Yeongwol, a quiet Gangwon Province town best known as the exile site of a dethroned Joseon king, is drawing a different kind of pilgrimage.
Accommodation searches there rose 190 percent from January through April this year compared with the same period in 2025, according to booking platform Agoda.
The increase appears to ride on the success of "The King’s Warden"; the historical film drew 16.8 million admissions and used Yeongwol as a primary filming location.
Visitors to the town can take in Cheongnyeongpo, the riverside site where King Danjong, the sixth Joseon-era (1392-1910) ruler, lived out his exile, and Jangneung, his royal tomb.
Yeongwol is one of several smaller Korean cities experiencing a lift from screen tourism, the practice of traveling to filming locations to feel closer to a favorite drama or film. Agoda data shows lodging searches climbing across destinations tied to recent K-content releases.
Goryeong, in North Gyeongsang Province, also appeared in "The King’s Warden," with a local government office hosting scenes between King Danjong and Joseon-era politician Han Myeong-hoe. Searches for stays in Goryeong doubled over the same four-month period. The town has also served as a backdrop for the dramas "To My Beloved Thief" and "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty."
In Yesan, South Chungcheong Province, search volume rose 35 percent. The increase follows the recent release of the horror film "Salmokji: Whispering Water," set at a local reservoir long tied to regional ghost lore.
Suwon in Gyeonggi Province, home to the UNESCO-listed Hwaseong Fortress, saw a 21 percent increase. The city's mix of historic and modern settings has made it a frequent K-drama location, including for "Our Beloved Summer," "Lovely Runner" and "Extraordinary Attorney Woo."
Jangheung, in South Jeolla Province, posted an 18 percent rise. The town houses the former Jangheung Prison, the country's only decommissioned penitentiary used as a filming set. The site, known locally as Papillon Zip, has appeared in recent productions including "Surely Tomorrow," "The Price of Confession," "No Tail to Tell" and "The Manipulated."
"K-drama and K-film locations are generating real interest among both domestic and international travelers, and screen tourism is boosting regional tourism and supporting local economies,” said Jay Lee, Agoda's regional director for North Asia.
yoohong@heraldcorp.com
