Filming Hotspots in Haenam: ‘Hope’ and Netflix’s ‘Donggung’ Draw Visitors to Rural Korea
Creatrip Team
22 days ago
Two recent hits — the film Hope and Netflix historical series Donggung — share a surprising common: many key scenes were filmed in Haenam at Korea’s southern tip. The quiet hamlet of Namchang Village (population ~400) became the movie’s main set and, after being branded the “Hope Movie Street,” now welcomes over 300 visitors a day. Visitors pose at film props like the ‘Stella’ patrol car, damaged storefronts, and local eateries used in scenes; local restaurants report doubled customers and a popular pork jumulruk (pork stir/fry) dish. Travel packages including Namchang, Ttangkkeut Village (land’s end), and the Myeongryang cable car are being offered.
Haenam’s Dalmasan mountain and the cliffside Dosolam hermitage (featured in Donggung) are also major draws. Dalmasan’s dramatic rock peaks — nicknamed “the Geumgang of the south” — and nearby Mihwangsa temple (a well-known temple stay site) offer panoramic sea views and have long been used as drama locations. Mihwangsa recently completed restoration of its main hall, and Dosolam can be reached by a 20-minute drive plus a short walk. Together, these film and drama locations are boosting tourism and spotlighting Haenam’s natural and cultural attractions.
