BUSAN GUIDE
The most useful Decision to Leave filming locations for travelers are divided between Busan and a small number of locations elsewhere in Korea. Busan supplied the film’s police, hospital, coastal, mountain, and high-rise urban atmosphere, while the emotionally decisive final beach sequence was filmed in Samcheok on Korea’s east coast.
The geography shown in the finished movie is not a literal travel map. Director Park Chan-wook and the production team combined real locations, controlled interiors, studio work, visual effects, and footage from different regions to create the fictional spaces of Gireum and Ipo.
This guide focuses on locations with identifiable filming evidence and a lawful way for ordinary visitors to approach them. It does not direct readers into hospital wards, industrial facilities, private buildings, unstable cliffs, closed trails, or areas used only by the production crew.
Important: Check Current Access
Coastal trails, mountain paths, hospital access, observatory hours, and village-managed beach entry can change because of weather, maintenance, events, or safety restrictions. Check official notices and recent Korean map information immediately before traveling.
1. Where Was Decision to Leave Filmed?
Decision to Leave was filmed at more than twenty locations in Busan, according to material connected with the Busan Film Commission. Production sites included Busan Film Studio, Geumjeongsan, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, coastal parks, active institutions, hotels, restaurants, and locations in Gijang.
The movie also used locations outside Busan. The final beach sequence is strongly associated with Bunam Beach in Samcheok, while mountain and cliff imagery was assembled from more than one landscape rather than one easy-to-follow hiking trail.
This explains why the fictional geography can feel dreamlike. Hae-jun may appear to move between a mountain, police environment, apartment, hospital, and coast as though they belong to one compact city, but the real filming locations are spread across different districts and provinces.
What this guide includes
- Public parks and coastal paths that visitors can legally use
- A paid observatory that operates as a normal attraction
- An active hospital that should be viewed only with strict limitations
- A mountain area where only marked public trails should be used
- The village-managed beach associated with the movie’s final sequence
What this guide excludes
- Private apartments and residences
- Hospital wards and patient areas
- Police facilities that are not visitor attractions
- Unmarked cliffs and production-only access routes
- Studio sets that were dismantled after filming
- Locations identified only through visual similarity
2. Decision to Leave Filming Locations at a Glance
| Location |
Korean Search |
Region |
Film Connection |
Access |
Main Warning |
| Igidae Coastal Park |
이기대공원 |
Busan |
Coastal investigation and conversation material |
Public coastal trail |
Steep and weather-dependent sections |
| Sewoong Hospital |
세웅병원 |
Busan |
Hospital material connected with the production |
Exterior only unless receiving legitimate medical service |
Patient privacy and restricted interiors |
| Busan X the Sky |
부산엑스더스카이 |
Busan |
High-rise production location and city-view environment |
Paid public attraction |
The public floors may not match the exact film frame |
| Geumjeongsan |
금정산 |
Busan |
Part of the film’s mountain and rock imagery |
Marked public trails only |
No single confirmed tourist trail recreates every scene |
| Bunam Beach |
삼척 부남해변 |
Samcheok |
Major location for the final beach sequence |
Village-managed daytime access |
Access, waves, weather, and parking can change |
The Busan locations can be divided into coastal, mountain, institutional, and Haeundae stops. Bunam Beach is far from Busan and requires a separate Samcheok journey.
3. Igidae Coastal Park in Busan
Igidae Coastal Park, written as 이기대공원, is one of the most visually appropriate real locations connected to Decision to Leave. The park combines cliffs, coastal rock, forest, sea views, and glimpses of Busan’s high-rise skyline.
Film-location records and local accounts connect the area with coastal investigation and conversation scenes involving Hae-jun and his Busan colleague. The production could control camera positions and safely place performers near the shoreline under conditions that ordinary visitors cannot reproduce.
| English Name |
Igidae Coastal Park |
| Korean Name |
이기대공원 |
| Representative Address |
105-20 Igidaegongwon-ro, Nam-gu, Busan |
| Korean Address |
부산광역시 남구 이기대공원로 105-20 일대 |
| Nearest Major Subway |
Kyungsung University–Pukyong National University Station, followed by bus or taxi |
| Admission |
Free public park access |
| Recommended Time |
Daylight in stable weather |
Important: Coastal Trail Safety
Igidae includes steep steps, uneven rock, exposed coastal sections, and routes affected by rain, strong wind, heat, and wave conditions. Stay on marked paths, obey closure signs, and do not climb onto shoreline rocks to match a film angle.
Which entrance should you use?
Igidae is not one small viewpoint. The coastal route connects several entrances, public parking areas, Dongsaengmal Observatory, forest paths, and the direction of Oryukdo. Search the exact destination you want instead of entering only 이기대공원 and accepting the first route.
Travelers who want a shorter visit should choose one official viewpoint or a limited section of the coastal path. Walking the full route requires more time and physical effort than a quick filming-location photo stop.
Best photography approach
Use a marked observation deck or wider section of the trail to photograph the contrast between rock, sea, and the distant city. A telephoto lens can compress the skyline without requiring you to approach a cliff edge.
Do not copy the actors’ exact shoreline position. The production had crew members, permits, safety planning, and controlled conditions that are not available during an ordinary hike.
4. Sewoong Hospital in Busan
Sewoong Hospital, written as 세웅병원, officially announced that filming for Decision to Leave took place at the hospital in December 2021. The property is connected with hospital material in the film, including the medical and caregiving environment surrounding the characters.
The hospital continues to operate as a medical institution. It is not a movie museum, guided filming-location attraction, or public interior photography space.
| English Name |
Sewoong Hospital |
| Korean Name |
세웅병원 |
| Address |
162 Seodong-ro, Geumjeong-gu, Busan |
| Korean Address |
부산광역시 금정구 서동로 162 |
| Nearest Subway |
Seodong Station on Busan Metro Line 4 |
| Visitor Access |
Medical visitors and patients only; exterior viewing from public space is the appropriate fan visit |
Important: Active Hospital
Do not enter the hospital to search for a filming room, photograph corridors, follow staff, or record patients. Medical care, infection control, emergency access, and patient privacy take priority over filming-location tourism.
How fans should visit
A brief exterior view from a normal public sidewalk is sufficient. Do not block the entrance, ambulance area, parking access, or pedestrian route.
The interior seen in the final movie may include controlled sections, altered room arrangements, temporary equipment, or production framing that cannot be identified during normal hospital operation.
5. Busan X the Sky
Busan X the Sky, written as 부산엑스더스카이, is located in the Haeundae LCT Landmark Tower. Busan film-location records list the property among locations used during the production of Decision to Leave.
The attraction occupies the upper floors of one of Korea’s tallest buildings and offers panoramic views of Haeundae Beach, Marine City, the coastline, and Busan’s dense urban landscape. This high-rise atmosphere matches the movie’s repeated visual contrast between observation, distance, glass, sea, and city.
| English Name |
Busan X the Sky |
| Korean Name |
부산엑스더스카이 |
| Address |
30 Dalmaji-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan |
| Korean Address |
부산광역시 해운대구 달맞이길 30 |
| Nearest Subway |
Jung-dong Station or Haeundae Station on Busan Metro Line 2 |
| Admission |
Paid ticket required |
| Hours |
Often listed around 10:00–21:00, but confirm the current official schedule and last admission |
Important: Public Floors May Differ from the Film
A production may use a private restaurant section, service area, controlled interior, or temporary set dressing. Buying an observatory ticket does not guarantee access to the exact room or camera position used in the finished movie.
Best time for the view
Late afternoon can show the coastline in daylight, followed by sunset and city lights. Visibility depends heavily on cloud, rain, sea fog, and fine dust.
The observatory is also a practical indoor stop during extreme heat or light rain, although severe weather can reduce the view and affect normal operations.
6. Geumjeongsan and the Mountain Scenes
Geumjeongsan, written as 금정산, appears in Busan production records connected with Decision to Leave. Its rock formations, slopes, forest, and high viewpoints helped supply mountain imagery for the film.
The fictional Gireum mountain should not be understood as one clearly marked tourist destination. The opening case and cliff imagery were constructed through footage from multiple places, editing, controlled access, camera perspective, and production design.
| English Name |
Geumjeongsan Mountain |
| Korean Name |
금정산 |
| Area |
Northern Busan, spanning Geumjeong-gu and neighboring districts |
| Common Access Areas |
Beomeosa, Geumgang Park, or another official trailhead |
| Admission |
Public hiking access is generally free; transport facilities may charge separately |
| Recommended Time |
Daylight in dry, stable weather |
Important: Do Not Search for an Unmarked Cliff
No fan photograph is worth leaving a marked trail, climbing beyond a barrier, or approaching an exposed rock edge. Use an official hiking course and accept that the exact movie perspective may have been available only to the production team.
Choosing a safe trail
Search for a named public destination such as Beomeosa Temple, Geumjeongsanseong Fortress, Geumgang Park, or an official trailhead rather than following a fan-created coordinate into the mountain.
Check the weather, sunset time, trail condition, and return transport before starting. Snow, ice, heavy rain, summer heat, strong wind, and wildfire warnings can make ordinary trails unsafe.
7. Bunam Beach in Samcheok
Bunam Beach, written as 부남해변, is the most emotionally significant location in this guide. Samcheok’s official tourism material identifies the beach with the final sequence of Decision to Leave.
The small beach has sand, scattered coastal rocks, a narrow approach, and a quiet village setting. Its real appearance can feel familiar, but the completed ending was shaped by editing, production equipment, controlled filming conditions, and footage that may include more than one coastal environment.
| English Name |
Bunam Beach |
| Korean Name |
부남해변 |
| Address |
Bunamhaebyeon-gil, Geundeok-myeon, Samcheok-si, Gangwon State |
| Korean Address |
강원특별자치도 삼척시 근덕면 부남해변길 |
| Nearest City |
Samcheok, followed by local transport, taxi, or car |
| Admission |
Normally free, subject to local access rules |
| Access Type |
Village-managed beach with daytime access |
Important: Confirm Beach Access
Samcheok tourism information describes Bunam Beach as a village-managed beach with daytime access. Entry periods, parking, military or local restrictions, weather closures, and swimming conditions can change. Confirm current information before driving to the village.
Why the beach needs a separate trip
Bunam Beach is not a practical day-trip addition to a compact Busan filming-location route. Samcheok lies on the east coast in Gangwon State, and the final local connection can be inconvenient without a car or taxi.
Plan the beach as part of a Samcheok stay or a wider east-coast itinerary. Allow extra time for the narrow approach road, limited parking, and the return journey.
Beach safety
- Visit during permitted daytime hours.
- Do not dig deep holes or attempt to recreate the final scene.
- Stay away from unstable rock and wave-washed areas.
- Check wave, wind, rain, and typhoon information.
- Do not enter the water when swimming is prohibited.
- Keep the access road and local parking spaces clear.
- Take all rubbish away from the beach.
8. Composite Sets and Restricted Locations
Several spaces in Decision to Leave should not be interpreted as straightforward public destinations. The production used Busan Film Studio, active institutions, hotels, private properties, roads, offices, and locations where filming access was specially arranged.
The fictional mountain
The mountain at the center of the first investigation is a cinematic construction. Geumjeongsan is connected with production, while other cliff and mountain material has been associated with locations outside Busan. The finished sequence should not be used as a hiking map.
Police and institutional interiors
Police, hospital, office, and interview scenes may combine real building exteriors with studio interiors or controlled rooms. Do not enter a government or medical building simply because it appears to match a frame from the film.
Apartments and private homes
Locations used as Hae-jun’s home, Seo-rae’s residence, or another private space may belong to residents or operate under controlled access. Detailed residential directions are intentionally excluded from this guide.
Important: Filming Permission Is Not Visitor Permission
A production company may receive temporary access to a building, road, rooftop, cliff, studio, or restricted property. That permission does not transfer to fans after the movie is released.
9. How to Plan the Filming Location Route
The locations should be divided by geography and property type rather than forced into one long day.
| Route |
Main Stop |
Suggested Combination |
Planning Level |
| Busan coastal route |
Igidae Coastal Park |
Oryukdo, Gwangalli, or another nearby coastal attraction |
Half or full day |
| Haeundae route |
Busan X the Sky |
Haeundae Beach, Mipo, or Dalmaji area |
Two to five hours |
| Northern Busan route |
Geumjeongsan |
Beomeosa or an official fortress trail |
Full day with hiking preparation |
| Institutional exterior stop |
Sewoong Hospital |
Only when the route already passes through the area |
Brief exterior view |
| Samcheok regional trip |
Bunam Beach |
Other official Samcheok attractions |
Separate full day or overnight trip |
Best route for a first-time visitor
Choose either the Igidae coastal area or Haeundae for one day. Combining both is possible, but a long coastal walk followed by an observatory visit can become tiring when traffic and transfers are added.
Treat Geumjeongsan as a hiking day and Bunam Beach as a completely separate regional trip. Sewoong Hospital should not become the main purpose of a journey.
10. Opening Hours, Admission, and Transport
| Location |
Admission |
Public Transport |
What to Confirm |
| Igidae Coastal Park |
Free |
Metro Line 2, then bus or taxi |
Trail closure, weather, chosen entrance, return route |
| Sewoong Hospital |
Not a tourist attraction |
Busan Metro Line 4 |
No interior fan visit should be planned |
| Busan X the Sky |
Paid ticket |
Busan Metro Line 2, then walk or bus |
Current price, hours, last admission, weather visibility |
| Geumjeongsan |
Public trails generally free |
Depends on the selected trailhead |
Trail status, weather, sunset, return transport |
| Bunam Beach |
Normally free |
Regional transport to Samcheok, then taxi, bus, or car |
Daytime access, seasonal rules, parking, waves, local restrictions |
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for local routes. Save the Korean place names before departure because English searches can lead to the wrong entrance or an incomplete bus route.
11. Photo Tips and Safety Rules
The movie’s precise compositions were created by professional crews with controlled environments. Fans can capture the atmosphere without reproducing dangerous positions.
- Use official viewpoints at Igidae and Geumjeongsan.
- Do not cross ropes, fences, barriers, or closure signs.
- Do not stand on wet shoreline rocks.
- Do not recreate burial, cliff, fall, or drowning scenes.
- Do not photograph patients or hospital interiors.
- Ask before using a tripod inside a paid attraction.
- Do not fly a drone without checking airspace and property rules.
- Keep narrow trails and beach access roads clear.
- Do not use copyrighted film stills as blog images without permission.
- Leave immediately when staff or local officials restrict access.
Best visual features to compare
Compare broad permanent features such as coastline shape, rock color, skyline, windows, mountain ridges, sea direction, and building proportions. Props, furniture, signs, lighting, and room layouts may have been temporary.
A safe wide-angle composition is more valuable than an exact frame captured from a restricted position.
12. Nearby Places to Add to Your Trip
Near Igidae
Igidae can be combined with Oryukdo Skywalk, Gwangalli Beach, or a shorter section of the Busan coastal walking route. Check the actual distance and elevation before combining several outdoor stops.
Near Busan X the Sky
Haeundae Beach, Mipo, Dalmaji-gil, and the Haeundae Blue Line Park area are practical additions. Reservation, operating, and boarding rules should be checked separately.
Near Geumjeongsan
Beomeosa Temple and Geumjeongsanseong Fortress can turn the day into a broader cultural and hiking trip. Choose a route that matches your fitness and available daylight.
Near Bunam Beach
Samcheok has several beaches, coastal viewpoints, caves, and historic attractions. Add only destinations that fit the current beach access period and your return transportation.
13. Sources and Verification Notes
The following official or institutional sources should be rechecked before publication and again before travel:
Busan Film Commission
Busan Cinema Center Official Blog
Visit Busan Official Tourism Portal
Sewoong Hospital Official Website
Busan X the Sky Official Website
Samcheok Cultural Tourism
Samcheok City Official Blog
Sewoong Hospital’s official website confirmed that the institution was operating in July 2026. Samcheok’s official tourism and city materials continued to identify Bunam Beach as a filming location, while also emphasizing local management and access conditions.
Exact scene-to-location matching can be complicated because the finished film combines locations. Where a publicly accessible area cannot be proven to match the final frame, this guide describes the broader production connection rather than claiming an exact camera position.
14. Decision to Leave Filming Locations FAQ
Was Decision to Leave filmed in Busan?
Yes. Busan was a major production base, with filming at more than twenty locations including studios, mountains, coastal areas, institutions, hotels, and urban properties.
Where was the final beach scene filmed?
Bunam Beach in Samcheok is officially promoted as a principal filming location for the final sequence. The finished scene may combine more than one coastal element through editing.
Can I visit Bunam Beach at any time?
Do not assume unlimited access. It is a village-managed beach described as having daytime access, and seasonal, military, weather, parking, or local restrictions may apply.
Can visitors enter Sewoong Hospital to find the filming rooms?
No fan visit to patient or staff areas should be attempted. View the exterior briefly from public space unless you have a legitimate medical reason to enter.
Is Busan X the Sky the exact interior seen in the movie?
The property is connected with production, but the exact frame may have used a private section, controlled room, different floor, or temporary set dressing. Public admission does not guarantee access to the original camera position.
Can I find the exact mountain cliff?
The fictional mountain sequence was assembled from multiple locations and production techniques. Use only marked public trails and do not search for an unmarked cliff edge.
Can the Busan locations be visited in one day?
A coastal stop and one urban attraction can fit into a day. Igidae, Geumjeongsan, Haeundae, and northern Busan should not all be forced into one rushed route.
Is Bunam Beach a day trip from Busan?
It is possible only with a long and carefully planned journey, but a separate Samcheok stay is more practical. Public transport and the final local connection require extra time.
Do I need a rental car?
Busan locations can generally be reached by metro, bus, and taxi. A car is more useful for Bunam Beach, but drivers should be prepared for a narrow village approach and limited parking.
Is drone photography allowed?
Do not fly a drone without checking aviation restrictions, military zones, park regulations, beach rules, and property permission. Coastal and urban Busan contain areas where drone use can be restricted.
Should I use Google Maps?
Google Maps is useful for general orientation, but Naver Map and Kakao Map usually show better Korean place searches, local bus routes, walking access, recent photographs, and closure information.
A thoughtful Decision to Leave filming locations trip is less about reproducing every frame and more about understanding how Busan’s cliffs, mountains, hospitals, towers, and coastline shaped the film’s atmosphere. Visit only public areas, separate Busan from the Samcheok beach journey, and never exchange safety or privacy for an exact camera angle.
