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South Korea teams up with Japan and more as K-drama travel destinations enter the spotlight, creating exciting screen-to-travel experiences for global travellers. Today, South Korea and Japan connect through powerful K-drama travel inspiration, while more destinations invite fans to explore unforgettable places seen on screen. Moreover, these K-drama travel destinations turn famous scenes into real journeys, blending entertainment, culture, food and discovery. As a result, screen-to-travel experiences are becoming an intriguing way to explore Asia. Travel And Tour World urges readers to continue reading as South Korea, Japan and more reveal how K-drama travel destinations can transform dreams into memorable travel experiences.

K-Drama Travel Destinations: A Detailed Guide to Turning Screen Locations Into Real Korea Journeys

The new K-Drama Exhibition: Scenes to Destinations gives international visitors a fresh way to connect Korean entertainment with travel planning. Held at HiKR Ground in Seoul from September 18 to November 19, 2026, the exhibition is organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization and Studio Dragon.

Its concept is particularly relevant for international tourists. Visitors collect memories around script, scene, sound, props and locations before receiving destination suggestions based on their choices. The exhibition therefore acts as a bridge between K-drama fandom and physical travel across Korea.

Korea’s wider tourism numbers also show why this travel theme matters. The country recorded 18.93 million inbound tourists in 2025, exceeding the previous pre-pandemic record from 2019.

Korea’s Tourism Recovery Creates a Stronger Base for K-Drama Travel

Source: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization. The 2025 figure comes from the 2025 International Visitor Survey cited by MCST.

The recovery is particularly important for K-drama tourism because travellers can now build multi-city itineraries around filming locations rather than concentrating only on Seoul.

The Korean government reported 10.71 million international visitors during January-June 2026. Visitors from the Americas reached about 1.08 million, while Europe contributed roughly 739,000.

That geographical spread creates a larger international audience for travel experiences built around Korean content.

The K-Drama Exhibition Creates a New Travel-Planning Route

The exhibition is located at HiKR Ground, 40 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul.

HiKR Ground operates as a K-content and tourism complex in central Seoul. Its facilities include immersive exhibitions, tourist information services and spaces promoting destinations throughout Korea.

The 2026 exhibition uses five components:

Visitors eventually scan the five collected memory pieces. The exhibition then recommends Korean destinations corresponding with their preferences.

For travellers, this is useful because it creates a personalised starting point instead of a generic sightseeing checklist.

K-Drama Travel Destinations Across Korea

Seoul: The Starting Point for a K-Drama Holiday

Seoul should form the opening chapter of a K-drama-focused trip because it combines filming locations, entertainment districts, historic neighbourhoods, restaurants and the 2026 exhibition itself.

The city welcomed 13.14 million foreign tourists in 2024, compared with 8.86 million in 2023. Seoul’s previous annual record was 13.9 million in 2019.

The city also recorded more than 8.28 million international visitors between January and July 2025. July alone attracted approximately 1.36 million international tourists.

Travellers can begin at HiKR Ground before exploring neighbourhoods frequently associated with Korean screen culture. Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Namsan Seoul Tower, Myeong-dong and Gwangjang Market can create a varied itinerary combining history, shopping and food. Seoul’s 2026 foreign-visitor analysis found N Seoul Tower had a foreign visitor share of 55.7%, while Myeong-dong recorded 47.1%. For food, visitors can explore dishes such as gimbap, bulgogi, tteokbokki, Korean fried chicken and traditional market snacks. Seoul also offers official K-drama cooking experiences, where international visitors can learn dishes including gimbap and bulgogi. For accommodation, travellers can consider officially registered Seoul Stay properties, including urban guesthouses and hanok-style accommodation. The city selected 20 properties under its 2024 Best Seoul Stay programme. A practical plan is three nights in Seoul. Dedicate the first day to HiKR Ground and central attractions. Use the second day for palace and hanok areas. Reserve the third day for shopping, food and filming-location exploration. Seoul therefore works as both a K-drama destination and a transport gateway for the rest of the journey.

Suwon: Historic Streets, K-Drama Locations and Korean Food

Suwon offers one of the most practical extensions from Seoul because its official K-drama course combines screen locations with heritage and food experiences.

The Korea Tourism Organization lists a 3.39-kilometre K-drama course through Suwon.

The itinerary includes Suwon Hwaseong Special Tourist Zone, Haenggung-dong Mural Village, Suwon Chicken Street and Flying Suwon.

Suwon Hwaseong is especially significant because the fortress forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Haenggung-dong Mural Village appeared as a setting in Our Beloved Summer, while the official tourism itinerary also highlights a restaurant connected with Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

Travellers can therefore combine K-drama sightseeing with historic architecture and contemporary neighbourhood culture. Suwon Chicken Street provides an obvious food stop, while dalgona offers another pop-culture connection because the candy became internationally recognisable through Squid Game.

Suwon is also a significant multicultural urban centre. Official city data recorded 73,232 foreign residents in 2024, compared with 71,392 in 2023, 68,633 in 2022 and 65,885 in 2021. These are resident figures rather than tourist arrivals and should not be confused with visitor statistics.

A useful plan is a full-day trip from Seoul. Start at Hwaseong Fortress, walk through Haenggung-dong, stop for chicken, experience Flying Suwon and finish with dalgona. Travellers wanting slower exploration can stay overnight near the historic centre and continue toward southern Gyeonggi.

Busan: K-Drama Landscapes Meet Beaches and Seafood

Busan provides a different K-drama travel experience because its screen locations can be combined with beaches, coastal scenery, seafood and urban culture.

The city welcomed 2,929,192 international tourists in 2024, according to Busan Metropolitan Government. The figure was the city’s highest international visitor total in a decade.

The largest visitor groups included Taiwan with 504,566 arrivals, Japan with 455,572, China with 418,523, the United States with 215,049 and the Philippines with 137,996.

For K-drama and screen-inspired travel, official tourism routes highlight locations such as Ahopsan Forest, Jukseong Church and Gijang Haenyeo Village. The Busan photogenic destination course covers approximately 28.2 kilometres.

Ahopsan Forest is particularly distinctive because the official tourism site describes it as a centuries-old forest appearing in Korean dramas and films.

Jukseong Church provides an ocean-facing photo setting, while Gijang Haenyeo Village adds a strong food component through seafood.

Travellers should sample grilled seafood, raw fish dishes, milmyeon and dwaeji-gukbap during a Busan stay. The city’s international visitors stayed an average of 6.2 days in 2024, according to a Busan Tourism Organization survey of 1,060 international visitors. Average spending on culinary experiences and shopping reached US$828.40 per person.

Hotels were the preferred accommodation type among 79% of surveyed visitors.

A three-day plan works well. Use day one for Haeundae and coastal sightseeing. Use day two for filming locations and Gijang. Spend day three around Gamcheon, markets and the waterfront.

Jeju: A Scenic Extension for Nature-Led K-Content Travel

Jeju offers a different form of screen-inspired tourism because its volcanic scenery, beaches, forests and coastal formations naturally create cinematic landscapes.

The Jeju provincial government reported approximately 2.24 million foreign visitors in 2025. It also noted that visitors from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong represented about 83% of Jeju’s foreign tourism market, highlighting the island’s concentration in Greater China markets.

The Korea Tourism Organization provides several content-related routes across Jeju.

One official route covers approximately 101 kilometres and includes Iho Tewoo Beach, Oedolgae Sea Stack, Jeju Best Hill and Snoopy Garden.

Oedolgae is particularly recognisable because it was used for BTS-related album photography. Jeju Best Hill combines glamping with access to Gotjawal forest landscapes. Iho Tewoo Beach is located close to Jeju International Airport, making it practical for travellers arriving or departing by air.

For food, visitors can explore Jeju black pork, seafood, abalone, tangerines and local noodles. The official tourism route also highlights Sand Crab Curry and other dishes associated with a restaurant visited by BTS member Jimin.

A four-day Jeju plan allows travellers to divide the island geographically. Day one can cover Jeju City and Iho Tewoo Beach. Day two can focus on Seogwipo and Oedolgae. Day three can explore forests and inland attractions. Day four can be reserved for food, markets and a relaxed coastal drive.

Tongyeong: A Coastal K-Drama Route With Heritage

Tongyeong provides one of the more distinctive choices for travellers seeking a smaller Korean destination.

The Korea Tourism Organization has developed a 5.64-kilometre official K-drama filming-location route in the city.

The course includes Jangsado Sea Park, Gangguan Port, Dongpirang Village and Tongyeong Sebyeonggwan Hall.

Jangsado combines gardens and sea views. Gangguan Port provides a waterfront walking environment. Dongpirang is known for its murals and coastal outlook.

Sebyeonggwan adds a historical dimension to the journey.

The result is a compact itinerary where travellers can combine drama-related experiences, photography, maritime scenery, local art and heritage.

Food should be an important part of the Tongyeong experience. Travellers can look for fresh seafood, oyster dishes, grilled shellfish and local Korean meals around the harbour.

A two-day plan is sufficient for the core route. Arrive on day one, visit the port and mural village, then explore nearby attractions. Use day two for Jangsado and additional cultural sites.

Tongyeong works particularly well for travellers who want to move away from Korea’s biggest cities while retaining a clear K-content connection.

K-Drama Destination Data at a Glance

Sources: Korea Tourism Organization and city/provincial governments.

Five-Year Tourism Comparison

A crucial point for travellers is that national inbound arrivals and individual destination visitor totals are not interchangeable statistics. Korea’s official national tourism series is consistently available, while city-level datasets use different methodologies.

This national comparison is the most reliable five-year benchmark for evaluating the broader environment in which K-drama tourism operates.

Destination-Specific Five-Year Data: What Can Be Compared Reliably?

The blanks are intentional. They prevent resident statistics, domestic visitors and foreign tourist arrivals from being presented as if they were the same measurement.

The Korea Tourism Organization explains that official inbound tourism statistics are constructed from immigration data and follow specific statistical definitions.

A Seven-Day K-Drama Korea Travel Plan

For a longer holiday, travellers can replace the seven-day version with a 10-to-12-day itinerary by adding three or four nights in Jeju.

Practical Information for International K-Drama Travellers

Check Korea’s Current Entry Requirements

Entry requirements should always be checked immediately before departure because immigration procedures can change.

Korea introduced its electronic arrival-card system in February 2025. The official tourism guidance states that eligible visitors can submit arrival information online within the permitted period before entry.

Travellers should use official Korean government and tourism websites rather than social-media posts for current entry requirements.

Use Official Tourism Planning Tools

The Korea Tourism Organization’s VISITKOREA app provides attraction, food, accommodation and activity information.

It also includes a Travel Planner that can generate suggested itineraries based on traveller preferences.

This is particularly useful for K-drama travellers because the official platform already contains dedicated filming-location routes.

Combine Screen Locations With Local Experiences

Travellers should avoid planning an entire holiday around a single filming location.

A stronger itinerary combines screen-related attractions with nearby heritage, food, nature and local neighbourhoods.

Suwon demonstrates this approach particularly well.

Busan adds beaches and seafood.

Tongyeong introduces maritime landscapes.

Jeju adds volcanic scenery and outdoor experiences.

Seoul provides the largest concentration of K-content experiences.

The Bigger Travel Picture

K-drama tourism is becoming easier to plan because Korean tourism authorities are increasingly connecting cultural content with physical destinations.

The 2026 exhibition at HiKR Ground provides the most direct example.

It starts with a scene and ends with a destination recommendation.

Meanwhile, official VisitKorea routes demonstrate that this concept extends well beyond Seoul.

The national tourism picture provides another important backdrop. Korea recorded 18.93 million inbound tourists in 2025, while the first half of 2026 brought 10.71 million international visitors.

For global travellers, the opportunity is therefore broader than visiting a famous drama location for a photograph.

A K-drama can become the starting point for discovering historic fortresses, coastal villages, forests, markets, traditional food and lesser-known Korean cities.

The most useful strategy is simple: choose the drama first, identify its landscape and then build the surrounding journey using official tourism information.

That approach turns screen inspiration into a genuine Korea travel itinerary while allowing visitors to experience the country beyond the familiar K-drama frame.

Conclusion

South Korea teams up with Japan and more as K-drama travel destinations continue entering the global spotlight. From iconic filming locations to authentic food, culture, nature and local experiences, these destinations give travellers new reasons to explore beyond the screen. Moreover, screen-to-travel experiences can turn favourite K-drama moments into memorable journeys across Asia. For global travellers, the combination of entertainment and destination discovery offers a fresh way to plan a holiday. Travel And Tour World encourages readers to explore these K-drama travel destinations, discover the stories behind famous scenes and create their own unforgettable screen-inspired adventures across South Korea, Japan and beyond.