“Wasn’t It a Set?” When Life Gives You Tangerines Shocks Viewers with Unexpected Filming Location

Jeonju, which was the filming location for the internationally acclaimed film Parasite, is now gaining attention again after it was revealed as the filming location for the Netflix series When Life Gives You Tangerines (폭싹 속았수다). The fact that the actual city of Jeonju, rather than a set, was used as the backdrop has only recently come to light, sparking curiosity among viewers.

On the 9th, Jeonju city announced that key scenes of When Life Gives You Tangerines were filmed in various locations throughout the city, including Jinbuk Square, Paldal-ro, and Chungyeong-ro, between 2023 and 2024. The series, which follows the turbulent lives of Ae-sun, a rebellious girl from Jeju, and Gwan-sik, a stubborn man, has gained tremendous popularity both domestically and internationally. As the characters and iconic scenes have gained public love, the interest in the real filming locations has surged.

In Jeonju, the filming took place across 14 sessions. Notably, to recreate the 1990s streets of Seoul, the production team added signage and props to the shops in the old downtown of Jeonju, and in post-production, CGI was used to make it resemble Seoul. This led viewers to mistake the scenes filmed in Jeonju for actual streets in Seoul. One iconic scene shot in Jeonju is the bus stop scene in episode 12 of the drama. Other filming locations include Gunsan, Buan, and Gochang.

Jeonju has continuously attracted attention as a filming location for both films and dramas. The Jeonju Film Commission has been working with the industry to attract more filming and nurture local filmmakers. As a result, recently aired Netflix series like Check-in Hanyang and A Virtuous Business were also filmed in Jeonju. Furthermore, numerous short-form dramas and variety shows have been filmed in the city, further cementing its reputation as a hub for the film industry.

Jeonju’s unique locations, such as the Jeonju Hanok Village, Namcheon Bridge, Gyeonggijeon Shrine, Jeondong Cathedral, traditional eateries, and Noso Plaza, have been naturally incorporated into the drama, and it's expected that these will help promote Jeonju’s charm to domestic and international viewers. New content set in Jeonju has already been filmed and is set to be released in May.

The city plans to continue developing infrastructure to support the film and drama industry, further promoting Jeonju as a "city perfect for filmmaking." With hundreds of staff staying in the city during filming, tourism and spending also increase, strengthening Jeonju's brand as a "movie-friendly city."

Noh Eun-young, the Director of the Jeonju Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, said, "When film and drama productions start, at least 200 staff members stay in Jeonju, and this creates tourism and consumption that lets people experience the city. We will continue to actively promote Jeonju as a city perfect for filming and support location and studio filming."