The Story
There's still a Dae Jang Geum diary in my mom's drawer — bought around 2004, with Lee Young-ae's photo on the cover.
I asked what was so special about it. She said, 'The whole world was watching this back then.' Sounded like an exaggeration, until I found out it really was exported to 91 countries.
What surprised me more was that 'Jang-geum' isn't just a made-up character. She actually appears in the Joseon Wangjo Sillok — a court physician named 'Dae Jang Geum' who served under King Jungjong.
Granted, the historical record is only a few lines, and the drama's version of her family and love life is entirely invented. Still, it was strange to learn there's a real record behind it at all.
낙안읍성 민속마을, 대장금 장터·백정마을 장면 촬영지 · Wikimedia Commons
I looked into the filming locations too, and it got complicated fast. A set was originally built from scratch in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do, just for this drama — but it closed in 2011.
The 'Daejanggeum Park' most people know today, in Yongin, actually isn't the original. It used to be a different historical-drama backlot, only renamed after Dae Jang Geum in 2015.
When I told my mom this, she said, 'Oh really? I didn't know that,' clearly intrigued — even she didn't know the backstory.
In Jeju, apparently, the real filming spot for Jang-geum's exile scenes is still there — the Jeju Folk Village, complete with a filming-location sign and a small prop exhibit.
I still don't fully know what it meant to my mom's generation for something to be a 'national drama' — but seeing her hold onto a diary for over twenty years, I think I get a small piece of it.
Where the Scene Really Happened
Top 5 locations
제주민속촌박물관 (제주 서귀포 표선면)
FILMED HERE
협재해수욕장 (제주 제주시)
FILMED HERE
낙안읍성 (전남 순천)
FILMED HERE
양주 대장금 테마파크 터 (경기 양주, 폐장)
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용인대장금파크 (경기 용인, 원조 세트의 후신)
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All Dae Jang Geum (Jewel in the Palace) locations (7)
양주 대장금 테마파크 터 (경기 양주, 폐장)
The original set built specifically to film Dae Jang Geum — reconstructed palace exteriors, the royal kitchen, and government offices — which opened to the public in 2004 but closed in late 2011 due to safety concerns and deterioration. Some of the sets were later moved to and restored at Yongin Daejanggeum Park.
용인대장금파크 (경기 용인, 원조 세트의 후신)
Despite the name, this park was not the actual 2003 filming location. It began as 'MBC Dramia,' a separate historical-drama backlot, and was only renamed 'Daejanggeum Park' in August 2015 — after the original Yangju set closed in 2011 — with some Yangju structures relocated and restored here. Other sageuk dramas have also been filmed here.
제주민속촌박물관 (제주 서귀포 표선면)
Where the scenes of Jang-geum's exile to Jeju — including the government office and her hut — were filmed, over 17 days in December 2003. A filming-location sign, photo zone, and a small exhibit of costumes, scripts, herbs, and medical instruments remain today.
협재해수욕장 (제주 제주시)
The beach where Jang-geum and Min Jeong-ho walk together and head out by boat. It's one of the most popular beaches on Jeju's west coast and remains a major tourist draw today.
낙안읍성 (전남 순천)
The Joseon-era walled town where market and butcher-village scenes were filmed. It remains an inhabited folk village open to visitors today.
경복궁 소주방 (서울 종로구)
Frequently mentioned in travel guides as a backdrop for the drama's royal-kitchen scenes, though which specific episode or scene has not been confirmed against a primary source. Included here for reference only.
화성행궁 (경기 수원)
Often cited as a filming location for palace-drama scenes in general, but Dae Jang Geum's specific use of this site is not confirmed against a primary source. Included here for reference only.
🇰🇷 The Real Korea Behind the Scene
What looks ordinary in this story is real Korean culture — here’s the story behind it.