Cover ‘Descendants of the Sun’ made Greece one of the most sought-after dream holidays. (Photo: IMDB)
‘Descendants of the Sun’ made Greece one of the most sought-after dream holidays. (Photo: IMDB)
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From Parisian proposals to tearful train rides through Switzerland, K-dramas aren’t just serving romance. They’re booking first-class tickets to dream holidays
It’s episode two, and the lead couple hasn’t even held hands. But suddenly, we’re in Slovenia. Or Switzerland. Or Germany. Or possibly a castle in France that smells vaguely of Dior. No, you didn’t accidentally switch to a EuroRail travelogue. This is still your K-drama, only now it’s gone global.
Over the past decade, Korean dramas have perfected a certain formula: emotional tension, immaculate hair and the occasional wrist grab. But somewhere along the way, international filming became the quiet power move that elevated a series from buzzy to unforgettable. Think picturesque backdrops and dream holidays. The question isn’t so much why it happens, but how a stroll through Prague or a gondola ride in Venice has become the unofficial love language of K-dramas.
Also read: 8 K-dramas with jaw-dropping cinematography
The cinematic upgrade
Above ‘Crash Landing on You’ (2019-2020) was filmed in Switzerland. (Photo: IMDB)
‘Crash Landing on You’ (2019-2020) was filmed in Switzerland. (Photo: IMDB)
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First, there’s the obvious: overseas filming makes things look expensive. Look to pioneering K-drama Lovers in Paris (2004) or Crash Landing on You, which gifted us an Alpine romance in Interlaken so luxurious it made North Korean defectors look like they had platinum Amex cards. These international backdrops act as instant mood boards: ethereal, disorienting and lush with aesthetic subtext. Essentially, they’re dream holidays waiting to be planned.
That Parisian skyline or sophisticated American loft serves as a visual shortcut for a fantasy that feels tantalisingly out of reach. It’s not just the beauty of the location that matters, but the emotional magnitude that beauty brings to the story.
Love in translation
Above ‘Doctor Stranger’ (2014) took us around Budapest, Hungary. (Photo: IMDB)
‘Doctor Stranger’ (2014) took us around Budapest, Hungary. (Photo: IMDB)
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But it’s not just for show. When characters leave Korea, something shifts. Emotional stakes rise. Time slows. Suddenly, every cobblestone street becomes a confessional. Abroad, our protagonists find themselves, sometimes literally. Whether it’s Hyun Bin soul-searching in Switzerland or Kim Tae-ri riding a bike through 1990s Paris in Twenty-Five Twenty-One, international scenes often serve as narrative inflection points apart from pegs for dream holidays.
K-dramas often use overseas settings as a narrative escape hatch, allowing characters to break free from the rigid structures of Korean society. In a foreign country, they can reinvent themselves, unburdened by family expectations, workplace hierarchies or nosy neighbours. It’s a clean emotional slate, one that’s as liberating for the characters as it is enchanting for viewers.
Korea’s cultural soft power
Above ‘Queen of Tears’ (2024) made people‘s dream holidays revolve around Germany. (Photo: Netflix)
‘Queen of Tears’ (2024) made people‘s dream holidays revolve around Germany. (Photo: Netflix)
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There’s also the not-so-secret diplomatic agenda. The Korean Wave—Hallyu—is no longer confined to music charts and Netflix queues. International shoots act as cinematic emissaries, exporting Korean stories through global landscapes. In some cases, it’s a win-win: countries like the Philippines, Spain and Thailand benefit from the tourism bump, while K-dramas expand their cachet as sophisticated global entertainment.
Filming abroad acts as a quiet flex. It’s an assertion that Korean pop culture belongs on the global stage. It’s not just K-dramas anymore; it’s K-culture going cosmopolitan.
See more: Korean drama travel inspiration: 14 popular filming sites to visit
Fantasy, but relatable
Above ‘Memories of the Alhambra’ (2018) was technically in some kind of simulated reality, but when it wasn’t, it was set in Spain. (Photo: IMDB)
‘Memories of the Alhambra’ (2018) was technically in some kind of simulated reality, but when it wasn’t, it was set in Spain. (Photo: IMDB)
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There’s also the matter of emotional resonance. In a K-drama, Paris isn’t just Paris—it’s a symbol of first love, loneliness or a kind of aspirational sadness best expressed under grey skies and oversized scarves. These places become emotional proxies, transforming architecture into feeling. Memories of the Alhambra, set largely in Spain, used its setting not just as a backdrop but as a metaphysical extension of its video-game-inspired plot.
In The King: Eternal Monarch, the characters literally cross dimensions, which is fitting, considering the show filmed everywhere from Busan to Brandenburg. And for fans watching in São Paulo or Stockholm, these foreign settings make Korean content feel closer to home.
The jet-set future
Above ‘Encounter’ (2018) included Havana, Cuba, as one of its filming locations (Photo: IMDB)
‘Encounter’ (2018) included Havana, Cuba, as one of its filming locations (Photo: IMDB)
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Of course, not every drama needs a plane ticket. But as K-content continues to dominate global screens, the trend is unlikely to slow. Overseas filming has become an emotional tool, a branding strategy and, occasionally, a plot device that justifies a random flashback in Vienna.
So the next time a character is brooding on a bridge in Budapest or sharing a gelato in Florence, remember: it’s not just about where they are. It’s about who they’re becoming, one passport stamp at a time. And if they influence your dream holidays, then that’s a bonus. In the world of K-dramas, love doesn’t just transcend class, time and logic—it transcends borders.
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