The short version
Filming locations from "In Your Radiant Season" and "The Journey to Gyeong-ju" are within walking distance of each other in central Gyeongju.
Only Cheonmachong and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond require tickets. The other sites have no gates. Bulguksa has been free to visit since May 4, 2023. City buses 10 and 11 run there from downtown.
Deadlines that matter
Ticket sales at Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond
By when: 21:30
If you miss it: You will not be able to go inside to see the pavilions reflected in the pond that day. Cheomseongdae and Woljeonggyo Bridge do not require tickets and are open until 22:00. Bonghwangdae has no surrounding wall, so you can walk past it at night.
Last entry to Bulguksa
By when: 18:00 from March to September, 17:30 in February and October, 17:00 from November to January
If you miss it: It closes much earlier than the downtown filming locations. It is better to visit Bulguksa and Seokguram on another day or go there first in the morning.
Right now
- 1Getting off the KTX at Gyeongju Station does not put you in downtown Gyeongju. The station is in Geoncheon-eup. The city bus takes about 25 minutes to downtown, where Cheomseongdae and Daereungwon are.
- 2Only Cheonmachong and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond require tickets. If you plan to visit both on the same day, buy the two-site combined ticket. It costs 6,000 won for adults, 4,000 won for teenagers and 2,000 won for children. It is sold at the Daereungwon and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond ticket offices.
- 3Ticket sales at Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond end at 21:30. Gyeongju City warns that the crowds coming for the night views can make it difficult to get in if you arrive at the ticket cutoff. It is safer to reach the ticket office before 21:00.
Getting there
Seoul Station (KTX)
Take the KTX from Seoul Station to Gyeongju Station. City bus 700 leaves from outside the station and stops in front of Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. To go straight to Hwangnidan-gil, take bus 70, 50, 51, 61, 60 or 700, get off at Seorabeol Cultural Center and walk for about 10 minutes.
- How long:
- The KTX takes 2 hours 10 minutes from Seoul to Gyeongju. Bus 700 takes 25 minutes from Gyeongju Station to Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond.
- Cost:
- Enter your travel date on the Korail booking page to check the KTX fare.
Trains from Seoul Station to Gyeongju Station run about once an hour from 07:37 to 00:07. Trains from Gyeongju Station to Seoul Station run from 05:59 to 22:34. Gyeongju Station was formerly called Singyeongju Station. The Gyeongju Station Tourist Information Center inside the station is open every day of the year and offers assistance in English, Chinese and Japanese.
Seoul (express bus or intercity bus)
Take an express or intercity bus from Seoul to Gyeongju and get off at Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal or Gyeongju Intercity Bus Terminal. The Terminal Tourist Information Center (4 Taejong-ro 685beon-gil) is open every day of the year and offers assistance in English, Chinese and Japanese.
- How long:
- Express buses take about 3 hours 30 minutes. Intercity buses take about 4 hours.
- Cost:
- Enter your travel date on the express bus booking page to check the fare.
What to have ready
- Transit card: The adult city bus fare is 1,500 won in cash. Paying with a transit card gives you a 50 won discount. Tap your card when you get off to transfer once to a different route within 30 minutes at no extra charge. You can use the same transit card you used in Seoul.
- ID: Admission fees at Cheonmachong and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond vary by age. Age is checked with ID.
Phrases you can copy and paste
Step by step
The route on a map
- 1
Daereungwon has no gates; only Cheonmachong requires a ticket
- Where:
- Inside the walls across from Hwangnidan-gil, within walking distance of the Seorabeol Cultural Center bus stop
- How long:
- 09:00~22:00, ticket sales end at 21:30
- Cost:
- Daereungwon is free. Cheonmachong costs 3,000 won for adults, 2,000 won for teenagers and military personnel, and 1,000 won for children
Daereungwon is free to enter. Visiting hours are 09:00 to 22:00, and ticket sales end at 21:30. Only Cheonmachong, inside the grounds, requires a ticket. If you also plan to visit Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond that day, buy the two-site combined ticket. It is valid for one day. Once you have entered either site, it cannot be refunded. Credit cards are accepted, and cash receipts are available. Admission is free for Gyeongju residents, children aged 6 and under, and people aged 65 and over. "In Your Radiant Season" was filmed at Daereungwon. Bonghwangdae, which appeared in "The Journey to Gyeong-ju", is outside the Daereungwon walls at 261 Nodong-dong. It has no surrounding wall, so you can walk past it at night.
Filmed here: In Your Radiant Season
31-1 Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
- 2
Hwangnidan-gil is across the wall from Daereungwon
- Where:
- Along Daereungwon's western wall
- How long:
- No set opening hours. Each shop has its own hours
- Cost:
- No admission fee. Prices vary by shop
Hwangnidan-gil is a shopping street along Daereungwon's western wall. There are no tickets or set opening hours. Each shop has its own hours. "In Your Radiant Season" was filmed on this street. If you have brought a car, park at Nodong Public Parking Lot (767 Taejong-ro, paid) or Hwangnidan-gil Public Parking Lot (157-4 Hwangnam-dong).
Filmed here: In Your Radiant Season
Around 1080 Poseok-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
- 3
Cheomseongdae is free to visit and open into the evening
- Where:
- In the middle of a field, with no surrounding wall or ticket office
- How long:
- 09:00~22:00, until 21:00 in winter. Open every day of the year
- Cost:
- Free
Cheomseongdae is free to visit. It opens at 09:00 and closes at 22:00, or 21:00 in winter. It is open every day of the year. It stands in the middle of a field with no surrounding wall or ticket office. Both "In Your Radiant Season" and "The Journey to Gyeong-ju" were filmed here.
Filmed here: In Your Radiant Season, The Journey to Gyeong-ju
839-1 Inwang-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
- 4
Walk south from Cheomseongdae to Woljeonggyo Bridge
- Where:
- South of Cheomseongdae, past Gyochon Hanok Village
- How long:
- 09:00~22:00
- Cost:
- Free
Woljeonggyo Bridge is also free to visit and is open from 09:00 to 22:00. Walk south from Cheomseongdae and pass Gyochon Hanok Village to reach the bridge. "In Your Radiant Season" was filmed here.
Filmed here: In Your Radiant Season
274 Gyo-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
- 5
Buy a ticket and enter Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond before 21:30
- Where:
- The last of the five downtown stops. Bus 700 from Gyeongju Station stops right outside
- How long:
- 09:00~22:00, ticket sales end at 21:30. Open every day of the year
- Cost:
- 3,000 won for adults, 2,000 won for teenagers, 1,000 won for children
Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond is open from 09:00 to 22:00 every day of the year. Ticket sales end at 21:30. Gyeongju City warns that the crowds coming for the night views can make it difficult to get in if you arrive at the ticket cutoff. To see the pavilions reflected in the pond after sunset, it is safer to reach the ticket office before 21:00. The parking lot (504-1 Inwang-dong) is free. Both "In Your Radiant Season" and "The Journey to Gyeong-ju" were filmed here.
Filmed here: In Your Radiant Season, The Journey to Gyeong-ju
102 Wonhwa-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
- 6
Bulguksa is now free; take bus 10 or 11 from downtown
- Where:
- Take city bus 10 or 11 from downtown
- How long:
- Opens at 09:00. Last entry is 18:00 from March to September, 17:30 in February and October, and 17:00 from November to January. The same hours apply on weekdays and weekends. Open every day of the year
- Cost:
- Free
Bulguksa has been free to visit since May 4, 2023. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced that cultural heritage admission fees at temples belonging to the Jogye Order would be waived from that date. Pets are not allowed. Seokguram (873-243 Bulguk-ro) is farther up the mountain road from Bulguksa. Admission is free, and it is open every day of the year. City bus operator Cheonnyeon Miso runs a shuttle between Bulguksa and Seokguram 10 times a day. Board in front of the Bulguksa ticket office and get off at the Seokguram parking lot.
385 Bulguk-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
The Korean words
- 매표 마감mapyo magam, last ticket sale
- The time ticket sales end. This is earlier than closing time.
- 종합이용권jonghap iyonggwon, combined ticket
- A ticket for visiting Daereungwon (Cheonmachong) and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond on the same day.
- 입장 마감ipjang magam, last entry
- The time visitors can no longer enter. At Bulguksa, it varies by season.
- 연중무휴yeonjung muhyu, open every day of the year
- Open with no days off.
- 환승hwanseung, transfer
- Changing buses. Tap your card when you get off to transfer once within 30 minutes at no extra charge.
- 셔틀syeoteul, shuttle bus
- The bus running between Bulguksa and Seokguram.
Easy to miss
- The combined ticket is valid for one day. Once you have entered either site, it cannot be refunded.
- Gyeongju National Museum (186 Iljeong-ro) moved its opening time from 09:00 to 10:00 on July 1, 2026. Admission is free, and it is open from 10:00 to 18:00. It stays open an hour longer on Saturdays and public holidays. Every Saturday from March to October, it is open until 20:00.
- Gyeongju National Museum is closed on January 1, Lunar New Year's Day and Chuseok Day. The permanent exhibition halls are closed on the second Monday of March, June, September and December. Bus 711 from Gyeongju Station stops in front of the museum.
- Pets are not allowed at Bulguksa.
You can skip this if
- If you are looking for Gyeongju Oreung (67-1 Tap-dong) from "Perfect Crown" or the cafe on Bomun-ro from "Reborn Rookie", they are outside this route. Both are some distance from the five downtown stops, so they are not included.
Where this comes from
- Admission fees (Gyeongju Culture and Tourism)
- Daereungwon (Gyeongju Culture and Tourism)
- Cheomseongdae (Gyeongju Culture and Tourism)
- Woljeonggyo Bridge (Gyeongju Culture and Tourism)
- Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond (Gyeongju Culture and Tourism)
- Hwangnidan-gil (Gyeongju Culture and Tourism)
- Visiting hours and fees (Bulguksa website)
- Free cultural heritage admission at national park temples and other sites from the 4th (Cultural Heritage Administration, Korea Policy Briefing 2023-05-01)
- Gyeongju city bus routes, Bulguksa and Seokguram (Cheonnyeon Miso)
- Visitor information (Gyeongju National Museum)
- Directions (Gyeongju National Museum)
- Fares (Gyeongju Bus Information System)
- Tourist information centers (Gyeongju Culture and Tourism)
- Getting to Gyeongju (Gyeongju Culture and Tourism)
Rules, fees and deadlines change and depend on your exact case. Please confirm the details with the official sources before you act.