The East Palace (Korean: Donggung) is an upcoming dark fantasy, supernatural mystery, and historical drama series directed by Choi Jung-kyu and written by Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won. The series stars Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo, Cho Seung-woo, Park Su-yeon, and Jang Young-nam.
The Netflix series combines Korean ghost folklore, royal intrigue, and supernatural action. With its mysterious palace setting and stunning visuals, many fans are curious about where The East Palace was filmed. Here is everything you need to know about the filming locations and behind-the-scenes details of this highly anticipated K-drama.
The story follows Gu-cheon, a ghost-slaying swordsman who can enter the spirit world and transform into a ghost. He joins forces with Saeng-gang, a court lady cursed with the ability to hear the voices of the dead. Together, they investigate a dark supernatural force haunting the Crown Prince’s palace and uncover dangerous royal secrets hidden within the East Palace.
The East Palace premieres on July 17, 2026. The series will be available worldwide on Netflix.
Table of Contents
When and Where Was Netflix’s The East Palace Filmed?
| Film Name | The East Palace |
|---|---|
| Genres | Dark Fantasy, Historical Drama, Supernatural Mystery |
| Filming Locations | Yeoncheon County, Mungyeong Saejae Open Set, Seoraksan National Park, South Korea |
| Filming Dates | December 2024 – First Half of 2026 |
| Camera and Electrical Department by | Junior Lucano |
| Release Date | July 17, 2026 |
The East Palace was filmed across several locations in South Korea between December 2024 and the first half of 2026. Most of the production took place on custom-built studio sets in Yeoncheon County, while additional scenes were filmed at Mungyeong Saejae Open Set and Seoraksan National Park. These locations helped create the series’ mysterious and supernatural atmosphere.
📍Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Yeoncheon County served as the primary production base for The East Palace. The production team built large custom studio sets here to create the cursed royal palace, supernatural environments, and action sequences. Many of the series’ indoor scenes and CGI-heavy moments were filmed inside these controlled soundstages. The location allowed filmmakers to safely create complex ghost battles, magical effects, and dark fantasy settings that are central to the story.
The facility also became part of the show’s production history when a major fire damaged one of the indoor sets in December 2024. Despite the setback, the production team rebuilt the damaged areas and successfully continued filming.
📍Mungyeong Saejae Open Set, Mungyeong-si, South Korea
Mungyeong Saejae Open Set is one of South Korea’s most famous historical filming destinations. The East Palace used this location extensively for its royal and historical scenes.
The impressive Jogokgwan Gateway, also known as the Second Gateway, appears as a fortified border checkpoint in the series. Several action sequences involving Gu-cheon defending the kingdom from supernatural threats were filmed around this historic-looking stone structure.
The production also used the open set’s Joseon-style palace buildings to represent parts of the Crown Prince’s residence. These large outdoor palace scenes helped create the grand scale of the fictional East Palace before many interior scenes transitioned to studio sets.
📍Seoraksan National Park, Gangwon Province, South Korea
The breathtaking landscapes of Seoraksan National Park were used to portray the remote wilderness where Gu-cheon lives before being summoned by the King.
The park’s dramatic mountain peaks, rocky valleys, dense forests, and natural mist provided the perfect setting for the series’ supernatural world. Many travel scenes and spirit-related sequences were filmed here to give the show a realistic fantasy atmosphere.
Instead of relying completely on digital effects, the filmmakers used Seoraksan’s natural beauty to create an eerie and authentic environment. The fog-covered mountains and untouched forests help bring the mysterious world of The East Palace to life.
📍Yeoncheon Soundstage Pond Sets
One of the most memorable locations featured in the teaser trailers is the mysterious palace pond connected to the “Realm of Gwi,” the spirit underworld.
These scenes were not filmed at a real historical pond. Instead, the production team created the environment on specially designed soundstage sets in Yeoncheon County. Through a combination of practical effects and advanced CGI, the filmmakers transformed the pond into a haunting supernatural gateway where Gu-cheon travels between the human world and the realm of spirits.
The blood-red water effects and dark fantasy visuals seen in the trailers were largely created through visual effects work completed during post-production.
Is There Any Trailer Available for The East Palace?
Yes, the official teaser trailer for The East Palace has been released by Netflix.
The East Palace is set to be released on July 17, 2026, by Netflix.
FAQs
Q1: Where was The East Palace filmed?
A1: The East Palace was primarily filmed in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, Mungyeong Saejae Open Set, and Seoraksan National Park in South Korea.
Q2: What scenes were filmed at Mungyeong Saejae Open Set in The East Palace?
A2: The East Palace filmed several royal palace scenes and action sequences at Mungyeong Saejae Open Set, including scenes around the Jogokgwan Gateway and the recreated Joseon-style palace buildings.
Q3: When did filming for The East Palace begin?
A3: Filming for The East Palace began in December 2024 and continued through the first half of 2026 before the series’ July 2026 release.
Q4: Was The East Palace filmed at the real Donggung Palace in Gyeongju?
A4: No, The East Palace was not filmed at the historic Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond in Gyeongju. The series takes place in a fictional historical setting and mainly used studio sets and other filming locations across South Korea.
The East Palace brings together South Korea’s beautiful landscapes, historical filming sets, and modern visual effects to create a unique dark fantasy world. From the custom-built studios of Yeoncheon County to the mountain scenery of Seoraksan National Park and the historic atmosphere of Mungyeong Saejae Open Set, each location plays an important role in shaping the series.
With its supernatural story, talented cast, and impressive filming locations, The East Palace is set to become one of Netflix’s most anticipated Korean dramas of 2026.
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