Not to brag or anything, but we’re 38 days from our DEROS, and we don’t have orders yet. So, while I’d love to say we have things planned, movers scheduled, and all the things in the work, I can absolutely say for certain that we don’t. We have nothing planned, or scheduled, or anything. So, instead, we’re making the most of the time we do have here in South Korea, and in between work, photography sessions, and homeschooling the boys, we’ve been soaking up the beautiful (albeit HOT) weather, and going on adventures. That’s how we found ourselves out at Dae Jang Geum Park in Yongin. Since Mieke was on a field trip, it was just the boys and I, and it was so fun!
Dae Jang Geum Park in Yongin (용인 대장금 파크)
A friend actually slipped me this gem one day noting that it would be perfect for photography, as it tends to fly under the radar in terms of tourist gems in South Korea. She was so right, too. We went on Friday morning when it opened at 10 AM, and we were the only ones there. Dae Jang Geum Park is actually hailed as the largest historical drama set in all of South Korea. What does that mean exactly? Well, they shoot movies and music videos, of course! Curious about just a few of the titles that were shot here?
- Diary of a Night Watchman
- The Goddess of Fire
- God of War
- Flower in Prison
- Scholar Who Walks the Night
They were actually prepping to shoot something on Friday while we were there, and the boys were as fascinated about the cast’s trailers as the hair and makeup personnel were about the boys’ hair colors. I tell you – Korea is something else. I digress though. Dae Jang Geum Park is a full-scale architectural set that makes it feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Built into the mountain areas surrounding it, it feels like you’re being transported back in time. From the little markets to the villages, the jail, the temple and palace, and beyond, Dae Jang Geum Park has it all.
Dae Jang Geum Park Tour
The neat thing about Dae Jang Geum Park is that you can kind of choose your own adventure when you enter. After paying admission, you can choose to take a guided tour, try on period costumes, and even make reservations for interpretive tours for foreigners. We chose to do it all on our own, so we kind of got to go at our own pace, which is more our type of tour anyway. We took advantage of the warm weather, and we explored it all, trekking our way from the bottom lot all the way to the temple space and café at the very top where, of course, we treated the boys to Oreo bingsu, which they loved.
The boys’ favorite part was being able to walk through it all. While some areas were roped off, they climbed into the wooden jail cells, traipsed over the intricate stone bridges, and stared into the reflection ponds at the tiled bottoms. They loved it, and the props (including spears and banners) were fascinating to them. While it seems like a completely realistic village in its own right, Dae Jang Geum Park highlights the specific videos shot in several locations, too, so you have a little context of their use, which was neat.
Tips for Visiting Dae Jang Geum Park in Yongin
Address: For Naver – 경기도 용인시 처인구 백암면 용천드라마길 25 ; For Waze –25, Yongcheon drama-gil, Baegam-myeon, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
Price: Adults – W9,500, Middle-High School Students – W8,000, Ages 4-Elementary – W7,000, Under 4 – Free
Parking: There are free parking facilities onsite. The lot isn’t huge though, so visiting early is advised.
Amenities: There are multiple public restrooms, as well as a souvenir shop, and two cafés for visitors.
Accessibility: There are carts that can be rented with a driver for a small additional fee, rendering the park mostly accessible for those with mobility issues.
Pets: Pets are not allowed onsite.
