The 2026 romantic drama Still Shining quickly captured viewers’ attention with its nostalgic love story, soft seaside scenery, and emotional coming-of-age themes. Starring Park Jin-young and Kim Min-ju, the series blends memories of youth with a second-chance romance set between a quiet hometown and the busy capital of South Korea.
Produced by JTBC and streaming internationally on Netflix, the drama premiered on March 6, 2026 and quickly sparked curiosity among fans who wanted to know more about its beautiful filming locations.
Many viewers are now searching for Still Shining filming locations and wondering whether the peaceful seaside town in the story exists in real life. From the bustling streets of Seoul to scenic coastal landscapes around Pohang, the drama combines urban settings with nostalgic countryside scenery.
In this guide, we’ll explore where Still Shining was filmed, including confirmed locations, likely filming areas, and real places you can visit if you want to experience the atmosphere of the drama.
Plot Summary of Still Shining
At its heart, Still Shining is a story about youth, memory, and second chances.
The drama follows Yeon Tae-seo, played by Park Jin-young, a diligent student who moves from the city to a quiet coastal town during his teenage years. There he meets Mo Eun-a, portrayed by Kim Min-ju, a free-spirited girl who challenges his structured view of life.
Their friendship gradually turns into first love as they spend long summer days studying together, walking through fields, and sharing dreams about the future.
However, life eventually pulls them apart.
Years later, Tae-seo and Eun-a unexpectedly reunite in Seoul, where their adult lives have taken very different paths. Tae-seo now works as a subway train driver while Eun-a manages a small guesthouse in the city.
As old memories resurface, they begin to rediscover the feelings they once had. The drama moves between past and present, contrasting the quiet beauty of their hometown with the fast-paced environment of modern Seoul.
This emotional contrast is also reflected in the drama’s filming locations.
Main Cast of Still Shining
Park Jin-young as Yeon Tae-seo
Park Jin-young plays Yeon Tae-seo, a responsible and thoughtful young man whose life is shaped by both ambition and regret.
His character appears in two timelines: as a high school student discovering first love and as an adult navigating life in Seoul. Jin-young’s performance highlights the emotional growth of someone who is learning to reconnect with the past.
Kim Min-ju as Mo Eun-a
Opposite him, Kim Min-ju plays Mo Eun-a, a character whose warmth and spontaneity contrast with Tae-seo’s reserved personality.
Eun-a becomes a key figure in Tae-seo’s youth, and her presence in the story reflects themes of healing, nostalgia, and rediscovery.
The chemistry between the two leads is a major reason why Still Shining has resonated with audiences.
Where Was Still Shining Filmed?
The filming locations of Still Shining reflect the story’s two timelines: the characters’ teenage years in a quiet coastal hometown and their adult lives in a bustling metropolis.
These locations create a visual contrast between peaceful memories and present-day reality.
Seoul – The Modern Timeline
Much of the adult storyline in Still Shining takes place in Seoul, South Korea’s capital and largest city.
Seoul provides the backdrop for many scenes involving:
- subway stations and train platforms
- busy streets and apartment neighborhoods
- small cafés and guesthouses
- everyday city life
These locations emphasize the fast-paced nature of modern life, which contrasts sharply with the slower rhythm of the characters’ hometown.
Because Tae-seo works as a subway train driver, several scenes are set within the city’s extensive metro system. Meanwhile, Eun-a’s work managing a guesthouse introduces viewers to quieter residential neighborhoods within Seoul.
The Fictional Countryside Town
A large portion of the drama’s emotional core takes place in a small coastal town where Tae-seo and Eun-a first meet.
Interestingly, the hometown in Still Shining is portrayed as a fictional location rather than a clearly identified place.
The setting includes:
- a rural high school
- seaside roads and quiet streets
- traditional houses
- fields and green landscapes
These locations evoke a nostalgic vision of small-town Korea, where friendships and first love unfold in a slower and more intimate environment.
While the town itself is fictional, many viewers believe its scenery resembles areas along the east coast of South Korea.
Possible Filming Locations in Pohang
One place that frequently appears in discussions about Still Shining filming locations is Pohang, a coastal city in North Gyeongsang Province.
Pohang is well known for its dramatic seaside views, peaceful fishing villages, and scenic ocean walkways. Because of this, it has become a popular destination for Korean drama productions looking to portray a quiet seaside community.
While not every location in Still Shining has been officially confirmed, several coastal landscapes in the drama closely resemble places around Pohang.
Some notable landmarks in the area include:
Igari Anchor Observatory
This striking wooden deck extends toward the ocean and is shaped like a giant anchor. Surrounded by pine trees and open sea views, it is one of the most photographed viewpoints in Pohang.
Hwanho Park Space Walk
A futuristic steel structure resembling a roller coaster suspended above a hill. Visitors can walk along its curved paths while enjoying panoramic views of the coastline.
Guryongpo Japanese House Street
This historic district features preserved early-20th-century wooden houses. The nostalgic streets create the perfect atmosphere for period scenes or quiet neighborhood moments.
Even if these locations were not used directly in the drama, they capture the same coastal atmosphere seen in Still Shining.
Other K-Dramas Filmed in Pohang
The coastal scenery of Pohang has appeared in several famous Korean dramas.
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
The popular romantic drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, starring Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho, used Pohang as the filming location for its fictional seaside village of Gongjin.
The show’s charming harbor, coastal roads, and village streets helped turn Pohang into a major destination for K-drama fans.
When the Camellia Blooms
Another beloved drama connected with the region is When the Camellia Blooms, starring Gong Hyo-jin and Kang Ha-neul.
The series is set in the fictional town of Ongsan, which captures the warmth and community spirit often associated with Korea’s small coastal towns.
These productions highlight why Pohang’s scenery is so frequently used for romantic dramas.
How to Visit Pohang Filming Locations
If the scenery in Still Shining inspires you to explore coastal Korea, visiting Pohang can be a rewarding travel experience.
Getting There
From Seoul, you can reach Pohang by:
- KTX train: about 2.5–3 hours
- Express bus: around 4 hours
Once you arrive, taxis and local buses make it easy to travel between beaches, parks, and scenic viewpoints.
Best Time to Visit
The most pleasant seasons to explore Pohang are spring and autumn.
- Spring brings cherry blossoms and mild weather
- Summer offers lively seaside views
- Autumn provides clear skies and comfortable temperatures
- Winter reveals dramatic coastal landscapes similar to many K-drama scenes
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Map of Still Shining Filming Locations
While the drama uses multiple locations, most filming areas fall into two main regions:
Seoul
- subway scenes
- guesthouse neighborhoods
- modern city streets
Pohang and the East Coast
- seaside roads
- fishing villages
- coastal viewpoints
Together, these locations create the emotional contrast that defines the story of Still Shining.
Final Thoughts
With its gentle storytelling and scenic backdrops, Still Shining offers more than just a romance drama—it also showcases some of South Korea’s most atmospheric landscapes.
From the vibrant urban energy of Seoul to the peaceful coastal scenery often associated with Pohang, the filming locations play an important role in shaping the emotional tone of the story.
For fans of Korean dramas, exploring these places can feel like stepping into the world of the series itself. Whether you are planning a trip to Korea or simply enjoying the drama from home, discovering the real-life settings behind Still Shining adds another layer of appreciation to its heartfelt story.
FAQs About Still Shining Filming Locations
Where was Still Shining filmed?
Most scenes in Still Shining were filmed in Seoul, where the adult storyline of the main characters takes place. The drama features several city settings including subway environments, residential neighborhoods, and small guesthouses that reflect everyday life in the Korean capital.
In addition to Seoul, many countryside scenes appear to be filmed along South Korea’s eastern coast, with scenery similar to the landscapes around Pohang.
Is the hometown in Still Shining a real place?
The seaside hometown shown in Still Shining is portrayed as a fictional town created for the story. However, the natural scenery resembles real coastal areas in eastern South Korea.
Because of this, some viewers believe that parts of the drama may have been filmed near Pohang, a city known for its fishing villages, scenic coastal roads, and quiet seaside atmosphere.
Can you visit the filming locations from Still Shining?
Yes, many places that resemble the drama’s scenery can be visited in real life. Fans often explore locations in Seoul for city scenes, while coastal areas around Pohang offer landscapes similar to the show’s nostalgic hometown setting.
Popular viewpoints in the region include Igari Anchor Observatory and Hwanho Park Space Walk, both known for their dramatic ocean views.
Who are the main actors in Still Shining?
The romantic drama stars:
- Park Jin-young as Yeon Tae-seo
- Kim Min-ju as Mo Eun-a
Their characters meet during their teenage years in a small coastal town and reunite years later in Seoul, where their relationship begins again.
What other K-dramas were filmed in Pohang?
The coastal city of Pohang has appeared in several popular Korean dramas. One of the most famous examples is Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, which used the area as the filming location for the fictional seaside village of Gongjin.
Another well-known series with similar coastal scenery is When the Camellia Blooms, which also highlights the charm of small-town Korea.
Sources & References
To ensure accuracy and provide reliable information about the filming locations and production details of Still Shining, the information in this article is supported by official drama pages, entertainment databases, and travel resources about filming locations in South Korea.
- Official broadcast and production details for Still Shining can be found on JTBC and through its international streaming distribution on Netflix.
https://www.netflix.com - Cast and release information for Park Jin-young and Kim Min-ju are referenced from the drama’s listing on IMDb.
https://www.imdb.com - Background information about filming environments in Seoul and coastal scenery around Pohang is supported by travel resources and tourism information from the Korea Tourism Organization.
https://english.visitkorea.or.kr - Information about other Korean dramas filmed in the region, including Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, helps contextualize why the coastal areas around Pohang are popular filming destinations.
https://www.netflix.com/title/81463365
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