Is a Jeju Guided Tour Worth It? Tour vs Public Bus Without a Car

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  JEJU ISLAND GUIDE KOREA TRAVEL COMPARISON Public buses make car-free Jeju possible, but they do not always make it efficient. A guided tour costs more, yet it can save hours when several attractions are spread across the island. The better choice depends on whether you value lower transportation cost or more usable sightseeing time. Quick answer: Choose a guided day tour if this is your first Jeju trip and you want to cover several major attractions in one day without driving. Choose public buses if your budget matters more, you prefer a slower pace, or you plan to focus on only one or two areas each day. Transportation and activity information checked on August 21, 2026. Jeju bus routes, fares, tour itineraries, pickup points, and attraction stops can change. Affiliate disclosure: This post contains a Klook affiliate link. I may earn a commission from qualifying bookings at no additional cost to you. Table of Contents 30-Second Verdict What a Car-Free Jej...

Queen of Tears Filming Locations in Korea: A Travel Guide for Fans

 

Travel collage showing The Hyundai Seoul, a Korean rural village and orchard, a mansion-style exterior, and a Korea filming-location map for Queen of Tears fans.

The real Queen of Tears filming locations in Korea are spread across Seoul, the capital region, and rural areas used to create Baek Hyun-woo’s hometown of Yongdu-ri. The drama also includes scenes filmed in Germany, so not every memorable background belongs in a Korea travel itinerary.

Several locations are functioning department stores, hotels, event venues, offices, farms, and residential neighborhoods. A place can be accurately connected with the drama while still allowing only customer access, exterior viewing, or no unscheduled visitors at all.

This guide separates public fan stops from private properties, production spaces, and rural locations that require additional verification. It also explains how to search Korean place names, plan regional transportation, and avoid traveling to an unconfirmed house or farm based on an unofficial map pin.

Operating hours, admission rules, business status, reservations, construction, and photography policies can change. Confirm the latest information through each venue’s official website, official social media account, reservation page, or current Korean map listing before departure.

Important: Verify Each Location Before Traveling

The drama used separate exterior, interior, rural, and overseas locations. Confirm the exact scene, present-day property name, public entrance, operating status, and photography rules before adding a location to your itinerary.



Infographic mapping Queen of Tears filming locations in Seoul, the capital region, and rural Korea with access, transport, private-property, Germany-scene, and etiquette notes.



1. Queen of Tears Filming Locations at a Glance

The locations connected with the drama fall into several travel categories. The Hyundai Seoul is a functioning public department store, while luxury residence scenes may involve hotels, event properties, controlled interiors, and separate exterior buildings. Yongdu-ri was created through rural filming areas rather than one permanent drama village.

Location Type Drama Connection Region Typical Access Main Check
The Hyundai Seoul Queens Department Store setting Yeouido, Seoul Public customer areas during business hours Hours, events, store photography, and crowd levels
Yeouido business district Corporate-scale exterior imagery Seoul Public sidewalks and commercial facilities Exact building, private offices, and event restrictions
Luxury residence and event properties Hong family mansion and formal gathering scenes Seoul and capital region Customer, guest, reservation, or exterior-only access Private events, guest zones, and interior filming rules
Yongdu-ri rural areas Hyun-woo’s hometown, family homes, roads, and orchards Multiple regional locations Public roads only unless a business or attraction permits entry Private homes, farmland, transport, and exact scene verification
Germany locations Major overseas relationship and medical-story scenes Germany Separate international trip Do not add to a Korea transportation route

The strongest independent fan stop is usually a public commercial or cultural destination. Rural houses, farms, institutional interiors, and event properties require more careful access checks.

2. What to Know Before Visiting the Locations

Queen of Tears presents fictional places such as Queens Department Store and Yongdu-ri, but those names do not always correspond to one real location. The production combined real businesses, public streets, rural roads, private properties, separate interiors, and overseas footage.

Before saving a location, verify four different points:

  • Scene connection: Is the exact place connected with a specific episode and scene?
  • Current identity: Does the property still operate under the same name and purpose?
  • Public access: Can ordinary visitors enter, or is the relevant area guest-only, customer-only, exterior-only, or restricted?
  • Travel value: Is the destination worth visiting beyond one photograph, and can it be combined with nearby attractions?

Scene continuity can also create false assumptions. A character may enter one building exterior and appear inside a completely different venue or studio in the next shot. Verify the exterior and interior separately.

Important: Story Geography Is Not Real Travel Geography

Locations presented as one department store, mansion, village, or hospital may combine several properties. Confirm every address and access condition independently.

3. The Hyundai Seoul and Queens Department Store

English name: The Hyundai Seoul

Korean name: 더현대 서울

Address: 108 Yeoui-daero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul

Nearest major station: Yeouido Station

Map search: Enter 더현대 서울 in Naver Map or KakaoMap and select the official department-store listing.

The Hyundai Seoul is widely associated with the Queens Department Store setting. Its large indoor spaces, luxury retail atmosphere, modern architecture, escalators, atrium, and event areas match the scale required for the fictional Queens retail empire.

This is an active department store rather than a permanent drama exhibition. Temporary production signs, fictional branding, restricted filming zones, and scene-specific decorations may have been removed immediately after production.

Access and Admission

General customer areas can normally be entered during current business hours without a drama-location ticket. Pop-ups, exhibitions, restaurants, events, and private functions may have separate reservations, purchases, or queue systems.

Department-store opening hours and closing days can change during holidays, maintenance, special events, or seasonal schedules. Check the official listing before traveling.

Important: Active Commercial Property

Customer movement, store operations, private events, and security rules take priority over filming-location photography. Ask before using large equipment or photographing inside individual stores.

Best Time to Visit

A weekday morning is usually more comfortable than a weekend afternoon. Popular pop-ups, holiday periods, and food-hall hours can create long queues and crowded walkways.

Allow at least 60 to 90 minutes if you want to explore the architecture, shop, eat, or compare several possible filming areas. A brief exterior visit requires less time.

Photography Tips

Use a phone or small handheld camera and avoid photographing employees, shoppers, children, or store interiors at close range. Keep escalator landings, entrances, and event queues clear.

The most recognizable travel photographs usually emphasize the atrium, architectural curves, escalators, and overall scale rather than searching for temporary Queens branding.

Nearby Places

The department store can be combined with IFC Mall, Yeouido Park, the Han River, financial-district architecture, or another Yeouido attraction. This makes the trip worthwhile even when a specific drama display no longer exists.

4. Queens Group Business District Scenes

The fictional Queens Group is presented through large corporate buildings, luxury retail spaces, offices, and formal interiors. These scenes may use several properties rather than one real-world headquarters.

Yeouido’s modern skyline and major commercial developments make the area useful for fans interested in the visual world of Queens Group. However, a public exterior should not be confused with access to actual office floors or production interiors.

Public Areas Fans Can Use

  • Public sidewalks
  • Department-store customer areas
  • Public commercial malls
  • Open plazas when no event restriction is in place
  • Public parks and riverside paths nearby

Areas That Should Not Be Entered

  • Office security gates
  • Employee-only elevators
  • Loading docks and service corridors
  • Private event floors
  • Staff entrances and parking facilities
  • Restricted rooftops and production areas

If an online source identifies a specific office lobby or boardroom, confirm whether it was a real public venue, a booked event hall, or a studio interior before traveling.

5. The Hong Family Mansion

The Hong family residence is one of the drama’s most searched locations. Its exterior, driveway, gardens, formal rooms, guest areas, and family gathering spaces create the impression of one enormous private estate.

Television production can combine a hotel, event venue, private estate, controlled outdoor property, and separate interior set into one fictional residence. Do not assume that every room shown in the drama is located inside the building used for the exterior.

Possible Access Categories

Property Type Typical Visitor Access What to Confirm
Hotel or resort Guest, restaurant customer, or permitted public areas Guest floors, dining reservations, photography, private functions
Wedding or event venue Reservation or invited-event access Private ceremonies, appointment requirements, exterior viewing
Private estate No entry without permission Property boundary and lawful public viewpoint
Production set No access unless an official tour exists Whether the set still exists and whether it is open
Important: Exterior Viewing or Customer Access Only

Do not enter gates, gardens, guest floors, event halls, parking areas, or private rooms without permission. A reported filming connection does not create public access to the property.

How to Verify the Correct Mansion Location

Compare the exact episode and camera angle with reliable production or local information. Look for structural details such as the driveway, columns, windows, roofline, garden arrangement, and neighboring landscape.

Do not rely on a visually similar luxury hotel or residence. Many event properties in the capital region share European-style architecture and landscaped grounds.

Is It Worth a Dedicated Trip?

A mansion location is worth adding only when public viewing or customer access is clearly confirmed and the property offers another reason to visit, such as accommodation, dining, an official tour, or a nearby attraction.

Do not make a long taxi journey for an uncertain exterior that can be seen only through a gate.

6. Yongdu-ri Village Filming Locations

Yongdu-ri is presented as Baek Hyun-woo’s rural hometown, where his family operates orchards, shops, and community businesses. The drama creates a strong sense of one compact village, but the finished location may combine several roads, houses, farms, and regional filming points.

Do not search for one “Yongdu-ri filming village” pin and assume every scene is within walking distance. Each house, orchard, shop, road, and community building should be verified separately.

Why Rural Locations Require More Care

  • Homes may be occupied by residents.
  • Orchards and fields are private businesses.
  • Farm roads may not be public visitor routes.
  • Local buses may run infrequently.
  • Taxi pickup can be difficult in rural areas.
  • The drama’s shop signs may have been temporary props.
  • Buildings may have returned to normal use after filming.
  • Residents may not want repeated visitors outside their homes.
Important: Residential and Agricultural Areas

Stay on public roads, keep noise low, avoid photographing residents or windows, and do not enter orchards, fields, farm buildings, yards, or private lanes without permission.

How to Verify a Yongdu-ri Scene

Start with the exact episode and identify whether the scene shows a family home, orchard, shop, village road, community building, or general landscape. Search the Korean drama title together with the scene type and 촬영지.

Then confirm the official Korean place name, city, current address, public entrance, and present-day property use. A fan pin with no official place name should not be used as the only source.

Transportation Planning

Rural filming areas may require an intercity train or bus followed by a local bus or taxi. Check the return journey before departure, especially the final local bus and the availability of taxi pickup.

Travelers without a private vehicle should limit the day to one or two verified rural stops. Several locations that appear close on a drama map may be far apart in real life.

Best Visit Approach

Visit only in daylight and combine the filming point with an official attraction, market, museum, restaurant, or scenic site in the same region. This keeps the trip useful if the original drama sign or exterior has changed.

Do not arrive at a private residence expecting the owner to allow entry or provide a tour.

7. Public Seoul Locations Fans Can Visit

Seoul is the easiest region for independent fan travel because public transportation is frequent and commercial locations usually have clear visitor entrances. The Hyundai Seoul is the strongest practical anchor for a Queen of Tears day.

Additional public streets, parks, restaurants, galleries, and cultural facilities should be included only when the exact episode and current access are confirmed. Do not add a visually similar place merely because it fits the drama’s luxury atmosphere.

A Simple Yeouido Fan Stop

  1. Arrive at Yeouido Station and confirm the indoor or outdoor route to The Hyundai Seoul.
  2. Explore permitted customer areas and architectural viewpoints.
  3. Have lunch or coffee in the district rather than rushing to an unverified private property.
  4. Walk through Yeouido Park or continue to the Han River when weather permits.
  5. Use public sidewalks for skyline photographs and avoid office security areas.

Why This Route Works

The route remains enjoyable even if temporary Queens branding has disappeared. It combines the drama’s corporate atmosphere with shopping, dining, modern architecture, and a major Seoul business district.

It is also more reliable than a route based on private homes or uncertain rural pins.

What to Confirm on the Day

  • Department-store opening hours
  • Holiday or maintenance closure
  • Temporary pop-ups and crowd-control measures
  • Photography restrictions
  • Weather for the park or riverside section
  • Subway service and station-exit changes

8. Hotels, Hospitals, and Interior Filming Spaces

The drama includes luxury interiors, formal family spaces, medical facilities, offices, hotel-like buildings, restaurants, and event venues. These locations can look public on screen while being tightly controlled in real life.

Hotels and Resorts

Hotel lobbies, restaurants, gardens, event halls, guest floors, and private villas follow different access rules. A public lobby does not create access to every room shown in the drama.

Visit as a guest, restaurant customer, event attendee, or brief exterior sightseer according to the property’s current policy. Ask before photographing inside.

Hospitals and Medical Buildings

A real hospital must prioritize patients, caregivers, medical staff, and privacy. Do not enter wards, consultation areas, treatment floors, or restricted corridors for filming-location photography.

Some medical scenes may use a university building, office facility, studio, or controlled interior rather than the hospital suggested by the story.

Important: Do Not Disrupt Medical or Business Operations

Do not photograph patients, employees, guests, identification screens, treatment areas, offices, or security checkpoints. Use only spaces clearly open to ordinary visitors.

Production Interiors

Boardrooms, bedrooms, hospital rooms, mansion halls, and office interiors may have been constructed or heavily modified for production. The original space may no longer exist in the same form.

Do not visit a production studio unless an official tour, exhibition, or public program is announced.

9. Germany Scenes and Korean Locations

Germany plays an important role in the relationship and medical storyline. Those scenes should be separated clearly from Korean filming locations when planning travel.

A building with European-style architecture in Korea should not be labeled as a Germany-scene location without direct production evidence. Visual similarity alone is not enough.

Why Germany Requires a Separate Itinerary

  • International flights are required.
  • The locations follow German transportation and property rules.
  • Seasonal appearance can differ from the drama.
  • Some properties may have restricted interiors.
  • The Korean and German scenes cannot be combined into one domestic route.
  • Entry requirements and local operating information must be checked separately.

How to Label Overseas Locations

Scene Type Correct Description Avoid
Filmed in Germany Queen of Tears filming location in Germany Adding it to a Korea day trip
German-looking building in Korea Korean location only when the scene is verified Calling it a Germany scene based on appearance
Interior filmed separately Separate production interior Assuming it is inside the exterior landmark

10. Limited, Changed, and Unconfirmed Locations

Popular dramas quickly produce unofficial location lists. Some entries are accurate, while others combine a nearby district, visually similar building, production rumor, or old map pin.

Signs That a Location Needs More Verification

  • No exact episode or scene is identified.
  • The place is named only in English.
  • The address leads to a private residence.
  • All articles repeat the same sentence without a source.
  • Recent map photos show a different business.
  • The filming point is behind a gate or fence.
  • The route requires entering farmland or a private lane.
  • The location is described as a set but no public visitor facility exists.
  • The place is linked to the drama only through visual similarity.

Possible Changes After Filming

  • Queens branding removed
  • Store or restaurant renovation
  • Temporary set dismantled
  • Hotel or event property under new management
  • Rural house repainted or remodeled
  • Road construction or redevelopment
  • Public access restricted after visitor complaints
  • Business closure or relocation
Important: Confirm Current Status

A filming location may have closed, moved, been renovated, restricted public access, or lost its original drama elements. Check recent official notices and current visitor photos before traveling.

How to Describe an Unconfirmed Place

Use cautious wording such as “widely reported,” “the exact production connection should be checked,” or “public access is not confirmed.” Do not publish a private address as a recommended attraction.

11. How to Plan a Practical Queen of Tears Trip

The locations should be grouped by region. A Seoul commercial route, a capital-area mansion visit, and a rural Yongdu-ri trip require different schedules and should not be forced into one day.

Trip Type Main Focus Suggested Time Best For Main Check
Yeouido fan stop The Hyundai Seoul and corporate-district atmosphere Half day First-time visitors and public-transport travelers Department-store hours and temporary events
Capital-area mansion route Verified residence or event property Half day to full day Fans with confirmed customer or visitor access Reservation, guest rules, and exterior-only limits
Yongdu-ri regional trip Verified rural roads, village businesses, and scenery Full day or overnight Travelers prioritizing Hyun-woo’s hometown Private property and return transportation
Two-day combined trip Seoul on day one and one regional area on day two Two full days Dedicated fans with flexible travel plans Regional accommodation and current access

Best Option for Most Visitors

The Yeouido route is the most practical because it uses major public transportation and remains enjoyable without access to a private home or rural farm.

Best Option for Yongdu-ri Fans

Choose one verified rural cluster and plan the return journey first. Do not attempt to visit every reported house, road, and orchard in one day.

Best Option for a Mansion Visit

Visit only when the property has an official customer, guest, dining, event, or tour option. Exterior-only locations behind gates usually offer limited travel value.

12. Korean Maps and Transportation Tips

Naver Map and KakaoMap are useful for confirming Korean names, station exits, bus stops, business status, recent photographs, and the final walking route.

Save the Exact Korean Name

Destination Type Search Method What to Confirm
The Hyundai Seoul 더현대 서울 Official listing, station route, hours, event notices
Mansion or hotel Current official Korean property name Public entrance, reservations, exterior-only restrictions
Yongdu-ri scene Drama title plus scene type and 촬영지 Exact city, public road, property status, return transport
Restaurant or café Current Korean business name Branch, hours, break time, reservation, relocation

Check the Final Entrance

Large department stores, hotels, resorts, office complexes, and rural properties can have multiple gates. A map pin may lead to a loading dock, employee entrance, private driveway, or closed gate.

Review Recent Photos

Recent images can reveal removed signs, renovations, fences, new businesses, road construction, or changes to a rural house. Sort by date rather than popularity.

Check the Return Route First

For regional locations, confirm the final local bus, intercity connection, taxi availability, and mobile signal before traveling. Save your accommodation address in Korean.

13. Photography and Visitor Etiquette

Queen of Tears locations continue to function as department stores, offices, hotels, event venues, farms, homes, roads, and medical or cultural facilities. Their normal purpose always takes priority over fan photography.

  • Stay on public sidewalks and designated customer paths.
  • Do not enter homes, gardens, orchards, fields, farm buildings, or private roads.
  • Do not photograph residents, shoppers, employees, guests, patients, or children without permission.
  • Ask before photographing inside stores, restaurants, hotels, galleries, or event properties.
  • Keep entrances, escalators, elevators, roads, and service areas clear.
  • Do not enter office floors, guest-only spaces, hospital treatment areas, or staff corridors.
  • Avoid large tripods, lights, costume groups, and commercial equipment without authorization.
  • Do not move merchandise, furniture, signs, or property decorations.
  • Do not leave flowers, notes, stickers, banners, or fan gifts at the location.
  • Visit residential and rural areas during daylight and keep noise low.
  • Do not fly drones without checking local, military, airport, privacy, and property restrictions.
  • Stop immediately when staff, residents, security personnel, or local officials ask you to move.

A brief exterior photograph from a lawful viewpoint is enough. Do not reproduce a scene when doing so would block customers, disturb residents, or require private access.

14. Frequently Asked Questions

Where was Queen of Tears filmed in Korea?

The production used locations in Seoul, the capital region, and rural areas, along with separate interiors and overseas filming in Germany. Each scene should be verified individually.

Is The Hyundai Seoul the Queens Department Store location?

The Hyundai Seoul is widely associated with the Queens Department Store setting and is one of the most practical public fan stops. Temporary fictional branding may no longer remain.

How do I get to The Hyundai Seoul?

Search 더현대 서울 in Naver Map or KakaoMap. Yeouido Station is the main public-transport reference, but confirm the current indoor or outdoor walking route.

Do I need a ticket for The Hyundai Seoul?

General customer areas normally do not require a drama-location ticket. Individual events, pop-ups, exhibitions, and reservations may have separate conditions.

Is Yongdu-ri a real village?

Yongdu-ri is the drama’s fictional hometown setting. The finished village atmosphere may combine several real rural locations rather than one complete public attraction.

Can I visit the Yongdu-ri houses?

Do not enter private homes or yards. View only from lawful public roads when the exact location and current visitor conditions are confirmed.

Can I enter the orchards seen in the drama?

Not without permission. Orchards and fields are working private property. Use an official farm experience or public visitor program when available.

Is the Hong family mansion open to visitors?

Access depends on the actual property used for each exterior or interior scene. A hotel, event venue, private estate, and production set can have completely different visitor rules.

Can I visit the mansion without a reservation?

Do not assume so. Hotels, restaurants, wedding venues, private estates, and event properties may require a booking or allow only exterior viewing.

Were the Germany scenes filmed in Korea?

Major Germany scenes were filmed overseas and require a separate international itinerary. Do not identify a Korean building as a Germany location based only on similar architecture.

Can I visit several locations in one day?

Selected Seoul locations can be combined, but a rural Yongdu-ri route or capital-area mansion visit should normally be planned separately.

Which location is easiest for a first-time visitor?

The Hyundai Seoul is the easiest major stop because it is a public commercial destination in Seoul with clear transportation and nearby attractions.

Are the filming locations free?

Public sidewalks and general department-store areas may be free, while transportation, dining, accommodation, events, reservations, parking, and regional travel create separate costs.

Can I photograph inside the buildings?

Photography depends on the property and specific area. Ask before photographing inside stores, hotels, restaurants, offices, hospitals, and event venues.

Which map app should I use?

Naver Map and KakaoMap are useful for Korean place names, public transportation, current business information, recent photos, and final walking directions.

Do I need a guided tour?

A guide is not necessary for The Hyundai Seoul or other clearly public urban destinations. A responsible guide may help with rural transportation, but the route should exclude private and unconfirmed properties.

Are the locations still recognizable?

Permanent architecture may remain recognizable, while fictional signs, shop interiors, event decorations, rural properties, and production sets can change. Check recent photos before traveling.

A successful Queen of Tears filming-location trip begins with one practical public destination and adds regional stops only after access is confirmed. Choose places that remain valuable beyond the drama, respect private homes and businesses, and treat every location as a real workplace or community rather than a permanent television set.

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