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'A Korean Odyssey' is a TV series based on the ancient Chinese novel, Journey to the West, and tells the journey of the wicked demon Sun Wukong(Lee Seung-gi) and the elegant, gentle demon Niu Mowang(Cha Seung-won) searching for light in a dark world. Each time one of those reckless demons appeared on screen you might have thought to yourself, “Where was this scene shot at?” If you’re curious, don’t just sit and wonder, let’s go and find the real place. The stage for this romantic exorcist drama is closer than you might think, just waiting to be found. Let’s go find some of the mysterious backgrounds from 'A Korean Odyssey' around Seoul.

Now Preserving Culture Instead of Oil

Oil Tank Culture Park

This location was originally a reserve oil storage facility consisting of five oil tanks constructed after the oil crisis that was subsequently closed down for safety reasons in 2002 leading up to the World Cup. In September 2017, it was reborn as the Oil Tank Culture Park, a complex cultural center for people. The former oil tanks were transformed into facilities for public use including a theatre, lecture room, exhibition hall, cafeteria, and a multipurpose classroom. It was the T1 Pavilion that was used as the filming location for the hideout of Subodhi (Seong Ji-ru), the messenger of the heavens in A Korean Odyssey. After dismantling the tank, new glass walls and a roof were constructed within the remaining concrete retaining wall, creating a place in which the retaining wall from the past, the new structure from the present, and the bedrock topography of Maebongsan Mountain stand in harmony. This structure is now used as a multipurpose communication space like other spaces within the Oil Tank Culture Park. Apart from the T1 Pavilion, you can also find T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T0, serving various purposes which are worth taking a look at as well.

A Must-Visit Place for Frequent Travellers

Walkabout [Closed]

Walkabout is a travel-themed bar, which can be described with the keywords - travel, cats, Thai food, and craft beer. This place made an appearance in the scene where Sun Wukong (Lee Seung-gi) saves Tang Sanzang (Oh Yeon-seo), who was being tormented by a demon. After being introduced in the Lonely Planet travel guide in 2016, the place became famous among travelers from all over the world visiting the area around Namsan. The signature items on its menu include its craft beers with unique flavor and its Pad Thai and Tom Yum Kung, gaining acknowledgement even by Thai natives. There are lots of polaroid pictures of visitors, and a collection of bank notes from around the world. Across from Walkabout, you can also find Zaemiro, a cartoon street that starts from the annex building of Soongeui Women's College and continues until Exit 3 of Myeongdong Station (Subway Line 4), where you can find endless things to see.

An Ice-cream Tempting Even for Sun Wukong

Emack & Bolio’s Itaewon Branch   [Closed] 

In the first episode of A Korean Odyssey, Sun Wukong (Lee Seung-gi) visits an General Frost’s (Sung Hyuk) ice-cream store and worries about there being so few customers, but in reality, Emack & Bolio’s is too popular to be worried about such a thing. With a base of fresh milk, Emack & Bolio’s ice cream contains up to 22% of fresh seasonal fruits such as Indian Alphonso Mango, often called the king of mango, and the highest quality ingredients including Madagascan vanilla bean and hand-made chocolate. Using safe manufacturing practices such as Kosher processes, it has been selected as the best ice-cream in Boston and New York. Emack & Bolio’s offers a selection of 40 plus ice-creams that can be topped with fruit rings, chocolates, and rainbow sprinkles and has homemade waffle cones. Numerous postings can be found on various social media channels as it has gained great popularity.

A Treasure House of Antique-Retro Items

Antique Story Itaewon

Antique Story is one of the furniture stores that you can find in Itaewon’s Furniture Street, selling and lending antique furniture along with retro and vintage items. In A Korean Odyssey, Sun Wukong (Lee Seung-gi) has to make a call at the shop to Sha Wujing (Jang Gwang) in order to buy the most expensive teapot in the shop. At Antique Story, you can still find a number of pieces of retro furniture with price tags of several millions of won. But there are also some items you can buy with just a few tens of thousands of won. The shop is like a treasure house for those who are looking for stage props or interior products. It is located right next to the street heading to Itaewon 1-dong Community Service Center.

Good Books Recommended by Good People

Choi Ina Books

Choi Ina Books was used as the location for the kiss scene of Sun Wukong (Lee Seung-gi) and Tang Sanzang (Oh Yeon-seo). The scene must have been extremely sweet for any fan of the drama. Those who love books and culture, however, will find the bookstore itself as thrilling as having a kiss with an attractive person. Choi Ina Books has a huge appeal to bookworms, as it is designed by its CEO who was once a vice-president of one of the major advertising companies. Sitting in the seats and opening a book will give you the feeling of putting yourself in your own study. There are recommended books on topics for people of all walks of life, as well as lectures, meetings, and concerts taking place in this combined cultural space. Recently, on the lower floor, a space for visitors to ‘read alone,’ which can be rented by the hour, was also created.