[Anchor]
The 2005 hit Welcome to Dongmakgol — which drew roughly 8 million admissions — is back in the spotlight.
The set, best remembered for the film’s iconic “popcorn falling from the sky” scene, still stands in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province.
It has gained renewed attention after serving as a filming location for A Man Who Lives with the King, a movie that recently surpassed 10 million admissions.
Da-hye Lee of LG HelloVision visited the site.
[Reporter]
The fantasy moment when popcorn cascades from the sky remains one of Welcome to Dongmakgol’s most enduring images.
Two decades later, that scene is still widely remembered.
The film charmed audiences with its tale of a mountain village that preserves its innocence amid the Korean War, its striking landscapes and a heartfelt soundtrack.
In the movie, Dongmakgol is depicted as such a remote hamlet that news of the war barely reaches it.
The set built for the production still stands in Mitan-myeon, Pyeongchang County.
「Da-hye Lee / LG HelloVision」 The Welcome to Dongmakgol set, which made headlines for its Gangwon mountain-village backdrop, has drawn fresh attention after being reused as a set for A Man Who Lives with the King.
On screen, the location doubles as Norugol, the neighboring village that Eom Heung-do, the chief of Gwangcheon Village in Yeongwol, happens upon.
One day, an old man with a long beard came to our village.
In reality, it’s about a 30-minute drive from Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol to the set.
With the new film’s box-office success, more tourists have started visiting the site.
「Yoon Nam-mi / Head of the Women's Association, Yulchi-ri, Pyeongchang」 At the village festival, actor Yoo Hae-jin came here, and people still talk about the part where the nobleman is exiled and returns wealthy. It’s something everyone enjoys — we’re glad to see that interest.
Filming for A Man Who Lives with the King took place here from March to April last year.
Pyeongchang County, which accepted the set as a donation and now manages it, has continued to offer the location to various productions, including the drama The Tyrant's Chef and the OTT series Kingdom 2.
In anticipation of increased visitors, the county has begun refurbishing the set created 20 years ago.
Officials expect visitor numbers to climb further in May and June, when Shasta daisies bloom across the nearby Cheongoksan Yukbaekmaji area.
「Kim Bok-jae / Director of Tourism Policy, Pyeongchang County」 Interest in the Dongmakgol set has risen considerably. With the main tourism season approaching, we plan to carry out maintenance on the set and upgrade related facilities.
The film’s success has helped revive the two-decade-old movie set as a tourist attraction.
This is Da-hye Lee for HelloTV News.
[Video reporting: Choi Jung-woo]
[Graphics: Hyun-ji Lee]
[Footage courtesy of Showbox]
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Ye-jin Kim (KK5011@yna.co.kr)
