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| Typhoon Family Filming Locations: Discover the Real-Life Korean Spots Behind the Hit Drama (Photo: tvN/Screencap) |
When Typhoon Family (태풍상사) aired, it wasn’t just the gripping story and top-tier acting that caught everyone’s eye — it was the locations.
The drama perfectly recreated the nostalgic mood of 1990s Korea, and fans can’t stop wondering where those scenes were filmed.
But here’s a fun fact: not every filming location was made public while the show was shooting.
Production kept many details under wraps to stop over-enthusiastic fans from crowding the set and interrupting filming.
Now that the drama has wrapped up, let’s explore the real-world places where the cast brought Typhoon Family’s world to life — and yes, some are totally open for you to visit.
🏢 Brown Hands Café – The “Typhoon Trading Company” Building
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Located on Gaehang-ro in Incheon Jung-gu, this retro café stood in for the main “Typhoon Trading Company” office — even though fans originally assumed it was filmed in Euljiro, Seoul.
The café’s yellow-brick façade, metal stairs, and weathered signage perfectly channel the industrial 1980s-90s vibe.
Brown Hands was once an ENT clinic built in the 1960s, later transformed into a vintage café while keeping its old-school architecture.
Director Lee Na-jung shared that she chose this site because it captured the real spirit of 1997 Korea — no CGI, just pure authenticity.
The interior was styled with aged furniture, metal filing cabinets, and dim lighting to recreate that classic office mood.
🏨 Swiss Grand Hotel – Elegant Business Meetings
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Those polished boardroom and executive-suite scenes? They were filmed at the Swiss Grand Hotel in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.
Its classic interiors and heavy wood décor reflected the tension and formality of the corporate world during Korea’s IMF crisis.
📍 Address: 353 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, near Hongje Station Exit 2 (Bus 14 min)
🌳 Yeonhui Forest Rest Area (연희숲속쉼터)
A quiet green space where several outdoor emotional scenes were shot. It’s a lovely escape if you fancy retracing the characters’ steps and enjoying some peace away from Seoul’s bustle.
📍 2-75 Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu
🍲 Saemoon Sundae Soup (새문순대국)
Featured briefly in a street-food moment, this local restaurant in Mapo-gu offers the comforting Korean flavours you’d expect from the show’s down-to-earth scenes.
📍 163-1 Daehyeong-ro, Mapo-gu, near Ewha Univ. Station Exit 6 (5-min walk)
🏢 Jeongwoo Building & Yeouido Spots
Office scenes were also filmed around Yeouido — Korea’s business district. Jeongwoo Building and nearby Yeouido Ttarogukbap restaurant captured the urban heartbeat of Seoul’s 90s financial boom.
📍 Jeongwoo Building: 29 Eunhaeng-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu (7-min walk from National Assembly Station Exit 3)
📍 Yeouido Ttarogukbap: 28 Yeouidaebang-ro 69-gil (9-min walk from Saetgang Station Exit 1)
🍜 Mirim Snack (미림분식) – Old-School Vibes
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A nostalgic eatery used for background scenes, located near Seoul National University Venture Town Station. The faded signs and tiled floors matched the retro tone of the drama.
📍 553 Hoam-ro, Gwanak-gu (11-min walk from Exit 2)
🚉 Noryangjin & Dongjak Area
Several transitional scenes were shot near Noryangjin Station and around Bon-dong Hardware Complex, giving viewers glimpses of Seoul’s local worker life.
📍 Bon-dong Hardware: 19 Noryangjin-ro 26-gil (2-min walk from Nodeul Station Exit 2)
📍 Dongjak Bridge (동작대교): Over the Han River, Yongsan-gu to Dongjak-gu
🍻 JR Pub, Itaewon
This cosy spot near Itaewon Station doubled as a casual bar scene location. Its lived-in, neon-lit vibe adds charm and warmth to the drama’s social scenes.
📍 127 Bogwang-ro, Yongsan-gu (2-min walk from Exit 4)
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🏙️ Euljiro & Jongno Filming Trail
If you love that authentic Seoul back-alley look, head to Euljiro 3-ga and Jongno areas.
Places like Chungmuro Station, Cheonggye Arcade, Hanseong Electronics, and the traditional markets around Jongno 2-ga and 3-ga were used for several exterior shots.
They showcase the gritty yet nostalgic side of Seoul that Typhoon Family nailed perfectly.
🕍 Sujin Temple & Taekwang Trading Company
Both located around Dongdaemun, these sites appeared in some of the later episodes.
They mirror the era’s classic architecture — narrow alleys, signboards, and vintage shopfronts that feel frozen in time.
📍 54 Changsin-gil, near Dongdaemun Station Exit 1 (4-min walk)
🎓 Sudo Academy (수도학원)
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This building near Sinseol-dong Station was used for background school-style or training-related scenes. A short visit gives fans a real taste of that early-2000s Seoul atmosphere.
📍 6 Bomun-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, right next to Exit 1
💭 So, Planning a Typhoon Family Trip?
Some of these filming locations — like Brown Hands Café, Yeonhui Forest, and JR Pub — are open to the public.
If you’re visiting South Korea, it’s a brilliant way to relive your favourite scenes and snap your own “drama moment”.
Just remember, a few places are still private or used for commercial filming — so check access beforehand.
Typhoon Family brings 1990s Korea back to life through real-world spots like Brown Hands Café in Incheon and the Swiss Grand Hotel in Seoul.
Not all sites were revealed during filming to prevent interruptions, but many are open now for visitors who want to walk the same streets as Kang Taepung and his team