150 Productions Filmed at Seoul Facilities Last Year
Everyday spaces in Seoul are gaining attention as prime locations for K-content production. Facilities operated by the Seoul Facilities Corporation, such as Cheonggyecheon and the underground shopping malls, have emerged as key backdrops for dramas and variety shows.
According to the Seoul Facilities Corporation on January 16, a total of 150 video productions-including dramas, movies, variety shows, and YouTube content-were filmed at the corporation's facilities last year.
Cheonggyecheon and the underground shopping malls, which are consistently popular as urban filming locations, particularly stood out. The JTBC program "Esquire" featured the scenery around Mojeon Bridge at Cheonggyecheon, while tvN's "Taepung Sangsa" was filmed in the Euljiro underground shopping mall and the Dongjak Bridge roadside parking lot. Other locations, such as the Express Bus Terminal underground shopping mall (tvN's "Petty Love") and the call taxi service for people with disabilities (tvN's "Pro Bono"), were also used to enhance the immersion of the productions.
So, which location hosted the most filming? That distinction goes to Seoul Children's Grand Park. It accounted for 48.7% of all filming cases, making it the most prominent filming site. The park showcased its familiar charm to citizens across a variety of genres, including popular variety shows like MBC's "The Manager," as well as dramas, music videos, and YouTube content.
By type, YouTube and web content led with 31 cases (20.7%), followed by dramas and OTT productions with 28 cases (18.7%). Together, these two categories accounted for about 40% of the total, reflecting a shift toward a digital content-centered production environment.
Seasonally, 65% of all filming took place in spring (April, 23 cases) and autumn (November, 20 cases), when the scenery of outdoor facilities is at its best. This reflects the demand to capture Seoul’s four seasons, from cherry blossoms to autumn foliage.
President Han Kyungyoung of the corporation stated, "Our facilities are increasingly recognized not just as basic infrastructure supporting citizens' daily lives, but as 'cultural platforms' where a wide range of content-including K-dramas and YouTube videos-is produced. We will continue to discover and promote the unique charms of each site to enhance the brand of 'Attractive Seoul' and elevate the status of K-content."
Meanwhile, commercial filming within Seoul must be applied for in advance through the Seoul Film Commission. Last year, the corporation received the highest ratings in both the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's management evaluation and Seoul City's core values assessment.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
