Why visit Pohang for Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (갯마을 차차차) aired on tvN in 2021 and became one of Netflix’s most-watched Korean dramas worldwide. Shin Min-a plays Yoon Hye-jin, a pragmatic dentist who opens a clinic in the seaside village of Gongjin, and Kim Seon-ho plays Hong Du-sik, the village’s jack of all trades whom everyone relies on. The drama’s warmth and humor made Gongjin feel like a real place viewers wanted to visit — and Pohang made that possible.
Gongjin is fictional, but its filming locations are real places in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on Korea’s east coast. VisitKorea picked Cheongha Gongjin Market and Guryongpo for its February 2023 Hallyu travel theme, and Pohang City has promoted the locations since the drama aired. The result is a rare case where a drama’s setting is preserved as a working place, not a theme park: Cheongha Gongjin Market is still a fifth-day market where locals buy seafood and produce, and the red lighthouse at Seokbyeong 1-ri still guides fishing boats.
What makes Pohang special for drama fans is the concentration of locations within a single day trip. The Cheongha coast holds the market, the breakwater where Chief Hong and Ji Seong-hyun first meet, the boat on the hill at Sabang Memorial Park, and the coastal hill of Gonryunsan. South near Guryongpo, the red lighthouse appears in many scenes. Between them, Wolpo Beach is where Hye-jin and Du-sik meet as adults. You can walk through the drama’s world in a day, but the places reward slowing down: the market on a market day, the lighthouse at sunset, the park’s sea views.
When the drama aired, crowds jammed village roads, so please visit quietly and park only where it is allowed. The villages are home to working fishermen and market vendors. The drama shops have changed since filming — local press reports that Bora Supermarket now sells retro snacks and the Gongjin Banjeom sign hangs over a different restaurant — but the market’s atmosphere remains.
Cheongha: the real Gongjin
Cheongha Gongjin Market, with the drama’s shops inside, is the heart of Gongjin. The market has existed since the 1920s and holds its fifth-day market on dates ending in 1 and 6 of each month. From seafood to fresh produce and homemade food, it is full of shoppers and a variety of products. Information boards throughout the market clearly indicate the location of the Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha filming set and nearby tourist spots. A squid statue at the market center marks the spot.
Inside the market, you can find the drama’s Gongjin Banjeom, Bora Supermarket, Cheongho Hardware and Oyun Cafe. The Oyun Cafe filming location is an aluminum factory currently in business, so visit after the factory closes for the day. The market also has a message board with character photos, famous lines from the drama, and post-it notes filled with visitors’ impressions.
Along the same north coast, VisitKorea and Pohang City name the Cheongjin 2-ri breakwater, Sabang Memorial Park with the boat on the hill, and Gonryunsan. Pohang City also lists Igari Anchor Observatory and Wolpo Beach. VisitKorea’s recommended route for the drama’s locations runs: Cheongha Market → Wolpo Beach → Cheongjin 3-ri Fishermen’s Welfare Center → Cheongjin 2-ri Breakwater → Sabang Memorial Park → Hwajeong Hoetjip → Seokbyeong 1-ri Breakwater → Yangpo Port.
Cheongjin 2-ri breakwater lighthouse: VisitKorea says the lighthouse is where Chief Hong and Ji Seong-hyun first meet; Pohang City lists the breakwater among the filming locations. It is a working breakwater at a fishing village. Stay clear of boats, nets and fishing gear, and do not walk the breakwater in rough weather.
Sabang Memorial Park (the boat on the hill): VisitKorea says the boat on the hill, built as a set for the drama and now kept in the park, was Chief Hong’s hideout; Pohang City lists the park among the filming locations. The park is a public space with sea views, built to mark a century of reforestation work. The walk up through the park involves stairs but rewards you with panoramic views of Pohang and the sea.
Gonryunsan: VisitKorea includes the hill in its Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha itinerary, and Pohang City lists it among the drama’s filming locations. It is a coastal hill in Cheongha with a paragliding launch area. Keep to marked paths.
Igari Anchor Observatory: Pohang City lists the observatory among the drama’s filming locations. It is an anchor-shaped observation deck over the sea on the Cheongha coast, offering panoramic views. The observatory is 10 meters high and provides sweeping views of the sea and Pohang’s coastline.
Wolpo Beach: VisitKorea names Wolpo Beach as the actual Gongjin Beach from the drama: Chief Hong’s surfing scene was filmed here, and it is the beach Du-sik and Hye-jin walk along. A moon sculpture stands at the entrance. It is a public beach on Pohang’s north coast, good for swimming and camping.
The red lighthouse at Seokbyeong 1-ri
South near Guryongpo, the red lighthouse on the Seokbyeong 1-ri breakwater appears in many scenes and is reportedly where Hye-jin confesses to Du-sik. It is also close to the When the Camellia Blooms street in Guryongpo; see our Pohang hub to plan both.
The lighthouse is on the breakwater of a working fishing village near Guryongpo. The breakwater itself is private property and is not open to tourists — view the red lighthouse only from the public road or coast. Do not enter fishing work areas, keep off nets and gear, and park only in marked spaces. The red lighthouse is one of the most photographed spots in the area, especially at sunset.
Yangpo Port: Pohang City lists the port among the drama’s filming locations. It is a working fishing port on Pohang’s south coast. Stay out of fishing work areas.
Getting there
From Seoul, KTX runs to Pohang Station, and SRT runs from Suseo to Pohang; check the official timetables on Korail and SR (checked Sep 29, 2026). Cheongha and Guryongpo are on opposite sides of the city, so a car is the easiest way to see both in a day; otherwise search each route on Naver Map (English UI).
For Cheongha Gongjin Market, take bus 5000 from the 포항역 (Pohang Station) stop and get off at the 청하시장 stop; the market is about 50 m on foot (VisitKorea, checked Sep 29, 2026). Check the official timetable on the Pohang bus information system before you go. For the other places, bus numbers and times are not listed here; check the local bus app.
Parking is available near the market’s public restroom, making weekday parking convenient. Parking may be limited on market days (dates ending in 1 and 6). Please be considerate not to disturb the daily lives of market vendors.
Plan your trip
One-day route: See our Pohang 1-day route for a full itinerary covering Cheongha and Guryongpo in one day. The route includes 6 confirmed and 2 reported spots from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.
Combine with other dramas: Pohang also hosts filming locations for When the Camellia Blooms (Guryongpo Japanese House Street), Run On (Igari Anchor Observatory), and other dramas. See our Pohang hub for the full list.
Best time to visit: Spring and autumn offer the best weather for walking the coast. Summer is beach season at Wolpo Beach. Market days (dates ending in 1 and 6) are liveliest at Cheongha Gongjin Market but also most crowded. If you want quiet photos, visit on a non-market weekday.
FAQ
How do I get from Pohang Station to Cheongha Gongjin Market?
Take bus 5000 from the 포항역 (Pohang Station) stop and get off at the 청하시장 stop; the market is about 50 m on foot (per VisitKorea, checked Sep 29, 2026). Check the official timetable on the Pohang bus information system before you go.
Is Gongjin a real village?
No. Gongjin is fictional. The drama’s filming locations are real places in Cheongha-myeon and Guryongpo-eup, Pohang. Cheongha Gongjin Market is the real-world Gongjin Market, and the surrounding coast stands in for the drama’s village.
What is the best base for visiting?
Pohang city is the best base. Stay in Pohang city or at Yeongildae Beach, which is between Cheongha and Guryongpo. A car is the easiest way to see both areas in one day.
Can I visit on a market day?
Yes. Market days are dates ending in 1 and 6 of each month. The market is liveliest then, with more vendors and products. However, parking may be limited and crowds larger. If you prefer quiet, visit on a non-market weekday.
Are the drama shops still there?
The shops have changed since filming. Local press reports that Bora Supermarket now sells retro snacks and the Gongjin Banjeom sign hangs over a different restaurant. The market’s atmosphere and layout remain, and information boards indicate where the filming sets were.
Is the boat on the hill real?
The boat at Sabang Memorial Park was built as a set for the drama and is now kept in the park as a landmark. It was Chief Hong’s hideout in the story. The park itself is a real public space built to mark a century of reforestation work.
How we checked
Places named by both VisitKorea and Pohang City are confirmed. Places named by Pohang City alone are reported. We do not list private homes, village halls, or fishing work areas as places to visit.
Sources used: VisitKorea’s Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha itinerary and February 2023 Hallyu travel theme article, Pohang City tourism pages and its 2023 press release (via Metro Seoul, Traveli), Maeil Shinmun’s 2021 visitor count report, and Kyungbuk Maeil’s report on the market’s shops today, plus JoongAng’s 2021 report on Wolpo Beach. Each spot’s sources are listed in the guide’s frontmatter.
Last checked: Nov 7, 2026 for the five updated stops; Sep 28, 2026 for the rest; Nov 7, 2026 for guide enrichment. We re-verify spot status periodically and update when places close, change, or gain new sources.
Sources
All sources for this guide
Accessed Sep 28, 2026 (Asia/Seoul) unless noted.
- VisitKorea — A Set-jetter’s Pohang Itinerary of “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha”
- VisitKorea — Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and When the Camellia Blooms in Pohang (Feb 2023)
- VisitKorea — Cheongha Gongjin Market
- Pohang City tourism — 청하공진시장
- Pohang City — Bus information system (checked Sep 29, 2026)
- Korail — Train timetable (checked Sep 29, 2026)
- SR — SRT routes (checked Sep 29, 2026)
- Metro Seoul — Pohang City release (Mar 13, 2023)
- Maeil Shinmun — Pohang City visitor count (Sep 30, 2021)
- Traveli — Pohang City filming list
- Kyungbuk Maeil — Cheongha Gongjin Market after the drama
- Korail — https://www.korail.com/
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