Last updated: July 7, 2026.
Ten years after Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, better known simply as Goblin (도깨비), turned a quiet East Sea pier into one of the most photographed spots in Korean drama history, the four leads went back. For the show’s anniversary, Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, and Yoo In-na reunited for a filmed road trip to the coast where it all began. If you have been wondering exactly which filming locations the cast revisited, here is the full answer, plus how to visit the main one yourself.
Goblin 10th Anniversary Trip: Quick Facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Program | Goblin 10th Anniversary Trip (“Brilliant Together”, 함께여서 찬란하神) |
| Original drama | Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Goblin), 2016 to 2017 |
| Cast reunited | Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, Yoo In-na |
| Network | tvN (part of its 20th anniversary lineup) |
| Premiere | July 4, 2026, 9:10 p.m. KST |
| Schedule | Saturdays and Sundays, 9:10 p.m. KST |
| Trip filmed | April 24 to 25, 2026 (one night, two days) |
| Main location revisited | Jumunjin Breakwater, Gangneung, Gangwon Province |
| Format | Travel and reality reunion special |
The Short Answer: Where Did the Goblin Cast Revisit?
The reunion centered on Gangneung, the coastal city in Gangwon Province tied to the drama’s most recognizable imagery. The single most important stop was the Jumunjin Breakwater, the pier where Ji Eun-tak first summoned the Goblin. The cast also spent time along the wider Gangneung coast, and the special introduced a themed “Goblin House” filled with props from the series. Beyond Jumunjin, tvN did not detail additional original filming stops at the teaser stage, so the trip is best understood as a return to Gangneung rather than a tour of every 2016 location.
Jumunjin Breakwater: The Heart of the Reunion
Jumunjin Breakwater (주문진 방파제) is the symbolic heart of the drama. It is the open-sea pier in northern Gangneung where Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun) blew out her birthday candles and unknowingly summoned Kim Shin, the Goblin (Gong Yoo), in episode 1. The candle scene was shot at the tip of the pier, marked by a tall red lighthouse and a stone walkway, both of them structurally unchanged a decade later.
That is exactly what struck the cast on their return. Standing on the same shore, Yoo In-na said, “It’s amazing how everything still looks exactly the same.” On the trip, Gong Yoo and Kim Go-eun recreated their characters’ legendary first meeting, while Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na added their own “Pichi Couple” reinterpretation for a second hit of nostalgia.
How to visit: The breakwater is free, open public infrastructure, so you can walk out to the exact candle-scene spot without a ticket. From Seoul, take the KTX from Seoul Station or Cheongnyangni to Gangneung in about two hours, then a local bus (300 or 302) or a taxi for the final 20 to 25 minutes to Jumunjin. Arrive before 9 a.m. in summer for the clearest, least crowded photos, and time the pier for golden hour if you want the softest light on the red lighthouse.
The “Goblin House” Full of Props
The special also unveiled a themed space the show called “Kkaebi House” (Goblin House), decorated with instantly recognizable items from the drama: the red scarf, buckwheat flowers, and other props that recreate its atmosphere. Worth noting for travelers, this is a space assembled for the anniversary program rather than an original filming set, so treat it as part of the show rather than a public site you can visit.
The Wider Gangneung Coast
Gangneung rewards a full day beyond the pier. Just behind the Jumunjin breakwater, the fishing village has grown into a small Goblin pilgrimage hub, with cafés and photo stops that lean on the show’s red-scarf and buckwheat motifs. South of Jumunjin, Gyeongpo Lake and Gyeongpo Beach give you a calm lakeside loop and open coast in one stop, and Anmok Beach Coffee Street, the birthplace of Gangneung’s coffee reputation, is a quieter place to end the day with an espresso and a sea view.
Fan Itinerary: 2 Days, 1 Night in Gangneung
How long do you need? For the Goblin anniversary locations, two days and one night is the sweet spot, and it happens to match the one-night, two-day trip the cast themselves filmed. Gangneung sits about two hours from Seoul by KTX, so a single day trip is possible but rushed, leaving time for little more than the Jumunjin breakwater. With one overnight you can catch the pier at golden hour, return the next morning for empty, fog-softened photos, and still fold in the wider coast that gives the drama its mood. The plan below runs geographically, north to Jumunjin first and then south down the coast to Gyeongpo and Anmok, so you never double back. Here is a plan fans can follow step by step.
Day 1: Seoul to Jumunjin Breakwater
Morning. Take the KTX on the Gyeonggang Line from Seoul Station or Cheongnyangni to Gangneung, roughly two hours. Aim for a mid-morning departure so you arrive with the afternoon open. Book ahead on the Korail app, especially on weekends and in the July and August peak, when seats sell out fast. One-way fares start around ₩27,600.
Lunch. Drop your bag, then head straight north to Jumunjin, about 25 minutes by local bus 300 or 302 (roughly ₩1,500 with a transit card) or 20 minutes by taxi (roughly ₩13,000 to ₩16,000), and eat at the harbor. The Jumunjin fish market serves just-caught seafood a few steps from the breakwater. Save Gangneung’s signature Chodang soft tofu (초당순두부) for Day 2, when the route passes the Chodang tofu village.
Afternoon. From the harbor it is a short walk to the breakwater. Time it for late afternoon: walk out to the tip of the pier where Ji Eun-tak blew out her candles, stand under the red lighthouse, and recreate the scene in golden-hour light. Afterward, wander the Jumunjin fishing village behind the pier, where Goblin-themed cafés and photo stops have grown up around the harbor over the years.
Dinner. Stay on the coast for ojingeo-sundae (오징어 순대), squid stuffed with glass noodles, a Gangneung classic found around the harbor.
Overnight. For the smoothest Day 2, stay in or near Jumunjin so you can walk back for sunrise without a morning commute; the fishing town has simple guesthouses and motels. If you would rather have more dining and choice, central Gangneung near the station also works, with a short bus or taxi back north in the morning. Budget roughly ₩60,000 to ₩120,000 a night for a guesthouse to mid-range room.
Day 2: The Gangneung Coast Circuit
Early morning. Gangneung faces the East Sea, famous for its sunrises, so aim to be back at the Jumunjin breakwater at first light, or at least between 8 and 10 a.m. before the day-trippers arrive. Summer mornings often bring dense sea fog off the water, the same atmosphere the drama leaned on, which makes early the best light of the day and the emptiest frames.
Mid-morning to lunch. Move south to Gyeongpo Lake (경포호) and its flat lakeside loop, which pairs the calm lagoon with the adjacent Gyeongpo Beach. Rent a bike at the lake to cover the full loop quickly. It sits about 30 minutes by bus or 20 minutes by taxi from Jumunjin. The Chodang tofu village is right beside the lake, so break here for lunch: silky Chodang sundubu (초당순두부) is the local specialty.
Afternoon. Close the circuit at Anmok Beach Coffee Street (안목해변 커피거리), a string of independent cafés sitting right on the sand and the birthplace of Gangneung’s coffee reputation. Grab a hand-drip coffee with a sea view and decompress before the trip back.
Evening. The last KTX departures from Gangneung to Seoul typically run between about 10 and 11 p.m., but summer timetables shift, so confirm your train on the Korail app that day. Building in that buffer lets you stay for sunset at Anmok without risking a missed connection.
Costs and Best Time to Go
A two-day Gangneung pilgrimage built around Jumunjin runs roughly ₩155,000 to ₩250,000 per person (about USD 115 to 185 at 2026 rates) once transport, one night’s stay, and meals are counted. That breaks down as a KTX round trip of ₩55,000 to ₩60,000, accommodation of ₩60,000 to ₩120,000, and ₩40,000 to ₩70,000 for meals and local transport. These are planning ranges that scale with season and room class.
| Item | Estimated cost (per person) |
|---|---|
| KTX round trip, Seoul to Gangneung | ₩55,000 to ₩60,000 |
| Accommodation, 1 night | ₩60,000 to ₩120,000 |
| Meals and local buses or taxis | ₩40,000 to ₩70,000 |
| Total, 2 days 1 night | ₩155,000 to ₩250,000 |
For the full Goblin mood, late September to early October brings the drama’s signature coastal fog at its densest and thins the summer crowds. (The buckwheat-flower scenes were filmed inland in Jeolla, not on this coast, so do not expect fields in Gangneung.) A July visit lines up with the special’s air date but brings peak heat and busy beaches, so if you go in summer, reach the breakwater before 9 a.m. and treat sunscreen and water as essentials for the exposed coastal walk.
The Rest of the Original Goblin Filming Map
The anniversary trip focused on Gangneung, but the 2016 drama filmed far more widely. If you want the complete Goblin pilgrimage, these are the other real locations the cast did not revisit on this trip:
| Location | Scene in the drama | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Jumunjin Breakwater | Eun-tak summons the Goblin (ep. 1) | Gangneung, Gangwon |
| Unhyeongung Western Annex | Kim Shin’s 900-year-old mansion exterior | Jongno, Seoul |
| Duksung Women’s University main gate | Recurring street scenes | Dobong, Seoul |
| Naju Image Theme Park | Joseon-era and buckwheat-field sequences | Naju, South Jeolla |
| Gimje | Buckwheat-field backdrops | North Jeolla |
| Château Frontenac, Petit Champlain, Fontaine de Tourny | International fairy-tale scenes | Quebec City, Canada |
A Note on the “10th Anniversary” Timing
One detail often gets blurred online. Goblin first aired on December 2, 2016, so its literal 10th anniversary falls on December 2, 2026. The July 2026 special runs earlier because it is part of tvN’s own 20th anniversary programming calendar, not the drama’s exact broadcast anniversary. Either way, it is the first time the four leads have returned to the coast together in a decade.
Read more: Gangneung’s must-do things in 2026
FAQs
Which filming locations did the Goblin cast revisit for the anniversary?
They returned to Gangneung, Gangwon Province, with the central location being the Jumunjin Breakwater, the pier where Ji Eun-tak summoned the Goblin in episode 1. The cast also appeared along the broader Gangneung coast and inside a themed “Goblin House” of props. tvN did not detail additional original filming stops beyond the breakwater.
Who took part in the Goblin reunion?
The four original leads reunited: Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, and Yoo In-na. According to the cast, the idea started when they met at a concert in November 2025 and Kim Go-eun suggested doing something together for the anniversary.
When did the Goblin 10th Anniversary Trip air?
It premiered on tvN on July 4, 2026 at 9:10 p.m. KST, airing Saturdays and Sundays. The trip itself was filmed as a one-night, two-day excursion on April 24 to 25, 2026.
Can I visit the Jumunjin Breakwater myself?
Yes. The Jumunjin breakwater is free, public, and open year-round. The pier and its red lighthouse are unchanged from the 2016 shoot, which is why the cast remarked that everything still looks the same. Reach it by KTX to Gangneung, then a short bus or taxi ride to Jumunjin.
Is the “Goblin House” a real filming location?
No. The “Kkaebi House” shown in the special is a themed space decorated with props for the anniversary program, not one of the drama’s original 2016 sets, so it is not a public site to visit.
Where can I watch Goblin?
The original 16-episode drama, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, is available on Netflix in most regions. International streaming details for the anniversary special depend on licensing, so check tvN’s announcements for your region.
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