Our Universe, a Co-Parenting Romance Between Reluctant In-Laws
Our Universe (Korean title: 우주를 줄게, literally "I'll Give You the Universe") aired on tvN every Wednesday and Thursday at 10:40 PM KST from February 4 to March 12, 2026, across 12 episodes. Marking tvN's first Wed–Thu romance drama in three years, the series stars Bae In-hyuk as Seon Tae-hyung, Roh Jeong-eui as Woo Hyun-jin, Park Seo-ham as Park Yoon-seong, and child actor Park Yu-ho as baby Woo-ju. It was directed by Lee Hyun-seok and Jung Yeo-jin, written by Soo Jin and Shin Yi-hyun, and produced by Studio Dragon and Syn&Studio.
The premise is deceptively simple but emotionally rich: two twenty-eight-year-olds who became in-laws through their siblings' marriage are suddenly thrown together when a tragic accident leaves them the unexpected guardians of a 20-month-old nephew named Woo-ju ("Universe"). Neither romantically involved nor especially close beforehand, Tae-hyung and Hyun-jin move in together to raise the child, and the show tracks how shared caregiving — sleepless nights, pediatrician visits, arguments over parenting styles — slowly turns awkward cohabitation into genuine affection. It's a coming-of-age story disguised as a family sitcom, and that blend won over both romance fans and viewers who don't normally watch K-dramas.
What makes Our Universe a particularly interesting case study is the gap between its domestic and international reception. According to Nielsen Korea's nationwide paid-platform household ratings, the finale (episode 12) drew just 2.0% (1.953%) — a series-best number, but modest by Korean primetime standards, and it topped the cable-channel time slot on the night it aired. Internationally, however, the show became a genuine phenomenon: it ranked number one in viewership across 142 countries and regions on Rakuten Viki during its premiere week, with users rating it 9.7 out of 10. That disconnect — a quiet domestic run paired with a runaway global streaming hit — is itself part of the story fans discuss online, and it's a pattern increasingly common among K-dramas that lean into slice-of-life warmth rather than high-concept plotting.
Behind the Scenes: From the Han River to the Nakdong River
The filming locations for Our Universe split cleanly into two clusters: Seoul and South Gyeongsang Province's Yangsan City. In Seoul, Seorae Island, a small artificial island in the Han River near Banpo, hosted some of the show's quietest and most emotionally loaded scenes — the conversations where Tae-hyung and Hyun-jin, still uneasy around each other as in-laws, gradually let their guard down. The open river view and big sky gave the production a visual shorthand for emotional transition without needing dialogue to spell it out.
The Yangsan locations tell a different behind-the-scenes story — one about local government tourism strategy rather than just cinematography. As part of "2026, the Year to Visit Yangsan," the city actively courted broadcast and video productions, and its cooperation with Our Universe put three sites in front of the camera: Hwangsan Park, a 2.31-million-square-meter riverside park along the Nakdong River; Imgyeongdae, a scenic pavilion partway up Obongsan's first peak where the Silla-era scholar Choe Chi-won reportedly composed poetry centuries ago; and Beopgi Reservoir, a reservoir built in 1932 that was off-limits to the public for decades before opening in 2011. Notably, Yangsan's own tourism mascot characters, "Yangsan Friends," were woven into the show's set dressing and props — a small but telling example of how Korean local governments now actively pursue drama productions as tourism marketing.
Travel Guide to the Filming Locations
Seoul leg: Seorae Island is a 15-minute walk from Express Bus Terminal Station (Subway Lines 3, 7, 9), Exit 8-1, heading toward Banpo Hangang Park, or you can walk across Jamsu Bridge from the south side of Banpo Bridge. Spring brings fields of canola flowers and tulips that make it a popular Han River stroll even without the drama connection, and it pairs well with an evening visit to the Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Fountain nearby.
Yangsan leg: The recommended route is Hwangsan Park → Imgyeongdae → Beopgi Reservoir, easily doable in half a day by car. Hwangsan Park is a 15-minute walk from Hopo Station (Busan Metro Line 2), or reachable by Bus 137 to Danggok Village stop plus an 800-meter walk. Imgyeongdae is about a 14-minute drive from Busan-Yangsan Campus Station; parking is free, but expect a 20–30 minute climb up a wooden boardwalk and staircase to reach the viewpoint itself. Beopgi Reservoir is roughly 15 minutes by car from Nopo Station (Busan Metro Line 1) and is free to enter, open 8 AM–6 PM from April to October and 8 AM–5 PM from November to March.
The best time to visit is autumn (October–November), when Imgyeongdae's foliage is at its peak, or early summer (May–June), when Beopgi Reservoir's cypress forest releases the strongest scent of phytoncides. Dogs are welcome at Imgyeongdae but must stay leashed, and swimming or cooking is prohibited at Beopgi Reservoir since it remains a protected water source.
Fan Pilgrimage: A Show 142 Countries Fell For
The gap between domestic ratings and global reach became part of the show's own narrative online. Fans outside Korea, riding the wave of that record-setting 142-country ranking on Rakuten Viki, flooded social media with clips of Bae In-hyuk and Roh Jeong-eui's chemistry and adorable moments from baby Woo-ju's scenes. Official merchandise — including a "Universe the bee" MagSafe pop socket and matching keyring — reportedly sold out quickly after release, a clear sign of the fandom's appetite for tangible keepsakes.
Among location photos shared online, the most popular shots are river views from Seorae Island and the Imgyeongdae overlook, where the Nakdong River bends into a shape resembling the Korean peninsula. Yangsan City, riding the same momentum as its "2026, the Year to Visit Yangsan" campaign, has leaned into the drama's popularity to promote the region, and both Imgyeongdae and Beopgi Reservoir are likely to see a steady rise in visitors from fans making the pilgrimage.
Nearby Food and Attractions
Around Seoul: The Banpo Hangang Park area near Seorae Island has convenience stores, cafés, and food trucks running throughout the day. The underground shopping arcade at Express Bus Terminal and the Shinsegae Gangnam branch are both a short walk away, making it easy to combine sightseeing with shopping and a meal. For accommodation, hotels around Seocho-gu and Gangnam-gu are the most convenient base.
Around Yangsan: Mulgeum-eup, near Hwangsan Park, has plenty of restaurants serving Nakdong riverside comfort food, from sundae-guk (blood sausage soup) to jaecheop-guk (freshwater clam soup). About 20 minutes by car from Imgyeongdae is Tongdosa, one of Korea's three jewel temples and a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in Korean Buddhist heritage. Near Beopgi Reservoir in Dong-myeon, small cafés and healing-themed guesthouses have sprung up around the cypress-scented air. For accommodation, either downtown Yangsan or nearby Busan neighborhoods like Seomyeon and Haeundae offer easy transport connections to all three Yangsan filming sites.
