About this page
Start-Up (스타트업) is a 2020 tvN drama about young founders chasing success in the startup world, starring Bae Suzy, Nam Joo-hyuk, and Kim Seon-ho. Where was Start-Up filmed? In Seoul and beyond: the Sandbox building in Sangam-dong, a Han River island, restaurants in Hapjeong-dong and Gwanghwamun, and two day-trip stops outside the capital.
Four places are reported by one official source, VisitSeoul’s Start-Up guide: Oil Tank Culture Park, Nodeul Island, Hapjeongdon, and D·LIFESTYLE KITCHEN. Five more are fan-spotted: Conrad Seoul, Yeouido Hangang Park, Old Mullae, Uijeongbu Cathedral, and Byeongsulman Campsite. No stop in this guide is confirmed by two independent sources yet, and the guide says so plainly.
Why visit the Start-Up locations
Start-Up leads somewhere different from most K-drama pilgrimages: real working places from Seoul’s recent reinvention. Oil Tank Culture Park turned decommissioned oil tanks into exhibition halls and a plaza. Nodeul Island turned a forgotten river island into a concert hall, bookstore, and riverside lawn. Hapjeongdon and Old Mullae are restaurants you can eat in, not sets behind a fence. The drama’s fictional Sandbox is the thread that ties them together: a startup campus imagined inside the city’s most optimistic new spaces.
Be clear-eyed about what is verified: VisitSeoul, Seoul’s official tourism body, names the four Seoul stops, and fan researchers name the rest. Visit these places for what they are — a walk through Sangam-dong, Hapjeong-dong, Yeouido, and the Han River — and check each venue’s own hours before you go.
Where was Start-Up filmed?
The drama was filmed in Seoul, with additional scenes in Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong. In Seoul, filming locations include:
- Oil Tank Culture Park (문화비축기지) in Sangam-dong — reported by VisitSeoul as the Sandbox building.
- Nodeul Island (노들섬) on the Han River — reported by VisitSeoul as the riverside Sandbox setting.
- Hapjeongdon (합정돈) in Hapjeong-dong — reported by VisitSeoul as Grandmother’s restaurant.
- D·LIFESTYLE KITCHEN (디라이프스타일키친) near Gwanghwamun — reported by VisitSeoul as the restaurant where In-jae and her mother dined.
- Conrad Seoul in Yeouido — fan-spotted as the building behind Ji-pyeong’s home and the Samsan Tech office.
- Yeouido Hangang Park (여의도한강공원) — fan-spotted as the park behind Grandma’s food truck.
- Old Mullae (올드문래) in Mullae-dong — fan-spotted as a restaurant from the drama’s later episodes.
Beyond Seoul, fan research names Uijeongbu Cathedral in Gyeonggi and Byeongsulman Campsite on the Taean coast in South Chungcheong.
Seoul: Sandbox and the Han River
Oil Tank Culture Park: the Sandbox building
Oil Tank Culture Park in Sangam-dong is the guide’s anchor stop: VisitSeoul names it as the Sandbox building, the drama’s fictional Silicon Valley. The park was built from the tanks that once stored Seoul’s oil supply, converted into exhibition halls, performance spaces, and a cultural plaza. It is a public park with rotating exhibitions and events, so check the park’s official page for what is on before you go. Take World Cup Stadium Station (Line 6), Exit 1 — about an 11-minute walk.
Nodeul Island: the riverside Sandbox setting
Nodeul Island sits in the middle of the Hangang Bridge, between Yongsan and Yeouido. VisitSeoul presents it as the Sandbox setting: the island’s modern buildings and river views appear in the drama’s first episode, with Yeouido’s skyscrapers across the water. The island holds a concert hall, the Music Lounge, Nodeul Bookstore, and cafes, with a lawn and riverside paths for walking. The outdoor space stays open around the clock; inner facilities keep their own hours. Take Nodeul Station (Line 9), Exit 2 — about a 10-minute walk.
Yeouido Hangang Park
Yeouido Hangang Park is the riverside park fan research names as the park behind Grandma’s food truck. It is a wide, flat park on the river’s south bank, good for walking and cycling, with views back toward Nodeul Island and the Hangang Bridge. Take Yeouinaru Station (Line 5), Exit 3.
Seoul: restaurants and streets
Hapjeongdon: Grandmother’s restaurant
Hapjeongdon is a themed barbecue restaurant in a Hapjeong-dong alley, and VisitSeoul names it as the restaurant run by Dal-mi’s grandmother when Dal-mi was young, as well as the site of the mailbox where Ji-pyeong and Dal-mi exchanged letters. The dining rooms are decorated with figures, toys, and celebrity autographs. Fan accounts say the drama’s shop front was dressed for filming; the restaurant itself is a working business, so check its own hours before you go. Take Hapjeong Station (Lines 2, 6), Exit 8 — about a 10-minute walk.
D·LIFESTYLE KITCHEN
D·LIFESTYLE KITCHEN sits on the first floor of the Seoul Finance Center near Gwanghwamun. VisitSeoul names it as the restaurant where Dal-mi’s older sister In-jae and her mother dined together. The restaurant serves healthy dishes from organic ingredients in a bright, forest-like interior. Reservations are advised; check the restaurant’s own hours before you go. Take City Hall Station (Lines 1, 2), Exit 4 — about a 2-minute walk, or Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), Exit 5.
Conrad Seoul
Conrad Seoul is a hotel in Yeouido, listed here only as a filming location, not a lodging recommendation. Fan location research names the building behind Ji-pyeong’s home and the Samsan Tech office. View it from the street and the Yeouido park paths; the hotel’s own facilities are for guests.
Old Mullae
Old Mullae is a restaurant in Mullae-dong, converted from an old warehouse and decorated with parts from the area’s former iron works. Fan location research names it as a restaurant from the drama’s later episodes. Mullae-dong’s side streets are worth a wander on their own: small workshops, cafes, and galleries fill the old industrial blocks. Take Mullae Station (Line 2) and check Naver Map for the nearest exit.
Beyond Seoul
Uijeongbu Cathedral
Uijeongbu Cathedral is an active cathedral in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. Fan location research lists it among the drama’s locations. It is a working church: view the exterior only, not during services, and keep noise down on the grounds. Take Uijeongbu Station (Line 1) and check Naver Map for the nearest exit.
Byeongsulman Campsite
Byeongsulman Campsite is a campsite in Anmyeon-eup, Taean, on the mud flats of the west coast. Fan location research names it as the seaside trip location. It is a local campsite rather than a tourist attraction: check its own booking and access details before a trip, and use Naver Map for live routes from Seoul.
Getting there
Use Naver Map (English UI) for the nearest subway station and live routes in Seoul. For Uijeongbu, Seoul Subway Line 1 serves the city; for Taean, use Naver Map for live bus and taxi routes. Check each venue’s official page on your travel day.
How we checked
Confirmed means two or more independent qualified sources (official tourism bodies, city government, or established press) name the same place for the same drama. Reported means one qualified source names it. Fan-spotted means fan researchers matched the place to the drama, with no official or press source confirming it yet.
For this guide, four stops are Reported: VisitSeoul’s official Start-Up guide names Oil Tank Culture Park, Nodeul Island, Hapjeongdon, and D·LIFESTYLE KITCHEN. The other five stops are Fan-spotted, from the fan location research linked below. Our methodology explains how we label and re-check every place.
We do not use drama stills. Coordinates are neighborhood-level approximations for map pins, not surveyed points. Schools, hospitals, studios, offices, and church interiors are left out on purpose. If a location closes, changes access, or is found to be misattributed, we update the guide.
FAQ
Where was Start-Up filmed?
Start-Up was filmed in Seoul and beyond. In Seoul, the locations include Oil Tank Culture Park in Sangam-dong, Nodeul Island on the Han River, Hapjeongdon in Hapjeong-dong, and D·LIFESTYLE KITCHEN near Gwanghwamun. Beyond Seoul, fan research names Uijeongbu Cathedral and a campsite on the Taean coast.
Where is the Sandbox building in real life?
VisitSeoul presents Oil Tank Culture Park in Sangam-dong as the Sandbox building. The same VisitSeoul guide presents Nodeul Island as the riverside Sandbox setting seen in the drama’s first episode. Both are visitable public places in Seoul.
Where is Grandma’s restaurant in Start-Up?
Hapjeongdon, a themed barbecue restaurant in a Hapjeong-dong alley, is the restaurant run by Dal-mi’s grandmother. Fan accounts say the drama’s shop front was dressed for filming; the restaurant itself is a working business, so check its own hours before you go.
Which Start-Up locations are confirmed?
None are confirmed by two independent sources yet. Four stops are reported by one official source, VisitSeoul’s Start-Up guide. The rest are fan-spotted, matched to the drama by fan researchers with no official or press source confirming them yet.
Keep exploring
For more Seoul walks on this site: Coffee Prince in Seoul, My Mister in Seoul and Incheon, and Queen of Tears in Seoul and Mungyeong.
Sources
All sources for this guide
Accessed Oct 28, 2026 (Asia/Seoul) unless noted.
- VisitSeoul — Seoul as Seen in the Romantic TV Series Start-Up!
- VisitSeoul — Oil Tank Culture Park
- Creatrip — Start-Up filming locations (fan source)
%20%E2%80%94%20kdramapins.com){kind=link}