The East Palace: A Curse Hidden Behind Palace Walls
Released worldwide on Netflix on July 17, 2026, The East Palace (동궁) is an eight-part occult sageuk directed by Choi Jung-kyu and written by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won. Nam Joo-hyuk stars as Gu-cheon, an arrogant, formidable ghost-slayer who can cross into the world of the dead and even take on a ghost's form himself. Roh Yoon-seo plays Saeng-gang, a palace court lady who can hear and speak with the departed, and Cho Seung-woo appears as a king ensnared by an ancient curse. A deep supporting bench — including Kwak Dong-yeon, Jang Young-nam, Tae In-ho, Hwang Young-hee, Hong Seo-jun and Lee Hong-nae — rounds out the world.
The story follows Gu-cheon and Saeng-gang as, on the king's command, they investigate the curse festering inside the East Palace (Donggung) — the residence of the crown prince. Blending the formality of a period drama with horror, fantasy and mystery, it is a full-blooded "K-occult sageuk": blood-soaked palace halls, restless vengeful spirits and a long-buried royal secret unspooling across eight tightly plotted episodes. The series charted globally within days of release, and as viewers at home and abroad went hunting for The East Palace filming locations, the Mungyeongsaejae Open Set, Seoraksan National Park and — most unexpectedly — a university campus all became fresh pilgrimage destinations.
Behind the Scenes
Most of the cursed palace at the heart of the show is not a genuine royal residence at all: it was built at the Mungyeongsaejae Open Set in North Gyeongsang Province. This vast backlot, which recreates Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung and a full palace complex in Joseon style, has been a cradle of Korean historical drama since it was first constructed in 2000, hosting productions from Kingdom and The Moon Embracing the Sun to The Crowned Clown. By choosing the set over a protected heritage palace, the production was free to stage its ghosts and its blood-red mise-en-scène however it liked. In particular, the imposing stone fortress at the 2nd Gate, Jogokgwan, becomes the border checkpoint dividing the safe capital from the haunted outer provinces, and it anchors several of Nam Joo-hyuk's action set pieces.
Gu-cheon's origins and his years of self-imposed exile were shot in Seoraksan National Park. The park's jagged granite spires, dense old-growth forest and fog-laden valleys gave the series the sense of a perilous world lying just outside human society. The prince's gentler, more reflective moments, by contrast, were captured somewhere no one expected — the Asan campus of Hoseo University in South Chungcheong. Its European-style architecture, wide green lawn and the lakeside path around Sesim Lake supplied a lyrical backdrop, the still water mirroring the buildings above it. Interior palace sets, meanwhile, were purpose-built at a separate studio complex in Misan-myeon, Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, and stitched seamlessly to the outdoor locations.
Travel Guide to Filming Locations
Suggested route: Using Seoul as a base, split the trip into three hubs — Asan (a half-day), Mungyeong (a full day), and Sokcho/Seoraksan (a full day).
- Mungyeongsaejae Open Set sits just inside the 1st Gate of Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park. Entry to the park is free, but the open set charges a small admission (around 2,000 won for adults); hours are generally 09:00–18:00 (09:00–17:00 in winter). From the parking area it is a short walk to the set, and the old road up to the 2nd Gate, Jogokgwan, makes for a roughly two-hour round-trip trek through beautiful scenery.
- Seoraksan National Park (Sogongwon) is reachable on Sokcho city buses 7 and 7-1. From the Sogongwon entrance, trails lead to Sinheungsa Temple, Heundeulbawi Rock and the Biseondae–Cheonbuldong Valley, while a cable car climbs to the ruined fortress of Gwongeumseong. The park is at its most cinematic during the autumn foliage of October and in early summer.
- Hoseo University, Asan Campus is close to Baebang and Cheonan-Asan stations and only about an hour by car from Gangnam, Seoul. The campus is open to visitors, so you can stroll the Sesim Lake path freely; come during spring cherry-blossom season and the location's mood doubles.
Fan Pilgrimages
Within days of release, social feeds filled with check-in photos tagged #TheEastPalace, #Mungyeongsaejae, #Seoraksan and #HoseoUniversity. The quiet Hoseo University campus in particular drew a wave of visitors reacting with a collective "wait, that scene was filmed here?" — an unexpected hotspot covered eagerly by the local press. The signature shot is taken along the Sesim Lake walkway, with the buildings reflected in the water behind you.
At Mungyeongsaejae, fans favor compositions framed against the Jogokgwan stone gate; at Seoraksan, the granite crags and primeval forest make the most dramatic backdrops. Following the grain of a drama that moves between period spectacle, fantasy and horror, visitors are capturing both the grandeur of the set by day and its cool, eerie atmosphere by night to complete their East Palace pilgrimage.
Nearby Food and Attractions
- Mungyeong: Pair the open set with a trek along the historic Mungyeongsaejae old road, the Mungyeong Eco Maze Park, and the rail bikes. Local specialties include Mungyeong "yakdol" beef and dishes made with the region's prized omija (magnolia berry).
- Sokcho / Seoraksan: After hiking, head to Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market for dakgangjeong (sweet-and-spicy fried chicken), squid sundae and mulhoe (cold raw-fish soup), then take in Yeonggeumjeong, Abai Village and Sokcho Beach.
- Asan: Near the Hoseo campus you'll find Onyang Hot Springs, the Oeam Folk Village and the Sinjeongho lakeside park. Asan's hot springs are the perfect way to unwind after a day of sightseeing.
- Accommodation: Basing yourself in Seoul or the greater capital area keeps all three regions within a day or overnight trip, while the Sokcho area offers plenty of resorts and hotels beside both Seoraksan and the sea — book to match your route.
