Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Busan emerges as Asia’s filming hotspot, riding Korean wave
Production team members of JTBC's drama "Good Boy" are seen filming in Busan in this undated photo. Courtesy of Busan Film Commission
By Baek Byung-yeul
As the global fascination with K-culture continues to captivate audiences around the world, Busan is steadily gaining recognition as a filming destination for international film and television productions.
Long overshadowed by the bustling capital Seoul, Korea’s second-largest city is now stepping into the spotlight. With its unique landscape — where mountains meet the sea and modern skyscrapers rise above storied alleyways — Busan is increasingly finding its place on screens worldwide.
This boom in filming is happening right alongside K-culture's huge popularity across the globe. International studios and streaming companies aren't just looking for Korea to be a cool background anymore. Instead, they're really trying to put local culture and unique atmosphere of the nation into their stories.
New data from the Busan Film Commission (BFC) underscores the southeastern port city’s surging appeal. In the first half this year, Busan supported the filming of 39 projects, including six feature films and 33 other productions, a 30 percent increase from the 30 projects in the same period last year.
Notably, the number of series shot for streaming platforms in Busan doubled from five to 10, reflecting the streaming industry’s growing demand for authentic, eye-catching locations.
"While the cinema market continues to be sluggish and competition among platforms intensifies, leading to a sharp decline in overall film and streaming platform production, the increase in filming projects in Busan demonstrates the city's competitiveness as a filming location," a BFC official said.
Diverse global interest
A significant shift observed by the BFC is the diversification in the types and origins of visiting productions.
"Traditionally, Busan was favored by teams from Japan, Taiwan or Malaysia. Now, crews from the U.S., the U.K. and Romania are discovering the city’s potential, indicating a growing interest from more diverse cultural backgrounds in Korea, especially Busan," the BFC official said.
"Busan is a city with unique geographical characteristics where mountains and the sea harmonize," the official further explained. "This not only allows for the creation of differentiated content compared to the Seoul area, but its convenient transportation, including an airport and port, is also increasing its preference among international film productions."
The production team of SBS’ drama “The Fiery Priest 2” are seen in Busan in this undated photo. Courtesy of Busan Film Commission
Furthermore, successful major projects like Marvel's "Black Panther" (2018) and Apple TV+ series "Pachinko" (2022), both filmed in Busan, have created a strong reference point.
"Production companies share their experiences with these big projects through networking, which often encourages other production companies to choose Busan for their shoots," the official added.
The BFC, established in 1999, plays a crucial role in facilitating these productions, leveraging its extensive expertise.
"We help production companies with everything from sending official requests for filming at port facilities to contacting various local institutions, ensuring a smooth and well-supported filming experience," the BFC official said.
The impact of Busan's emergence as a filming hub is already visible on screens and in the city’s streets as fans travel to visit notable filming locations. Key Busan-based works this year include films such as "Yadang: The Snitch,” “Hi-Five” “Hitman 2” and “The Match.” Recent TV series like JTBC’s “Good Boy” and Netflix’s hit series “When Life Gives You Tangerines” were also shot partly in this city.
The latter half of 2025 promises a continued stream of Busan-shot productions. The Netflix series "Trigger" premiered on July 25 and another Netflix series "Can This Love Be Translated?” is slated for a fourth-quarter release.
Disney+ is set to release its series "Tempest," starring A-list actors Jun Ji-hyun and Gang Dong-won, in September, followed by "The Manipulated" later this year. Additionally, prominent filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s latest film, "No Other Choice," was also filmed in Busan.