ANN/THE KOREA HERALD – Suwon in South Korea is an appealing destination for a trip as it is easily accessible by public transport and home to the iconic United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)-listed Suwon Hwaseong Fortress.
The 5.74-kilometre-long fortress is a must-see, but for a deeper local experience, head to Haenggung-dong in central Suwon.
Popular Hwaseomun-ro, also known as Haengridan-gil, offers trendy shops, dessert cafes, and photo studios, while Jeongjo-ro, just across the street, attracts visitors with its timeless craft workshops, stores, and long-standing restaurants.
Recognising the unique charms emanating from the town’s blend of old and new, numerous TV drama directors have featured Haenggung-dong in their shows, including tvN’s hit coming-of-age romance drama Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022), public broadcaster KBS’ The Law Cafe (2022) and cable channel ENA’s Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022).
SOUTHERN ARTILLERY PAVILION
This time of the year may be the prime time to visit Suwon Hwaseong Fortress’ Southern Artillery Pavilion to enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms.
The slight slope of the walking trail near the pavilion, located at the southwestern part of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress behind Namchang Elementary School in Haengung-dong, is a popular place where the locals enjoy light strolls and capture spring moments.
“Trees lining either side of this paved trail become a great backdrop in spring when the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom.
I have passed the stone wall gate of the Southern Artillery Pavilion many times when climbing Paldalsan, but I have never gotten bored of this view,” a Suwon resident surnamed Jung told The Korea Herald.
Though the old-style bus stop and the kiosk in Twenty-Five Twenty-One no longer exist, drama fans can still enjoy the tranquil atmosphere and Suwon Hwaseong Fortress’ traces of time.
CAFE BOOTER
Take a break with an iced Americano or cold orange juice at one of the many cafes in Haenggung-dong, which range from franchise coffee shops to small-sized cafes.
If you are a fan of The Law Cafe, however, make sure to visit Cafe Booter.
The cafe was a major filming location for the romance series The Law Cafe, where attorney Kim Yu-ri (played by Lee Se-young) hoped to create a lawyer’s office with a cozy ambiance where people could talk freely about the law.
Cafe Booter welcomes visitors with the aroma of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked scones just like any other cafe.
Visitors can spend their time inside the hanok-style coffee shop, decorated with wooden tables and traditional Korean accessories, or enjoy the warm spring breeze outside at the rooftop and garden. Snap photos at the window or with the blossoming flowers.
SEOHO GIMBAP
The local gimbap franchise Seoho Gimbap continues the story of the gimbap shop in ENA’s mega-hit coming-of-age, legal drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
The series revolves around a newbie attorney named Woo Young-woo (played by Park Eun-bin), who has an extraordinarily high IQ of 164 and is also on the autism spectrum.
While Extraordinary Attorney Woo presents the challenges Woo confronts and her growth in the courtroom and beyond, the gimbap shop is presented as a heartwarming space where she shares her day’s happenings with her dad, the gimbap eatery owner. Though the small-sized eatery was packed with drama fans and gimbap lovers who created a long line almost every day after the drama came to an end in mid-August 2022, visitors can now try the gimbap in a more comfortable environment.
From the restaurant sign to the whale-shaped chopstick rest and hair ties, even the smallest details bring back memorable scenes from the 2022 series Extraordinary Attorney Woo. – Lee Si-jin
