K-drama arrives at Seoul Station, next stop: filming locations

Watch a drama at Seoul Station, then choose your next travel destination.

K-drama content reminiscent of the red door in “Goblin” and the dreamy space in “Hotel Del Luna” has now moved into a shopping space at Seoul Station, not as a filming location. Visitors can briefly stop by before boarding a train to view approximately 40 iconic scenes and listen to 30 OST tracks, allowing them to decide on their next destination.

Connect Place Seoul Station is hosting a special K-drama exhibition in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization and Studio Dragon. The exhibition features iconic scenes, famous lines, props, and filming locations from popular dramas such as “Goblin,” “Mr. Sunshine,” “Hotel Del Luna,” and “Crash Landing on You,” bringing the emotions from the screen to the layout of Seoul Station.

The central pedestrian plaza, outdoor plaza, and rooftop garden at Seoul Station have been prepared with viewing exhibitions and large photo zones. An OST listening lounge has also been established. This allows viewers to move beyond simply watching the drama and instead take photos, listen to music, and check information about the filming locations. For drama fans, this is a preview of a pilgrimage, and for Seoul Station, it is a rather clever way to welcome visitors.

Why, of all times, did they choose to establish K-culture at Seoul Station?

This exhibition was organized in conjunction with “K-DRAMA EXHIBITION: Scenes to Destinations,” presented by Studio Dragon and the Korea Tourism Organization at Highker Ground. The main exhibition at Highker Ground features five sections: dialogue, scenes, music, props, and filming locations, and also provides travel itineraries and tourism products related to each work. The Seoul Station branch is a follow-up project that brings this content to a place of transit.

The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2026 to promote regional tourism through the use of K-dramas. The key aspect is not simply showing the drama. It is about creating pathways for viewers to visit the actual filming locations. This is an attempt to transform the viewing experience, which ends in the living room, into a journey with maps, transportation information, and travel itineraries.

Seoul Station is a suitable location for such an experiment. It is a place where travelers using the airport express train and the city airport terminal pass through, and it also has shopping and dining facilities. It can serve as a space where visitors can view an exhibition during the time before their departure and experience the first instance of their Korean journey immediately after arrival. This strategy aims to capture both the beginning and the end of a trip to Korea.

A representative from Hanwha Connect stated, “The Connect Place Seoul Station branch has rapidly emerged as a landmark representing Seoul, as it offers the opportunity to experience the latest trends in Korea both at the beginning and end of a trip to Korea.” While the expression is somewhat emphatic, the direction is clear. The intention is to develop Seoul Station not just as a simple transfer point, but as a tourism content platform where people can stay and spend.

The 240% increase in sales to foreign customers served as the backdrop for the exhibition.

Connect Place Seoul Station announced that its foreign customer sales increased by 240% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025. Compared to the previous quarter, the third quarter, sales increased by 91%. The fact that this increase occurred after the launch of the K-drama exhibition suggests that this event served as both a cultural content offering and a customer attraction strategy targeting foreign consumers.

The Seoul Station branch also offers currency exchange kiosks, luggage storage lockers, and portable battery charging services. This design aims to address the inconveniences faced by travelers, incorporating exhibitions and shopping opportunities in their place. Travelers can leave their luggage and charge their batteries before heading to the photo zone, creating a more convenient experience before they even open their wallets.

According to data from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of foreign tourists who visited Seoul in 2025 was recorded as 18,936,562. It is natural that Seoul Station aims to capture this large flow of visitors. However, it has not yet been disclosed whether the increase in foreign revenue is solely due to the exhibition, or the result of increased tourist numbers and changes in travel patterns. The absolute amount of revenue and the number of foreign visitors have not been disclosed.

In my opinion, the attitude towards interpreting numbers is crucial at this point. While the figure of 240% is significant, it cannot be definitively stated that the exhibition alone stimulated regional tourism. Whether the exhibition visitors actually visited the filming locations, and whether the sales of shops and restaurants near Seoul Station increased, can only be determined with post-event data. If the numbers have opened a door, what is now needed is to know where the people who entered that door went.

Could the locations shown on the screen actually be part of a real travel itinerary?

A noteworthy aspect of this exhibition is that it goes beyond simply displaying iconic scenes. By combining large photo zones, location information, and an OST listening lounge, visitors can not only relive the emotions evoked by the scenes but also identify the actual locations. The exhibition is structured in a way that encourages visitors to start planning their next trip before the music even ends.

It can be particularly useful for foreign tourists. After enjoying shopping and dining at Seoul Station, they may travel outside Seoul by consulting a map of filming locations and suggested itineraries. In other words, K-dramas can serve as a channel for expanding tourist routes to regional filming locations rather than remaining confined to Seoul’s limited popular attractions.

However, potential and actual results are different. Just because someone visits Seoul Station and sees the exhibition does not mean they will stay for a long time or plan a separate trip. This is because the location is both a destination and a transit space. Some visitors may take a single photo and immediately board the train. Data showing the percentage of visitors who see the exhibition and then go on to take an actual trip is needed to assess the effectiveness of this strategy.

Another question remains: where will the line be drawn between cultural tourism content and a company’s attraction marketing? This exhibition clearly demonstrates the cultural expansion potential of the drama IP, but it also serves as a means to increase visits to commercial spaces. I do not believe that having these two purposes is inherently a problem. However, when discussing tourism, it is important to not only focus on the consumption effects, but also to transparently disclose the actual changes that have occurred in the filming locations and the local business districts. This is what will lend credibility to the endeavor.

Remaining things to check before going to see the exhibition

The special exhibition at Connect Place Seoul Station will be open until the 31st of this month. However, the exact start date varies depending on the available information. Information regarding admission fees, whether reservations are required, operating hours, and the extent of foreign language information provided has not yet been confirmed.

Therefore, readers who plan to visit Seoul Station should check the operating information in advance. Whether the exhibition is free, the waiting time, and whether all facilities, including the photo zone and OST lounge, are available, directly affect travel plans and expenses. If many people visit the exhibition, the congestion in Seoul Station Square, the rooftop garden, and nearby stores may increase. Going there thinking it was free, only to have your schedule thrown into disarray, would be a plot twist worthy of a drama.

Connect Place Seoul Station has been holding events linked to exhibitions, such as the “100th Anniversary of the Completion of the Old Seoul Station” exhibition in 2025, attracting approximately 460,000 visitors over a period of about two months. This strategy of combining exhibitions with commercial spaces has been ongoing. This K-drama exhibition is an example of expanding this trend to attract global tourists. A representative from Hanwha Connect stated, “Now, as a global landmark, we will continue expanding customized convenience services for visitors and content featuring K-culture.”

What is important to observe in the future is not the exhibition’s glamorous photo zones, but what comes next. We need to see if visitors move on to visit filming locations, if money and time flow into the local economy, and if Seoul Station transforms from a waiting room for travel into a starting point for journeys. If K-dramas not only make people cry but also inspire action, then this exhibition could be remembered as the first instance of that.

Frequently Asked Questions.

The K-drama exhibition at Connect Place, Seoul Station branch, is open until when?

The special exhibition will run through the 31st of this month. However, the exact start date does not specifically match across the available verified sources.

Is the exhibition free of charge? Is a reservation required?

Admission fees and whether reservations are required have not been confirmed. It is recommended to check the operating information separately before visiting.

Where can I see the exhibition at the Seoul Station branch?

The central pedestrian plaza, outdoor plaza, and rooftop garden at Seoul Station feature viewing exhibitions, large photo zones, and an OST listening lounge.

What dramas and original soundtracks are available?

Over 40 K-dramas, including “Goblin,” “Mr. Sunshine,” “Hotel Del Luna,” and “Crash Landing on You,” will be featured. The OST listening lounge includes 30 songs curated into 6 themes.

What are the differences between the HiKR Ground exhibition and the Seoul Station branch exhibition?

The exhibition at the Seoul Station branch is organized in conjunction with the “K-DRAMA EXHIBITION: Scenes to Destinations” held at HiKR Ground. The main exhibition at Haiker Ground consists of five sections: dialogue, scenes, music, props, and filming locations, and also provides information on travel routes and tourism products related to the filming locations.

Did the exhibition lead to actual visits to the filming locations or an increase in sales for businesses in the surrounding area?

It has not yet been confirmed how much the current exhibition has increased the number of visits by foreign tourists to filming locations, or how much it has boosted sales in the commercial areas around Seoul Station. The figures for increased foreign sales are based on Hanwha Connect’s internal data, and further data is needed to assess the overall impact of the exhibition.

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