Where Has Hyun Bin? Get A Glimpse Of These Amazing Places With Our Favorite Korean Heartthrob
Can’t travel just yet? Let this ‘Crash Landing On You’ lead take you around the world through his films and K-drama series’ filming locations
As we start off the month of June with a new quarantine setup, most of us are still staying at home and postponing our travel plans for safety reasons. But that doesn’t mean we’ve completely lost our wanderlust.
For those who’ve succumbed and given into the K-drama craze, you’d know by now that many of these series have been filmed in some of the world’s most picturesque places. While South Korea, specifically Seoul, has been the setting for many of these series and films, many have also featured other destinations that have piqued our interest and are now listed in our bucket list of places we must visit once travel resumes.
One of our recent favorites is the Hyun Bin – Son Ye-jin starrer, ‘Crash Landing On You,’ which made us curious about North Korea, Mongolia, and Switzerland. This K-drama took us to the alpine mountains of the Interlaken region, placed Ulaanbaatar on our radar, and made us Google Pyongyang. But what made us even more curious is this: “Where has Hyun Bin?”
To whet your appetite for travel and (admit it!) Hyun Bin, we gathered the various places around the world where this Korean heartthrob has been filming his series and movies. It may be difficult to keep your eyes and attention off him, but do check out the locations as they’re quite stunning on their own and teeming with history and culture.
Start traveling with Hyun Bin in the gallery below:
Around the World with Hyun Bin
Around the World with Hyun Bin
Spain
(1/8) Hyun Bin starred in ‘Memories of the Alhambra,’ a series with an augmented reality twist, where he played the role of a CEO of a company investing in AR games. Some scenes in the series were set in Spain, specifically in Granada, Girona, and Barcelona. The Alhambra—seen in the background here—is a palace and fortress located in Granada, and its unique architecture and design were influenced by its medieval, Renaissance and Moorish history.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Granada - Calle Puente Espinosa
(2/8) Calle Puente Espinosa is found in the San Pedro neighborhood of the Alhambra, located at its Northern foot. In Episode 3 of the series, across the La Tabernilla del Darro, Hyun Bin fights—and gets shot—in the game.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Granada - San Miguel Alto Shrine
(3/8) For a stunning vista of Granada, take a hike up to San Miguel Alto Shrine, where Hyun Bin’s character Yoo Jin-woo meets his rival, Cha Hyung-Seok (played by Park Hoon).
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Catalunya - Gavà Railway Station
(4/8) The Gavà Railway Station in Catalonia, seen in Episode 1 and 2 of the series, was used as the Granada Station where Hyun Bin’s character was supposed to meet the AR game developer, Jung Se-joo, played by Chanyeol of EXO. Gava is a small town located south of Barcelona, and is known as a vacation destination because of its uncrowded beaches.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Barcelona - Estacion de França
(5/8) This beautiful architecture is one of Barcelona’s well-known and historic train stations, originally built in the late 1840s and named after the trains arriving from France into Spain. Contrary to what the series suggests, this station is different from the present Barcelona Sants, which is a major transport hub in the city.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Girona - Barri Vell
(6/8) This is where the story begins to unfold in Episode 1, and this door is the entrance to Hostal Bonita where Hyun Bin as Yoo Jin-woo stays while in Girona. This structure is located in Barri Vell, the old quarter of Girona. Barri Vell was also a filming location for ‘Game Thrones.’
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Girona - Pont de Pedra
(7/8) Hyun Bin filmed a scene on this bridge in Episode 2, the Stone Bridge or Pont de Pedra. This spot is the perfect location to take photos of Girona’s old town. It’s just a two-minute walk to Barri Vell, and the house that was used as Hostal Bonita.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Girona - La Terra
(8/8) Should you find yourself in Girona, make a stop at La Terra, a café and bar along the Onyar River. In the series, Yoo Jin-woo (Hyun Bin) repeatedly attempts to get his weapon in the toilet of this establishment.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Slovenia
(1/3) Aside from Spain, ‘Memories of the Alhambra’ also filmed in Slovenia in Central Europe. Ljubljana, its capital, is known for being a ‘green city,’ and with its cobblestone streets, easily rivals any other medieval European city in charm and magic. Which is why it’s not a surprise that Ljubljana’s Old Town, as well as this Cobbler’s Bridge and others notable landmarks were the perfect setting for series’ medieval times’ AR game.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Ljubljana – Hercules Fountain
(2/3) The Hercules Fountain shown here represents a part of Granada, Spain, specifically the spot where Hyun Bin as Yoo Jin-woo fights a medieval warrior in the AR game.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Ljubljana – Old Town
(3/3) At the Old Town in Ljubljana, this abandoned building near Cobbler’s Bridge was transformed into a restaurant that served as a meet-up place for the AR players.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Hungary
(1/5) ‘Memories of the Alhambra’ was the first of Hyun Bin’s series that took viewers away from the familiarity of Seoul and transported them to mysterious, foreign lands. Thanks to Hyun Bin, even ordinary, commonplace locations such as railway stations in small towns—like this one, the Kisterenye Railway Station—become scenic spots.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Hungary - Kisterenye Railway Station
(2/5) Kisterenye Railway Station
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Hungary - Mezőtúr Railway Station
(3/5) The Mezőtúr Railway Station was another railway station in Hungary used as a filming location for ‘Memories of the Alhambra,” this time, highlighting the tracks as part of the Granada Station where Yoo Jin-woo arrives in Episode 2.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Hungary - Budapest Keleti Railway Station
(4/5) Check out the architecture of the Budapest Keleti Railway Station’s interiors! Apart from this railway’s design, its location was ideal because of the size of the station, which allowed the crew to film without disrupting train operations. Much like the other Hungarian railway stations, the Keleti was used as an alternative to the Spanish locations.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Hungary
(5/5) Budapest Keleti Railway Station
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Seattle
(1/5) One of Hyun Bin’s last projects before serving in the Marines was ‘Late Autumn,’ a remake of a 1966 South Korean film about a man escaping and a woman allowed to leave prison to attend her mother’s funeral. The film was set in Seattle, a city known for its generally cool weather—or more specifically, its rainy and foggy climate—which heightens the mood of the film that centers on two lonely characters.
Seattle - Union Station
(2/5) Seattle – Union Station Here, Anna Chen (played by Tang Wei) and Hoon (Hyun Bin) meet again at the Union Station, formerly major transport hub of the city. Over a hundred years old, this brick building may seem unimpressive outside, but inside, hides a majestic hall with 23-karat gold gilding. The pair spend the day together exploring the Seattle and getting to know each other.
Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema.net
Seattle - Pike Place Market
(3/5) Another historic and perhaps even more popular Seattle landmark is Pike Place Market. The over-a-hundred-years-old public market was originally created for local farmers as a venue to sell their produce directly to the consumers. Its also where the first Starbucks opened in 1971. In the movie, the two start off their day walking around the bustling market in the day time and finding themselves back in the evening , even surprising a group of tourists on a ghost tour.
Seattle - Pike Place Market
(4/5) One of the scenes in the movie. Hyun Bin plays Hoon, a gigolo running away from one of his client’s husband. Binnies know that no matter how intense the scenes are, Hyun Bin will always deliver the right amount of acting needed to make his role believable and authentic.
Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema.net
Seattle - Pike Place Market
(5/5) Back in 2010, Hyun Bin and Anna Chen enjoyed some level of anonymity while filming in Seattle. However, in an interview with the film’s producer Joo-Ick Lee in SeattlePI.com, Lee recounted how a group of fans—an 11-year-old girl included—waited for Bin outside a restaurant. As it was getting late, Hyun Bin went out and gave autographs to the crown so everyone could go home early—young fan included. In another article, this time from The Seattle Times, it was mentioned how a group of fans from South Korea sent Bin a box of “Bin Ramen” for Valentine’s Day.
Photo Credit: Photo from AsianWiki.com
Switzerland
(1/6) Probably one of Hyun Bin’s most popular K-series to date is ‘Crash Landing On You.’ The hit made Hyun Bin a household name the world over, gaining even more popularity as many countries locked down due to the COVID-19 pandemic which strongly urged people to stay at home. While travel plans have been put on hold for the meantime, many fans have placed Switzerland, one of CLOY’s filming locations, at the top of their bucket list.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Zurich
(2/6) Lindenhof Fountain is located in Zurich’s Old Town. It has charming alleys with quaint shops and cafés that are great to explore. You may not find Hyun Bin playing the piano by the fountain, but it’s a good spot for people-watching.
Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema.net
Little Scheidegg/Kleine Scheidegg
(3/6) With your camera in hand just like Ri Jeong-Hyeok, hike the Kleine Scheidegg and marvel at the Swiss alps. Not much of a hiker? Take a train ride instead via the Wengeralp railway.
Photo Credit: Photo from @lim_hyoseon
Sigriswil’s Panorama Bridge
(4/6) If you’re a CLOY fan, you’d know that this is where Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok met the first time. They hadn’t known then how their lives would change drastically.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland
Iseltwald & Lake Brienz
(5/6) One of the most recognizable spots from CLOY is this landing stage in Iseltwald. Once you’ve had your fill taking photos of this spot where Jeong-hyeok played on the piano a song for his brother, take a leisurely cruise on Lake Brienz, a la Se-ri.
Photo Credit: Photo from Koreandramaland and @lim_hyoseon
Lungern
(6/6) Finally, Capt. Ri and Yoon Se-ri find their piece of paradise on this hill in the Kaiserstuhl-Bürglen Village in Lungern, Switzerland. While you may not be able to visit or stay in the same house (unless you’re a very, very good friend of the family who owns it), feel free to explore the town’s chapel, public bath, a hotel, and Lake Lungern.
Photo Credit: Photo from @lim_hyoseon
Mongolia
As it would be impossible to film CLOY in North Korea, the scenes which were to have taken place there had to be filmed elsewhere. One of the filming locations for the North Korea scenes was in Mongolia. This particular arrival scene at the Pyongyang train station was actually shot at Ulaanbataar, the capital of Mongolia.
With travel restricted for the past couple of months, and may still be for the next few weeks, at least we’re able to see a little bit of the world outside, albeit on screen, with our favorite Korean actor, Hyun Bin. While we can’t guarantee that he can be our travel companion, we can dream, can’t we?
Main photo from @lim_hyoseon.
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