Last updated: July 12, 2026. This guide is updated as each episode reveals new, confirmed locations.
The East Palace (동궁) is Netflix’s big dark-fantasy sageuk for summer 2026. Nam Joo-hyuk plays Gu-cheon, an arrogant ghost-slayer who can cross between the world of the living and the realm of the dead, and Roh Yoon-seo plays Saeng-gang, a palace court lady who can hear the voices of the dead. Together they hunt the spirits haunting the royal East Palace. It lands worldwide on July 17, 2026, and with its sweeping Joseon settings and misty mountain scenes, fans are already asking the obvious question: where was it actually filmed?
The good news for travellers is that the show leaned on real, visitable places rather than pure CGI. Below are the confirmed filming locations, what each one is like, and exactly how to get there.
A note on accuracy: we only list locations confirmed from production reporting, official stills, or on-location footage. Where a place is a closed working set you cannot visit, we say so clearly.
The East Palace: Quick Facts
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Korean title | 동궁 (Donggung) |
| English title | The East Palace |
| Genre | Dark fantasy, historical, horror |
| Setting | Fictional Joseon-era kingdom |
| Streaming | Netflix (worldwide) |
| Premiere | July 17, 2026 |
| Episodes | 8 (full series on release) |
| Lead cast | Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo, Cho Seung-woo |
| Director | Choi Jung-kyu (The Devil Judge) |
| Writers | Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won (The Guest, Bulgasal: Immortal Souls) |
Where Was The East Palace Filmed?
The East Palace is a South Korean production shot entirely in Korea. Its look was built from three main places: the country’s most famous historical open set at Mungyeong Saejae, custom studio sets in Yeoncheon County, and the wild peaks of Seoraksan National Park. Two of the three are open to visitors. Here is each one.
1. Mungyeong Saejae Open Set, Gyeongsangbuk-do (confirmed)
Most of the palace and period scenes were shot at the Mungyeong Saejae Open Set, the single most-used historical filming location in Korea. Built in 2000 for KBS period dramas, it has since hosted more than 115 dramas and 40 films, including Kingdom, The Red Sleeve, and The Moon Embracing the Sun. It recreates a full Joseon world of palaces, government offices, noble houses, commoner homes, and even a Gwanghwamun gate, which is why productions keep coming back.
For The East Palace, the set’s replicated palace buildings stand in for the Crown Prince’s quarters (the “Donggung” of the title), and the site’s second gate, Jogokgwan, appears as a fortified border between the safe inner capital and the ghost-troubled provinces. Jogokgwan itself is a genuine historic structure, first raised in 1594, and the area around it is known for its striking birch groves.
How to visit: The open set sits inside Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park at 932 Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Park entry is free; the open set charges a small fee of about 2,000 won for adults, 1,000 won for teenagers, and 500 won for children. Open Set hours are 09:00 to 17:00 from November to February and 09:00 to 18:00 from March to October, with closures on Seollal, Chuseok, and during active filming. From Seoul, take a bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (Gangbyeon Station, Line 2) to Jeomchon Bus Terminal, about two hours, then a short local bus or taxi to the park entrance. Give yourself a half-day, since the three gates run roughly 6.5 km end to end and the walk up to the first gate and back is the most popular route.
2. Yeoncheon County Studio Sets, Gyeonggi (confirmed, not open to the public)
Primary production, including the interior scenes and the heavy visual-effects sequences, took place on custom-built studio sets in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, just north of Seoul near the DMZ. This is where much of the show’s controlled, effects-driven ghost world was created. In December 2024 a fire destroyed one large indoor set building at the facility, but no one was hurt and the team rebuilt in time for the July 2026 release.
Can you visit? No. This is a private working soundstage, not a tourist attraction, so there is nothing to tour on site. If you are already heading to Yeoncheon, the county itself is worth a stop for the Hantangang River UNESCO Global Geopark and its dramatic basalt cliffs, but those are separate from the drama’s closed sets.
3. Seoraksan National Park, Gangwon (confirmed)
To capture the harsh, mystical wilderness where Gu-cheon lives in isolation before the King summons him, the crew filmed in Seoraksan National Park. Korea’s most celebrated mountain park delivers exactly the mood the story needs: jagged granite peaks, drifting mist, and deep forest that reads as remote and otherworldly on screen.
How to visit: The most popular gateway is the Seorakdong entrance near Sokcho, on the east coast. From Seoul, buses run frequently from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Sokcho in around two and a half hours. From Sokcho Express Bus Terminal, local bus 7 or 7-1 reaches the Seorakdong park entrance in about 25 minutes. Once inside, the Seoraksan cable car climbs to Gwongeumseong Fortress in roughly 10 minutes for wide valley views (tickets are round trip only). Seoraksan rewards an overnight stay in Sokcho rather than a rushed day trip, especially if you want to hike beyond the cable car.
How to Plan a The East Palace Filming Location Trip
These locations are spread across the country, so the smart move is to pick a theme rather than try to see everything in one loop. Two easy options:
For the palace scenes, base yourself around Mungyeong in Gyeongsangbuk-do and make a day of the Mungyeong Saejae open set and its three gates. It pairs naturally with a wider central-Korea sageuk route, since so many historical dramas were shot on the same set.
For the mountain scenes, head east to Sokcho and Seoraksan for a nature-focused couple of days on the coast. This side of the trip is less about the drama and more about the landscape that gave the show its wild, haunted atmosphere.
If you are building a bigger K-drama pilgrimage around it, these guides pair well:
- K-Drama Filming Locations You Can Visit in Real Life (hub)
- Where Was The Remarried Empress Filmed?
- South Korea in July: Weather, Events and Where to Go
Why The East Palace Could Become a Set-Jetting Favourite
Sageuk hits have a strong record of turning their filming sites into fan pilgrimages, and The East Palace has the ingredients. It reunites the writing team behind the cult horror hits The Guest and Bulgasal: Immortal Souls with The Devil Judge director Choi Jung-kyu, it puts Nam Joo-hyuk in his post-military comeback role, and it leans on the same Mungyeong Saejae set that made Kingdom and The Red Sleeve so atmospheric. Add Seoraksan’s real mountain drama and a worldwide Netflix launch, and this is a show primed to send viewers looking for its backdrops. As new on-screen locations are confirmed once episodes drop, we will map them here.
FAQs
Where was The East Palace filmed?
The East Palace was filmed entirely in South Korea. The main confirmed locations are the Mungyeong Saejae Open Set in Gyeongsangbuk-do for the palace and period scenes, custom studio sets in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi, for interiors and effects work, and Seoraksan National Park in Gangwon for the wilderness scenes.
Is the East Palace in the drama a real palace?
Not exactly. The on-screen palace is built from the replicated Joseon-style buildings at the Mungyeong Saejae open set, plus studio sets, rather than a single surviving royal palace. The set faithfully recreates Joseon architecture, which is why it looks so convincing.
Can I visit the The East Palace filming locations?
Two of the three, yes. The Mungyeong Saejae Open Set is open to the public for a small fee, and Seoraksan National Park is a public park anyone can visit. The Yeoncheon studio sets are a private working facility and cannot be toured.
What other dramas were filmed at Mungyeong Saejae?
The Mungyeong Saejae Open Set has hosted more than 115 dramas and 40 films since 2000, including Kingdom, The Red Sleeve, and The Moon Embracing the Sun.
When does The East Palace premiere?
The East Palace premieres worldwide on Netflix on July 17, 2026.
Who stars in The East Palace?
Nam Joo-hyuk plays the ghost-slayer Gu-cheon, Roh Yoon-seo plays court lady Saeng-gang, and Cho Seung-woo also stars. It is directed by Choi Jung-kyu and written by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won.
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