Filming Locations Of a Netflix K-Drama “The Glory”
The Korean Netflix drama ‘The Glory’ is a revenge drama about a woman whose body and mind were shattered by school violence during her childhood. She meticulously prepares for revenge, risking her entire life, and ultimately succeeds in getting her vengeance.
Dramatic Symbols In the Drama “The Glory”
Song Hye-kyo played the lead role of Moon Dong-eun, portraying her in an unadorned but beautiful way that drew viewers deeper into the intensity of the drama.
However, some symbols in this drama, along with her acting, deeply resonate as the lingering effect of the drama. Let’s examine the two most prominent symbols in this drama
Baduk(바둑) In “The Glory”
The drama featured many scenes of the characters playing baduk. Baduk is a game that takes considerable time to achieve the final victory. Players must slowly build territory one stone at a time while keeping the bigger picture in mind to strategize toward the win, maintaining focus until the very end.
Much like the game itself, the protagonist gradually and deliberately advances her plan for revenge, step-by-step, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats as the overarching narrative of vengeance unfolds.
A Datura Flower In “The Glory”
The structure of the drama is as intricate as Dong-eun’s revenge scheme. First, the iconic poster for The Glory depicts Dong-eun holding a datura flower. This datura makes its first appearance in Episode 1 when the villa owner Dong-eun has contracted with appears and hands her the “devil’s datura flower,” explaining: “This flower blows its trumpet toward the ground, making it the angel’s trumpet flower. But when it blows toward the sky, it becomes the devil’s trumpet flower, as it is seen as brazen by God. That’s why the flower only gives off its scent at night.”
The devil’s trumpet flower blowing toward the sky symbolizes Dong-eun herself. It represents her resolve to not simply live as a victim, instead actively seeking revenge and becoming a perpetrator herself.
However, just as the same flower blowing toward the ground makes it the angel’s trumpet, Dong-eun also shows love for others, such as tutoring the daughter of the ajumma who helped with her revenge plan and even sending her to study abroad.
Like how the datura flower’s direction determines whether it’s devilish or angelic, human beings – who are one and the same – can be perceived as either angels or devils by others depending on the direction their lives take. The writer seems to be depicting this aspect of human nature.

Filming Locations of “The Glory”
Now let’s look at some of the filming locations that heightened the drama’s sense of immersion and realism.
Sejong National Arboretum (국립 세종 수목원) In the Glory
The fictional city of Semyeongsi where the protagonist is based seems to be inspired by the real Sejong City, with a similar environment. Most of the filming reportedly took place in Sejong City and the nearby city of Cheongju.
There are scenes of the woman who helps Dong-eun with her revenge getting beaten by her husband, with their meetings often occurring inside a car in a parking lot. This is the parking lot of the Sejong National Arboretum. Visitors typically park their cars here before walking into the arboretum grounds. The protagonist likely chose this public yet discreet location for their clandestine meetings.
Sejong National Arboretum is a great place for a day trip. Especially in April 2024, during the spring exhibition period, a special exhibition titled “The Mysterious Dictionary of Magical Plants” is being held, so I highly recommend visiting. The exhibition lasts until April 28th.
The arboretum organizes exhibitions based on seasonal themes, so there’s always something new to discover no matter when you visit.
In the Mediterranean exhibition greenhouse, there is an observatory which offers a fresh perspective. There is also a tropical greenhouse where you can admire tropical trees, and at the entrance, there is a waterfall that makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into a tropical rainforest.
Address: 136 Sejong Arboretum Road
Operating Hours: March to October 09:00 to 18:00, November to February 09:00 to 17:00.
Admission Fee: Adults 5,000 won, Teenagers 4,000 won.
Yonghwasa Temple (용화사) in Cheongju

In one scene, the mother-in-law of Dong-eun’s former school bullying perpetrator Choi Hye-young calls her “Teacher Moon,” prompting Hye-jung to anxiously kneel before Dong-eun, worried she might reveal the past bullying to her future mother-in-law. This scene was filmed at Yonghwasa Temple in Cheongju.
Cheongju’s Yonghwasa Temple has been selected as the best temple stay temple for the year 2023.
This temple was built during the reign of Queen Seondeok of Silla and is Treasure No. 985.
Although it is a temple, it is a quiet place where you can have company workshops or temple stays, meditate, and have tea and conversations with monks. It is not the closed-off temple we used to know, but a space where the public can meditate and heal, so it seems like a good idea to visit with family or in groups.
Address: 565 Musimseo-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do (Sajik-dong, Yonghwasa)
Phone: 043-275-0516
Cheongna Lake Park(청라 호수 공원) In the Glory

The baduk (Go) park where Dong-eun and Ha Do-young (Yeon-jin’s husband) meet is Cheongna Lake Park in Incheon, which was also a filming location for the 2016 drama Goblin. The park features a music fountain, a lakeside pavilion, an outdoor concert hall, a fantasy forest playground, a floor fountain at the History Plaza, a Rose Garden, and the Cheongna Marine area for water leisure activities. The nearby Beach Park and Sunset Park offer bike paths and the Kate Plaza for various extreme sports.
Cheongju Central Park (청주 중앙 공원) In the “The Glory”
The location where Dong-eun learns baduk from Ju Yeo-jeong is Cheongju Central Park, featuring a striking 900-year-old ginkgo tree visible in the background of their baduk scenes.
This ginkgo tree has been named “Duckfoot Tree” because its leaves are shaped like duck feet. And there is a legend associated with this ginkgo tree.
At the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, during the reign of King Gongyang, Yun Yi and Lee Cho went to the Ming Dynasty of China and falsely claimed that Yi Seong-gye was planning to attack the Ming Dynasty together with King Gongyang. As a result, Yi Seong-gye and his faction were imprisoned in Cheongjuok and tortured. Suddenly, a torrential downpour from the sky caused a flood within the fortress. Nearby, there was a tree which the prisoners climbed to save their lives; that tree was said to be the Duckfoot Tree.
In short, it’s a tree of salvation. In the drama, who will this tree ultimately save? I hope you watch the drama until the end.
Solbit Elementary School in Sejong City (솔빛 초등학교, 세종)
The elementary school where Dong-eun teaches, Semyeong Elementary, is actually Solbit Elementary School in Sejong City.
Meongdderim cafe (멍때림 카페) in the “The Glory”
The rooftop cafe where Dong-eun’s former bullies Yeon-jin, Sara, and Hye-jung meet is the Meongdderim cafe.
It is a cafe known for its great views. The range is diverse, from coffee, tea, and desserts to brunch. Just like its name suggests, this cafe is a place for talking, spacing out, and resting. It’s a really good place to zone out while enjoying the view. Besides the cafe, there are fun places to explore like guest rooms, a library gallery chapel, forest trails, a pond, and a garden, so it might be fun to wander around and check out each spot while zoning out. When drinking tea outdoors, blankets are provided for extra coziness.
The building behind this cafe is a chapel space where free organ concerts are also held.
Operating hours: 10:30 to 19:30.
Address: 1970-34 Haeannam-ro, Hwado-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon phone: 0507-1357-9280
Screenwriter Kim Eun-sook’s Other Works
With years of experience in international aviation, coupled with a background in travel journalism, I offer a wealth of expertise in the field of tourism. As an avid traveler and enthusiast, I am dedicated to sharing my knowledge and insights to help you embark on unforgettable journeys.