King the Land: A Romance Written in Luxury Hotels
King the Land (2023, JTBC) is a romantic comedy that swept across Asia on the strength of its irresistible pairing: Lee Junho as Gu Won, the emotionally guarded heir to the King Group hospitality empire, and Im Yoona as Cheon Sa-rang, a hardworking hotelier whose genuine smile has earned her the nickname "Smile Queen." Their chemistry unfolds against a backdrop of glittering hotel lobbies, oceanside resorts, and rooftop bars, creating a visual feast that turned the drama into a global Netflix sensation. The story explores class divides, corporate intrigue, and the simple question of whether two people from entirely different worlds can build something honest together. With its warm humor, swoon-worthy set pieces, and a supporting cast led by Go Won-hee and Lee Sang-yi, the drama consistently trended in the top ten on Netflix across multiple countries throughout its summer 2023 run. The fictional King Hotel was actually a composite of several real properties: Grand Hyatt Seoul provided the exterior (with CG-enhanced upper floors to make the building appear even taller), Parnas Hotel Jeju supplied the elegant lobby and most interior shots, Josun Palace Seoul Gangnam stood in for Gu Won's suite, and Mondrian Seoul Itaewon doubled as the fitness center and bar scenes.
Behind the Scenes
Director Im Hyun-wook made the deliberate choice to shoot at real luxury hotels rather than constructing studio sets, giving the drama a textural richness that viewers could feel through their screens. The Parnas Hotel Jeju production required weeks of negotiation and off-hours filming schedules so as not to disrupt actual hotel guests, with crews setting up and striking down equipment between midnight and dawn. The Gapado bicycle scene — arguably the drama's most iconic moment — nearly did not happen as originally scripted. Yoona and Junho were supposed to ride separate bicycles, but the island's narrow paths and strong coastal winds led the director to improvise the tandem ride in borrowed floral ajumma outfits, which became the sequence fans replayed millions of times. The Bangkok shoot involved a compact crew of thirty who spent four days filming at the Banyan Tree Bangkok and the surrounding Silom district, with the rooftop dance shot in a single continuous take at sunset. Cinematographer Jo Sang-yoon used warm golden lighting throughout the series to emphasize the drama's fairy-tale quality, while composer Nam Hye-seung layered gentle piano and orchestral swells that became synonymous with the show's emotional high points. The wardrobe for Gu Won alone comprised over sixty custom-tailored suits, each selected to reflect his emotional state — darker shades in moments of corporate tension, lighter pastels when he is with Sa-rang.
Travel Guide: Seoul, Jeju, and Bangkok
Seoul locations are spread across the city but easily accessible by subway. Start at Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan-gu, a 15-minute walk uphill from Hangangjin Station (Line 6) Exit 1, or a quick five-minute taxi ride from the station. The hotel's hilltop setting offers panoramic views of Namsan Tower and the Han River, exactly as seen in the drama's skyline shots. Next, head to Josun Palace Seoul Gangnam, a five-minute walk from Samsung Station or Seolleung Station (Line 2), where Gu Won's extravagant suite was filmed — the famous scene with the remote-controlled transparent bathroom wall took place in the 4,000-square-foot Grand Master Suite. In Jeju, the Parnas Hotel Jeju is located in the Jungmun Resort complex, about 50 minutes by car from Jeju Airport; take Airport Limousine Bus No. 600 for a budget-friendly option. From Jeju, reaching Gapado requires a trip to Moseulpo's Unjin Port, where a small ferry departs three to four times daily for the 15-minute crossing. No cars are allowed on the island, so bring comfortable shoes and rent a bicycle to recreate the famous date scene. In Bangkok, the Banyan Tree Bangkok is located about a 10-minute walk from BTS Chong Nonsi Station. The 61st-floor Vertigo and Moon Bar is open to the public for dinner and drinks — arrive before sunset to secure a spot and watch the Bangkok skyline light up exactly as it did behind Gu Won and Sa-rang's rooftop dance.
Fan Pilgrimages
The drama ignited a wave of travel that the hospitality industry quickly embraced. Parnas Hotel Jeju launched a "King the Land Package" shortly after the finale aired, offering guests the chance to stay in rooms used during filming and receive a commemorative photo booklet. Gapado experienced a dramatic surge in ferry reservations, with the island's visitor numbers reportedly doubling during the summer of 2023 compared to the previous year. On social media, the hashtag #KingTheLandLocations accumulated hundreds of thousands of posts, with fans from Korea, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines sharing side-by-side comparisons of drama stills and their own travel photos. In Bangkok, the Banyan Tree reported that Korean and Japanese tourists began requesting "the Vertigo table" — the specific rooftop spot where the dance scene was filmed — creating an unofficial reservation tradition that the hotel now accommodates with a small drama-themed display at the bar. Travel influencers created multi-day itineraries connecting all the drama's locations into a single trip, starting in Seoul, flying to Jeju, and ending with a Bangkok stopover, turning a romantic comedy into a full-blown international tourism route.
Food and Nearby Attractions
At Grand Hyatt Seoul, the hotel's signature restaurant serves refined Korean and Western cuisine with the same skyline views featured in the drama, though budget-conscious visitors can grab excellent street food at the nearby Itaewon and Hannam-dong neighborhoods — everything from craft tacos to artisanal gelato. In Jeju, the Jungmun area surrounding Parnas Hotel offers the Jungmun Saekdal Beach (a gorgeous crescent of dark volcanic sand), the Teddy Bear Museum, and the spectacular Jusangjeolli Cliff — a formation of hexagonal basalt columns carved by volcanic activity. On Gapado, the island's tiny restaurants serve fresh-caught seafood and jeonbok-juk (abalone porridge), a Jeju specialty. The island is also known for its barley fields, which blanket the flat terrain in bright green during spring and make for stunning photographs. In Bangkok, after your rooftop drink at Vertigo, explore the surrounding Silom and Sathorn districts, home to some of the city's best street food — pad thai from the legendary Thip Samai stall, mango sticky rice from sidewalk vendors, and rich massaman curry at family-run shophouses. The nearby Lumpini Park offers a peaceful morning escape, and the Asiatique night market along the Chao Phraya River provides a vibrant shopping and dining experience to round out your King the Land journey.
