The question of where exactly Squid Game takes place is one that plagues Detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun) over the course of the three seasons of the Korean series. But while his search is undermined by subterfuge and a vast network of powerful people conspiring to keep their secret island as off the grid as possible, your search can begin and end right here with this helpful guide to the filming locations of Squid Game. 

Below, a guide to some of the real-life places that also exist within the fictional universe of the show. While you shouldn’t anticipate running into the Recruiter (Gong Yoo) in the subway in Seoul, you can expect to get a taste of what you see when watching the Korean drama: a glimpse of what life is like in Korea. As actor Park Sung-hoon, who plays Hyun-ju, says, “I think the reason why Squid Game received so much love is because it’s so uniquely Korean. We were able to introduce the Korean culture, games, and a lot of Korean traditions through Squid Game.”

PHOTO BY NO JU-HAN

Seoul

The capital city of South Korea, Seoul is home to many of the filming locations for Squid Game, from Ssangmun-dong, a residential neighborhood in the city’s Dobong District, to Namsan Mountain Park, home to the Namsan Cable Car and N Seoul Tower. Perhaps what’s most special about Seoul is that you can experience everything from gorgeous mountain views right in the middle of the city, to narrow winding streets, populated by bustling local businesses. And how best to get from one place to another? The subway, of course. As Park says, “I was very happy to be able to show the clean subway of Korea through Squid Game. We’re known for how clean our subways are.” Just think twice before playing a game of ddakji with a stranger, a lesson that Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) learned the hard way at Seoul Forest Subway Station in the city’s Seoungdong District.

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Incheon

The city of Incheon is close to Seoul, and is a global transportation hub, thanks to being the home of Incheon International Airport. Several scenes in Squid Game were filmed at the airport, but the city is also home to Wolmido Island and Wolmi Theme Park, where filming for the series took place. Will the games and rides at Wolmi Theme Park rival those seen on screen? Probably not, but that’s a good thing, right? 

PHOTO BY NO JU-HAN

PHOTO BY NO JU-HAN

Daejeon

This Korean city is home to the Daejeon Expo Science Park, where the sets were created and all the filming took place for the actual games. While those sets have now been dismantled, it’s still worth a trip to the city to see where so many of the series was filmed, from the dormitory scenes to each of the iconic games. And, about those games — sure, they might be inspired by childhood favorites that kids could play in their own backyards, but that doesn’t mean the sets weren’t architectural marvels in their own right. As production designer Chae Kyoung-sun says, “The simpler the game is, the harder it gets to design the set.” 

PHOTO BY NO JU-HAN

Jeju Island

OK, so while none of the scenes in Squid Game were actually filmed on beautiful Jeju Island, that doesn’t mean a visit to the beautiful spot isn’t worth the trip. Plus, Jeju did get a shout-out in Season 1, so that’s reason enough to visit its beautiful white sand beaches or hike its majestic mountains.

If you want to visit the actual island where Squid Game takes place, you might just be out of luck. Seongapdo Island is a private island and thus inaccessible to the general public and so was the perfect setting for the reclusive games. But just because you can’t visit, doesn’t mean you can’t take your own tour of the coastline off Incheon, where Seongapdo is located. Just make sure you trust your captain before heading off on your adventure!