It’s hard to believe that we are already approaching the end of 2024. As we bid farewell to this year and welcome the new one with joy, many people choose to take a holiday and spend time with family and loved ones.

For K-drama fans, there’s no harm in trying a year-end holiday by visiting filming locations from your favorite dramas. To make it even more immersive, you can stay at the hotels used as filming locations for those dramas. Not only will you get the "K-drama vibes," but often, the filming locations are also close to the hotels, allowing you to enjoy a relaxing holiday without getting tired.

Here are some hotel recommendations that were used as filming locations for Korean dramas, which can be great travel destinations. These hotels are not only located in South Korea but also in Thailand and Singapore:

1. Hotel Sri Sala, Thailand

Lee Jun Ho at Siri Sala, Thailand (Source: Instagram.com/sirisala.official)

In the drama King The Land, starring Lee Jun Ho and Im Yoona, episode 10 depicts the King Hotel team traveling to Thailand after receiving an incentive from their company, staying at a private villa named Siri Sala.

According to Ayu (2023) in IDNTimes.com, Siri Sala is a newly-built villa with three comfortable bedrooms and decorated with traditional Thai ornaments. The villa is located on Bangkok Noi Canal, specifically at a sub-stream branching from the Chao Phraya River. Siri Sala features complete facilities such as a private pool, friendly staff, and a personal chef, with a stay costing around 100,000 baht per night.

Address: 8, 28, 34 Charan Sanit Wong Rd, Arun Amarin, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok 10700, Thailand

2. Sono Calm, Jeju Island

Im Yoona dan Lee Jun Ho at Sono Calm (Source: JTBC/King The Land)

Still from King The Land, there is a scene where Cheon Sa Rang (Im Yoona) interviews Gu Won (Lee Jun Ho) by a swimming pool with the beautiful Jeju Island sea and sunset in the background.

This scene was filmed at Sono Calm Hotel, Jeju Island. As reported by Suryaningtyas (2023) on IDNTimes.com, Sono Calm Hotel has a neo-classical ambiance and offers various facilities such as a fitness club, restaurant, karaoke, cocktail bar, sauna, swimming pool, banquet halls, and more.

Address: 6347-17 Iljudong-ro, Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo City, Jeju Island, South Korea

3. Grand Hyatt, Seoul

Grand Hyatt, Seoul (Source: hyatt.com)

If you're wondering where the real King Hotel from King The Land is located, one of the settings used for the King Hotel in the drama is Grand Hyatt, Seoul, particularly its exterior.

As reported in IDNTimes.com (2023), Grand Hyatt Seoul is a five-star hotel with luxurious facilities, including 615 rooms and suites, Grand Club TM, 6 flexible event spaces, meeting rooms, 5 restaurants, a gym, swimming pool, Grand Ballroom, and a Grand Salon with a capacity of 2,000 guests.

Address: 322 Sowol-ro, Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea

4. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (Source: Shutterstock)

In the drama Little Women, starring Wi Ha Joon and Kim Go Eun, the iconic Marina Bay Sands building in Singapore is shown in a stunning silhouette at night.

According to Widyanti (2022) on Kompas.com, Marina Bay Sands consists of various attractions, ranging from hotels and malls to museums, which have opened progressively since 2010. One of the popular areas in this complex is the Infinity Pool, which offers a panoramic view of Singapore from the 57th floor.

Address: 10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956

5. Corals at Keppel Bay, Singapore

Wi Ha Joon and Kim Go Eun at Corals at Keppel Bay, Singapore (Source: Youtube.com/netflixph)

Still in Little Women, there’s a scene where Oh In Ju (Kim Go Eun) meets Choi Do Il (Wi Ha Joon) by the poolside of an apartment.

The apartment in the scene is Corals at Keppel Bay, located near Sentosa Island. As reported by Kompas.com (2022), Corals at Keppel Bay is a luxury apartment complex with various facilities, including a 50-meter swimming pool, fitness center, and tennis courts. One of the favorite spots for tourists is the view of the marina and the experience of walking along the Keppel Bay Bridge.

Address: 1 Keppel Bay Dr, Singapore 098012

Additional Fun Fact:

In addition to shooting in Southeast Asia, King The Land and Little Women share another interesting detail: both dramas feature a product placement (PPL) of the Indonesian coffee candy, Kopiko. It turns out that the company behind these PPLs in Korean dramas is an Indonesian advertising agency called LinkMedia

Curious about more Indonesian products featured in Korean dramas? Visit https://link-media.co.id for more information on Indonesian products going global through PPL by LinkMedia!

Source: 

1. Ayu, Dyar. (2022). 6 Tempat Wisata di Thailand untuk Syuting Drakor King The Land. IDNTimes.com. Accessed at 14 November 2024 from https://www.idntimes.com/travel/destination/dyar-ayu/tempat-wisata-di-thailand-untuk-syuting-drakor-king-the-land-c1c2?page=all
2. Suryaningtyas, Fasrinisyah. (2023). 15 Lokasi Syuting KDrama King the Land di Korea Selatan. IDNTimes.com. Accessed at 14 November 2024 from https://www.idntimes.com/travel/destination/fasrinisyah-suryaningtyas-1/lokasi-syuting-kdrama-king-the-land-di-korea-selatan?page=all
3. Widyanti, Ni Nyoman Wira. (2022). 4 Lokasi Syuting Drakor Little Women di Singapura. Kompas.com. Accessed at 14 November 2024 from https://travel.kompas.com/read/2022/10/03/134823527/4-lokasi-syuting-drakor-little-women-di-singapura?page=all