About this page
The Red Sleeve is MBC’s 2021–22 Joseon romance about King Jeongjo and court lady Seong Deok-im, played by Lee Jun-ho and Lee Se-young. It aired from 12 November 2021 to 1 January 2022 and ran to 17 episodes. This guide collects the real places it was filmed at — a folk village, a garden, a hanok village, an open set and a palace garden — and labels each one with the evidence behind it.
Boseong: folk village
Ganggol Traditional Folk Village holds Yeolhwajeong Pavilion, where VisitKorea says the central romance blossomed on screen. The village is in Boseong County, South Jeolla, and is best combined with a green-tea-field trip rather than treated as a quick stop: no public-transit directions were verified for it, so plan the last mile before you go.
VisitKorea’s village page adds the context the section lacks: Ganggol was home to the Gwangju Lee Clan, with most houses built in the early 20th century; three houses are recognized as important folk materials, along with one pavilion. A village experience program lets visitors stay overnight in a hanok. Hours are 09:00-18:00, entry is free (programs and accommodation separate), and parking is available. (VisitKorea)
Namwon: garden
Gwanghallu Garden is Namwon’s most famous historic garden, and Korea JoongAng Daily names it as a filming site for The Red Sleeve alongside other sageuks. No single scene at the garden is documented in the sources used here, so visit it for the place itself — the pavilion, pond and Ojakgyo Bridge — rather than for one shot.
The garden’s own history is older than any drama. The pavilion was first built in 1419 by Hwang Hui while in exile in Namwon; governor Jeong Cheol and magistrate Jang Ui-guk later added the pond, three islands (Bongnae, Bangjang, Yeongju) and the Ojakgyo Bridge, and the pavilion burned in the 1597 invasions before being rebuilt in 1626. It is called “Honam Jeilru,” the finest pavilion in Honam, and is the setting of the Chunhyangjeon love story. In July 2026 the Korea Heritage Service elevated it from Treasure (1963) to National Treasure. Filming tourism is real here: Korea JoongAng Daily reported Gwanghallu visitors rose 19% in 2021 over the previous year - though that article is the same outlet as this stop’s existing source, so it does not count as a second source. (Aju Press, Seoul Economic Daily, Korea JoongAng Daily)
Jeonju: hanok village
Jeonju Hanok Village is the guide’s most-visited stop and the easiest provincial one to pair with a city trip. JoongAng Daily confirms Red Sleeve scenes were filmed in the village, but does not say where inside it — the shrine and school it names belong to The King’s Affection, so this guide claims the village only, not a specific building.
The village itself is the attraction: over 700 traditional houses make it the country’s largest traditional housing complex - and a living village, not a staged one, where people live and work. It also holds Gyeonggijeon Shrine, Pungnammun Gate, Jeondong Cathedral, Jeonju Hyanggyo and Omokdae. Those landmarks are village context only: as this guide already notes, the shrine and school named in sources belong to The King’s Affection, not Red Sleeve. (Korean Heritage)
Mungyeong: open set
Mungyeongsaejae Open Set is the large Joseon-era set inside Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park, and VisitKorea names it as a Red Sleeve location. Its Gwanghwamun replica and village streets are the draw; the production list says filming was mainly conducted here, but no single scene is documented in the sources used here.
The set has its own history, shared with the Mungyeong guide: the first Goryeo-era sets were built behind the first gate in February 2000 at a cost of 3.2 billion won, then demolished and replaced by the current Joseon-era sets, completed in April 2008 with 103 buildings including replicas of Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung. The open set sits at 1039 Saejaero - check current hours and admission on Mungyeong City’s tourism page before you go.
Seoul: palace garden
The Changdeokgung rear garden is the only Seoul stop, and the best documented scene-wise: Seoul Media Hub ties three moments to three ponds and pavilions — fishing at Buyongji, the overheard picnic at Aeryeonji, and the queen’s viewing at Gwanramjeong. It is also the easiest stop to reach, by Seoul Metro.
Beyond the drama, the palace itself is the draw: Changdeokgung was built in 1405 as the second royal villa after Gyeongbokgung and is the best-preserved of the five Joseon palaces; its rear garden, the “Secret Garden,” was built under King Taejong as the royal family’s rest area, formerly called Bugwon and Geumwon and renamed Biwon under King Gojong, kept as natural as possible. The whole complex was inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage in December 1997. The same Seoul Media Hub piece notes the real history woven into the garden: Jeongjo floated a boat and fished at Buyongji; “Aeryeon” (love of lotus) was named by King Sukjong; Gwanramjeong is a rare fan-shaped pavilion, and Gwanramji is shaped like the Korean peninsula. (Korea Trip Tips, Seoul Media Hub - already listed in Sources.)
Getting there
None of the five places has a subway station at its gate. From Seoul, take the Jeolla Line KTX to Namwon or Jeonju for the two city stops, and Seoul Metro for Changdeokgung. For Boseong’s folk village and the Mungyeong open set, no transit route was verified — check intercity bus options and the official pages linked under each stop before you go, and recheck hours and admission on the day.
How we checked
Every stop in this guide has one qualifying source — VisitKorea, Korea JoongAng Daily, or Seoul Media Hub — and corroboration from the drama’s production list, which cites Korean press. A second independent official or press source was sought for each stop on Oct 26, 2026 in Korean and English; only fan blogs turned up, so all five stops are labeled reported rather than confirmed. Scene details appear only where a cited source states them. Transit, hours and fees are stated only where a cited source gives them; everything else says to check before you go.
Sources
- VisitKorea: Summer Destinations in Boseong (Ganggol Traditional Folk Village)
- Korea JoongAng Daily: Local filming locations draw tons of tourists (Gwanghallu Garden, Jeonju Hanok Village)
- VisitKorea: Mungyeongsaejae Open Set (location page)
- Seoul Media Hub: The Red Sleeve at Changdeokgung rear garden
- The Red Sleeve production list (corroboration for the four provincial stops)
- VisitKorea: Boseong Ganggol Village
- Aju Press: Gwanghallu Pavilion eyes national treasure status (Apr 24, 2026)
- Seoul Economic Daily: Namwon Gwanghallu designated National Treasure (Jul 1, 2026)
- Korea JoongAng Daily: City tours tell the real history (Gwanghallu visitor stat)
- Korean Heritage: Jeonju Hanok Village
- Mungyeong City tourism: Mungyeongsaejae Open Set Studio
- Korea Trip Tips: Changdeokgung Palace Complex [UNESCO World Heritage Site]
%20%E2%80%94%20kdramapins.com){kind=link}