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NEWS & REPORTS
From a “Film-Friendly Country” to a “Premier Filming Destination”: Reimagining K-Locations for Global Appeal
Jul 02, 2025
- Source by Korean Film Council
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<The Recruit Season 2> (Courtesy of Netflix)
From The Avengers to XO, Kitty: How Korea Is Captured on Screen
Coming across Korean locations in mainstream films is no longer a novelty. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), was the first film in the franchise to use Korea as a filming location. The story features Dr. Helen Cho, a Korean scientist closely associated with the Avengers, and includes a major action sequence set in Seoul. Alongside iconic landmarks such as Sebitseom Island in Seocho-gu, Mapodaegyo Bridge, and Cheongdamdaegyo Bridge, the film also highlights lesser-known parts of the city—including the steel factory complex in Mullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu; Sangam-dong in Mapo-gu; and Gangnam-daero. Marvel’s decision to use locations in Korea reflected a mutual interest between the international production team and Korean audiences. Avengers: Age of Ultron became the first Marvel film to surpass 10 million admissions in Korea. The trend continued with Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), both of which topped Korea’s foreign film box office for three consecutive years. Then came Black Panther (2018), which shifted its focus to Busan. The nightscape of Gwangalli Beach Road and Gwangandaegyo Bridge in Suyeong-gu provided a striking backdrop for a high-speed car chase, adding a dynamic cinematic flair to the film.
< Marvel Studio's 'Black Panther' (2018).> (Photo courtesy: Walt Disney Company Korea)
Since the pandemic, the rise of global streaming platforms has expanded Korea’s presence as a filming location far beyond the confines of movie theaters. No longer just a backdrop of passing interest, Korea began to feature prominently in the early planning stages of various productions. A prime example is the Apple TV+ original series Pachinko (2022), which began filming in 2020. Based on the novel by Korean American author Min Jin Lee, Pachinko follows the life of Sunja, a woman born in 1915 on Yeongdo Island in Busan, who later emigrates to Japan. With the series produced by LA-based Media Res Studio and distributed globally by Apple TV+, Busan naturally emerged as one of the drama’s main settings. The production also filmed outdoor scenes across several Korean cities, including Mokpo, Hapcheon, Andong, and Daejeon.
＜Pachinko＞ (Courtesy of Apple TV)
A similar example is Past Lives (2023), a romantic drama starring Teo Yoo and Greta Lee. The film follows two childhood friends from Korea who reconnect after 20 years, with the story unfolding between Seoul and New York City. Director and screenwriter Celine Song, who emigrated to Canada from Korea at the age of 12, drew heavily from her own experiences in crafting the narrative. What sets Past Lives apart is its thoughtful selection of Korean filming locations—places that resonate as authentically “Korean” to those who live there. Rather than opting for iconic landmarks like Namsan Tower, the production chose locations based on the experiences of the crew. One scene was shot in a bar the location manager had planned to visit after work, while another took place on a trail the youngest assistant director had once marched during his military service.
＜Past Lives＞ (Courtesy of CJ ENM)
More recent productions that feature Korea as a filming location have shifted their focus, narrowing in on global viewers with an interest in Korean culture. A notable example is the Netflix series XO, Kitty, which premiered in 2023 and was filmed entirely in Korea. A spin-off of the teen romance film To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018), the series follows Kitty as she enrolls at the Korean Independent School of Seoul—her late mother’s alma mater—and reunites with her Korean boyfriend. Throughout the series, Kitty and her friends share moments of friendship and heartfelt conversations at some of Seoul’s trendiest spots, including Yeonmujang-gil in Seongdong-gu, Youth Street in Jongno-gu, and the scenic Hangang Park.
＜XO, Kitty＞ (Courtesy of Netflix)
Some productions feature Korean settings that may feel unfamiliar even to Korean audiences. A case in point is Season 2 of the Netflix series The Recruit, which opens with CIA lawyer Owen Hendricks meeting a Korean National Intelligence Service agent named Jang Kyun. Most of the Korean scenes are action-packed and set against the nighttime cityscape of central Seoul, showcasing landmarks such as Lotte World Tower in Jamsil and Gangnam-daero. However, certain settings—like the hotel that appears early on or the motel used as a base—include wall art featuring repetitive Korean phrases and characters reminiscent of Japanese anime, creating a visual dissonance from authentic Korean spaces. This disconnect likely reflects the production’s orientation toward a global audience rather than local authenticity.
＜The Recruit Season 2＞ (Courtesy of Netflix)
K-Locations – How Is Support Provided?
The year 2020, which saw the rapid rise of OTT platforms, also marked a turning point for global interest in Korean culture. The international acclaim for Director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite—winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and five Academy Awards, including Best Picture—solidified Korean cinema’s global standing. This momentum continued with Youn Yuh-jung’s Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress in Minari (2020). Meanwhile, BTS and BLACKPINK had already been dominating the Billboard charts since 2017, helping to redefine the “K” in K-pop as a broader cultural marker encompassing Korean film and television as well.
Producers on the frontlines of the industry are also seeing a clear shift in demand. The production service company that managed the Korean location work for Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) noted that, at the time, they received only about one proposal per year. By the second half of 2024, however, that number had risen to six, reflecting a sharp uptick in interest.
Regional organizations responsible for location incentive programs—such as the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the Seoul Film Commission, and the Busan Film Commission—have significantly expanded their support in recent years. KOFIC currently operates the Location Incentive Program for foreign audio-visual works, designed to attract international productions to film in Korea. Launched in 2011, the program supports foreign productions (excluding variety shows, commercials, sports events, and educational content) that shoot in Korea for at least five days and spend a minimum of KRW 400 million locally. As of 2025, the program offers reimbursements of up to 25% of eligible expenses related to Korean personnel and service providers. The maximum reimbursement is KRW 400 million for international co-productions and KRW 300 million for fully foreign productions. Reimbursements are determined based on a final report submitted after filming is completed in Korea and are paid directly to the production company. Unlike regional film commissions, which typically focus support on expenditures made through local governments, KOFIC’s program is notable for prioritizing labor costs for domestic staff and service providers.
Regional film commissions have also maintained active location support programs to attract international productions. From a local standpoint, hosting a foreign shoot presents a valuable opportunity to promote the region as a travel destination—or even to rebrand its image altogether. For instance, during the filming of Black Panther (2018) in Korea, local government officials and police provided extensive on-site support, including traffic control along an 800-meter stretch of Gwangalli Beach Road in Busan—an indication of the high promotional value attributed to the production. More recently, actor Daniel Dae Kim, who both stars in and produces the upcoming Amazon Prime Video series Butterfly, was named an honorary citizen of Seoul. The production filmed all 80 scenes of the series over a four-month period in Korea last year.
The range of countries eligible for support is also becoming increasingly diverse. Take the Busan Film Commission, which has operated its program for over a decade. As of last year, in addition to well-known productions from the U.S. and Japan, the commission has extended support to projects from Taiwan, Malaysia, and Mongolia. The benefits of hosting a location shoot extend far beyond tourism exposure. When a region serves as a filming site, the influx of hundreds of crew members—who rely on local lodging and dining during production—provides a significant boost to the local small business economy. The impact on employment for Korean film crews is equally notable. In response, KOFIC has expanded its support program since last year to more directly benefit Korean film professionals. As the lines between film and OTT series production continue to blur, the rise in series production is now viewed as a positive driver for the broader film industry.
KOFIC’s Location Incentive Program originally had a narrower definition of what qualified as a “foreign production.” Until 2023, only projects with over 80% of their production investment coming from overseas were eligible for support. However, starting last year, the program was expanded and restructured to include works with less than 20% Korean capital, even if the intellectual property (IP) is held in Korea. As a result, the number of applications submitted this year has increased by 30% compared to the previous year. This change is largely due to the tourism fund managed by the Korea Tourism Organization being shifted to allocations from the Film Development Fund, which now includes “the promotion of Korean cinema” as part of its designated purpose. KOFIC anticipates that as the number of these “co-productions” grows and more Korean production companies attract foreign investment, the international competitiveness of Korean content will also grow.
Beyond Novelty and Convenience
What makes Korea appealing as a filming location? Simply put: “novelty” and “convenience.” Among the three East Asian countries, Japan has already been extensively featured and culturally consumed in global cinema, while China faces challenges due to strict filming regulations and censorship. For now, Korea still offers a sense of freshness as a location and boasts a well-established production infrastructure that has helped build its reputation as a “film-friendly” country. However, any appeal based solely on novelty has a limited shelf life.
One challenge in maintaining Korea’s appeal as a fresh filming location lies in the scale of its incentive programs. For overseas production companies, the size of location incentives is often the single most important factor in deciding where to film. When filming locations are interchangeable, it’s only natural to choose the more cost-effective option. However, Korea’s incentive offerings fall significantly short compared to countries frequently considered alongside it, such as Japan. In Japan, the maximum location incentive covers up to 50% of eligible costs, with a cap of JPY 1 billion (approximately KRW 10 billion as of 2023). Thailand offers a similar reimbursement rate to Korea (around 15% to 20%), but its maximum incentive per project reaches THB 150 million (roughly KRW 5.6 billion as of 2024).
While Korea boasts a well-developed production infrastructure, navigating copyright issues—especially when filming scenes that are distinctly “Korean”—can be cumbersome. Large-scale international productions, particularly those affiliated with global OTT platforms, often prefer to finalize location contracts in advance. However, since Korean production companies frequently proceed with filming first and settle contracts afterward, domestic location providers often find themselves in a difficult position when working with foreign productions. To address this, there is a growing need for standardized location agreements and frameworks that can offer both Korean and international producers greater convenience and confidence when using filming locations in Korea.
There is also a need to establish systems that prevent damage to filming locations. When shooting disrupts the daily lives of local residents or threatens the preservation of cultural or tourist sites, regulations must be put in place to ensure the sustainable use of these locations. With proper oversight at the municipal level, location owners and communities can feel more secure in accommodating film crews.
As the influence of OTT platforms—where content is instantly accessible to viewers worldwide—continues to grow, the boundaries between filming locations and those behind the camera are expected to blur even further. Over the years, Korea has been shaped and refined into an attractive filming destination through the efforts of many. Now, it is time to take the next step. By expanding support programs and improving filming conditions, Korea has the potential to shine even brighter as a premier location for storytelling.
By Choi Hye-ri (Culture Desk Reporter, JoongAng Ilbo)
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