squid game tour seoul

• Accomodation
• Attractions
• Food & Drink
• K-Entertainment Tours
• Korean Culture
• Shopping Destinations
• Transportation
• Travel Essentials
• Travel Tips
• Travel News in Korea
• Gyeonggi-do
• North Gyeongsang (Gyeongsangbuk-do)
• North Jeolla (Jeollabuk-do)
• South Chungcheong (Chungcheongnam-do)
• South Gyeongsang (Gyeongsangnam-do)
• South Jeolla (Jeollanam-do)

Visit Netflix’s Squid Game Filming Locations in Korea

 13,970 total views,  10 views today

Check out the filming locations of the Netflix’s latest global hit, Squid Game, in Seoul, Daejeon, and beyond, and you can play the games in real life!

Squid Game is Netflix’s nine-episode series based on the real-life Korean children’s game – dubbed Ojingeo due to the size and shape of the game’s board – for which 456 people play classic childhood games for a chance to win a large sum of money.

However, there is a catch: the contestants are drowning in debt, and the prize is in the millions — just what a debt-stricken individual would need. And, while it may appear innocuous to those who haven’t seen the show, those in the know realize the actual brutal nature of the games: if you win a game, you move on. However, if you lose, you are instantly killed.

They even made many sets and set pieces, especially for the show.

According to Chae Kyoung-sun, the series’ production designer, all of the sets for the games were made from scratch, including the multicolored staircase based on M.C. Escher’s optical-illusion picture. The Korean neighborhood in the marbles competition segment and the mechanical doll from the first episode was also made for the show.

As the success of Squid Game reaches an all-time high, local governments in South Korea have seized the opportunity to capitalize on the show’s fame, marketing areas used and featured in its production.

Apart from Seoul, Squid Game makes use of or mentions various additional South Korean locales, and it turns out that some of them can be visited! So, pack your bags for a deep dive into the universe of the show, minus the violence and blood.

Several travel agreements have been signed between South Korea and neighboring and other countries, and they will go into effect on November 15th, lifting the quarantine for fully vaccinated tourists. While we wait for Season Two of Squid Game, this would allow more travelers to enjoy the numerous games featured in Netflix’s successful show.

Table of Contents

The Squid Game contestant’s hometown is Seoul, and many of the series’ scenes were shot in various locales throughout the city. The city authority has already adopted some of the show’s themes and designated many spots throughout town as must-sees. 

“Squid Game” has become Netflix’s biggest series launch ever! Let’s find out filming sites of Squid Game in Seoul with pictures. 👉Yangjae Citizen's Forest – CU CVS – Namsan Dulle-gil – Ichon Hangang River Park 📸Photo by: Instagram @ eon2_k #ISeoulU #SquidGame pic.twitter.com/GGaXjb9Nnv — Seoul Government (@Seoul_gov) October 19, 2021

Many sequences with Gi-hun, for example, were shot in Ssandmun-ding, which is located on the outskirts of Seoul to the north. A fish stall in Baegun Market on Samyang-ro 154-gil, a Pokopang arcade in Chang-dong, Sangbong Intercity Bus Terminal, and Namsan Park are among the other locations.

Itaewon Station converted to a Squid Game photo space for fans:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Oh minsoy (@min_stone___)

The giant doll of Yeonghee:

A giant doll of Yeonghee from “Squid Game” was launched at the Seoul Olympic Park 88 Grass Field in Songpa-gu, Seoul. The spooky and realistic doll and BGM will make you feel as if you’re in the game! Photo by: Instagram (pic1) @ mabub.sonyeo (pic 2) @ seo0_king #ISeoulU pic.twitter.com/OS69cOI1SC — Seoul Government (@Seoul_gov) October 27, 2021

Kyodong Elementary School

Kyodong Elementary School was featured in the opening shot of Squid Game from the beginning. In the first scene, a young boy and his neighborhood friends are seen playing the eponymous Squid Game.

The moment set the tone for the rest of the episode, contrasting infantile innocence with the game’s inherent violence. Fans of Squid Game can actually visit Kyodong Elementary School, Seoul’s oldest elementary school, which opened in 1894!

Seongapdo Island, Incheon

The island in the program had to be depicted as distant and abandoned enough to conceal the mass murder of a vast number of people. The show’s reference to the tourist-heavy Jeju Island wasn’t a real filming location.

Instead, the filming took place on Seongapdo Island, which is only sparsely populated by fishermen. However, just a small amount of outdoor filming took conducted on Seongapdo, with the majority of the show’s gameplay taking place on Daejeon sets.

The cast of Squid Game was not shy about posting behind-the-scenes photos from filming locations on their social media profiles, with numerous photos geotagged in Daejeon. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by CHRISTIAN LAGAHIT (@chrisyan8)

Daejeon is Korea’s fifth-largest city, a television production center, and only 50 minutes by rail from Seoul. According to RadioTimes, Daejeon is one of the region’s tech hubs. It has acquired the moniker “Asia’s Silicon Valley” due to the large concentration of research universities and tech enterprises in the area.

Wolmi Theme Park

Wolmi Theme Park, located on Wolmido Island in Incheon, appears briefly in Episode 2 of Squid Game. While the show presents the amusement park as a location for illegal gang dealings, Wolmi Theme Park is far less sinister in real life. 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Post Magazine, SCMP (@scmppostmagazine)

While the park is free to enter, the rides must be paid for. Aside from Squid Game, the park has appeared in a number of other dramas, including ‘It’s Okay to Be Okay’ and ‘Descendants of the Sun.’

Jeju Island

Though none of the locations were included in the series, one of the main characters, North Korean defector Sae-byeok, expressed a desire to visit Jeju Island after winning the games.

“‘What Would Player 067 Do on Jeju Island?’ is available on the official website of the Jeju Tourism Organization, and it introduces fascinating places to explore.” In early October, Jeju Island was introduced as the “ Hawaii of Korea ” by the US-based news magazine Newsweek. It also launched online marketing to boost awareness of Korean tourism.

Without Jeju Island, no list of Squid Game venues would be complete. While Kang Sae Byeok and Ji Young will never be able to visit Jeju Island and drink mojitos, viewers of the show will be able to. If she had made it to Jeju, it would undoubtedly have lived up to her expectations.

The volcanic island has beautiful beaches, craters, and the world’s longest lava tunnel. In addition, it is home to an enormous shield volcano, Mount Halla, in its heart.

Bonus:  Ulsan, a port city of South Korea

Although the show wasn’t filmed here, it has still garnered massive interest from the show’s fans.

The Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Village was built in 2015 to depict how the village looked when whale hunting was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. What was once an empty lot has been transformed into the “Squid Game” playground.

People of all ages are congregating at the Whale Culture Village in Jangsaengpo, Ulsan, to participate in games inspired by the Netflix TV show.

The Ulsan Whale Cultural Foundation, which operates the Jangsaengpo Whale Special Culture Zone in Ulsan, a port city in southern Korea, stated that over 10,000 people visited the Whale Culture Village on the first and second weekends of October, which was comparable to pre-pandemic levels!

What’s more, you can even visit these Squid Game filming locations online via VisitKorea’s promotional event – K-Tour Game !

Would you like to join the K-TOUR GAME? ✔ Travel around Korea online with various K-tours to win prizes ✈ ✔ Invite your GGANBU and bring your chances of winning UP! Period: Nov 10-30 Winners announcement: Dec 8 Link: https://t.co/QnVWMo1Af6 Inquiries: [email protected] pic.twitter.com/ijrVfTY0yz — VisitKorea (@KoreanTravel) November 11, 2021

Anyaa is a versatile writer with an insatiable wanderlust and a deep love for all things Korea. Her passion for exploration and storytelling shines through in her diverse articles covering every aspect of Korean travel. From the bustling streets of Seoul to the tranquil beauty of Jeju Island, her articles serve as a virtual passport for readers, providing them with insider tips, detailed itineraries, and practical advice to ensure an unforgettable journey through Korea.

Related Posts

Get Your Dream Photocard at POCA SPOT, Seoul!  

Celebrate TWICE 9th Anniversary 2024 with Iconic Pop-Up Store in Your Seoul Travel!  

Enjoy the Real “Tekken 8” Experience with Gentle Monster Pop-Up Store in Seoul  

Elevate Your Travel Itinerary and Meet Your Favorite Kpop Idols in Jeju Island Soon!  

Be the Witness of New Kpop Legend Debut at MEOVV Pop-Up Store in Seoul  

Unforgettable South Korea Travel with Teenieping Pop-Up Store

All You Need to Know About Seoul Pilgrimage Route

TESSAN Germany France Travel Power Adapter

Lonely Planet Korea 12

Korean Snack Box Variety Pack

OSULLOC Lovely Tea Gift Box Set

More from our network.

• Medical Tourism

FREE NEWSLETTER

Copyright © 2024 About Us| Terms of Use |Privacy Policy| Cookie Policy| Contact : [email protected]

Login to your account below

Fill the forms bellow to register

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Squid Game: Iconic Filming Locations in South Korea You Can Visit

Since its debut in september 2021, squid game has taken the world by storm, captivating audiences with its intense storytelling, complex characters, and striking visuals. set against a backdrop of eerie yet captivating locations in south korea, the series not only tells a gripping tale of survival and morality but also showcases the stunning landscapes and architecture of the country. for fans of the show, visiting these iconic filming locations provides a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of squid game. here’s a guide to some of the must-visit sites that played a significant role in the series., most of squid game is set within the enclosed game arena, specially built for both the story and production. filming took place on custom sets in daejeon, korea’s fifth-largest city and a major tv production hub. director hwang dong-hyuk and art director chae kyoung-sun oversaw the design, creating a space so realistic that lead actor lee jung-jae, who plays gi-hun, described it as "almost dreamlike.".

Seongapdo Island

The players' compound in squid game is shown as a hidden lair on a remote island. though characters discuss jeju island, the actual filming location is seongapdo, an isolated volcanic island off the west coast in ongjin province. uninhabited except for a few fishermen and lacking electricity, seongapdo is so obscure that it doesn't appear by name on google maps, adding to its mysterious allure..

The contestants in Squid Game live in Seoul, and many scenes, especially those featuring Gi-hun, depict their tough everyday lives. While the game arena is an artificial set, these scenes were filmed on location around the city. Gi-hun hails from Ssangmun-dong, on Seoul's northern outskirts, and much of his home life is filmed in Baegun Market on Samyang-ro 154-gil. Here, he visits Sang Woo’s mother’s fish stall and shares a coffee with Sang Woo. Gi-hun is also seen in nearby Chang-dong, at the arcade Pokopang, trying to win a gift for his daughter.

We follow Gi-hun across various Seoul locations identified by locals and websites like geektrippers.com. In central Seoul, he is seen at Sangbong Intercity Bus Terminal, betting on horse races in Episode 1. After his first visit to the games island, he is dropped off at night near Namsan Park, with the illuminated N Seoul Tower, a 1970s radio mast, visible in the distance.

‍ Starting from Skratch? Here are some links to help you get started:

https://www.cntraveller.com/article/squid-game-island-filming-locations

https://www.klook.com/en-NZ/blog/where-squid-game-filmed/

About Seoul 🇰🇷

The South Korean Won

Dry-winter humid continental climate

👤Population:

~ 9.776 million

Share this post

Join our monthly digest

No spam! Just great stories

More like this

Uncover the Magic of Panjin, China's Red Beach

Chinese Destinations That Inspired the World of Kung Fu Panda

Dune's Arrakis Planet: Guide to Jordan's Wadi Rum Village

Weirdest Towns in the USA to Visit

5 Reasons to Visit New Mexico

Exploring the Real Life Locations That Inspired Assassin's Creed

5 Best Cities to Visit at Halloween

12 Lesser-Known Landmarks For Your Bucket List

Best Summer Destinations to Visit This Winter

How to Spend 2 Weeks in Peru: Unique Itinerary Ideas

How to Visit Arizona's Unique Antelope Canyon

Why Seville Should be Your Next Autumn Trip

• Inspiration
• Destinations
• Places To Stay
• Style & Culture
• Food & Drink
• Wellness & Spas
• News & Advice
• Partnerships
• Traveller's Directory
• Travel Tips
• Competitions

'Squid Game' island and filming locations: Where was the show shot? 

Squid Game ’s dystopian vision of a South Korea where the have-nots play deadly games for cash has spawned some unlikely offshoots. Demand for the players’ numbered green tracksuits and T-shirts is intense, alongside the social-media memes and newspaper think-pieces that the show has provoked.

 With its roots in teenage survival movies from the Japanese Battle Royale to the American Hunger Games , as well as the twisted mystery of classic Korean film Old Boy , Squid Game has all the excitement of a thriller or war film but also gives us the social commentary of another Korean phenomenon, the Oscar-winning Parasite .

Like that film, the series addresses the gulf created by the country’s relatively recent capitalist success. There are similarities, too, in the way both are filmed, with the use of one money-no-object pristine location contrasting with the grubby chaos of street life outside it. Here’s our guide to the different worlds of Squid Game .

The majority of Squid Game takes place in the entirely enclosed confines of the games area. In the world of the series, this is created specifically for the purpose, and this was the case for the production too. The filming took place on a series of sets built for the show in the city of Daejeon, Korea’s fifth-largest city and a television-production hub, under the instruction of director Hwang Dong-hyuk and art director Chae Kyoung-sun. For lead actor Lee Jung-jae, who plays the gambling chauffeur Gi-hun, the realism meant 'the set was almost dreamlike'.

Digital effects were used only sparingly – for example, in giving the illusion of height to the 'glass stepping stones' game, which was in fact staged 1.5 metres from the floor. Instead, the sets were built from scratch, including the candy-coloured staircase based on the optical-illusion drawing of MC Escher and the reproduction of an old Korean neighbourhood used in the marbles competition sequence. The props, too, were all the size seen on screen, including the robot doll that oversees the game in Episode 1. The doll design was based on a character well known from Seventies’ children’s books called Younghee , and after filming the prop itself was briefly displayed outside a museum in Jincheon province in the east of the country. Also to be found for a time was a mini-reproduction of the set in Seoul’s Itaewon underground station, though this has since been dismantled. 

The compound where the players are housed is shown to be located in a Bond-villain hidden lair on a remote island . While two players, the young women Kang Sae-byeok (Jung Hoyen) and Ji-yeong (Lee Yoo-mi), discuss drinking Mojitos on the holiday paradise of Jeju during the show, this isn’t a clue. Jeju is to the south of the country, but the island we see is in fact Seongapdo, off the west coast, part of the island-heavy Ongjin province. Uninhabited except for a few fishermen and without electricity, this crab-claw shaped volcanic outcrop is anonymous enough not to appear under its own name on Google Maps, which has inadvertently helped create further mystery.

For the contestants of Squid Game , home is in Seoul , and we see many scenes of their everyday hard-scrabble existence, particularly in the case of Gi-hun. While the studio set that dominates the show is firmly artificial, these scenes were shot on location in and around the Korean capital.

Gi-hun proudly announces that he is from Ssangmun-dong, the neighbourhood on the far northern outskirts of the city , and this is indeed where his home turf is filmed. We see him often in the area’s Baegun Market, on Samyang-ro 154-gil, where he visits the fish stall run by the mother of fellow contestant Sang Woo (Park Hae-soo) and where the two have a coffee and cigarette together. It’s also in Ssangnum, on Uicheon-ro 39-gil, that he runs into Il-nam (Oh Young-soo), the old man who is given the number 001, while drinking soju outside a cornershop (the shop at No 11 now proudly displays its Squid Game credentials in the window). Gi-hun is also close to home territory, in neighbouring Chang-dong, when he tries to win a birthday present for his daughter from a slot machine, filmed at an arcade called Pokopang.

We also follow Gi-hun across the city to various locations identified by Seoul residents and websites including geektrippers.com. In the centre of the city is Sangbong Intercity Bus Terminal, where we see him betting on horseracing in Episode 1, and then later being dropped off at night after his first visit to the games island by Namsan Park, where we can see the N Seoul Tower (aka Namsan Tower), a 1970s radio mast, lit up in the distance.

In the west of the city, he visits his friend in the hopes of raising cash at a bar on Keunumul-ro in Daeheung-dong, the Healing Hope – before his pal’s wife sees him off. Also in Episode 2 we follow contestant Deok-soo (Heo Sung-tae) to Incheon, west of Seoul, where he meets a fellow gangster at the My Land amusement park on Wolmido Island.

As well as these grittier locations, we also see the other side of Seoul . For the all-important game of Ddakji that Gi-hun plays with a mysterious smiling man on an underground platform in Episode 1, we’re in the upscale Gangnam district, at Yangjae Citizen’s Forest Station. South of the Han River, this neighbourhood became a byword for the city’s wealthy after the freak pop hit by previous K-phenomenon PSY, but the most telling scene of the city’s disparity comes in the final episode, when Gi-hun receives an address on a mysterious card. Following the instructions takes him to a gleaming tower block at night, filmed at the IFC Mall in the financial district of Yeoui-dong, also south of the river. It’s here that he makes a revelatory discovery and where Squid Game ’s themes of inequality and exploitation, hope and despair, are played out in dramatic fashion.

Squid Game is streaming now on Netflix