5 iconic filming spots featured in Netflix series “When Life Gives You Tangerines”
by Korea JoongAng Daily
The iconic scene where young Ae-sun and Gwan-sik walk in the canola field was shot in Hagwon Farm in Gochang County, North Jeolla. [NETFLIX]
Netflix original series “When Life Gives You Tangerines” is a current phenomenon among all generations, hitting No. 3 among the Global Top 10 Non-English shows for the week of March 24. The story follows young Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, played by IU and Park Bo-gum as they navigate life from the 1960s to the 2000s, nurturing their children Geum-myeong and Eun-myeong, and taking the viewers on an emotional roller coaster through the ups and downs of their lives. Actors Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon take over the older Ae-sun and Gwan-sik couple, adding depth to the roles. The drama series is mainly based in Jeju, but the filming locations are spread out across Korea.
Here are the five shooting spots behind some iconic scenes of the Netflix series along with few historical insights from a Korean perspective.
Choong Ang High School 중앙고등학교
Choong Ang High School in Jongno District, central Seoul [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]
The scene where Geum-myeong interacts with Jenny, a high school student, in the backseat of a black car was shot in Choong Ang High School in Jongno District, central Seoul. The car pulling up in front of the school gate, without Geum-myeong stepping out of the car, was a subtle attempt to secretly go against the private tutoring ban back in those days. Placed on a gentle hill in Gye-dong, Choong Ang High School is noted as a landmark as palaces and national museums are nearby, attracting both locals and tourists.
The school scene where Jenny gets in a car to head home for a private tutoring session with Geum-myeong was shot in front of the gate at Joong Ang High School in central Seoul. [NETFLIX]
The school is already a tourist spot thanks to its neighborhood's fame but also because it was featured numerous times in iconic K-dramas before, like “Winter Sonata” (2002) and “Goblin” (2016). The stone walls built in Gothic style are not the only factors of historical meaning, as its main building has been designated as the Historic Site No. 281 since September 1981. Skirting down the hill of the school, visitors can find a mix of street food stalls and individual cafes and shops, which offer a full day's worth of entertainment in the culturally rich neighborhood.
164 Changdeokgung-gil, Jongno District, central Seoul (서울 종로구 창덕궁길 164)
Hagwon Farm 고창 학원농장
The scene where Ae-sun and Gwan-sik walk together holding hands was shot in Hagwon Farm in Gochang County, North Jeolla. [NETFLIX]
The golden field where Ae-sun and Gwan-sik walk hand in hand, passing by a dazzling mass of canola flowers, is not Jeju Island but Hagwon Farm in Gochang County, North Jeolla. As Gwan-sik confesses his feelings for Ae-sun, rather hurriedly, the golden field seems to add a sweeter tone to the mise-en-scene. The green barley field was portrayed multiple times in other Korean dramas like “My Dearest” (2023) but the farm's canola flower field is often overlooked, which turns yellow and stays golden through mid-April. Seasonal flowers are found throughout the year at Hagwon Farm — green barley and canola flowers in spring, sunflowers in summer, buckwheat flowers and cosmos in fall.
The farm hosts the Green Barley Field Festival every spring. This year's celebration is slated to run from April 19 until May 11. The large green field that spans 122 acres offers a refreshing view for the visitors. The farm contains additional facilities, including a bibimbap (Korean dish with seasoned vegetables and rice) restaurant and a two-story cafe. If you make a visit, you will find a signpost that marks the photo zones for the exact filming spot of “When Life Gives You Tangerines.”
@hakwonfarm 150 Hagwon Nongjang-gil, Gongeum-myeon, Gochang County, North Jeolla (전북 고창군 공음면 학원농장길 150) Phone number: 063-563-9897 Website: https://borinara.co.kr/28
Chonnam National University 전남대학교
The scene where Geum-myeong is seen walking in the campus of the Seoul National University was shot in the College of Humanities area of the Chonnam National University, Gwangju. [NETFLIX]
The Yang Family's whiz kid, Geum-myeong, is a proud student of the nation's No. 1 school in rankings, Seoul National University (SNU). However, many campus scenes like the one where Geum-myeong trots across to reach the black car for private tuition were shot not at the actual SNU campus but at Chonnam National University campus in Gwangju. As Geum-myeong triumphantly holds up her hand to wave to a group of friends including her so-called rival, Ye-rim, the frame captures the campus from a bird's-eye view, showcasing the campus view. This scene was shot at the College of Humanities area of Chonnam National University.
The scene where Geum-myeong is seen walking in the campus of Seoul National University in Netflix series ″When Life Gives You Tangerines″ was shot in the College of Humanities area of the Chonnam National University, Gwangju. [NETFLIX]
The scene where Gwan-sik visits the school campus to meet his beloved daughter, Geum-myeong, and waits seated on the school bench near the bus station was shot near the Chonnam National University's College of Pharmacy building.
Gimnyeong Beach in Jeju City, Jeju, is featured in the beach scene in the first episode of Netflix series ″When Life Gives You Tangerines.″ [JEJU TOURISM ORGANIZATION]
The first episode captures many scenes with Ae-sun's mom and her fellow divers by the beach, as young Ae-sun screams at her mom to come out of the water before conditions become dangerous. Haenyeo, female sea divers in Korea, were the key characters of the series as the drama highlights the lives of those living by the sea and carving a living out of it. Gimnyeong Beach in Jeju City, Jeju, was the background featured mainly in the first episode with the sea.
Among many beaches in Jeju, Gimnyeong Beach is known for its emerald colored water and fine sand. Placed at the northeastern side of the island, the beach boasts a great view with windmills seen from afar and black basalt covering the sides of the beach. Large cafes with a beach view are laid out nearby as well, if you are seeking a sheltered place to sit down and enjoy a coffee.
Gwangju Cinema in Gwangju is where Ae-sun and artist Chung-seop meet in the Netflix series "When Life Gives You Tangerines." [KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION]
The dramatic encounter between Geum-myeong and Chung-seop took place in Cannes Theater, an artistic background for Geum-myeong to form a new relationship with the artist. Cannes Theater in real life is Cinema Gwangju in Gwangju, the nation's only single-screen theater sticking to its first form while other old theaters have expanded into multiplexes. Since its first opening in October 1935, Gwangju Cinema — also dubbed Gwangju Theater or Cinema Gwangju — has been hosting pansori (a Korean musical genre performed by a traditional drummer and a singer) performances throughout the Japanese Colonization period (1910 -1945) and continued its legacy until today. Now one of the oldest cinemas left in the country, its red seating and the old-style hallways give off a vintage feel, becoming the perfect backdrop for the Netflix series.
Visitors can book movie tickets through dtryx, a service platform for indie and art cinemas.
Reference Written by KIM DONG-EUN [kim.dongeun@joongang.co.kr] Provided by Korea JoongAng Daily
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The iconic scene where young Ae-sun and Gwan-sik walk in the canola field was shot in Hagwon Farm in Gochang County, North Jeolla. [NETFLIX] 
