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A building that was part of a military camp drama set built on an old mine site in Taebaek, Gangwon Province, for the filming of TV series, "Descendants of the Sun." Taebaek City plans to rebuild the filming set, which was torn down after shooting ended in November, as demand for visits to the area from fans of the drama is soaring.
/ Courtesy of Taebaek City |
By Chung Ah-youngThe city of Taekbaek in Gangwon Province plans to rebuild the film set of the hit drama series "Descendants of the Sun," as demand for visits to the area from travel agencies and drama fans is soaring.The set location, which was built on the site of an old mine, was torn down after shooting ended last November, following a plan set earlier to reforest the area.However, as the drama is garnering huge popularity both in Korea and abroad especially China, the city has received a large number of inquiries from tourist agencies and individuals looking to visit the location.The romance between the two main characters played by Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo was portrayed against the backdrop of this former mine site, which was used as the location of the military barracks in the drama.A slew of tourists who have visited the area expecting to see the film set have expressed disappointment."I went there with my children but it was really bleak because there was nothing," an Internet user said. "It looked abandoned. I couldn't believe it was the film location."The city's plan to rebuild the film set was supported by President Park Geun-hye who mentioned in a meeting with her senior secretaries on Monday that the drama is an opportunity for the nation to promote its culture to the world and spark interest in Korea.
Taebaek Mayor Kim Yeon-sik recently discussed with officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) the development of the site and neighboring areas into a tourist attraction."The film set should be created as a sustainable tourist destination rather than a one-time location," KTO CEO Jung Chang-soo said. "The site should be connected with other regional tourist products for the long run."Kim said, "We will ask the central government to support the plan for reconstructing the film set and constructing roads and other infrastructure to develop it as a tourist destination."However, the reconstruction of the set may face some obstacles as the Mine Reclamation Corp. will begin its project next year to plant trees on the mine site, which was closed in 2008, spending 6.4 billion won. To push ahead with the set-rebuilding plan, the reforestation project would have to be suspended."Descendants of the Sun" premiered both in Korea and China on Feb. 24. The drama is set in the fictional war-torn country of Uruk. Song Joong-ki plays a leader of a special warfare command unit while Song Hye-kyo acts as a doctor from Doctors Without Borders. The drama currently claims more than 30 percent viewership. The 16-episode series will end on April 14.The drama has garnered some 1.1 billion hits on iQiyi, a Chinese online video platform. It is appraised in China as an equivalent to 2013's "My Love From the Star" which starred Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun.
백두대간의 중심 태백시가 최근 드라마 '태양의 후예' 촬영지로 알려지면서 관광명소로 급부상하고 있다.
22일 태백시에 따르면 최근 인기리에 방영되는 '태양의 후예' 세트장과 한보탄광의 채광터, 폐석 처리장터 등을 배경으로 드라마가 펼쳐지며 네티즌과 여행사로부터 여행문의가 쇄도하고 있다.
특히 박근혜 대통령이 지난 21일 청와대에서 수석비서관회의를 주재한 자리에서 ''태양의 후예'가 국제적으로 우리나라의 문화를 세계에 알릴 수 있을 뿐만 아니라 한국에 대한 관심을 불러일으키게 해 해외 관광객 유치에도 기여하고 있다'고 칭찬하면서 관심이 더욱 높아지고 있다.
이에 태백시는 문화체육관광부, 한국관광공사, 강원도와 함께 관광상품 구상을 위한 관광자원화 사업에 속도를 내고 있다.
김연식 시장은 22일 정창수 한국관광공사 사장과 강원도 관계자 등과 함께 관광상품 개발을 위한 간담회를 하고 드라마 촬영장을 방문, 적극적으로 지원과 개발 방향을 모색하기로 했다.
이 자리에서 정창수 사장은 '무에서 유를 만들어 나가야 하는 만큼 단기, 중기, 장기의 단계별 마스터플랜을 마련해 지속가능한 상품이 될 수 있도록 면밀히 분석하고 고민하는 계획이 마련돼야 한다'고 말했다.
정 사장은 '태백산, 양대 강 발원지, 맛있는 한우고기 등 다른 상품과도 연계할 수 있도록 관광 웹사이트를 개선하고 숙박업소, 식당 메뉴판 개발과 지역주민의 친절마인드 제고 등 작은 것부터 국제화에 걸맞도록 해나가는 것이 바람직하다'면서 태백시의 건의사항을 중앙에 건의하고 한국관광공사의 적극적인 지원도 약속했다.
태백시는 오는 25일 문화체육관광부 등 중앙부처의 태백시 방문 시 국내·외 관광객 유치를 위한 도로망 확충과 세트장 복원, 주차장 및 편의시설 확보 등 정부 지원을 건의할 예정이다.
김연식 태백시장은 '이번 영화 촬영지를 비롯한 인근 지역 명소를 활용, 스토리텔링 프로그램 개발을 운영해 탐방객들에게 드라마 속 장면과 태백의 스토리에 감성을 입혀 태백이 세계 속 관광명소로 우뚝 설 수 있도록 노력하겠다'고 말했다.
한편, 태백시는 지난 15일부터 개시된 통계청의 '살고 싶은 우리동네' 서비스에서 초등학생과 유치원생 두 자녀를 가진 부부와, 은퇴 후 살 집을 찾는 노부부의 거주지로 각각 전국 1, 3위로 추천되기도 했다. (연합뉴스)
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