A quiet café at sunset. A narrow alley glowing under streetlights. A windswept coastal road where everything finally makes sense in the final episode.
If you have ever paused a K-drama just to ask “Is this place real?” you are not alone.

K-dramas have quietly reshaped the way people travel. According to Korea’s tourism authorities, international interest in visiting real filming locations has increased alongside the global rise of Korean dramas, with filming sites now ranking among the most searched travel inspirations related to South Korea. This trend, often called set-jetting, has transformed ordinary streets, cafés, beaches, and villages into must-visit destinations for fans around the world.

What makes K-drama filming locations so compelling is not only the story but also the fact that many scenes are filmed in real, everyday places. The café where two characters kept missing each other. The riverside path where a confession finally happened. The island road that symbolized healing and starting over. These are not studio backdrops. They are places you can walk through, photograph, and experience for yourself.

This hub brings together the most iconic K-drama filming locations you can actually visit across South Korea, from Seoul’s cinematic neighborhoods and Busan’s emotional coastlines to Jeju Island’s quiet healing landscapes. Beyond the major cities, many beloved scenes were also filmed in places like Pohang’s seaside villages, Gangwon’s mountain towns, and traditional cultural centers such as Jeonju or Suwon.

Across the country, everyday spaces have quietly become part of K-drama culture. A riverside park in Seoul, a colorful hillside in Busan, a quiet breakwater in Gangwon, or a fishing village in Pohang can suddenly feel familiar to viewers who recognize them from their favorite series.

Whether you are planning a trip to Korea, building a filming location itinerary, or simply revisiting memorable scenes through real places, this guide helps you explore the diverse regions where Korean dramas are filmed, one location at a time.

Why K-Drama Filming Locations Feel So Real

Unlike many international productions that rely heavily on studio sets, K-dramas are deeply rooted in real locations. Directors often choose everyday places to ground emotional moments in reality, making scenes feel intimate and relatable rather than staged.

A quiet subway exit. A neighborhood café tucked behind an office block. A seaside road with no landmark at all. These settings reflect how life actually unfolds in Korea, which is why viewers around the world feel such a strong emotional pull toward them.

Another reason is pacing. K-dramas allow scenes to breathe. Long takes, natural lighting, and wide establishing shots give viewers time to absorb the environment. Over time, locations become characters of their own. Seoul feels fast, crowded, and emotionally charged. Coastal towns feel slower and reflective. Jeju Island feels like a pause button on life.

From a tourism perspective, this realism has measurable impact. According to data from the Korea Tourism Organization, filming locations consistently rank among the top motivations for drama-inspired travel, especially for visitors from Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. Search interest for specific filming spots often spikes immediately after a drama finale airs, showing how tightly storytelling and travel intent are linked.

Most importantly, these places are accessible. You do not need a studio tour or special permission. Many filming locations are cafés you can sit in, streets you can walk down, or viewpoints you can reach by public transport. That accessibility turns passive viewers into active travelers.

In the sections below, we break down K-drama filming locations by region, starting with Seoul and its surrounding neighborhoods, then moving outward to coastal cities and islands where some of the most emotionally powerful scenes were filmed.

Seoul K-Drama Filming Locations You Can Actually Visit

Seoul is the emotional core of most K-dramas. It is where careers rise, relationships fall apart, and chance encounters happen in the most ordinary places. What makes Seoul special on screen is how familiar it feels. These are not grand monuments but real neighborhoods people live and work in every day.

Many iconic scenes are filmed in districts like Jongno, Mapo, Seongsu, and Yeonnam. Alleyways, small bridges, and late-night convenience stores appear repeatedly across different dramas, often becoming instantly recognizable to fans.

One of the most visited filming areas is Bukchon Hanok Village, featured in historical and modern dramas alike. Its traditional houses and elevated viewpoints provide visual contrast against the modern city. Early mornings are best for visiting, both for photography and to avoid crowds.

Seongsu-dong has emerged as a favorite for contemporary dramas. Former factories turned into minimalist cafés and studios create a modern but slightly industrial aesthetic. Many romantic slice-of-life dramas use Seongsu locations to reflect characters navigating work, love, and identity.

For emotionally charged scenes, directors often turn to the Han River. Sunset shots along Banpo Bridge or Yeouido Hangang Park are used for confessions, breakups, and moments of self-reflection. These places are easy to reach and remain active public spaces long after filming ends.

What makes Seoul ideal for filming is its density. A single neighborhood can offer cafés, offices, parks, and residential streets within walking distance. This allows productions to film efficiently while keeping scenes visually grounded in real life.

If you are planning a trip inspired by K-dramas, Seoul offers the highest concentration of recognizable filming locations. You can visit multiple spots in one day without leaving the city, making it perfect for short trips or first-time visitors.

Next, we move beyond the capital to explore coastal cities and islands where many healing and slow-burn K-dramas were filmed.

If you’re following the drama from start to finish, our complete guide to Can This Love Be Translated filming locations brings together key scenes, countries, and recurring settings across the series.

Busan and Coastal K-Drama Filming Locations

When K-dramas shift from intensity to healing, the setting often moves south to the coast. Busan and nearby seaside towns offer wide horizons, ocean light, and a slower rhythm that contrasts beautifully with Seoul’s density. These locations are commonly used for stories about second chances, emotional recovery, and unexpected romance.

Busan appears frequently in dramas that explore personal transformation. The city’s geography allows filmmakers to move between beaches, hills, ports, and dense urban streets within a short distance. Haeundae Beach is one of the most recognizable locations, often used for reunion scenes or quiet conversations by the sea. Early morning visits recreate the calm atmosphere seen on screen.

Gamcheon Culture Village is another popular filming spot. Its colorful houses and narrow stairways are visually striking and emotionally symbolic. Directors often use it to represent memory, nostalgia, or characters returning to their roots. While it has become a tourist destination, many corners remain peaceful if visited on weekdays.

Coastal railways are a recurring visual motif in Korean dramas. The Haeundae Blueline Park and seaside train routes are used to show characters in transition, literally and emotionally. These scenes resonate because they mirror real-life travel experiences, not constructed studio sets.

Beyond Busan, dramas frequently feature smaller seaside towns and islands. Pohang, Geoje, and Jeju Island appear in healing dramas where characters escape city life. Jeju, in particular, is often portrayed as a place of reset. Stone walls, coastal paths, and quiet cafés frame stories about grief, self-discovery, and starting over.

What connects these coastal locations is authenticity. Most scenes are filmed in real neighborhoods, markets, and beaches that locals still use daily. This makes visiting them feel less like stepping into a movie set and more like entering a familiar story world.

For travelers, coastal filming locations are ideal for slower itineraries. They encourage walking, watching the sea, and staying present rather than rushing between attractions.

Next, we explore filming locations outside major cities, focusing on rural villages and countryside settings that define many beloved slice-of-life K-dramas.

Rural and Countryside K-Drama Filming Locations

Some of the most emotionally grounded K-dramas step away from cities entirely. Rural villages and countryside settings are used to slow the narrative down, allowing characters and viewers to breathe. These locations often frame stories about healing, community, and rediscovering what truly matters.

Gangwon Province is one of the most frequently used rural filming regions. Its mountains, pine forests, and quiet coastal towns appear in dramas focused on solitude and reflection. Snow-covered villages in winter dramas and misty valleys in spring create a visual softness that mirrors internal change. Directors favor real guesthouses, small roads, and local cafés rather than constructed sets.

Jeollanam-do is another important countryside filming area. Known for its rice fields, fishing villages, and traditional homes, it often appears in slice-of-life and family-centered dramas. These settings emphasize routine and familiarity. Morning markets, village buses, and communal meals become storytelling tools rather than background details.

Traditional villages play a special role in historical and modern crossover dramas. Hanok villages such as those in Andong or rural parts of Gyeongsangbuk-do are used to express continuity between past and present. Even contemporary dramas return to these spaces when characters reconnect with family history or cultural roots.

Many healing dramas are filmed in small towns that are intentionally unnamed or lightly fictionalized. This creative choice allows viewers to project their own memories onto the setting. In reality, these towns are often accessible by regional trains or buses, making them realistic travel destinations rather than cinematic illusions.

What makes countryside filming locations powerful is their lived-in quality. Laundry lines, narrow farm roads, and quiet rivers are not styled for the camera. They exist naturally, and the camera adapts to them. This authenticity is a key reason viewers feel emotionally connected to these dramas.

For travelers, rural filming locations invite longer stays and slower movement. They are best experienced by staying overnight, eating locally, and adjusting to the pace of daily life rather than treating them as checklist destinations.

Next, we move into historical and fantasy K-drama filming locations, where palaces, fortresses, and natural landscapes blend realism with imagination.

Find out where it was filmed and why it mattered in First Kiss Among the Yellow Flowers filming location

Historical and Fantasy K-Drama Filming Locations

Historical and fantasy K-dramas rely heavily on physical space to build credibility. While CGI is often used to extend landscapes or add atmospheric effects, the foundation of these stories is almost always real locations with deep historical texture.

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Deoksugung Palace in Seoul are among the most frequently filmed royal sites. These palaces appear across sageuk dramas and fantasy romances alike. Their courtyards, gates, and throne halls are used repeatedly, yet each production reframes them with different lighting, angles, and pacing to create distinct emotional tones. Early morning shoots are common to capture soft light and minimize crowds.

Outside Seoul, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress is a key filming location for historical battle scenes and royal processions. Its walls and gates provide scale without heavy digital enhancement. Directors favor this site for wide shots that establish power, conflict, and transition between eras.

Natural landscapes are equally important in fantasy dramas. Boseong Green Tea Fields, Jeju’s lava formations, and forested mountain paths across Gangwon Province are often transformed into mythical realms. These locations offer visual continuity between the real and the imagined. Fog, wind, and seasonal changes are used intentionally rather than corrected in post-production.

Some fantasy dramas build temporary sets within real environments. Wooden bridges, ritual spaces, or village structures are constructed and later removed, allowing productions to blend authenticity with creative freedom. This approach keeps the landscape grounded while still serving supernatural narratives.

Historical villages such as Hahoe Folk Village and Yangdong Folk Village provide living architecture rather than museum-like settings. Filming here often focuses on everyday moments rather than grand spectacle. Scenes of scholars walking narrow alleys or families gathering in courtyards emphasize human scale within historical storytelling.

For viewers, these locations create a sense of permanence. The places exist beyond the drama, which strengthens emotional investment. For travelers, visiting these sites reveals how little needs to be added to create cinematic worlds. The story grows naturally from the landscape.

Next, we explore modern urban and coastal K-drama filming locations, where contemporary life, romance, and ambition take center stage.

Modern Urban and Coastal K-Drama Filming Locations

Modern K-dramas are deeply tied to real urban rhythms. Cities are not just backdrops. They shape character choices, emotional pacing, and visual identity. From dense neighborhoods to open coastlines, these locations ground contemporary stories in everyday life.

Seoul dominates modern K-drama settings, but rarely as a single cityscape. Each district carries a distinct mood. Itaewon is often used to represent freedom, cultural collision, and reinvention. Its narrow streets, rooftop bars, and late-night cafés frequently appear in coming-of-age and second-chance narratives. Gangnam, by contrast, symbolizes ambition, wealth, and pressure. Glass buildings and wide boulevards visually reinforce themes of success and isolation.

Residential neighborhoods such as Seochon and Mangwon-dong are favored for romantic and slice-of-life dramas. These areas offer walkable streets, small bakeries, and local markets that feel lived-in rather than curated. Directors often choose real apartments and corner cafés to maintain authenticity, allowing the city to feel personal rather than overwhelming.

Coastal cities play a different role. Busan is the most recognizable filming destination outside Seoul. Its beaches, port views, and hillside neighborhoods appear in thrillers, romances, and family dramas alike. Haeundae and Gwangalli Beach scenes often signal emotional turning points, while older districts near the port add texture to stories about memory and departure.

Smaller coastal towns are increasingly popular in healing dramas. Fishing villages along the East Sea and South Coast provide open horizons and slower pacing. These locations visually contrast urban stress with emotional recovery. Morning light, quiet docks, and seaside walks are filmed with minimal staging, letting natural movement lead the scene.

Cafés deserve special mention in modern K-dramas. Rather than studio-built sets, many productions film in real cafés that later become fan destinations. These spaces are chosen for layout, window light, and neighborhood context. Viewers subconsciously recognize that these places could exist in their own lives, which strengthens emotional realism.

For travelers, modern K-drama filming locations are the easiest to integrate into real itineraries. They are accessible by public transport, often located near food and shopping areas, and remain active parts of the city long after filming ends. Visiting them feels less like stepping onto a set and more like stepping into a familiar story.

Next, we will explore iconic single-location landmarks and how certain places become inseparable from the dramas filmed there.

Iconic One-Location K-Drama Landmarks

Some K-drama filming locations transcend individual scenes and become symbols of the story itself. These places are not interchangeable. Once filmed, they carry the emotional weight of the drama and remain etched in viewers’ memories long after the final episode.

Namsan Seoul Tower is one of the most recognizable examples. Appearing across multiple genres, it often represents confession, reconciliation, or emotional closure. Directors frequently return to this landmark because its elevation naturally creates a sense of distance from everyday life. Night scenes, in particular, emphasize intimacy against the vast city below.

Bukchon Hanok Village functions as both a historical and modern space. Its traditional houses, narrow alleys, and city-adjacent location allow dramas to visually connect past and present. Scenes filmed here often involve reflection, secrecy, or emotional crossroads. Because it is a residential area, filming focuses on early mornings and controlled angles to preserve realism.

For fans of quiet, meaningful settings, discover the cultural story behind the Haenyeo Bulteok filming location from When Life Gives You Tangerines.

Certain bridges in Seoul have become cinematic shorthand. Banpo Bridge and Cheonggyecheon Stream are repeatedly used to frame moments of transition. Walking scenes, quiet conversations, and solitary reflections unfold naturally in these linear spaces. Flowing water and open walkways subtly reinforce emotional movement.

Outside Seoul, Jeju Island stands apart as a location that often plays itself. Its volcanic coastlines, stone walls, and open skies are used to express freedom, escape, or unresolved longing. Many dramas return to Jeju when characters need physical and emotional distance from routine life. Filming here relies heavily on natural light and weather, embracing unpredictability rather than avoiding it.

Some landmarks become inseparable from a single drama. A specific bench, staircase, or café can transform into a pilgrimage site for fans. These locations are usually chosen not for scale, but for intimacy. The camera lingers, allowing viewers to emotionally inhabit the space.

What makes these landmarks powerful is repetition across audiences rather than productions. Viewers collectively assign meaning to them through shared memory. Over time, the place itself becomes part of K-drama culture, independent of any one story.

For travelers, iconic filming landmarks offer a direct emotional connection. Visiting them is less about recreating a scene and more about revisiting a feeling that once lived on screen.

Next, we will look at how K-drama filming locations influence real travel trends and fan-driven itineraries.

How K-Drama Filming Locations Shape Real Travel Trends

K-dramas do more than entertain. They quietly influence how and why people travel. Filming locations often spark curiosity first, then emotional attachment, and eventually real-world journeys. Viewers do not simply want to see a place. They want to experience the atmosphere they felt on screen.

After a drama airs, search interest for specific neighborhoods, cafés, and natural landmarks often rises. Unlike traditional tourism campaigns, K-dramas introduce locations through personal stories. Viewers associate places with moments of healing, love, or self-discovery. This emotional context is what turns filming locations into travel goals.

Local governments and tourism boards in South Korea actively collaborate with production teams. Filming permits, logistical support, and location promotion are coordinated to ensure accessibility after release. Some regions publish official filming maps, while others highlight drama-related routes within broader travel guides.

Smaller towns benefit the most from this exposure. Rural villages and coastal communities that appear in healing dramas often see gradual, sustainable tourism rather than sudden overcrowding. Visitors tend to stay longer, explore on foot, and engage with local businesses. This aligns well with the slow travel themes frequently portrayed in these dramas.

Fan-led travel plays a major role. Online communities share filming spot coordinates, screenshots, and travel tips. Social platforms amplify this effect, especially when viewers recreate scenes or document visits in real time. These organic narratives extend the life of a drama long after it ends.

However, there is also growing awareness of balance. Some filming locations limit signage or restrict access to protect residents. Responsible travel messaging is becoming part of the conversation, encouraging visitors to respect privacy and local routines.

For travelers planning K-drama-inspired trips, flexibility is key. Filming locations may look different depending on season, weather, or time of day. Rather than chasing exact replicas of scenes, embracing the rhythm of the place often leads to a more meaningful experience.

Next, we move into practical guidance on how to plan a K-drama filming location trip in South Korea.

How to Plan a K-Drama Filming Location Trip

Planning a trip around K-drama filming locations is no longer a niche interest. In 2025, set-jetting inspired by Korean dramas has become a recognized global travel trend. Viewers are not just watching stories unfold on screen. They are actively seeking out the places where those stories were filmed, turning emotional connections into real-world journeys.

Popular filming landmarks in Seoul, Busan, and smaller regional towns continue to attract increasing numbers of international visitors. These locations benefit from long exposure rather than short promotional campaigns. A single drama can influence travel interest for years after its release, especially when scenes are tied to strong emotional moments such as healing, reunion, or personal transformation.

Below is a practical framework to help you plan a meaningful K-drama filming location trip rather than a rushed checklist tour.

Choose Locations Based on the Dramas You Love

Start by identifying the dramas that left the strongest impression on you. Romantic series, healing dramas, thrillers, and historical sagas all rely on different types of locations. Choosing places connected to your favorite genres will naturally shape your route and pace.

Many iconic filming sites appear repeatedly across multiple dramas. Parks, riverside paths, hanok villages, and cafés often become emotional anchors within stories. Visiting these locations feels familiar even on a first visit because viewers have already spent time there through the screen.

Do not limit yourself to major landmarks alone. Smaller neighborhoods, coastal towns, and countryside villages often deliver the most immersive experiences. These locations are frequently chosen for their authenticity and atmosphere rather than visual spectacle.

Plan Around Korea’s Seasons and Natural Light

Seasonality plays a major role in how filming locations feel in real life. Spring and autumn are the most popular seasons for K-drama inspired travel due to mild weather and soft lighting that closely matches on-screen visuals.

Autumn foliage transforms tree-lined paths, island walks, and palace grounds into scenes that feel instantly cinematic. Spring brings cherry blossoms and fresh greenery often associated with romance and new beginnings.

Winter travel appeals to fans of snow-covered dramas and quiet reflective scenes. However, shorter daylight hours and colder temperatures require more flexible planning. Summer offers long days and vibrant coastal scenery but comes with higher humidity and occasional rain.

Understanding how a location changes by season helps align expectations with reality.

Use Public Transport and Regional Planning

South Korea’s public transport system makes filming location travel highly accessible. Most urban filming spots can be reached by subway or bus, allowing travelers to combine multiple locations in a single day.

For destinations outside major cities, such as rural villages or coastal towns, allow additional travel time. Some locations are best experienced as overnight stops rather than day trips. Staying nearby allows you to explore early mornings or evenings, which often match filming conditions more closely.

Guided filming location tours are increasingly available and can be useful for first-time visitors. These tours often provide background context, exact filming spots, and efficient routing. Independent travelers may prefer self-guided routes using saved maps and screenshots from scenes.

Combine Filming Locations With Cultural Experiences

A rewarding K-drama trip goes beyond recreating scenes. Pair filming locations with local experiences such as traditional markets, regional cuisine, walking neighborhoods, or quiet cafés.

Many filming sites are woven into everyday life rather than isolated attractions. Watching locals move through these spaces adds depth and perspective to the experience. It becomes clear why directors choose these locations not just for appearance but for rhythm and atmosphere.

Historical filming locations pair well with cultural activities such as palace visits, hanok stays, or museum walks. Coastal filming spots are best enjoyed alongside local seafood, harbor walks, and slow mornings by the sea.

Follow Filming Etiquette and Travel Responsibly

As K-drama tourism grows, many filming locations remain active residential or community spaces. Respecting privacy and local routines is essential.

Avoid blocking pathways, entering private property, or recreating scenes that disrupt daily life. Some locations may have limited signage or filming markers to preserve their character. This absence of overt tourism branding is intentional and part of what makes the experience feel authentic.

Travel responsibly by supporting local businesses, following posted guidelines, and approaching filming locations as lived-in environments rather than sets.

Set Realistic Expectations

Filming locations may look different from what you remember on screen. Camera angles, lighting, editing, and seasonal changes all shape how a place appears in a drama. Rather than chasing exact replicas of scenes, focus on the atmosphere.

Many travelers find that the emotional connection remains strong even when physical details differ. Standing in a familiar space, hearing everyday sounds, and observing ordinary moments often creates a deeper experience than recreating a specific frame.

K-drama filming location travel is ultimately about emotion, memory, and pace. When approached thoughtfully, it becomes less about visiting places and more about stepping into the quiet spaces between scenes.

Why K-Drama Filming Locations Matter Beyond the Screen

K-drama filming locations are more than scenic backdrops. They shape how stories feel, how characters move, and how emotions unfold. Over time, these places become part of the viewing experience, creating a quiet bridge between fiction and reality.

Traveling to filming locations offers something different from traditional sightseeing. It invites slower observation, deeper connection, and personal reflection. Viewers recognize familiar spaces not because they are famous, but because they once carried meaning within a story.

As K-dramas continue to reach global audiences, filming locations will remain central to how fans engage with Korean culture. From bustling city streets to remote coastal villages, these places reflect everyday life just as much as cinematic imagination.

Whether you are planning a dedicated K-drama trip or casually adding filming locations to a broader itinerary, approaching these places with curiosity and respect allows the experience to unfold naturally. The most memorable moments often happen between scenes, in the quiet spaces where stories once lingered.

Explore More K-Drama Filming Locations

This hub is designed to grow over time, connecting individual filming location guides, city and country tags, and drama-specific breakdowns.

Browse related guides to explore:

• K-drama filming locations by city and region
• Specific dramas and their real-world settings
• Seasonal filming locations and travel timing
• Practical travel planning tools for drama-inspired trips
• Things to do in Busan for K-drama fans
• Boyfriend on Demand filming locations
• Still Shining filming locations in Seoul and Pohang
• Apps for authentic food experiences while traveling
• The Practical Guide to Love filming locations
• Where No Other Choice (2025) was filmed
• Surely Tomorrow filming locations in Spain
• Portraits of Delusion filming locations in Vietnam

Each guide is built to help you understand not just where scenes were filmed, but why those places were chosen.

Explore Filming Spots Beyond Korea
If you’re curious about K-drama filming scenes outside Korea, especially in Southeast Asia, don’t miss our deep dive into where actors were spotted in Vietnam during Portraits of Delusion.

Frequently Asked Questions About K-Drama Filming Locations

Can you visit real K-drama filming locations in South Korea?

Yes. Most K-drama filming locations are real places that are open to the public. These include city streets, cafés, parks, beaches, villages, and historical sites. Some locations are private businesses or residential areas, so visitors should be respectful and follow local guidelines.

Are K-drama filming locations marked or signposted?

Some popular filming locations have small signs or official markers, especially at major tourist sites. However, many locations remain unmarked to preserve their everyday atmosphere. Fans often rely on screenshots, maps, and travel guides to identify exact filming spots.

Which cities are best for K-drama filming location travel?

Seoul is the most common starting point, offering a wide range of modern, historical, and romantic filming locations. Busan is popular for coastal and urban dramas, while Jeju Island appears frequently in healing and emotional storylines. Smaller towns and rural regions are also featured in many slice-of-life dramas.

Do filming locations look the same as they do in the dramas?

Filming locations may look different in real life due to lighting, camera angles, weather, or seasonal changes. Dramas often film at specific times of day or year. While details may differ, the atmosphere and setting are usually recognizable.

Is it better to visit filming locations independently or with a tour?

Both options work well depending on your travel style. Independent visits offer flexibility and allow for slower exploration. Guided tours can be helpful for first-time visitors, providing background context, efficient routes, and confirmed filming spots.

What is the best time of year to visit K-drama filming locations?

Spring and autumn are generally the best seasons due to mild weather and scenic landscapes that closely match many drama visuals. Winter is ideal for snow-themed dramas, while summer offers vibrant coastal scenery but comes with higher heat and humidity.

Are K-drama filming locations suitable for non-fans?

Yes. Many filming locations are popular travel destinations even without drama context. Parks, villages, cafés, and historic sites offer cultural, scenic, and local experiences that appeal to all travelers.

How should visitors behave at residential filming locations?

Visitors should respect privacy, avoid blocking paths, and refrain from entering private property. Many filming locations are part of active neighborhoods. Responsible behavior helps preserve these places for both residents and future visitors.

Can international filming locations appear in K-dramas?

Yes. Some K-dramas include international filming locations, particularly in Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. These locations are often used to represent travel, separation, or emotional turning points within the story.