Which K-pop Music Video Filming Location Is Actually Worth Visiting? My Honest Verdict
If you only have time for one K-pop music video filming location in Korea, go to the BTS "Spring Day" bus stop at Jumunjin Beach in Gangneung. That is my honest conclusion after a year of dragging myself (and two very patient friends) around the country to recreate music video shots. It is the one that actually felt magical in person, and not just on camera.
Here is the short version before I ramble. The Jumunjin bus stop is the most rewarding because the setting itself, the East Sea right behind a lonely little bus shelter, is genuinely beautiful even if you forgot every BTS lyric you ever knew. Yongma Land in Seoul is the most convenient and the most "content-friendly" if you want that eerie retro look. Iryeong Station is for the hardcore. Nami Island is lovely but honestly more of a K-drama pilgrimage than a K-pop one. So if you are a fan planning a trip, I would say pick by how much time you have and how far you are willing to travel, and I will walk you through exactly why.
Why I made the BTS "Spring Day" bus stop my main pilgrimage
The BTS bus stop at Jumunjin Beach is the spot built to recreate the You Never Walk Alone album jacket and parts of the "Spring Day" world, and it is the one location I would tell any fan to prioritize. I had seen the photos a hundred times, but standing there with the wind off the East Sea hitting me sideways was a completely different feeling.
So let me back up and tell you how it actually went, mistakes and all. I am Cloe, I have been living in Seoul for a while now, and I went down on a Saturday in spring thinking I was being clever. I was not. Everyone else also thought spring weekends were clever.
I took the KTX from Seoul Station to Gangneung, which took about two hours and was the easy part. The slightly painful part was the local bus afterward. From Gangneung Station I caught one of the green city buses (314 and 302 both work, and I just trusted Naver Map for timing) and it was roughly another hour up to Jumunjin. If I am being real with you, the connection is where people underestimate the day. Plan for at least three hours one way from central Seoul, not the dreamy "quick beach trip" you imagine.
When you finally get there, the bus stop is right by the beach, maybe a three minute walk from the parking area. There were standees of the members, purple benches across the road, and a little stamp setup so you can mark a tour map. There is even a camera guide so you can line up the famous shot. I loved that detail honestly, because I am hopeless at composition and the guide basically did it for me.
Now the downside, and there is one. The queue. On that sunny Saturday I waited a genuinely long time for my turn to stand alone at the shelter and get a clean photo. Everyone was polite about it, people naturally take turns and wait for each other to finish, which was sweet. But if you are imagining a quiet, melancholy "Spring Day" moment all to yourself, that fantasy dies fast on a weekend. My biggest tip, the thing I wish someone had told me, is to go on a weekday and arrive early. The second time I went it was a Tuesday morning and it was a totally different, almost meditative experience.
What surprised me most was how good the whole area is beyond the bus stop. Jumunjin Beach itself is wide and clean, the water is that almost unreal blue-green, and there is a small forest patch and extra photo zones scattered around. I ended up spending way longer than planned just walking the sand. Sokcho is under thirty minutes away by car too, so people with a rental often pair the two.
So is it worth the three hour trek for non-fans you drag along? Honestly, yes, because the beach carries the day even if "Spring Day" means nothing to your travel buddy. That is exactly why I rank it first.
How does it compare to Yongma Land, the abandoned theme park?
Yongma Land is the easiest K-pop filming location to reach and the best one for moody, retro photos, but it is a different vibe entirely. Where Jumunjin is open and bright, Yongma Land is this gloriously creepy abandoned amusement park tucked in Jungnang-gu, right inside Seoul.
I went on a grey afternoon, which in hindsight was perfect lighting for the place. You pay a small entry fee at the gate, around 5,000 won, and then you are basically free to wander among rusted carousel horses and a frozen Ferris wheel. It has been used for so many K-pop shoots over the years that walking in feels like stepping onto a set you already half know. If your dream aesthetic is "faded 80s carnival meets music video b-roll," this is your place.
The honest catch is that the magic is entirely about light and weather. On a flat, bright day it can just look like junk. And it is a real abandoned site, so the ground is uneven and you should wear actual shoes, not your cute concert sneakers. But for pure convenience, you can get there and back in an afternoon without leaving the city, which Jumunjin absolutely cannot match.
What about Iryeong Station and Nami Island?
Iryeong Station is the deep-cut "Spring Day" location for serious fans, while Nami Island leans far more K-drama than K-pop. I want to be fair to both because they each get hyped online.
Iryeong Station is a small, atmospheric old station up in Yangju that appears in the "Spring Day" world, and getting there is genuinely fiddly. I will be honest, I have not done the full overnight-style trek that the most dedicated fans do, and unless you are chasing every single frame of one specific video, I would not put it above Jumunjin. The payoff is emotional, not scenic.
Nami Island, on the other hand, is gorgeous, the metasequoia tree tunnel is as dreamy as everyone says, and it is an easy day trip out toward Gapyeong. But its fame is rooted in Winter Sonata, the 2002 drama, not K-pop music videos. So I file it under "go because it is beautiful," not "go because your bias filmed there." If you want a soft, romantic day with bicycles and trees, it is wonderful. Just set the right expectation.
Quick comparison: which K-pop filming location fits you?
Here is the cheat sheet I wish I had before I started burning weekends on trains.
| Location | Best for | From Seoul | My take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumunjin BTS bus stop | The iconic shot plus a real beach day | ~3 hrs (KTX + bus) | Worth the trek, go on a weekday |
| Yongma Land | Retro, eerie photo aesthetic | ~40 min, inside Seoul | Easiest, all about the light |
| Iryeong Station | Hardcore "Spring Day" completionists | Awkward, plan ahead | Emotional, not scenic |
| Nami Island | K-drama mood and scenery | ~1.5 hrs | Beautiful, but not really K-pop |
A few honest pointers from my own trial and error:
- Check Naver Map, not Google Maps, for every single bus connection. Google is unreliable for Korean local transit and it cost me a missed bus once.
- For the BTS bus stop specifically, the camera guide on site really does help you nail the album-cover angle, so use it.
Frequently asked questions about visiting K-pop filming locations in Korea
How do I get to the BTS Spring Day bus stop from Seoul without a car?
The easiest car-free route is the KTX from Seoul Station to Gangneung Station, then a local green city bus (314 or 302) up to Jumunjin Beach. The train is about two hours and the bus adds roughly another hour, so budget at least three hours each way. I always double-check live bus times on Naver Map, since schedules and platforms change and weekend buses fill up fast.Is the BTS bus stop worth visiting if I am not a huge fan?
Yes, mostly because of Jumunjin Beach itself. The bus stop photo op is a quick moment, but the wide beach, the East Sea views, and nearby Sokcho make it a genuinely nice day trip even for someone who could not name a single BTS song. I brought a friend who is not into K-pop and she still rated the day highly, just for the scenery.How much does Yongma Land cost and do I need to book ahead?
Yongma Land costs around 5,000 won at the gate and you generally do not need to pre-book for a casual visit. It is an abandoned amusement park in Jungnang-gu inside Seoul, so it is easy to reach by subway and a short taxi or walk. Wear sturdy shoes because the ground is uneven, and aim for soft, overcast light if you want those moody music-video-style photos.When is the best time to visit these K-pop filming locations to avoid crowds?
Weekday mornings, every time. The Jumunjin bus stop especially gets long photo queues on sunny weekends and holidays, and the difference between a Saturday and a Tuesday there was night and day for me. If you can only go on a weekend, arrive as early as you can and be patient, because everyone politely takes turns for solo shots.Are Nami Island and Iryeong Station K-pop or K-drama locations?
Nami Island is primarily a K-drama destination, famous for the 2002 series Winter Sonata, while Iryeong Station appears in the BTS "Spring Day" world and leans K-pop. So if your goal is specifically music video spots, prioritize Iryeong Station or the Jumunjin bus stop, and treat Nami Island as a beautiful bonus day rather than a true K-pop pilgrimage.Final verdict and my honest recommendation
If you are a K-pop fan with limited days in Korea, make the BTS "Spring Day" bus stop at Jumunjin Beach your one must-do filming location, go on a weekday morning, and let the East Sea do the rest. Add Yongma Land if you want an easy in-city day for those gorgeous retro shots, save Iryeong Station for a second trip when you are feeling completionist, and treat Nami Island as a scenic K-drama detour rather than a K-pop one.
In short, the ranking that worked for me was Jumunjin first for the all-round payoff, Yongma Land second for convenience and aesthetic, then Nami Island and Iryeong Station depending on whether you want pretty scenery or deep-fan completion. Plan transit on Naver Map, dodge the weekend crowds, and bring layers because that coastal wind is no joke.
For official location details, hours, and access info, I always cross-check the VisitKorea BTS Bus Stop page before heading out, and it has saved me more than once.