also featured in the 1989 Hollywood action film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Honorable Mention: Canada — Québec
I certainly wouldn’t miss out on highlighting this charming Canadian city that Goblin helped put on the map back in 2016-2017. Who would have thought that a red door would become such an attraction for K-Drama fans? Beyond that ‘portal entrance’, there is much more to explore along that gas-lamp quarter of Petit Champlain, and other highlights like the grand châteausin Old Québec.
Honorable Mention: South Korea
Despite all the international locations featured here, many times we tend to forget that South Korea is considered international to us as well! Once again, since overseas travel is restricted at present (as of April 2020), I’ll just have to put any Korea travel plans aside for the time being and be content to just ‘travel’ vicariously through the dramas I’m currently watching. This is at least one way I get to see the locations and any changes that come along with it!
A Piece of Your Mind (2020, episode 2)
As much as it bugs many of us to not be able to do or indulge in the things we’d normally like to, staying indoors is the best thing we can do right now to help our families, our community, and our country. This may be cliche, but we are truly “all in this together”, and we will get through this together too! No matter how ‘socially distanced’ you are from your friends, or how far away your family members living overseas may be, reach out to them and let them know that they’re in your thoughts, and that you wish them well. Such kind words and love from across the miles will be what gets us through these tough times, till we can see each other again! In the meantime, continue to stay home, stay well, and enjoy traveling the world through K-Dramas.
Which other overseas locations in K-Dramas do you like, or which country would you like to see a K-Drama filmed in next? Let us know in the comments! We’re listening. ♥
When we first started putting together this blogpost on K-Dramaland’s mural villages, it seemed like a light and joyful (if not only colorful) thing to do. But it also turned out to be a project that made us reflect on K-Dramas and their impact on everyday life in South Korea; how its development is intimately interlinked with K-Dramas, and how K-Drama tourism can effect daily life — both positively and negatively.
Drawing A Short Historical Backdrop
Encounter (2018-19, episode 16)
South Korea’s mural villages have quite a recent yet rather eventful historical background, most of their stories being how they rose from impoverishment and decay. Its starting point being a government-led project that aimed at re-developing, revitalizing and de-criminalizing certain townships throughout the nation through participatory public art projects. These art projects were implemented with the goal of turning run down townships into picturesque tourist attractions.
Ihwa Mural Village is typically considered being at the forefront of this implementation and is thus seen as the first mural village in South Korea (see also here). It was part of the Ministry of Culture funded-project called ‘Maeul (Village) Art Project‘ or ‘City Art Campaign’ in 2006 that supported creating mural villages in 21 locations.
This government-funded project happened in the broader contexts of two major shifts in the South Korean urban development and crime prevention policies during the 2000s. For one, a shift from “wholesale redevelopment to cultural regeneration” as Kim Ji-youn points out. Crime prevention also started to focus on environmental design and ‘natural surveillance’, i.e. through ‘environmental improvements’ and the creation of ‘community awareness’. Mural villages were one angle that set this type of crime prevention in motion.
K-Dramaland’s Impact
Nice Guy (2012, episode 20)
Once relooked, the new mural villages were then in many cases directly promoted through K-Dramas, which in turn, largely fostered new economies. The influx of domestic and international tourists, however, wasn’t the only new addition to the planned improvements to residents’ lives. These “mural tourists” also brought with them new challenges, especially the “noise, garbage and privacy infringements” and “conflict over economic interests between residents” as Chung Yoon-jung and Kim Jin-A explain. Ironically, the mother of all mural villages –Ihwa Mural Village– seems to be most affected by these challenges, leading residents to destroying some of its most iconic art pieces.
But until now, the advantages seemingly still outbalance the negative side effects. Central and local governments still actively promote mural village projects and citizens form civic groups to undertake mural village projects to help raise awareness of otherwise silenced political issues, or simply to protect their neighborhood from demolition.
— Marion KDL
Visiting These Mural Villages
Are You Human (2018, episode 18)
To help you better organize your travels, we’ve decided to split these villages into those that can be easily visited in a day-trip from and inside Seoul, and those that you would need to plan in a two-day trip for visiting.
Ihwa Mural Village, nestled on a hill slope demarcated by Naksan Fortress Wall and Naksan Park, is without doubt the major K-Dramaland mural village. It has been featured in multiple dramas with characters that come here on dates, to enjoy some me-time, to pass through on their way to Naksan Park, or even those who call this place home. So it is no wonder that it made it to KDL’s 2018 end of the year review as one of the most seen neighborhoods that year.
Originally, the area now known as the mural village was a part of town where “refugees squatted after the end of the Korea War in the 1950s,” as Trent Holden mentions, and where low-earning “workers in the nearby garment and textile industries” lived in the decades to come, as Jennifer Flinn adds.
But a government-funded project — that is known under multiple names like ‘Ihwa-dong Naksan Project’, ‘Naksan Art Project’ or ‘Art in the City – Naksan Cultural Project’ (see here or here) — which ran from May to December 2006 turned this area upside down in re-looking it through murals. The murals were painted on stone walls, staircases and walking paths by an eclectic group of 68 residents, artists, college students and volunteers, with a budget of 350 million won (approx. $35,000). Sculptures were also set up as part of the project.
Rooftop Prince (2012, episode 15)
In 2013, artists were again invited to add some more artwork to the neighborhood. Simultaneously, this mural village was showcased in K-Dramas, which increased the influx of tourists in this area.
Whereas this was the wished-for effect at first, residents started to feel negative impacts as their privacy and life routines in general were intruded upon by the daily visitors. The local government thus implemented the ‘Silent Campaign’ to encourage tourists to behave in a manner that is respectful to residents when they visit. This is why signboards now remind visitors about the real people that live here, and that they should visit respectfully. But this measure seemingly did not suffice. In 2016, iconic K-Drama locations like the goldfish staircase and the flower staircase were painted over as a tourist countermeasure by the residents themselves. A recent effect study on this mural village by Kim Minkyun and Park Jina thus also shows that Ihwa Mural Village still struggles to maintain a very fragile equilibrium as “the residents are satisfied with physical maintenance of the residential environment but not with various problems caused by tourists”.
Spanning a length of 4km, Hwajeon-dong Mural Village [화전동벽화마을] has 8 mural streets of various themes spread out around the area. Originally an undeveloped area in Goyang city due to limitations in regional development, Hwajeon (previously named as such because of its many flowers — 花田洞) was given new life after residents took on this special mural project to spruce up the alleys.
Located in Incheon, Ugak-ro Mural Village [우각로문화마을] or ‘Ugakro Cultural Village’ has its origins in the same 2006-07 ‘Art in the City’ project as Ihwa Mural Village, to revitalize this part of town. What sets this mural village a little bit apart from most others is that the murals are scattered throughout the streets. Visiting this mural village is thus akin to with discovering the murals and village itself. The streets of this village are also lined with quite a number of trumpet creepers and hibiscus flower trees/bushes, which makes a visit in summer (June to October) a particular pleasure. In fact, at this time of the year, the floral murals seem to outnumber the painted murals here.
Historically, Ugak-ro [우각로] –the middle road that gives this village its name– was the only road leading to Seoul from Incheon’s Jemulpo Port (opened in 1883) and was the first road from which a nationwide road network under Gojong [고종때] was established.
Strictly speaking, Gyodong Daeryong Market [대룡시장 or 교동대룡리시장] is not a mural village per se, but this traditional market also has a mural alley, known as the ‘Mural of Memories [추억의 대룡시장 벽화골목]. This little town area thus comes with an eclectic mix of rather modern murals (and at least one fun sculpture) that depict scenes of village life, along with a film-set like traditional market that hasn’t changed much since its origins from the end of the Korean War.
Gyodong Daeryong Market is located on Incheon’s Gyodong Island [교동면] and is still one of its central market places. Once tucked away on this island, it has received a greater visibility and influx of tourists with the building of Gyodong Bridge [교동대교] in 2014, which connected the island to the main land. This also was the case with the market being showcased in two end-of-year dramas, The Legendary Witch and Rosy Lovers, at the same time. Visitors of this market highlight how it seems to be stuck in the 1960-70s and that it feels to be walking through an animated film set. Also, the geographical proximity and historical connection to North Korea of this market makes it a distinct location.
Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk Province
(2.5hrs south of Seoul by public transport)
King of Baking Kim Tak Goo (2010, episode 7)
Suamgol Mural Village [수암골 벽화마을] is located in the city of Cheongju [청주시]. Park Moon Kyou and Kim Jin-young, authors of a 2014 case study on this mural village, found that the reason Suamgol Village attracts numerous tourists is “thanks to imaging cultural contents including murals and filming locations of famous dramas”. And it is true: Since the end of each series that has filmed here, their main locations — the ‘Glory Noodle Shop’, ‘Fullmoon’ and ‘Palbong Bakery’ — have been converted into fully-functioning food and beverage outlets, and continue to be open for business till today. And it is even convenient for visiting — they are all within 1-3 mins walking distance of each other.
Donghae, Gangwon Province
(4hrs east of Seoul by public transport)
Plus Nine Boys (2014, episode 3)
Nongoldam-gil Street [동해 논골담길 or 논골담길 for short], also called Nongol Village [논골마을], is an umbrella term for a couple of streets decorated with murals in the seaside city Donghae [동해시], in South Korea’s east coast. In K-Dramaland, it is probably best known for the village to which Cha Eun-sang moved together with her mother in the final stretch of The Heirs.
In real life, Nongol Village was where people that made a living through the close-by fishing industry had settled; an industry that has since diminished. When residents started to move out of this part of town as their work prospects declined, the Donghae Cultural Center set in motion the project ‘Mukho Deungdae Damhwa’ in 2010 which focused on revitalizing this part of town through colorful murals. The project was set up in a participative approach in which the residents of the village were interviewed and their (life) stories were then painted on the walls, with the help of professional painters.
— Marion KDL
Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam Province
(3hrs east of Busan by public transport)
Padam Padam (2011-12, episode 4)
Dongpirang Mural Village [동피랑벽화마을] is located on one of Tongyeong’s hilltops, offering a splendid view over the city with its islands and harbor. It is no wonder that some of K-Dramaland residents have chosen this village as their hometown — like Kang Gon in Item (2019), Kang Ma-roo and Seo Eun-gi in Nice Guy (2012), and Yang Kang-cheol in Padam Padam (2011-12).
This part of town –consisting of “around 50 small slate and cement-block houses“– was slated to be demolished and redeveloped in 2007 (other sources say 2006) to make way for a park. When the news spread, civic group ‘Blue Tongyeong 21 (푸른통영21)’ (also known as the ‘Green Tongyeong 21 Commission’) formed in the village’s defense and held a mural contest with a grand prize of 30 million won (approx. $3,000). 36 mural artists from all over the country joined Tongyeong Major Jin Euy-ang (himself a painter) and transformed this place into the mural village it is known as today. Later, Dongpirang gained “fame as Korea’s Montmartre, drawing an average of 20-30 tourists on weekdays and 200-300 on weekends,” as Son Min-ho and Lim Jae-un explain in the Korea Joongang Daily.
— Marion KDL
Nice Guy (2012, episode 20)
We hope this blogpost has given you greater insight into Korea’s mural villages and how they’re much more than just beautiful paintings on walls — they signify a sort of artistic redemption, if you’d like, to breathe much-needed color and life back into them.
Leave us a comment and tell us about your favorite mural or mural village!
And remember: be kind when visiting, because real people live behind the walls of the houses that these murals so proudly adorn.
A PIECE OF YOUR MIND / HALF OF A HALF
[Banui Ban / 반의 반]
(tvN, 2020)
Written by Lee Sook-yun, Directed by Lee Sang-yeob
Genre: Melodrama
Production company: The Unicorn [더유니콘] & Movie Rock [ 무비락]
March 23 ~ April 28 2020 [Mon & Tues]
12 episodes [originally 16]
When a person is lost to the world, what are the words that would bring them home? When a part of you is lost, what would it take to finally achieve a peace of mind and heart? As AI programmer Moon Ha-won and classical music recording engineer Han Seo-woo search for the answers in their own lives, their paths cross in moments of happenstance. Will they find the puzzle piece (and peace) they’re looking for, in each other?
— by Mich KDL
CAST
A Piece Of Your Mind (2020, episode 10)
Note that this is not the full cast credits for this show — only those mentioned on KDL!
Moon Ha-won (Jung Hae-in) Owner, AH Laboratory & Co.
— — — — — — — Moon Soon-ho (Lee Ha-na) Ha-won’s niece, Studio Moon studio manager Kim Ji-soo (Park Joo-hyun) Ha-won’s first love Kang In-wook (Kim Sung-kyu) Ji-soo’s husband, classical pianist Choi Jin-moo (Lee Seung-joon) Recording engineer, In-wook’s friend
Han Seo-woo (Chae Soo-bin) Recording engineer, Studio Moon
— — — — — — — Jeon Eun-joo (Lee Sang-hee) Owner, Eun-joo’s boarding house Kim Chang-seob (Kang Bong-sung) Boarder and Eun-joo’s boyfriend Choi Soo-ji (Kim Nu-ri) Boarder, Eun-joo’s boarding house
Kim Min-jung (Lee Jung-eun) Boarder, Eun-joo’s boarding house
CAST CONNECTIONS
In A Piece of Your Mind, lead actress Chae Soo-bin is reunited with not just one, but two of her former cast members from 2017’s KBS2 drama Strongest Deliveryman (최강 배달꾼). Kang Bong-sung (previous role: deliveryman Byeong-soo) is Seo-woo’s college mate and homestay tenant Chang-sub, while Ye Soo-jung (previous role: shop owner Jung-im) is professional piano tuner Eun Soo-jung.
PRODUCTION: WRITER & DIRECTOR
Screenwriter: Lee Sook-yun (이숙연)
Interestingly, A Piece of Your Mind is only the second drama written by Lee Sook-yun (이숙연) — the first being 2016’s On the Way to the Airport (공항 가는 길)(KBS2). She started out writing for movies, with her first being One Fine Spring Day (2001), and her latest offering being Tune in For Love (유열의 음악앨범) (2019), which also starred Jung Hae-in. Other notable work includes the movies Bravo, My Life! (2004) and The Sword With No Name (불꽃처럼 나비처럼) (2009).
Director: Lee Sang-yeob (이상엽)
AI-themed dramas are very much familiar ground for A Piece of Your Mind’s director Lee Sang-yeob (이상엽), whose last drama work was Netflix’s My Holo Love (나 홀로 그대)(2020). After starting out co-directing the MBC daily drama What’s For Dinner? in 2009, he finally went on to direct solo with subsequent works like Mr Baek (2014), Shopping King Louis (쇼핑왕 루이) (MBC, 2016) and Familiar Wife (아는 와이프) (tvN, 2018).
FILMING LOCATIONS
When starting out watching A Piece of Your Mind, Mich and I were initially thrown off by its locations’ non-familiarity. There was certainly a coherence to everything, but where was the drama actually taking place?
If the Korean locations hadn’t already intrigued us enough, the drama takes things one step further by peppering its flashback sequences with dreamy winter wonderland scenes. This is Ha-won and Ji-soo’s ‘Norway’, where they had met as children and grew up together as teens. Thanks to Marion’s sleuthing, we found out that these scenes were actually not filmed in Norway, but over 900km away in Estonia! This personally came as a surprise to me as there would usually be articles published when a K-Drama films overseas, but there was none for this one. Amazing how some things can still be kept secret in K-Dramaland. — Mich KDL
At the beginning of episode 1, Ha-won comes home and his AI invention plays Erik Satie’s “Je te veux” (I Want You). It even explains that it was composed in 1891 before Ha-won tells it to stop. It was, indeed, one of the French composer and pianist’s most popular self-composed songs. Later, Seo-woo plays the same song at the recording studio on her last day of work and Ha-won stops in his tracks when passing by. Lead by the music, he curiously enters the building.
Brahms, Cello Sonata No. 2
In episode 7, Ha-won quizzes Seo-woo about music pieces and he tells her that it would be quite easy for him as his mother was a piano teacher. She plays this song to him and he directly points out what it is.
Jo Dong-jin (조동진) – Violet Flower (제비꽃)
In episode 11, as the AH Laboratory & Co. team tries to help Ha-won decipher the melody that his late mother used to play on the piano, it is psychologist Dr Song Jin-sun (Kim Soo-jin) who manages to put a title to the tune: the late contemporary folk music pioneer Jo Dong-jin’s ‘Violet Flower’, which was the title track of his third album of the same name, released in 1985. The version he performs in 1992 was with Jang Pil-sun, his sister-in-law.
You smiled as you told me How the smallest things made you cry Mmm~
너는 웃으면 내게 말했지
아주 작은 일에도 눈물이 나와
음 음 음 음 음 음 음
As she had promised, Seo-woo practises the song and plays part of it for Ha-won to hear. Though she had claimed that she’s “not a good singer”, she shyly sang part of the first verse:
You smiled as you told me How you want to fly far away like a bird Mmm~
너는 웃으며 내게 말했지
아주 멀리 새처럼 날으고 싶어
음 음 음 음 음 음 음
LITERARY REFERENCES
A Piece of Your Mind (2020, episode 1)
Poem ‘Misiryeong Sunset (미시령 노을)’ by Lee Sung-sun (이성선)
The short 5-line poem Misiryeong Sunset (미시령 노을) by Lee Sung-sun (이성선) is a sort of narrative thread weaving parts of A Piece of Your Mind together. First and foremost, this poem is part of Ji-soo’s and Ha-won’s secret language. When living as teenagers in Norway, they often said it out loud, taking turns at each line, as seen in episode 1. They also used it as a sort of mantra against their fear when walking through the deep winter forest to and from school. It is also this poem that Ji-soo recites into the microphone when being recorded by Seo-woo — also in episode 1.
A single leaf Lands on the shoulder Without making a sound Cosmos laid its hand on me It was very light.
나뭇잎 하나가
아무 기척도 없이 어깨에
툭 내려앉는다
내 몸에 우주가 손을 얹었다
너무 가볍다
In episode 10, In-wook is revealed to have named his piano composition ‘Misiryung Sunset’, in memory of Ji-soo and her love for the sunset at Misiryeong. It is also at this mountain top that Ji-soo had told Ha-won that she gets married. The score for this piece was composed by Jeon Jong-hyuk and Nam Hye-seung, with In-wook also being credited in the official A Piece of Your Mind soundtrack.
A Piece of Your Mind (2020, episode 6)
Poem ‘Graffiti (낙서)’ by Park Jun (박준)
Min-jung goes to Studio Moon in episode 6 to do a recording with Seo-woo. As part of the session, she reads out an excerpt of the poem Graffiti (낙서) written by poet and editor Park Jun (박준). The poem featured in his best-selling 2012 anthology I Took Your Name as Medicine (당신의 이름을 지어다가 며칠은 먹었다).
I thought it was the end for me as well as this winter,
so I went to Namhae without any plans.
It was already Spring there.
Sea bass, trout, and blue crabs were in season.
저도 끝이고 겨울도 끝이다 싶어
무작정 남해로 간 적이 있었는데요
거기는 벌써 봄이 와서농어도 숭어도 꽃게도 제철이었습니다
In episode 9, a teenage Ha-won (Nam Da-reum) in Norway holds a copy of Critique of Pure Reason (Die Kritik der reinen Vernunft) by German philosopher Immanuel Kant, as he awaits the return of his mother.
SOCIO-CULTURAL REFERENCES
A Piece of Your Mind (2020, episode 8)
Banbogi Or: Meeting half-way
The act of banbogi (반보기) was an early Korean practice in which family members living in other villages to “meet in the middle” — particularly, as Ha-won explains to Seo-woo in episode 8, “when a married woman wanted to meet her mother, she would meet her briefly at a point exactly midway between their homes”. He suggests that they banbogi as well, and they do, with Wau Overpass serving as their midpoint.
Spring Snow (봄눈/春雪)
“Everything with the word ‘spring’ is pretty: Spring snow, spring night, spring-ache. You know, in springtime, you ache all over your body because of loneliness,” shares Seo-woo in episode 9, as Ha-won listens on. This was the moment that they were both observing the morning after the first snow in spring: a typical phenomenon in South Korea, which has inspired the titles of movies or K-pop songs, for instance.
The mention of ‘spring night’ (봄밤) can also be seen as a reference to One Spring Night — the 2019 MBC drama that starred A Piece of Your Mind lead actor Jung Hae-in.
Nurungji (누룽지)
Ha-won visits Seo-woo’s house in episode 9 but encounters Jeon Eun-joo (Lee Sang-hee) instead. After hearing that he has an upset stomach, she cooks scorched rice porridge for him. “When your stomach doesn’t feel comfortable, scorched rice porridge is the best,” Eun-joo tells Ha-won, as she ushers him to eat.
Scorched rice, or nurungji (누룽지), is the term to describe the thin crust that remains at the bottom of the pot of cooked rice, which is also featured in several South Korean dishes. Interestingly, nurungji is considered to have effective medical benefits and is even mentioned in the medical book Dongui Bogam (동의보감) –compiled by royal physician Heo Jun (1539–1615)– as a remedy “when food does not swallow easily, upsets the stomach and induces vomiting”.
Gifting Red Underwear to Parents With First Paycheck
In episode 9, Seo-woo gifts Eun-joo, whom she considers as a mother-figure, a red cardigan that she bought with her first paycheck. In doing so, Seo-woo continues a tradition here (with a contemporary twist) that started as far back as the 1960s in South Korea. This tradition consists of gifting one’s parents with red long johns purchased with the salary received from one’s first job — and thus red underwear became a symbol for filial piety. According to The Grand Narrative, one of the explanations as to why this tradition started with red-colored long johns is that before floor heating became more conventional, people wore long underwear at night and red-colored underwear was the most expensive one at the time. The red cardigan here that Seo-woo has chosen as a gift is a little variation in terms of type of clothes, but still clearly delivering the same meaning.
A Piece Of Your Mind (2020, episode 11)
Bap-sim (밥심) — The Power of Cooked Rice
“Uncle! Rice is a Korean’s strength!” wrote Soon-ho on a post-it note that Ha-won finds on his rice cooker when he heads back to his apartment in episode 11. Indeed, rice is such a staple food in South Korea that many even use its Korean word (밥, bap) to ask after someone (“Have you eaten?” — 밥 먹었어요? bap mogosseoyo?) or to indicate the start of a meal (“Let’s eat.” — 밥먹자. bap mokja).
As this Quora answer explains, eating is central to a Korean’s well-being, and much strength can be drawn from a good meal. Despite how Ha-won had felt after his confrontation with In-wook, Soon-ho believed that nothing was more important than making sure that her beloved uncle was well fed — and that he would gain strength from it too.
At KDL, our readers often reach out to us in search of one specific location they’re curious about, or wish to visit on their next trip to South Korea.
While we do our utmost best to help, there will occasionally be cases in which our searches elude us. This could either be because the drama’s not currently on our watch list (and may not ever be), or that the location is new to us and isn’t one that we recognise off the bat, like we do for many of the location staples we have on the site. (At times, it could even be the quality of the screenshots… but let’s not blame the equipment, shall we.)
Born Again (2020, episode 1)
This is why we’ve decided to add a new feature here on our blog: the KDL Treasure Hunt! This is an opportunity for us to tap on the collective think-tank that’s reading this very post, because we’ll be able to cover more ground when we join forces! And who knows? You might just be the one to give us the answer. Aside from readers’ requests, we’ll also put up some of the locations that we’ve been hunting for in recent, or long-time dramas.
Since cherry blossoms are still in season on our screens, we thought we’d start our Treasure Hunt with this location:
Cherry Blossom Site
This KDL reader reached out to us about finding a particular cherry blossom alley, telling us: “I’m looking forward to visiting the place because it is too gorgeous!”
SCENE
Episode 16, very last scene
Ending scene where Cha Yu-ri (Kim Tae-hee) bids farewell with Midongdaek (Yoon Sa-bong).
(Note: the same locations is seen in the Epilogue)
MORE SCENE SCREENSHOTS
“Heights Mansion”
This one’s from both of us! It’s something we’ve been trying to track down for a while now — can you help?
SCENE
Various episodes; seen as Oh Yun-seo’s (Yoo In-na) apartment exterior. (The building seen in the show’s wide-shots is Hyosung Village [효성빌리지], but the gate above does not correspond with the its actual exterior. Also, note the ‘S-Class’ sign near the security post.)
If social distancing is still very much a part of your life, we feel you. This would mark the second month –or even a third for some– since much of the world went under lockdown.
Touch Your Heart (2019, episode 7)
In some way, watching dramas in the current context makes me (Mich) become more acutely aware of the physical spaces between characters, or even the lack of. Watching back on dramas that aired in pre-Covid times also gives me a tinge of envy, seeing as how people within had the freedom to meet with their friends as they pleased, and were able to fearlessly roam around with nary a care in the world.
Born Again (2020, episode 4)
Being able to step out of the house is considered a privilege now, and only when absolutely necessary. As for social distancing, it’s considered a very necessary measure to keep people –especially those most vulnerable– as safe as possible.
Whatever the case it is where you are, we hope that being immersed in your favorite K-Drama — whether currently airing or complete — will still bring you some comfort and solace during these challenging times. We’re always just a comment or an email away if you’d like to discuss them!
OUR HIGHLIGHTS
Find Me In Your Memory (2020, episode 22)
What a joy it is to be able to see cherry blossoms fill our screens again! To find out more about the meaning behind these flowers or to start planning next year’s trip (one can always hope, right?), take a look at our evergreen cherry blossoms in K-Dramas blogpost to learn more.
A Piece Of Your Mind (2020, episode 9)
Though shortened by 2 weeks (sob), Marion and I still very much enjoyed A Piece of Your Mind and its calm and thoughtful winter-to-spring feels. If you’re experiencing withdrawals the way we are, hopefully our overview of the series will bring you some solace.
Touch Your Heart (2019, episode 7)
We’ve also put up our very first ‘Treasure Hunt’, in which we get you to join us in our search for locations that either we, or fellow readers, are searching for. Any idea where the two locations in this edition could be?
OUR FAVORITE STAPLES
Mystic Pop Up Bar (2020, Teaser 1)
Gaon Culture Park [가온문화공원] is back in full force and judging by Mystic Pop Up Bar‘s teaser, it is here to stay for a while.
Find Me In Your Memory (2020, episode 18)
A rare K-drama scene that features the driveway of the Forest of Wisdom [지혜의숲], instead of the signature wooden bookshelves in the library itself.
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 2)
Among the number of familiar places featured in the first 2 episodes of When My Love Blooms, this is probably the first time the Charles H. Bar and Restaurant Kioku at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul [포시즌스호텔] were both featured in the same drama!
Instead of highlighting a particular area this time round, we’ve chosen to feature a special type of neighborhood: Mural Villages. If you are looking for another way to daydream and depart on a virtual cultural vacation, this new overview on mural villages in K-Dramaland is a must read for you. Discover how K-Drama tourism is a boon and bane for these neighborhoods.
NEWLY ADDED FILMING LOCATIONS
Born Again (2020, episode 1)
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
The Beauty Inside (2018), ♡ added by Marion KDL
— Coming to watch a movie [E4]: COEX [코엑스]* *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
Usually, we fill this section with introductory notes, as you know.
This time, we would simply like to say thanks.
Thank you Chelle for supplying us with Hospital Playlist, Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim, The World of the Married, The Fiery Priest, Sky Castle and Lookout locations.
Thanks to sarahms for spicing up our list of Hyena and The King: Eternal Monarch locations.
Thanks to Lr for taking care of KDL’s history section (and its film sets), adding important information on all these places, and not letting us off the hook until the information is crystal-clear correct.
Thanks to rew4u4r for adding contours to the When the Weather is Fine dramascape.
Thank you to Lyra for Oh My Baby, The King: Eternal Monarch and Soul Mechanic additions.
Thank you wjdwpdl for a crucial The World of the Married add-on.
Thank you to raregem for the Mystic Pop-Up Bar and Kkondae Intern additions.
Thanks to deanekitty for the additional Leverage locations.
Last but not least, thank you, Thom, for letting us all know how some of the locations look in real life, for cracking the hard-to-solve K-Dramaland’s location cases, and adding on to locations of The King: Eternal Monarch, Itaewon Class, Sweet Munchies, Where Stars Land, Hotel Del Luna, Born Again and The World of the Married.
Without all of you, KDL would not be what it is.
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 6)
OUR HIGHLIGHTS
Hi Bye, Mama! (2020, episode 16)
KDL’s Treasure Hunt #1 was a huge success! This time, it were Thom Musni and danuncy who solved the ‘cases’. Hands down and many thanks to both of them.
Touch Your Heart (2019, episode 7)
OUR FAVORITE STAPLES
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 2)
Seogang Bridge [서강대교] has shown itself from a different angle recently –that is without its signature red metal arch– and it is still a lovely sight to see.
Kkondae Intern (2020, episode 3)
This restaurant has been with us for at least since seven years, and its two 2020 sightings remind us that it is here to stay: Seogang 8-kyoung [서강8경]
When The Weather Is Fine brought us the fictional village of Bukhyeon. Main locations that wove this village together are its main street with its bus stop, its citizen center, and a village trail, Im Eun-seob’s parents’ house, his hut in the woods, as well as his Good Night Bookstore and the neighboring Hodu House — Mok Hae-won aunt’s guest house.
But as said: Bukyeon is fictional and in real life South Korean geography, these places are scattered across four villages across the two provinces Chungcheongbuk and Gangwon. There is the village of Dowon [Dowon-ri/도원리] (home to the majority of Bukyeon’s locations) and its neighboring village of Docheon [Docheon-ri/도천리] (home to Eun-seop’s parents’ house), Jejang Village [제장마을] (stay tuned!) and finally the village of Galjeon [Galjeon-ri/갈전리].
The latter is home to Hodu House (a private home in real life) and was home to The Good Night Bookstore. Yes, one of K-Dramaland’s most epic bookstores is no longer. It was torn down right after filming has ended. A sign, probably, that no drama tourism is wished for in this village?
Address of Hodu House (for the record, still)
356-12 Galjeon-gil, Hajang-myeon, Samcheog, Gangwon-do, Südkorea
강원도 삼척시 하장면 갈전길 356-12
(강원 삼척시 하장면 갈전리 479)
Geolocation: 37.378017, 128.890758
NEWLY ADDED FILMING LOCATIONS
Hyena (2020, episode 16)
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
— Cafe Autrui [오트뤼](new tenant; now known as Hwang Cafe)
— Coba [코바] (new tenant; now known as Sinuiju Budaejjigae — Biwon Branch [신의주 부대찌개 비원점])
— Bukchon-ro 5na-gil [북촌로5나길](formerly listed under ‘Staircase Samcheong-ro’)
WHEN MY LOVE BLOOMS /
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOMENT IN LIFE
[Hwayangyeonhwa: Salmi Kkochi Dweneun Soongan /
화양연화 – 삶이 꽃이 되는 순간 / 花样年华]
(tvN, 2020)
Written by Jeon Hee-young, Directed by Son Jung-hyun
Genre: Melodrama
Production company: Studio Dragon [스튜디오드래곤], Bon Factory [본팩토리]
April 25 ~ June 14 2020 [Sat & Sun]
16 episodes
When 20s university freshman Yoon Ji-soo first encounters senior Han Jae-hyun during a student rally that turns awry, she falls almost instantly for his unassuming, caring nature. So begins a story of young love in a time of instability, marred by a class divide and an uncertain future. Over 20 years later, Ji-soo and Jae-hyun cross paths again. Will they choose to rekindle the love of their youth, or will the scars of their adulthood and the weight they bear from their respective marriages, continue to keep them apart?
— by Mich KDL
SHOW TITLE
The show’s hanja title ‘花样年华/花樣年華’ (Huāyàng niánhuá) is exactly the same as the 2000 Hong Kong romance movie In The Mood For Love. According to the movie’s Wikipedia page, this phrase means “‘the age of blossoms’ or ‘the flowery years’ – a Chinese metaphor for the fleeting time of youth, beauty and love”. The title was said to have been “derive[d] from a song of the same name” that was sung by singer Zhou Xuan (周璇) in the 1946/7 Hong Kong film An All-Consuming Love (長相思), which she also starred in. It is also widely known as being the title of two of BTS’ extended play albums, released in April 2015 and November 2015 respectively.
On the drama’s title, main actress Lee Bo-young says of it in an interview for Cosmopolitan’s April 2020 issue: “This drama has absolutely nothing to do with the movie. Instead, [the phrase ‘Hwa Yang Yeon Hwa’] only contains the meaning of ‘the most beautiful and happiest moment in life’.”
CAST
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 13)
Note that this is not the full cast credits for this show — only those mentioned on KDL!
Han Jae-hyun (Yoo Ji-tae) Vice President, Hyung Sung Co., husband to
Jang Seo-kyung, father to Jun-seo
— — — — — — — Han Jae-hyun (20s) (Park Jin-young) University student, activist, Ji-soo’s first love Jang Seo-kyung (Park Si-yeon) Hyunsung CEO, Jae-hyun’s wife Lee Dong-jin (Min Sung-wook) Jae-hyun’s best friend from university
(younger version: Eun Hae-seong) Sung Hwa-jin (Kim Joo-ryung) Jae-hyun’s university friend
(younger version: Han Ji-won)
Yoon Ji-soo (Lee Bo-young) Pianist, wife to Lee Se-hoon (separated),
mother to Young-min
— — — — — — — Yoon Ji-soo (20s) (Jeon So-nee) University student, Jae-hyun’s first love Lee Se-hoon (Kim Young-hoon) lawyer, Ji-soo’s husband (separated) Joo Young-woo (Lee Tae-sung) Ji-soo’s university friend, has a crush on her (younger version: Byung-hyun)
Yang Hye-jung (Woo Jung-won) Ji-soo’s best friend from university
(younger version: Park Han-sol)
Cast connections
It turns out that Lee Tae-sung, who plays Joo Young-woo –Yoon Ji-soo’s best friend who continues to harbour a crush on her since college– in this drama, has already had his time as a couple with Lee Bo-young! They were first paired up nearly 10 years ago, in MBC’s family drama Hooray For Love (애정만만세) (2011-12).
Cast Tidbits
In an Osen article, PD Son stated: “The ‘fatal’ flaw in our drama is the height difference between Yoo Ji-tae and Park Jin-young.” — the young and old version of Han Jae-hyun. “We are convincing each other,” he continued, “that Jae Hyun wrongfully took some kind of supplement when he was in college, so he became that tall.”
With regard to main actress Lee Bo-young, he explained in the same interview: “Actually, Lee Bo-young was originally not in the cast list because at that time, she just gave birth to her second baby… so I did not send her an invitation. However, after that, I learned that the drama summaries and scripts were piled up in Lee Bo Young’s postpartum maternity center. Thus, we believed that she should look over so we sent her the script. That night, we sent her four scripts. I heard that she cried while reading them and quickly accepted to join this drama.”
PRODUCTION: WRITER & DIRECTOR
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 8)
Screenwriter: Jeon Hee-young (전희영)
Very little is known about Jeon Hee-young (전희영) (also: Jun Hee-young); it appears that When My Love Blooms is her very first drama.
Director: Son Jung-hyun (손정현)
Son Jung-hyun (손정현) started out as an assistant director for the 2000 SBS drama Pardon (용서), and was a co-director between 2004-5 for dramas like Lovers in Paris (파리의 연인)(SBS, 2004). His first solo directing foray was for the 2007 SBS drama Crazy For You (사랑에 미치다), and he continued on with others like Temptation of an Angel (천사의 유혹) (SBS, 2009) and Protect the Boss (보스를 지켜라) (SBS, 2011). From 2012, he was credited as a producer for 2012-14 dramas like Rooftop Prince (옥탑방 왕세자) (SBS, 2012) and The Master’s Sun (주군의 태양) (SBS, 2013), before jumping back into directing from 2016. Before When My Love Blooms, his last drama project was 2018’s Should We Kiss First (키스 먼저 할까요) (SBS). (source).
At the live-streamed press conference for the drama When My Love Blooms, director Son stated: “I personally believe romance is the most fundamental genre of television drama. Though love might be a really common theme, I wanted to portray a warm and nostalgic love.” He made a similar comment in another interview: “Our drama is called by the assistant director as ‘adult romance part 2’. Everything went in that direction even though we didn’t do it on purpose.” Son ended by saying: “If having to explain this drama by just a sentence, we suppose that this work is like an addictive kimbap in Gwangjang market. Kimbap is a popular dish and there are many films taking first love as the theme. However, watching our drama, people might want to continue like when they enjoy delicious kimbap.”
FILMING LOCATIONS
There is a certain sense of nostalgia that lingers on in the locations of When My Love Blooms; the kind that can be seen, and the kind that can be felt. Some locations clearly pay homage through the modern upkeep of its retro aesthetics (the 90s cinema and railway station being stellar examples), while others exude calm familiarity even in longing, like memories of an old friend or flame etched in time. The show does well in this juxtaposition, along with its overall location consistency, creating a world that the characters –and maybe even the viewers– can’t help but to look back on fondly. — Mich KDL
We are putting together a list of the music, movies, books and poems seen and heard in When My Love Blooms — be sure to watch out for our comprehensive blogpost, coming soon!
SOUTH KOREA OF THE 90s
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 1)
Also in the works — our blogpost on seeing South Korea of the 90s through the eyes of When My Love Blooms.
K-DRAMA REFERENCES
HER PRIVATE LIFE (2019)
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 12)
While watching TV alone at home in episode 12, Ji-soo appears to be watching Her Private Life, with Ryan Gold (Kim Jae-wook) seen heading to the door of his apartment.
SOCIO-CULTURAL REFERENCES
Tofu as Protection From Prison
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 1)
When being released from prison after four years in episode 1, the older Jae-hyun is received by his secretary Kang Joon-woo (Kang Young-seok) with a block of tofu on a white plate. “I don’t believe superstitions are always bad,” his secretary comments, to which Jae-hyun retorts, as he eats and chucks away a piece: “They are not. But it doesn’t taste nice. I am sick of beans and tofu.” The superstition that Jae-hyun’s secretary refers to here is that one will never return to prison when they eat pure tofu right after their release. The tofu is also often brought in a black plastic bag that highlights more of its “purity”, i.e. the white color of the tofu.
In episode 4, Joo Young-woo (Lee Tae-sung) brings tofu for Ji-soo when she’s released from the police cell, after being arrested for participating in a protest against Hyung Sung letting off contract workers.
Spider Superstitions
As she leaves after buying groceries at Jaha Super [자하슈퍼], in episode 1, Yoon Ji-soo (Lee Bo-young) lets the owner know that she will have a “special visitor”, judging from the spider spotted at the corner of the ceiling. The old lady mishears it as ‘ghost’, but Ji-soo corrects her gently: “Not a ghost (귀신). A special visitor (귀인). A morning spider means a special visitor. Evening spiders mean robbers.”
Another variation of a Korean spider superstition can be found here.
Online Tapgol Park (온라인 탑골공원)
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 8)
When Jae-hyun asks Secretary Kang for help to buy a tape player, the latter comments about how he’s probably “also visiting the Online Tapgol Park”. After he’s asked where it is, an amused Secretary Kang patiently explains: “It’s not a real place. It’s an online website. It’s where you walk down memory lane while watching music shows from the 90s.”
Named after the real Tapgol Park [탑골공원] in Jongno, which is frequented by seniors, ‘Online Tapgol Park’ is exactly how Secretary Kang explained it to Jae-hyun. As elaborated on in this article, this is part of a retro or ‘newtro’ trend that began in late-2018, when first generation K-Pop idols started reuniting for commemorative concerts, with some –like Sechkies— continuing their activities. It was also spurred on in part by SBS launching a 24-hour stream ‘Kpop Classic’ YouTube channel in celebration of the broadcaster’s 30th anniversary this year. This has given those who grew up between the late 80s-early 00s a chance to reminisce on the singers, groups and songs from those eras, along with fellow viewers.
KDL CREDITS
Locations: Mich KDL, Marion KDL
* * *
Any other information to add? Or any thoughts about the drama and its locations?
Let us know in the comments!
“Movies, music, and books. You name it. Our era was the golden era.” — Han Jae-hyun, episode 9
There’s something about the past that makes us long for it on occasion, especially when we listen to a song, or read a passage that triggers memories from a certain time of our lives. This parallel can also be seen in When My Love Blooms through the music, movies, books and poems that fill the hearts and minds of the characters who identify with them most — particularly so in the era filled with “the most beautiful and happiest moments in life”.
As we were tracking the various media references that appeared throughout the drama, we managed to find a number of English articles and commentaries on certain Korean songs and books, an indication of interest in the music and literary arts from that time.
We hope that these will give you a taste of the sights and sounds of the 90s in South Korea, and maybe bring you on a trip down your own memory lane.
Note: Please prepare yourself for a long read! The references are mostly listed in their respective order of appearance in the drama. Also, due to possible copyright issues, the music heard in the drama may vary by streaming platform; this could explain why some songs may not be heard in certain versions.
As an ode to its retro setting, many of the songs featured in When My Love Blooms were released in the 1970s-90s, whether locally in South Korea or overseas. As pointed out by this Korea Herald article, this drama is just one of the few 2020s series that joined the ‘newtro’ music trend, which “repopularizes songs from the 90s” by featuring them in the drama itself, or on its official soundtrack (OST).
Like on the First Day
Singer: André Gagnon
Album: Impressions
Year: 1983
Original Title: Comme au Premier Jour
This song can be heard throughout the drama, as it holds great meaning to both Han Jae-hyun and Yoon Ji-soo in both timelines. The older Ji-soo (Lee Bo-young) also plays it as part of her repertoire in her present-day part-time hotel gig.
Though it’s implied that the song is from the soundtrack of the movie Love Letter (see: Movie References), the original piece was composed by Canadian musician André Gagnon from his 1983 album Impressions. This album was released simultaneously that year in Canada, Japan and Australia. Subsequently, it was featured as the accompanying music in the 1994 song Dites moi (Tell me) by French/Canadian singer Roch Voisine, which featured on his album Coup de tête.
The award-winning Gagnon is also known for composing music in television shows and feature films, such as The Pianist (1991).
Singer: Deulgeukhwa (들국화)
Album: March (행진)
Year: 1985
A young Yoon Ji-soo (Jeon So-nee) picks up the cassette tape Han Jae-hyun (Jin-young of GOT7) drops after their encounter at the university, and she heads to Hwanggujicheon Stream [황구지천] in episode 2 to listen to it under the cherry blossoms. She smiles as she hears him test out the chords and asks himself wryly if this is “music or math”. He then clears his throat and sings this part of this song, while ad-libbing the rest:
Today, all of us are gathered here like this to wish you happiness for your future
오늘 이렇게 우리 모두가 한자리에 모여
당신의 앞길을 축복합니다
The song is heard again briefly in final episode 16, also as a birthday song.
This acoustic song was featured on Deulgukhwa’s first album March (행진), released in 1985. It can be listened to here. In their heyday, the rock band was considered to be “the Beatles of Korea” and March being “the greatest rock album in K-pop history”, placing second in The Greatest 100 Korean Albums of All Time list (2018) by music provider Melon. They had continued to perform and record music even as recently as 2013 when they released their eponymous album Deulgukhwa, but announced that they were disbanding for good after the sudden death of their drummer. Their singer, Jeon In-kwon, was one of the four legendary singers who sang John Lennon’s Imagine at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics opening ceremony.
Singer: Jung Wonyoung (정원영)
Album: The Days Gone (가버린 날들)
Year: 1993
This is the song that Jae-hyun had secretly learnt to play on the guitar, which he then plays to Ji-soo over the phone in episode 5. Later in the episode, he teaches her the song on the guitar. The instrumental guitar song was featured on his first album The Days Gone (가버린 날들), which was released on June 1, 1993. Listen to the song here.
Singer: Yang Hee-eun (양희은)
Album: 고운노래모음
Year: 1973
When stumbling upon Jae-hyun alone with Ji-soo in the ‘sacred’ clubroom in episode 5, Lee Dong-jin (Eun Hae-seong) attempts to come between them by making them listen to the only song he can play on the guitar (and one he’s played over and over) — Yang Hee-eun’s Impossible Love:
Your silence and my dry lips My footprints frozen by your cold gaze As you turned around, instead of saying ‘I love you’ The only words you said were ‘Goodbye, goodbye’ This was a love that couldn’t come true
너의 침묵에 메마른 나의 입술
차가운 네 모습에 얼어 붙은 내 발자국
돌아서는 나에게 사랑한단 말대신에
안녕 안녕 목메인 그 한마디
이루어질 수 없는 사랑이었기에
The song, which was released on Yang’s 1973 album 고운노래모음, can be listened to here. According to this English commentary about the song, it was reportedly “banned for the lyrics that said love was impossible”. It also regained its popularity when actor Kwon Sang-woo sang it in the 2004 movie Once Upon A Time in High School (말죽거리 잔혹사).
Singer: Yoo Jae-ha (유재하)
Album: Because I Love You (사랑하기 때문에)
Year: 1987
When older Jae-hyun (Yoo Ji-tae) pays his mother a visit in episode 6, he finds out that her old radio had stopped working. She then requests for him to sing this song for her, probably as he had done so many years before:
The day you left me, what used to be pink in my heart All our memories turned pale Yesterday, I hated myself for not being able to forget you But now I realize that I was all yours For you, for returning to me, I will give you my everything We will stay like this forever, we will never part
내 곁을 떠나가던 날 가슴에 품었던 분홍빛의
수많은 추억들이 푸르게 바래졌소
어제는 떠난 그대를 잊지 못하는 내가 미웠죠
하지만 이젠 깨달아요 그대만의 나였음을
다시 돌아온 그댈 위해 내 모든 것 드릴 테요
우리 이대로 영원히 헤어지지 않으리
On an evening walk in episode 9, Jae-hyun tells Ji-soo about how he had “just sang” the song to his mother, “ignoring all pitch and rhythm”, and gently turns Ji-soo down when she asks for him to sing it to her too.
The song, which is also the name of Yoo’s first LP album released in 1987 (a CD version was released in 1988), can be listened to here. This was his one and only album has he died in a car accident just months before its release. It placed first in The Greatest 100 Korean Albums of All Time list (2018) by music provider Melon.
Singer: Kim Chang-wan
Album: Kim Chang-wan’s New Vacation (김창완의 새로운 여행)
Year: 1987
As Jae-hyun listens to the radio in episode 6 while lying down i, the DJ reads a letter from a fan of her show, which started with a quote from the movie Running On Empty (see Movie References): “‘Ride the bicycle. You’re on your own path.’ …To my loved one who’s fighting a lonely battle, I want to say this along with these lines. Sunbae, you should be on your own path.” Jae-hyun gets up with a start and begins to tear up when he realises who’d written those words and what they mean. The song chosen to accompany the letter? Kim Chang-wan’s Goodbye.
Later in the episode, Ji-soo tunes into the final broadcast of evening programme ‘FM Movies and Music’ on 31 March 1995. “We met as the flowers bloomed, and parted as the flowers fell. That was not our first encounter, and that won’t be our last farewell,” the radio DJ says in her parting remarks, and plays Goodbye as her literal swan song. Coupled with the meaning this song holds in her separation from Jae-hyun, the mere mention of this song’s made Ji-soo break down uncontrollably.
You can listen to ‘Goodbye’ here — note that Kim’s vocals start from the 2:18 mark.
Also, if the name ‘Kim Chang-wan’ seems familiar, that’s because the singer-songwriter is also a radio DJ and an actor, who was most recently seen in Find Me In Your Memory (2020).
Singer: Jang Hye-jin (장혜진)
Album: Before The Party
Year: 1994
In episode 7, Ji-soo takes up best friend Hye-jung’s (Woo Jung-won) suggestion to kill time by heading to the coin karaoke. The one and only song she chooses to sing is the melancholic One Late Night in 1994 — an uncannily apt choice that sums up how things ended with Jae-hyun back in the day:
Tonight I couldn’t
tell you with words
forgive me for writing
my feelings on a paper
For some time
I was crazy to the point I was afraid
I don’t know if I regret
this image of me
But my dear
Even if you forget everything else
I hope you remember this much
Just how much
I’m in love with you
Just how much I love you
오늘밤 그대에게
말로 할 수가 없어서
이런 마음을 종이위에
글로 쓴 걸 용서해
한참을 그대에게
겁이 날 만큼 미쳤었지
그런 내 모습
이제는 후회할지 몰라
하지만 그대여
다른 것 다 잊어도
이것만은 기억했으면 좋겠어
내가 그대를 얼만큼
사랑하고 있는지를
사랑하는지를
Jang’s song, which originally featured on the 1994 album Before The Party, can be listened to here. It was subsequently also featured in her ‘best of’ album Golden Best (1997) and her 6th album “It’S My Life” (2001).
Singer: Kim Hyun-sik (김현식)
Album: Kim Hyun-sil Vol. 4 (김현식 Vol.4)
Year: 1988
After Jae-hyun was brought away by the military police in episode 8 for evading his draft, Ji-soo returns to their hideout to collect his belongings, as he had asked her to. Among his belongings was his Walkman, and when she plugged it in to listen, she heard a soulful acoustic rendition of this song, recorded by Jae-hyun himself:
One starry night, I hear your voice
I wish to become white pollen and land on your flower
As I look up at the night sky
I feel your breath
I wish to take a small boat and sail on your lake
If you were to leave my side
I will follow you to the end, my love
Then, I will hold you in my arms and close my eyes
I will hold you in my arms and share dreams of love
별 헤는 밤이면
들려오는 그대의 음성
하얗게 부서지는 꽃가루 되어
그대 꽃 위에 앉고 싶어라
밤하늘 보면서
느껴보는 그대의 숨결
두둥실 떠가는 쪽배를 타고
그대 호수로 가고 싶어라
만일 그대 내 곁을 떠난다면
끝까지 따르리
저 끝까지 따르리 내 사랑
그대 내 품에
안겨 눈을 감아요
그대 내 품에
안겨 사랑의 꿈 나눠요
Later in the episode, the older Jae-hyun listens to the same album on an old tape he’d carefully kept, with a cassette player Secretary Kang (Kang Young-seok) had acquired for him, at his request.
In episode 9, Jae-hyun records this song at best friend Dong-jin’s ‘soundproof’ office as part of a surprise event for Ji-soo. When they meet in the evening at a park along the Seoul Fortress Wall, his recorded song plays over the loudspeakers as the path they walk on is illuminated with each step they take, thanks to the lights he had installed. All of this leads up to him declaring to Ji-soo that he would return to her.
The song, which featured on Kim’s 4th album released on 30 September 1988, can be listened to here.
“It was my dad that first taught me to play the piano,” explains adult Ji-soo to Jae-hyun while on an evening walk in episode 9, adding that it was this song that he’d taught her, “slowly, with one hand”. Later, as Ji-soo visits her father at the nursing home and brings him for a walk, she hears the sound of a piano in the direction of the art room. She wheels him in and sees (and hears) someone playing this song on the piano. It turns out to be Jae-hyun, who had donated the piano to the home as “it would be good for the patients”, but more in hopes that Ji-soo would play it. This is also when Ji-soo gets an indirect compliment from her father, who tells her (thinking she is a nurse) that his daughter played the piano very well.
Singer: Light & Salt (빛과소금)
Album: Light & Salt 2 (빛과소금2)
Year: 1991
While outside Ji-soo’s house in episode 11, Jae-hyun turns on the radio and this song –which features on the band’s 1991 album Light & Salt 2 (빛과소금2)— plays on the station ‘FM Music City’. He spends a lonely night listening to this song while sitting on the porch, not knowing that Ji-soo was on the other side of the gate, pained to not be able to reach for him.
According to this commentary (which also has an English translation of the lyrics), the song is described as “a solemn and gloomy song”. “When I listen to this song,” the writer says, “I always picture a very young, devastated, lonely but still happy (because he is in love!) man.” The irony, however, is that the only thing that evaded our fair couple at that point, was happiness. Listen to the songhere.
*This song may not feature in some streamed versions of the drama (varies by platform), possibly due to copyright issues. André Gagnon’s Like On The First Day may be heard in place of it in the ep 11 scene. This song may also be heard in ep 7 when Jae-hyun and Ji-soo meet at Gimpo Airport.
After Ji-soo and Hye-jung leave Young-woo’s LP bar in episode 12, he stays behind and pensively listens to this song on vinyl, while thinking back on the moments he had shared with Ji-soo.
“Why did you come to pick me up?” Ji-soo asks Jae-hyun in episode 14, as they walked together in the rain. His reply came in the form of a song lyric: “Because it’s raining, and I felt my energy wasn’t so great.” This reference made Ji-soo laugh and tease Jae-hyun for being an ‘oldie’.
The original Korean lyrics (비도 오고 기분도 그렇고 해서) comes from the song I Just Walked by the late singer Lim Jong-hwan, who passed away from a terminal illness in 2010, at the age of 46. The title track of his 2nd album Reggae, the song was arguably one of his most popular hits, even achieving first place in SBS’s ‘TV Gayo 20’ (TV가요20) live music chart show on 10 July 1994. Watch a clip of this performance here, or listen to the original song recording here.
Singer: Kim Jang-hoon (김장훈)
Album: I Just Sang My Song (노래만 불렀지)
Year: 1996
While on a bus in episode 15, young Ji-soo and Jae-hyun listen to this song together on a Walkman. She observes how emotional the song seems to make him, leading her to tease him after they alight and walk.
When Jae-hyun is warded in the hospital later in the episode, Ji-soo sings part of this song while doodling on his cast:
When the sunshine is so bright it hurts
When the rain won’t stop pouring When I’m happy as a banner flying high When I’m sad as a train leaving the station
That is where I go Where the blue sky opens up Where the sun sets behind the hill That is where I go Where I find green smiles So that even my heart is warm with love
난 거기엘 가지 파란 하늘이 열린 곳
태양이 기우는 저 언덕 너머로
난 거기엘 가지 초록색 웃음을 찾아
내 가슴속까지 따뜻한 사랑을 느끼게
The song, which featured on Kim’s 3rd album, can be listened to here. Note, however, that the album was only released in September 1996 — which means that Ji-soo and Jae-hyun could not have listened to it in November 1994, per the timeline stated in the drama.
While hanging out in the club activity room together in final episode 16, Jae-hyun and Dong-jin randomly start singing this song, on Dong-jin’s single guitar chord:
It was storming at the beach When the waves calm down Will you come today and cross the ocean for me?
비바람이 치던 바다 잔잔해져 오면
오늘 그대 오시려나 저 바다 건너서
Originally a traditional New Zealand folk love song called Pokarekare Ana written between the 1910-20s, it was brought to Korea in the 1950s by New Zealander soldiers fighting the Korean War, when they taught it to local children. The song became a popular field trip or camping trip song among young people back in the 70s, and continues to be sung even today. It was first professionally recorded in 1972 by the singer Eunhui (은희) for her greatest hits collection, and subsequently covered by other artistes like Park In-hee (박인희) and H.O.T.’s Kangta. Listen to Eunhui’s version of the song here.
Despite not being able to keep the cassette tape Jae-hyun dropped in episode 2, things come full circle for Ji-soo in final episode 16 when he gives her something special for her birthday: her very own mixtape.
These are the songs that are listed on the cover (listed as song title — artiste):
In episode 1, Ji-soo happens to see the Japanese movie Love Letter being aired when she turned on the TV. She then she thinks back to when she first reserved the video tape of it on the ‘black market’ from a user called ‘Dampopo’, and how she ran into Jae-hyun at the shop when she went to pick it up, as he’d reserved it too. This led her to suggest them watching the movie together, which he rejects over a couple of days but finally caves.
This is also the first movie that present-day Jae-hyun watches on his first evening out of prison — and he thinks back to how he watched Ji-soo play the movie’s theme song on the piano at their campus for the first time.
Love Letter [恋文] (1985) or Love Letter [岩井俊二] (1995)
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 1)
Much has been discussed online about which movie is set as the ‘Love Letter’ of When My Love Blooms, as not a single scene from the movie was ever shown on screen. The only verbal allusion to it was when Ji-soo mentions in episode 3 about how “the final scene was so moving… the snow field scene is so sad”. This would certainly point towards the film directed by Shunji Iwai, which was largely filmed in Hokkaido and features –you guessed it– a snow field scene. This film also seems to be much more well known in Korea, having made a top 10 film list and even being re-released on the big screen in recent years. The poster of the 1995 movie can even be seen on Jae-hyun’s table in episode 2, as the cover of the movie’s DVD.
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 2)
However, it would be helpful to note that this film was originally was released in 1995 — which means that 20s Jae-hyun and Ji-soo would not have been able to watch it in 1993. While it would have been more realistic for the ‘Love Letter’ reference to instead be the 1985 version directed by Tatsumi Kumashiro, the focal point of that movie was more of the sea, instead of a snowy field.
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 3)
Misery (미저리)
Country: USA
Director: Rob Reiner
Written by: William Goldman
Year: 1990
While on a club MT (membership training) in episode 3, a tipsy Jae-hyun heads out for some fresh air, and Ji-soo follows after him. “Everyone thinks you can drink a lot. You can dupe others but not me,” she says, her eyes narrowing as she looks at him, “[Because] I’m always looking at you.” This prompts Jae-hyun to ask this odd question: “Are you like ‘Misery’?” — a reference to the 1990 psychological thriller that stars James Caan and Kathy Bates in her breakout role as a psycho stalker fan.
Not missing a beat, Ji-soo asks how he knew. Jae-hyun muses out loud, incredulous and still tipsy, “I thought you were like ‘Love Letter’, but you’re actually ‘Misery’.” Ji-soo certainly doesn’t deny it, adding that she’s more like the “horror, thriller, psycho genre”. The next time the movie is mentioned again is in episode 13, when Ji-soo says this to Jae-hyun as they cross Hangang Bridge [한강대교] together: “I have eyes only for you, like the woman in Misery.” Clearly, Ji-soo puts this rather lightly, considering the shenanigans that Bates’ character actually got up to in the movie. (Warning: It’s not for the faint of heart, like me. –Mich KDL)
Days of Being Wild (아비정전/阿飛正傳)
Country: Hong Kong
Director: Wong Kar-wai
Written by: Wong Kar-wai
Year: 1990
In episode 5, Jae-hyun and Ji-soo watch this movie (albeit separately) in the present day at the The Seoul Cinema [서울극장], after they’d each chanced across a special exhibition featuring the late Hong Kong actor/singer Leslie Cheung (张国荣).
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 5)
This was the very movie that they’d watched as students in the 90s — also separately, as Jae-hyun arrived late after being held up at a protest, filling the theatre with the smell of tear gas on his clothes. Outside Dongducheon Munhwa Cinema [동두천 문화극장], Jae-hyun mentions how he liked Leslie Cheung in this film, countering the opinion of the other movie-goers who had either found the movie “boring”, “too similar” to Cheung’s 1986 movie A Better Tomorrow (英雄本色) or considered films with (fellow Hong Kong actor) Chow Yun Fat (周润发) “where he shoots guns” as “real movies”.
Ji-soo brings up how she wishes that Cheung will have a long career ahead of him, with Jae-hyun nodding in agreement. Sadly, the celebrated singer/actor chose to end his life in 2003.
When watching it in contemporary times, the older Jae-hyun eavesdrops on a comment by a passing movie-goer to his friends as they leave the cinema: “Leslie Cheung once said the half of ‘Days of Being Wild’ was his own story. That was the raw side of him in the movie. He looked lonely and in despair, right?”.
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 9)
In episode 9, it is Jae-hyun’s wife, Jang Seo-kyung (Park Si-yeon), who watches this movie in his home cinema/office and silently cries during the end credits. When Jae-hyun comes back home and finds her there, she comments that the only movies he watches are Love Letter and this movie, thus wanting to find out more. Her verdict? “Days of Being Wild is no fun at all.”
This highly acclaimed and award-winning arthouse film, unofficially a part of the Wong Kar-wai trilogy of movies that includes In The Mood For Love, tells the story of Cheung’s character, Yuddy, who had found it difficult to accept a discovered family secret. His lack of emotional control creates a domino effect on two ladies vying for his attention, eventually leading one to spiral into depression. The movie is considered to be one of Cheung’s “most iconic works”, among others.
Country: USA
Director: Sidney Lumet
Written by: Naomi Foner
Year: 1988
This is the movie from which the lines “Ride your bicycle. You’re own your own path now.” were quoted in the letter read out on the radio show heard in episode 6, written by Ji-soo to break up with Jae-hyun (see Music References: Kim Chang-wan — Goodbye). As an adult, Ji-soo watches the movie again, with the mere sight of it (and probably the memory of those lines and what they mean) bringing her to tears.
[SPOILER] The lines come from the final scene of the movie, in which Danny Pope, played by the late River Phoenix, is asked by his father (Judd Hirsch) to not follow the family as they escape to start a new life elsewhere, but rather to stay behind and achieve his dreams of being a pianist. The exact words he says are: “Get on the bike. You’re on your own, kid… now go out there and make a difference.”
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 8)
Léon: The Professional
Country: France
Director: Luc Besson
Written by: Luc Besson
Original Title: Léon
Year: 1994
It’s February 1995 and the movie Léonhad just been released in Korean cinemas. Jae-hyun, Ji-soo and Dong-jin –paying homage to the title character with his outfit– talks about how sad the movie was while walking down their usual Sinchon street. Ji-soo brings up the final scene of the movie and its iconic line, as said by Mathilda (Natalie Portman): “We will be okay here, Leon.” (Original line: “I think we’ll be okay here, Leon.”)
When Dong-jin suggests that they go “drink something that looked like the milk Leon hyung-nim was drinking” like makgeolli (rice wine), Ji-soo says that there’s something else she wants. Before they know it, Ji-soo ends up with a potted plant in her hands, akin to the one Leon cared for in the movie. After bringing it home, she decides to replant ‘Leon’ on the grounds of a Catholic church — which she revisits years later with her son, Young-min, do to the exact same thing.
Song of Ariran: The Life Story of A Korean Rebel (아리랑)
Original English Title: Song of Ariran (1941)
Author: Nym Wales
Korean translation: Published in 1984 by Dongnyeok (동녘)
After their first meeting on campus, Ji-soo’s next sighting of Jae-hyun was the sneak peek she got of him sound asleep with this book in hand, when she stealthily opened the door of the Law Student Society Room. Song of Ariran: The Life Story of A Korean Rebel (아리랑) tells the true story of Jang Ji-rak (장지락 — 1905-1937), also known as Kim San (김산), a Korean revolutionary who fought in the Chinese Red Army against the Japanese in the 1930s. This account was as told to American journalist Nym Wales (real name: Helen Foster Snow), who moved to China in 1931 “to report extensively on the Cultural Revolution” and had also traveled to the Chinese city of Yan’an during that time.
Even Birds Leave The World: Poems by Hwang Ji-u
[새들도 세상을 뜨는구나]
Author: Hwang Ji-u (황지우)
Publisher: Moonji Publishing Co. Ltd (문학과지성사)
Publication Year: 1983
English translation: Published in 2005 by White Pine Press
Ji-soo is seen biding her time with this book in episode 2, as she waits at the bookstore Jae-hyun frequents for a chance meeting with him.
Poet Hwang Ji-u (b. 1952, also Hwang Ji-woo/Hwang Chi-woo) was previously an anti-government protestor who was “expelled from university for his involvement… and was subjected to imprisonment and torture”. In an undated video interview with the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (uploaded in 2011), Hwang elaborates on the inspiration behind the title: “In a dark era, without the basic elements of democracy, we were disillusioned with the reality, a world so destroyed that even the birds abandoned us. That essence of our time, which suits a dark space like a theater is what I wanted to portray in my writing.”
The award-winning poet’s works have been translated into multiple languages aside from English. Selected English-translated poems can be read here.
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 7)
The End of That Summer: Poems by Lee Seong Bok
[그 여름의 끝]
Author: Lee Seong Bok (이성복/李晟馥)
Publisher: Moonji Publishing Co. Ltd (문학과지성사)
Publication Year: 1990
No known English translation
On his first evening at home after being released from prison, Jae-hyun picks this particular book out of his huge collection, after hovering momentarily over a Marx book. We eventually see that it holds more meaning to him than the actual poems themselves — all because of a handwritten inscription on its inner front page: From Ji-soo to Jae-hyun sunbae, again (1994.1). The book, which is usually kept in his memory box with other souvenirs from Ji-soo (as seen in episode 2, approx. 48 min. mark), is eventually chanced upon by Seo-kyung while in his library in episode 3, and jealousy comes upon her when she finds the handwritten inscription within.
After the chance meeting with Jae-hyun at the bookstore back in the 90s, Ji-soo is stopped by the owner as she’s about to leave, and he hands her a book that Jae-hyun had told him to give her: The End of That Summer, by poet Lee Seong-bok (b. 1952). She opens it and randomly turns to the following poem:
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 2)
Closer to You 2 (그대 가까이 2)
I keep standing on my toes.
Yet I still do not see you.
At times when the waiting grows longer
I cannot help but resent you
Cirrus clouds float through the dark skies
What song shall I have to sing
In order for it to reach your ears?
We never met, so we shall never part
Yet we cannot hold hands, though we never parted.
So as the waiting grows longer
I cannot help but resent you more.
자꾸만 발꿈치를 들어보아도
당신은 보이지 않습니다
때로 기다림이 길어지면
원망하는 생각이 들어요
까마득한 하늘에 새털구름이
떠나고 무슨 노래를 불러
당신의 귓가에 닿을 수 있을까요
우리는 만나지 않았으니
헤어질 리 없고 헤어지지
않았어도 손 잡을 수 없으니
이렇게 기다림이 깊어지면
원망하는 생각이 늘어납니다.
The End of That Summer (그 여름의 끝)
The tree didn’t crumble
even after a series of storms.
Like a shower of hail,
I hung red flowers.
That summer, I was in the middle of a storm.
That summer, my despair bore red flowers like they were mocking me,
but after several storms, they didn’t fall.
When they fell, they clung and climbed up.
The stubborn flowers of the fire-breathing crape myrtle,
covered a small garden with blood.
And my despair vanished like magic.
This is the poem that young Jae-hyun cites in a letter to Ji-soo in episode 12, sent through a radio show in 1996, which she hears while hiding away in the countryside. He adds this message after the poem: “Ji-soo, you must be going through a very difficult time now. I pray with my whole heart that it will end hopefully tonight or tomorrow at the latest like magic. Until we meet again, continue to be yourself.” The radio DJ continues by saying that this letter was sent by “Mr. Han Jae-hyun from Chuncheon” (presumably as he was still in the army), who had also requested for the song Like The First Day by André Gagnon.
Selected English-translated poems can be read here.
Labor Liberation Literature No. 4 [노동해방문학 통권 제4호]
Author: Labor Liberation (노동해방문학)
Publisher: 노동문학사
Publication Year: August 1989
No known English translation
This now out-of-print literary magazine can be seen on Jae-hyun’s student bookshelf in episode 5, as he leans against it to play the guitar. Quite coincidentally, this particular issue features Park Nohae briefly on page 12 (an online archived version can be viewed here).
The monthly Labor Liberation Literature was a publication of the Socialist Workers Union of South Korea, published between April 1988 to January 1991. It consisted of political reviews, articles, and poems that actively detailed the struggles faced by workers under an oppressive rule. Its editor, Baek Mu-san (백무산), was “arrested in 1992 for violation of national security law“. Along with Park Nohae, he is considered to be “seen as one of the poets that represent 1980s labor poetry”.
Cat Watching a Video of a Cat [고양이 비디오를 보는 고양이]
Author: Lee Soo-myeong (이수명)
Publisher: Moonji Publishing Co. Ltd (문학과지성사)
Publication Year: 2004
English translation: Selected poems can be found here (posted between June 2013-May 2014)
This was the book Jae-hyun was in the midst of reading in episode 11, when Dong-jin calls him to tell him that Ji-soo’s father had been admitted to the hospital.
Authors: Lee Jin-kyung, Shin Hyun-joon (이진경, 신현준)
Publisher: Humanist (휴머니스트) / Saegil Academy (새길아카데미)
Publication Year: 1995/96
No known English translation
A feverish Ji-soo rests on Jae-hyun’s lap as they sit under a tree just outside the Yonhui University law building in Episode 13, and he reads this book in the meantime — using it later to hide his face after sneaking a few kisses from her.
This book is a critique of the ideas from six of the most important 20th century French philosophers: Jacques Lacan, Louis Althusser, Jacques Derrida, Jean Baudrillard, Michel Foucault and Gilles Deleuze. Often termed as ‘French Theory’ in a North American context, this was an attempt “to escape from modern thought” as alternatives beyond those of Karl Marx and the Sigmund Freud.
Adjacent Social Composition Theory [주변부사회구성체론]
Editor: Jung Min (정민)
Publisher: Four Seasons (사계절)
Publication Year: 1985
No known English translation
The book that Jae-hyun reads while hanging out in the club activity room together with Dong-jin in final episode 16, is a collection of articles analyzing the surrounding society from the perspective of social organization.
When Does a Rolling Stone Awaken [뒹구는 돌은 언제 잠 깨는가]
Author: Lee Seong Bok (이성복/李晟馥)
Publisher: Moonji Publishing Co. Ltd (문학과지성사)
Publication Year: 1980
No known English translation
Alone to a Distant House [혼자 가는 먼 집]
Author: Heo Su-gyeong (허수경)
Publisher: Moonji Publishing Co. Ltd (문학과지성사)
Publication Year: 1992
No known English translation
Variations on Love: A Collection of Poems by Kim Su-young [사랑의변주곡: 김수영시선집]
Author: Kim Soo-young, edited by Paik Nak-chung (백낙청)
Publisher: Changbi Publishers (창작과비평사)
Publication Year: 1988
No known English translation
These books are part of Jae-hyun’s birthday present to Ji-soo in the 90s, along with the mixtape.
Author: Ch’oe Yun (최윤/崔允)
Publisher: Chosun Ilbo Publishing Bureau (조선일보사출판국)
Publication Year: 1991/92
English translation: Published in 2003 as part of The Last of Hanako
The excerpt seen in the epilogue of episode 1 is translated as follows:
Those who fade away heartbreakingly
leave a scar-like light in the hearts
of those who knew them.
The young Ji-soo finds the exact same text in the diary that Jae-hyun had left behind in their hideout when he was taken away by the military police in episode 8.
Ch’oe Hyon-mu (b. 1953), who writes under the pen name Ch’oe Yun (최윤/崔允), is a South Korean writer and professor of French literature. Her writings are mostly set against political contexts. For instance, her short story The Gray Snowman, which was published in 1991 (others sources say 1992), is a “layered story” told from the perspective of “a young woman on the edge of the 1980s’ dissident movement“.
“A Joyful Letter” by Hwang Tong-gyu
(즐거운 편지)
Author: Hwang Tong-gyu (황동규)
Publisher unknown
Publication Year: 1957/58
English translation: Read a version of the fully translated poem here
As the night came,
snow starting pouring in the valley.
I am sure my love
will certainly cease somewhere as well.
This epilogue poem blends into the poignantly beautiful scene of the adults sharing a sunset kiss at Heungnam Beach [흥남해수욕장] in episode 4. It is part of A Joyful Letter, the debut poem by poet Hwang Tong-gyu (b. 1938). According to this essay, Hwang’s work “brought about a paradigm shift in Korean romantic poetry” and “attempted to break free of existing poetic conventions from the outset” in “challeng[ing] contemporary assumptions by confessing that even though he felt true love, at some point the feeling would end.”
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 8)
“Les Pas” (The Footsteps) by Paul Valéry
(발자국소리)
Author: Paul Valéry (폴 발레리)
Publication Year: 1922
English translation: Read the full translation of this poem here
As present day Ji-soo finds an ‘asyli’ in Jae-hyun when sitting on the steps of the Catholic church he had sought asylum from many years before, the final lines of the poem appears:
For I have lived for waiting for you, And my heart was only your footsteps.
Car j’ai vécu de vous attendre,
Et mon coeur n’était que vos pas.
Published in his 1922 book Charmes (Charms), French poet Paul Valéry (1871-1945) –known as “the most outstanding French poet of his time“– describes “a lover’s approach” in this four-stanza poem. While little can be found about the meaning or intention behind this particular poem, much has been written about his more well-known poems, such as Le Cimetière Marin (The Seaside Cemetery). An alternative translation for Les Pas can be found here.
Thank you for making it this far! Tell us what you think of the music, movies, books and poems featured in When My Love Blooms in the comments. You can also read our series overview here.
Special thanks to Marion KDL for the additional help!
Congratulations! We have made it past the year’s halfway mark. Whether you’ve managed to start something new, completed something you’d always wanted to, cared for yourself more, reached out to others more, or simply reflected on the months gone by — we just want to say that you’ve done well. We’ve made it this far, and we will continue to see things through. Just remember that you’re not alone, and we’re always here if you need a listening ear. Hang in there!
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 16)
As for us, we are very proud to have crossed the 2,000 listings mark on KDL — certainly a reason to celebrate! While we’ve expressed our gratitude in advance, we would still like to say thanks to each of you for your support, whether it’s through visiting, contributing, or commenting. It means so much to us!
OUR HIGHLIGHTS
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 2)
When My Love Blooms brought many on a nostalgic trip down memory lane, with familiar songs, movies and books from the 90s featured in the drama. We’ve put together an extensive and comprehensive list of them, which you can read here. For me, my favourite musical discovery from the show was the 1991 song Do Not Leave My Side (내곁에서 떠나가지 말아요) by Light & Salt (빛과소금), a soothing yet somewhat pensive tune suitable for a mellow evening. — Mich KDL
It’s been a while since we’ve seen any of the Sangsa Village houses on our screens — so it’s interesting to see one of them appear in 2019’s Welcome 2 Life.
My Unfamiliar Family (2020, episode 9)
But most importantly, Cafe Blüte [까페 블뤼테] (or Four Seasons House) is back and under its new name Cafe Poete [포에트]. Happy to see this place again after four years!
This month, we discovered a selection of 50 beautiful places to visit in South Korea that was put together by CNN, and some of them have also been featured in K-Dramas. Which ones are your favorite?
NEWLY ADDED FILMING LOCATIONS
Good Casting (2020, episode 13)
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
Leverage (2019)
— Laid to rest [E3/16]: Bundang Memorial Park Hue [분당추모공원 휴]*, ♡ added by Thom Musni *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
The Undateables (2018), ♡ submitted by Marion KDL
— Cabin in the woods [E10-12]: Jejang Village [제장마을]
Black Knight (2017-18), ♡ added by Marion KDL
— Inviting to dinner [E6]: Jongno Tower [종로타워]* *Check out the listing for information on other featured dramas.
My Golden Life (2017-18), ♡ added by Mich KDL
— Meeting a friend [E15]: Cafe Bluehip [카페블루힙]* *Check out the listing for other featured dramas.
A big thank you to Thom Musni for coming through with the location for the entrance of ‘Heights Mansion’ in Touch Your Heart (2019), which interestingly, isn’t anywhere near the original place as many would have thought.
As for the cherry blossom site, we had a lead from danucy (many thanks!) and everything else was easy!
We’re back with three more mystery locations! Let’s see if you can track these down:
Light Pink Apartment
KDL reader Mimi reached out to us about finding a particular “light pink apartment”.
This one’s from me (Marion). The tricky thing about this place is figuring out if it is real or a film set. Good Casting made me think that there are rooms to this place too. The exterior of this mansion(?) has not been seen in any its featured dramas, which would then make the film set theory viable. Various broadcasters have also filmed dramas here (this goes from KBS and JTBC, to SBS and tvN); which is sometimes (not always) a sign that it is a real life location.
This is somewhere I’ve been trying to track down since last year — can you help?
I (Mich) have one too! I first saw this hospital exterior in Find Me In Your Memory, when it appeared as the exterior of a funeral parlour. It’s since appeared again in Backstreet Rookie and I’m quite keen to know where it is. Anyone knows?
Has there ever been a drama you’d decided not to follow for whatever reason –unattractive storyline, not your preferred genre, unfamiliar cast members etc– but one random, curious watch sends you so quickly down a spiral before you even realize it? That, ladies and gents, is how I (Mich) went back to watching Memorials.
“The feel of the drama just doesn’t vibe with me,” I told Marion after she’d asked if I continued watching — and it’s true! It didn’t. But what can I say? I’m a sucker for cutesy couples like GongSera (yes, I even have a couple name for them!), and their chemistry was what drew me back in — from episode 10, no less.
Memorials (2020, episode 10)
That’s probably what’s fascinating about watching dramas, be it Korean or that of other countries: though one may not vibe with you instantly, there are always be others that will. And if you give that one a chance, it just might surprise you with something that seals the deal. Would love to hear your experience with such a drama if you have one — share it with us in the comments!
OUR HIGHLIGHTS
Flower of Evil (2020, episode 1)
One of my (Mich) highlights this past month was seeing how locations from past shows are given new leases of life. Imagine my surprise when I realized that the space seen as the metal craftwork shop in Flower of Evil is the same one as the cafe in the 2018 dating/matchmaking show Cafe Amor (선다방)! And, ’twas a pity that I had missed out on seeing this place for myself on my last trip, as I had not gone down that part of Palpan-gil. Sigh. So close, yet so far. Nevertheless, it’s still pretty cool to see on-screen, though it now exists for a slightly… eerie purpose.
Osan High School is probably best known to most as the school in the 2017 drama The Liar and His Lover. So it came to quite a surprise to find out that this more than 100-year old school was already the main location of the 2003 drama Sang Doo! Let’s Go to School.
The overpass leading to Noksapyeong (Yongsan-gu Office) Station got quite some hype this year through Itaewon Class. It’s a pity, though, that the drama didn’t pay homage to this station in showing off its beautiful interior; the way it is known and holds its own as one of the most important subway stations in K-Dramaland since 2003 at least.
FLOWER MEANINGS
It’s nice to see that Backstreet Rookie‘s Saet-byul loves flowers enough to know their meanings — and to be honest, that’s mostly why we’re still watching it! Thanks to her, we’ve uncovered new ones like China Pink, Ivy, Wild Rose, Pink Rose, Hibiscus, Aconitum/Wolf’s Bane… check out our ongoing blogpost for more.
SPOTLIGHT: LOCAL GROCERY STORES
When My Love Blooms (2020, episode 1)
As much as South Koreans seem to like their big chain supermarkets and convenience store franchises, there’s something about the local neighborhood grocery stores –also called ‘super’ (슈퍼/수퍼) or ‘mart’ (마트)– that keeps them going back. Maybe it’s the convenience of having it just down the street, if one’s house is too far from the main thoroughfare; it could also be that the fruits and vegetables here don’t cost as much as those at the chains; or, maybe it’s the feeling of having that sweet, sometimes sassy halmeoni fussing about like a real grandmother would.
Flower of Evil (2020, episode 2)
Aside from getting daily necessities, these shops could also serve as an oasis for some, a place of solace or refuge for others. In K-Dramaland, characters often gather outside to catch their breath, grab a drink, or sit for a chat. Children like hanging around the neighborhood marts too; if they’re lucky, there would be little video game consoles for them to play with.
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans
We’ll also be taking a 2-week break for the summer from mid to end-August, but feel free to continue sending in your locations and leaving comments during this time!
Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
Good Casting (2020), ♡ added by Marion KDL
— NIS Safe House [E6]: Royal Quest [로얄퀘스트]* *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
Occasionally, at start of a drama episode, we are reminded that everything is fictional: from the people to the locations, even most situations — with the exception of some being inspired by real life events. One interesting thing to note is how the present pandemic situation hasn’t appeared to infiltrate this year’s dramas (aside from a slight hint of it spotted in Born Again). We’ve seen nary a sign of social distancing, hand sanitizing or the wearing of masks, and characters seem to be able to travel the world as they please.
(Addendum: Thanks to sarahms for pointing out a scene in It’s Okay Not To Be Okay in which “Moon Sang-tae told the hospital director not to steal his food, and to cover his mouth when he coughed ‘otherwise he might catch a virus’.” — Mich KDL)
At KDL, we have definitely been amazed and impressed at how drama and movie production teams have been tiding over COVID so well these past few months, with some bravely heading overseas to film despite the current situation. We only hope they will continue to stay safe even as they work hard to bring us the various productions that keep us duly entertained on both the big and small screen.
OUR FAVORITE STAPLES
Was It Love (2020, episode 10)
We’ve not seen much of Heyri Art Village this year. So it’s nice to finally have an Artinus Farmer’s Table sighting this month and, of course, seeing our favorite gallery again. And what a comeback it is too, with the café, the gallery space, the staircase and the outdoor terrace all being featured.
Men Are Men (2020, episode 10)
A number of locations have also made their comeback since their last sightings in 2018, namely Kyung Hee University (Seoul Campus) and Café Motte, both seen in Men Are Men; and this Jeonju house in Alice, which was formerly Jwa Yun-i’s in Jugglers.
Alice (2020, episode 1)
FOOD FOR (DRAMA) THOUGHT
Flower of Evil (2020)
I (Marion) have always wondered how long it takes for the location of one drama to become one of the main locations of another drama. What’s the length of time needed for viewers to detach themselves from the memories of a place where their favorite characters once lived? Or, does that memory always remain, somehow? These are the questions that came to mind after seeing how The Master’s Sun‘s rooftop apartment made a reappearance in a drama — after seven years. Same could be said for Mich when she spotted the Jugglers’ Jeonju house in Alice (see above).
SPOTLIGHT ON AN AREA: CHERRY BLOSSOM LOCATIONS BY NAOKO ABE
The cherry blossom season may be long over in the real world, but in K-Dramaland, there tends to be a slight turning point in the late summer. Incredulously, we occasionally get to see them still in bloom on our screens at some point (just before the autumn leaves show their colors again), though the flowers’ soft, fragile petals are a little more vinyl-hardy, for them to last through the ever-changing seasons.
If you are already dreaming about your next vacation to South Korea, we thought it would be nice to highlight some of the places for real cherry blossom viewing, as an added complement to our existing blogpost. Instead of choosing places based on the K-Dramas they feature in, we’re basing our list this time on Naoko Abe’s book ‘Cherry’ Ingram: The Englishman Who Saved Japan’s Blossoms. In an appendix (p. 316), she put together a list of the most popular places all over the world to be mesmerized by these beautiful trees, and it was nice to see that 4/5 that she lists for South Korea are also K-Drama filming locations (except Gyeongpodae Pavilion [강릉 경포대]). So be sure to add these to your list for next time!
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
Moonlight Drawn By Clouds (2016), ♡ added by Marion & Mich KDL
— Various locations: Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung Palace [화성행궁]* *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), ♡ added by Marion KDL
— Part of the palace [E5/7]: Hyowon Park [효원공원]* *Check out the listing for more information on other featured dramas.
What a month September was for us at KDL. We are still reeling over the situation that hit us hard and broke our hearts a little (or a lot). We won’t sugar-coat it and claim that all is well; for the most part, we are doing our best to move forward in whatever way we possibly can. It is also thanks to the good faith that’s still placed in us, and the overwhelming words of support, appreciation and encouragement that we received in the days that followed. Once again, a very big thank you, to the many who rallied around us during this tough time.
The Way I Hate You (2019)
OUR FAVORITE STAPLES
More Than Friends (2020, episode 1)
One highlight for me (Marion) certainly had to be spotting an art piece by South Korean artist Do Ho Suh (서도호, b. 1962) at Incheon Airport in not one, but three ongoing dramas.
While the rich in K-Dramaland are typically associated with living in Pyeongchang-dong, it appears that a new neighborhood has been in their favor in the past year: U.N. Village [유엔빌리지]. Cha Su-hyeon lived here in Encounter, Oh Yoon-seo in Touch Your Heart, and now Won Hae-hyo lives here in Record of Youth. Think the name sounds familiar? Yes — it is that neighborhood EXO’s Baekhyun sings about in his 2019 song UN Village.
Less ‘village’, more ‘villas’
U.N. Village is considered as one of South Korea’s most affluent and exclusive neighborhoods. Located in Seoul’s Hannam-dong, this is where private homes of celebrities, chaebols and politicians stand alongside embassies in this gated compound, of which starting prices for homes are located at KRW3 billion (US$2.65 million) as stated by Jennifer Wang in 2017. Not only does it have a splendid view of the Han River and Dongho Bridge, its placement in feng shui(mountains behind and a river in front) makes it a desirable location.
As always, thanks for following and supporting us on KDL, whether it’s through the daily updates, our special blog posts, or even through submitting a location/photographs! Every contribution helps to grow the largest collection of K-drama locations online — by K-drama fans, for K-drama fans. If you’d like to find out the latest locations for your favorite ongoing drama, just type its name in our handy search box.
Till the next Saturday Summary, keep safe and stay well
Here we are again at the end of another year, and the start of our annual KDL round-ups!
Kick-starting our year-end series as always is our list of 2020’s Most Seen Locations. One of the dilemmas we face each year when drawing up the list is in deciding whether or not to feature or mention the obvious K-Dramaland staples, such as Incheon International Airport and Seoul Central District Court. Because, let’s face it: our characters in K-Dramaland travel (sans all our real life travel restrictions), and may either go to trial, get a divorce, or work as a lawyer or judge. There are very few deviations as to how these locations are typically portrayed; and as such, the way we’d write about them wouldn’t differ as much either.
However, we thought it would be best for us to stay true to the actual list this year, to have an overall gauge of just how the popularity of each featured location has evolved since we started our series in 2017. Aside from a few of the usual suspects, we’re also excited to welcome some new locations to the list — at least one of which is rather long overdue.
Read on to see the locations that made our 2020 Most Seen list!
Note: Numbers in brackets at the end of each header denotes the number of dramas the location has appeared in this year, along with their previous years’ rankings (where applicable)!
From My Holo Love and Oh My Baby, to 365: Repeat the Year and many more– my favorite bridge continues to be an uncontested K-Dramaland staple, and #1 for the second time in only four years. Congrats! (if only it could hear me/us?!) — Marion KDL
It is a genuine surprise that our all-time favorite library has never once made our Most Seen list, despite being a stable staple in K-Dramaland since its opening in June 2014! But, better now than never, we say. This year, the signature towering wooden bookcases of Forest of Wisdom were spotted in dramas like The King: Eternal Monarch, Memorials, and Was It Love. — Mich KDL
State Tower Namsan is another repeat from past round-ups on our list, featured in twice the number of K-dramas this year compared to the last. While some were still for awkward and uncomfortable meet-ups (Flower of Evil), there was a little more diversity in the reasons for visiting this building, such as prospective client meetings (Start-Up), celebrating special occasions (Record of Youth), or simply for a drink (Itaewon Class). The State Room was even repurposed into an apartment, as seen in Kkondae Intern. — Mich KDL
Even though this airport is a more-than-frequent sighting in K-Dramaland, it surprised us this year by showcasing an art piece by South Korean artist Do Ho Suh (서도호, b. 1962) in at least three dramas. — Marion KDL
Until now, I cannot pinpoint why I like this square. After all, what is so special about it apart from being a K-Dramaland staple? Maybe it’s because it was one of the first locations that was challenging for me to track down? Now, I am just happy to see it on my screen –like on Meow, The Secret Boy, Touch, and Mystic Pop-Up Bar— and wonder how it would be like to stand there… in person? — Marion KDL
Who would have thought that there would be a shifting “prison preference” in K-Dramaland?
When I started out watching, the one-and-only prison that appeared on screen was Seodaemun Prison History Hall, followed by Iksan Prison Set, then Jangheung Prison Set… until Seongdong Detention Center came into the picture at the end of 2017, just after it was closed as a real-life prison. This prison probably owes its rise in K-Dramaland popularity to its real-life vibe, but also certainly because it is located within Seoul and thus more convenient for filming. This is particularly since it does not demand hours of drive towards the south of the country, where most of the other prison (sets) are located. Spot it in 2020 dramas like The Penthouse, Kairos, Lie After Lie, and Born Again. — Marion KDL
Thanks to a tip from regular contributor Thom, we found out that the ‘hospital’ facade seen in a number of this year’s dramas –like Tale of the Nine-Tailed, Find Me In Your Memory,Money Game, and Hi Bye, Mama!— belongs to the Mia Woonjung campus of Sungshin Women’s University. It seems like it’s been on the K-Dramaland radar for a number of years, even as far back as 2016! — Mich KDL
Asosan is always a safe bet when it comes to our most seen locations-round-up! This restaurant, which K-Dramaland makes it appear to be a one-room venue, is actually a three-storey restaurant in real life, with multiple private rooms and an open-plan dining hall. It was seen this year in dramas like When I Was The Most Beautiful, The World of The Married, and Hyena. — Marion KDL
Dongjak Bridge‘s 5-place fall from last year’s roundup does not make it any less important. In fact, this Hangang River bridge, a K-Dramaland mainstay since at least 2001, even had its own fireworks this year! What’s unique about this bridge is that it has its “own” café, and a view of it can be enjoyed from another recent K-Dramaland staple. Had we counted this year’s sightings from the latter venue, this bridge would have had four more counts. But well, that would have been unfair to the other locations, wouldn’t it? — Marion KDL
This is the first hotel that has made our Top 10 list in four years. Frequent K-Drama viewers should be able to easily recognize its lobby staircase, sleek marble decor, and pebbled lighting in its penthouse suite, which has emerged as K-Dramaland’s favourite apartment in recent years. This year, its gym even made a comeback to our screens in Backstreet Rookie and Train. A pro-tip from us when it comes to spotting the suite: though strikingly similar, it’s not to be confused with the one in Oakwood Premier Hotel Incheon. — Marion & Mich KDL
Filming sets in studios are used very commonly in K-dramas, and the more often they feature, the easier it is to recognize them — and Royal Quest is certainly recognizable, and versatile too. The cool thing is that it has not just one, but five different sets under its roof; most notably, its Hotel Suite Room, Airplane Set, and Private Room were seen this year in Good Casting, Memorist, Alice, and Private Lives. — Mich KDL
Interestingly, the parts of the five-star Four Seasons Hotel Seoul that are normally seen in K-dramas is not the hotel itself, but two of its dining options: the award-winning bar Charles H., which is ranked #29 in this year’s Asia’s Top 50 Bars list, seen in Men Are Men and Soul Mechanic; while contemporary Japanese restaurant Akira Back, run by the Korean-American celebrity chef of the same name, was seen in When My Love Blooms. — Mich KDL
Another interesting first on our list: a sageuk (historical) film set! Best known as ‘Dae Jang Geum Park’, MBC Dramia continues to be one of the more consistent sageuk sets regularly seen on-screen over the years. This year, viewers got to see it in dramas like King Maker: The Change of Destiny and Mr Queen, among others. — Mich KDL
This lovely stonewall that’s made it on the bucket lists of quite a few Goblin viewers has been beautifying the K-Dramascape from at least 2005. Since then, it’s become a favorite place for lovers to visit, and has especially been this year, as seen in Do You Like Brahms?, More Than Friends, and My Unfamiliar Family. — Marion KDL
* * *
Have any others to add to the ‘Most Seen’ list? Share your findings and favourites with us in the comments!
Watch out for the other upcoming KDL Roundups we have for 2020
Welcome to our second KDL Roundup: Neighborhoods of the Year! This is where we highlight the K-Dramaland neighborhoods that truly shined on our screens in 2020. And if lists from past years are anything to go by (2019, 2018, 2017 – 1, 2), then you can be absolutely certain that there’s been a shift in this year’s list.
Thanks (or no thanks) to the ongoing global health situation, we’ve also observed some interesting K-Drama location trends in 2020. For one, there seems to have been a more concerted effort in creating cohesive neighborhoods for their respective ‘worlds’; this means that there is a certain authenticity in the proximity of certain key locations, and how close they are to each other. We also love how there appears to be an interest in surfacing the stories of these neighborhoods, and presenting them true to real life, or as close to it as possible (a la More Than Friends).
We’re hope you’re just as curious (or excited) as we are to see how our Neighborhoods list has changed, and to discover the new ‘hoods that made waves this year. If you’re ready, dive straight into it below!
Note: Numbers in brackets at the end of each header denotes the number of sites in this neighborhood that have appeared in K-Dramaland this year!
Climbing to the top of our list this year is our favorite hanok village and its surrounding craft and boutique shop-filled streets. Just when we thought that we’ve seen all that Samcheong & Bukchon Hanok Village has to offer, it continues to surprise us with new alleyways, rooftop cafes, and shops. It was also lovely to spot some familiar places returning to our screens (like Jinsun Book Cafe, Yun Po-sun’s House, and Pastel de nata), and even seeing some locations enjoy a ‘second life’ in a different production (namely, Baek Hee-sung’s metalcraft shop in Flower of Evil). We’re sure there are many more location surprises to come from this neighborhood in 2021, and we can’t wait to uncover them. — Mich KDL
When Seogyo next appears on our screens, it’s pretty safe to say that the first expression that would come to mind is banbogi — something we learnt through our beloved A Piece of Your Mind. In fact, it does seem like people in K-Dramaland constantly meet halfway in this neighborhood: be it at café staples like Green Cloud Coffee Shop, colline, Milky Way Café, and Pattern Ethiopia; or its pedestrian streets like Eoulmadang Street and Gyeongui Line Forest Park. This year, Seogyo’s most well-known café, The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince, returned to the spotlight when cast members Gong Yoo and Yoon Eun-hye (Choi Han-gyul and Go Eun-chan respectively) visited the cafe after 13 years for a much-anticipated reunion. — Marion & Mich KDL
Wonhyo Bridge, where art thou? I think if I missed any place in Yeouido this year, it was clearly my second favorite Hangang Bridge. Yes, there were glimpses of it, but nothing compared to its importance over the past years. That said, there were other K-Dramaland classics that graced our screens; in fact, plenty of them: from the two K-Dramarestaurants, to two of K-Dramaland’s more frequented publicparks, and even this year’s top listed hotel. With this year’s discoveries –the new Parc.1 complex and private social club Seoul City Club— we have two more locations that will certainly strengthen this neighborhood’s presence on our K-Drama screens in the years to come. — Marion KDL
For quite a while now, it felt like Yeonnam was mostly made up of threemajorstreets and some cute cafés and restaurants. So it was no surprise that in More Than Friends, Kyung Woo-yeon also mentions streets when reflecting about this neighborhood in a conversation with Lee Soo: “[…] I heard somewhere before that streets have life cycles. I didn’t understand then, but I kind of get it now. Streets are similar to people. They were pushed out farther and farther from the center of Hongdae. But they still do well. But then again, they experienced being pushed out, so they knew how to survive.”
18 Again and especially More Than Friends showed us this year that there was more to this vibrant neighborhood than just those particular streets. We discovered a whole new aspect of it together with Woo-yeon and Lee Soo as they walked through Donggyo-ro 46-gil, along with its side and parallel streets; the characters of 18 Again let us discover (and develop a liking for!) places such as flower shop-café VER’s House and the delicate Dongbaek Yeonnam Store; while both Cheat On Me, If You Can and Kkondae Intern brought the elegant brass and greenery-filled interior of Goldmine to our attention. — Marion KDL
After a brief hiatus from our 2019 list, Sangam returned to the ranks this year thanks to one particular location: Gaon Culture Park, which is #5 on our Most Seen Locations list with a whopping 9 dramas alone! It’s a fact that this neighborhood will always remain relevant to K-Dramaland, particularly with its strong media and broadcasting presence (and companies using their own buildings as filming locations — yes, we mean you, CJ E&M, MBC, and SBS). As Marion KDL pointed out in her 2017 write-up, there is also a natural juxtaposition of this neighborhood with itsvariousparks, which we also got to see in 2020 dramas like My Unfamiliar Family,Find Me In Your Memory, and Born Again. — Mich KDL
Here to bring that classy touch is the neighborhoods’ fashionable Southern cousin, Cheongdam. It was interesting to see how there were certain location mainstays from here over the course of this year, like Luka 511, Queens Park, and Wolfgang’s Steakhouse. We also welcomed back a luxury watch boutique last seen on our screens in 2018, through Tale of the Nine-Tailed and 18 Again. With Bottega Lounge [보테가 라운지], I was fascinated to find out that the restaurant previously located was featured in the 2013 KBS weekend series You Are The Best!. It just goes to show that with filming locations, one can never know when it’ll make a comeback, as itself or a completely new entity. I guess the same could be said about those who dream of being associated with this particular neighborhood, and whether they’re able to do so as their real selves, or otherwise. — Mich KDL
We’ve missed you, Itaewon — and of course, we have your namesake show to thank for bringing you back up on our Neighborhoods list after three years. From a guesthouse to a children’s park, restaurants and even the subway station, Park Sae-roy-i’s homeground was well and duly represented in K-Dramaland in 2020. Not all credit should be given to Itaewon Class alone, however; parts of this diverse Yongsan District neighborhood were also seen in Record of Youth and Oh My Baby. — Mich KDL
New to our 2020 Neighborhoods list is Sajik in the Jongno District, home to Gyeonghui Palace and the Seoul Museum of History. Along with discovering this neighborhood’s retro vibes (Daeha Sikdang) and revisiting its modern side (Concordian Building), dramas like A Piece of Your Mind, Memorials, and 18 Again interestingly brought Gyeonghuigung 3-gil to our attention, as a street that made some characters recall wistful memories of the past. Another notable location found in this neighborhood is what’s possibly considered to be K-Dramaland’s most popular hotel bar: Charles H., which is also ranked among the top 50 in all of Asia. — Mich KDL
“This town was once famous for ironwork and abandoned factories. But now people come for different reasons… [like] the cafes of Seongsu-dong.” — More Than Friends (episode 7)
Though this neighborhood isn’t entirely new to us here at KDL, 2020’s the year that Seongsu reminded us of its presence. We’re glad to have seen more of it too, lest we miss out on its hipcafes, free art galleries, and probably one of the coolest-looking subway stations in Seoul. Aside from discovering one of K-Dramaland’s ‘newest’ office buildings, and we also had the chance to revisit a homely eatery that continues to provide good food for good company. Here’s to seeing more of Seongsu next year. — Mich KDL
As mentioned last year, I was keen to see which new Munbal/Paju Book City locations we’d uncover in 2020, particularly with the absence of a book publishing-related drama (aside from It’s Okay Not To Be Okay). Safe to say, we’ve not been disappointed. Aside from revisiting 2019 cafe finds like Cafe Paper Tree, Art Gallery Cafe, and i-Style Cafe, we also got to learn about the history behind Eungchil Bridge, and see two of thecutest bus stops on our screens. But the icing on the proverbial cake would be how Forest of Wisdom topped our Most Seen Locations list this year — nothing can really top that, so to speak. — Mich KDL
It was a close call for Jongno 1.2.3.4-dong. It actually was very close to making it into this year’s Top 10 List. What I found interesting about that it shows how much K-Dramaland shifted back to Seoul’s center this year, as this neighborhood is right in the heart of the capital city (even more so than Sajik-dong, which is #8 on our list). In fact, it seems like the dormant K-Dramaland princess of the 2000s came back to life, seeing how the area was a staple during those years.
20 years later, this neighborhood of palaces and Cheonggyecheon Stream [청계천] made us feel reminiscent of early 2000s dramas, with its two landmark bookstores and two hanokrestaurants, the refurbished Sewoon Plaza (est. 1968), as well as one of my favorite K-Dramaland streets. On top of this, we were introduced to the new cultural complex Anyoung Insadong [안녕인사동] and –very uncommon for this neighborhood– even discovered it as a residential district in Do You Like Brahms?. So, will we see ‘her highness’ still gracing our screens in 2021? It’s anyone’s guess, really; but it’ll also be royally welcome. — Marion KDL
This is the first time a fictional neighborhood has made it to any of our roundups, and we have (more than just) a good reason for that. We wanted to honor the incredible work by the Memorials/Into The Ring team in creating Mawon-gu, the district at the very heart of this drama. It is also probably one of the few K-Dramas that has actually honed in on a specific part of the country to create its world (in this case, Incheon and its districts Dong, Jung, Namdong, Michuhol, and Seo), instead of piecing together locations in cities across different provinces like Search: WWW did. It’s no doubt that restrictions on domestic travel may have had something to do with this decision, but we appreciate how much more authentic it appears on screen. If we had a poll for our Favorite Neighborhood, Mawon-gu has my vote, hands down. — Mich KDL
Tell us what you thought of this year’s Neighborhoods list! Did any of them surprise you? Did you wish that another neighborhood should have made the ranks? We’d love to hear your swoons and your gripes — leave us a comment!
We’ve got one more KDL roundup for the year coming up next week — so be sure to watch for that!
Once again, we’ve reached the end of another year’s K-Dramaland roundups. It’s amazing indeed to see how much can change within a year (as the whole world can attest to), and yet, fascinating too to bear witness to these shifts.
To round up our 2020 series, we’re pleased to bring back a KDL tradition (2017, 2018, 2019): getting our regular contributors to tell us about their favourite scene (with the corresponding location) and filming site from 2020’s K-drama offerings. Let’s see if we share any of your favorites too!
With so many good scenes in Hospital Playlist, I had a hard time picking just one. After much deliberation, I chose episode 10’s Wangsimni Station scene, which you’ll have to watch for more context. To be honest, there is no deep meaning behind why I love this scene. It just cracks me up whenever I see the clip, or even when I am just reminded of it. How I wish I could have a friend as goofy as Lee Ik-jun (Jo Jung-seok), who brightens up the mood even on the toughest of days.
Seeing my fave Age of Youth girls Han Ye-ri and Park Eun-bin having heart-fluttering scenes here in their 2020 dramas (My Unfamiliar Familyand Do You Like Brahms? respectively) is enough for Deoksugung Palace Stonewall Walkway to win my heart.
Do You Like Brahms? (2020)
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L.C. Lou
Favorite location: Goodnight Bookshop in When The Weather Is Fine (especially on Book Club evenings)
The warmest location I have seen this year — full of encouragement, teasing, good books, and treats roasted by Grandpa.All ages are welcome.Sitting in a cozy circle in mismatched chairs around a low table, reading or reciting passages.This is the heart of this drama.The place that connects most of the side-characters in the village with the two leads. There are many lovely scenes that take place in the in the bookshop: Eun-seop writing in his blog, he and Hae-won beginning to open up and falling in love with each other; but it is the Book Club that stays with me… and makes me want to do a re-watch.Perfect for this time of year!
“Eun-seop starts each day of his with a coffee and a book.” This is how I summarized the scene above. But there is more to it that makes it my favorite scene of the year. To observe somebody starting his/her day with a routine that centers –but also opens– the mind, was soothing. It was a routine to emulate (which I did for a while!) as it not only helped me to make sense of, and make confinement liveable, but also allowed for moments of calm (and joy) in a frenetic work-year.
It seems to me that the common thread through all my favorite places this year is the calm and silence, and the inner comfort they can provide. I immediately fell in love with Ha-won’s house in A Piece of Your Mind, and its huge wooden windows that open up to the perfectly-sized inner garden. That the house at first was nearly unfurnished probably only enhanced the shelter-like feeling of this home. In the same time, the way Ha-won lived in this place and welcomed Seo-woo in a way that it became their home made it seem a good place to be.
Hands down my favorite scene from a drama this year, and one that caught me most by surprise. I adore how well Nana and Park Sung-hoon captured the shy longing and bashful jitters between the newly-minted GongSera couple in episode 10, who were finally able to just be with each other without needing to hide their relationship. Well, that was until Woo-young (Kim Mi-soo) and Ja-ryong (Choi Go) caught them in mid-embrace. This scene is equal parts sweet and fluttery, with spot-on comic timing, and really cemented Se-ra and Gong-myung as possibly one of my fave K-Drama couples of all time. I will probably never tire of watching and re-watching it, as I’ve already done!
A Piece of Your Mind has a very special place in my heart, mostly because this was the drama that I followed while being under partial lockdown. In a time of uncertainty and confusion, it brought me much solace, just like a gentle breeze.
One scene in episode 10, where Ha-won (Jung Hae-in) met Seo-woo (Chae Soo-bin) halfway –also known as banbogi (반보기)— on a street lined with beautiful cherry blossom trees, was particularly tender and comforting; a feeling that was just right for spring, and even a time of safe distancing. Good vibes aside, I knew I had to track down this location, and while it took me quite a number of hours sleuthing on a Saturday afternoon, I’m SO glad I managed to find it eventually. The euphoria of my success stayed with me for quite a while, making me momentarily forget that I was considerably distanced from the rest of the world.
In this parallel world drama, Woo Do-hwan plays doppelgangers: both the suave Jo Yeong, and king of aegyo Eun-sup. These two very different characters swapped identities and worlds and provided a lot of humorous scenes and satoori (accent/dialect). I love this New Year’s Day scene with Eun-sup’s family in episode 10, with Yeong all dressed up in a rather ugly hanbok and Eun-sup’s seven year old sister blowing his cover and threatening to call the police, with the rest of the family oblivious of the switch.
This location is an old favourite that pops up when you least expect it, even if it is just peeping over the steps in the background (I’m talking about you, Record of Youth). I first discovered the tunnel in 2015 when I was living in Sinchon, and on every subsequent trip to Korea, I have to visit and check out the artwork. I’m always excited when I see the tunnel in a drama, like in episode 7 of Private Lives, and love how it can take on a mystical aura.
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Thanks once again to Chelle, L.C. Lou, and sarahms for contributing! And to you: for following our round-up series for the year, and supporting KDL in whatever ways you do, even during our toughest times.
Regardless of what 2021 might bring, one thing we can be sure of is that we can continue looking forward to more K-drama goodness. In the meantime, wishing you and your loved ones health and happiness in the new year Stay safe and have a merry festive season!
Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
submitted by danuncy
Till the next Saturday Summary — read on below to check out the newest location additions from the past month!
submitted by Thom Musni
