Swiss Grand Hotel Seoul [스위스 그랜드 호텔]
2020~

The exterior of the convention center of this hotel (스위스그랜드호텔서울컨벤션센터) appears as the venue where Gong Tae-kyung (Ahn Jae-hyeon) and Jang Se-jin (Cha Joo-young) walk down the aisle in episode 8 of The Real Has Come!/The Real One Has Appeared/The Real Deal (진짜가 나타났다!) (KBS2, 2023).

The exterior of this hotel appears as the Sun Yang Hospital in episode 7 of Reborn Rich (Jaebeoljip Mangnaeadeul/재벌집 막내아들) (JTBC, 2022-23). It is also at the ‘Terrace Lounge’ of this hotel in the same episode where Choi Chang-je (Kim Do-hyun) and Jin Hwa-young (Kim Shin-rok) discuss strategies.

This is ‘Royal Hotel’ where Eun Seon-woo (Jung Il-woo) chases after an informant in episode 1 of Good Job (Gutjap/굿잡) (ENA, 2022).

After arriving back in South Korea from a business trip, Gu Woong (Ahn Bo-hyun) is sent to the Convention Center of this hotel to deliver a speech in full episode 15 of Yumi’s Cells 2 (Yumiui Sepodeul 2/유미의 세포들 2) (TVING, 2022).

The Alpine Café of this hotel appears as a location abroad where Kang Yoo-sung (Yoon Jong-hoon) has a business meeting in episode 4 of Sh**ting Stars/Shooting Stars (Byeolttongbyeol/별똥별) (tvN, 2022).

Kang Da-goo (Lee Deok-hwa) asks Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) to meet up at the ‘Buffet Restaurant’ of this hotel and asks her about her relationship with his grandson Kang Tae-mu (Ahn Hyo-seop) in episode 11 of Business Proposal/A Business Proposal/Sanaematsun (사내맞선) (SBS/Netflix, 2022). But before she can explain herself, he tells her to end the relationship.

Han Kyeong-ae (Kim Hye-ok), mother of three unmarried sons, attends a wedding at this hotel in episode 1 of It’s Beautiful Now/Now Is Beautiful/It’s Beautiful Right Now (현재는 아름다워) (KBS2, 2022) and she finds herself defending her sons before a group of acquaintances at this hotel’s ‘Terrace Lounge’.

No Jung-a (Jin Kyung) meets Baek Seung-yoo (Lee Do-hyun) at the ‘Terrace Lounge’ of this hotel to formally invite him to be a mentor at the Asung Mathematics & Arts Gifted School, in episode 7 of Melancholia (멜랑꼴리아) (tvN, 2021). Seung-yoo, now with much more leverage, requests to join on his own terms.

Lee Se-ryeon (Yoon Jin-yi) has a blind-date set up at this hotel’s ‘Terrace Lounge’ in episode 12 of Young Lady and Gentleman/A Gentleman and a Young Lady (신사와 아가씨) (KBS2, 2021-22).

The crew of sageuk Nangrangbihwa – History Changing Love of a Swords-man, which stars Kwon Ryeok (Lee Jun-young) and Lee Ma-ha (Jung Ji-so), checks into this hotel at the beginning of episode 5 of Imitation (Imiteisyeon/이미테이션) (KBS2, 2021).

Shim Deok-chul (Park In-hwan) celebrates his 70th birthday with his family at this hotel in episode 1 of Navillera/Like A Butterfly (나빌레라) (tvN, 2021).

When Chae Ji-seung (Wang Bit-na) takes care of her friend’s daughter Kang Ha-eun (Park So-yi) for an afternoon, the two spend some time at this hotel’s lounge after Ha-eun’s tennis lesson in episode 3 of She Would Never Know/Senior, Don’t Put on That Lipstick (선배, 그 립스틱 바르지 마요) (JTBC, 2021). Lee Jae-woon (Lee Gyu-han) follows them here from the tennis court and when Ji-seung absents herself for a moment, he tries to find out from Ha-eun if Ji-seung is married, which makes Ha-eun call out ‘Mom’ when she sees Ji-seung coming back. In episode 15, Lee Hyo-joo (Lee Joo-bin) thinks back to her blind-date at this hotel and how she ran into Lee Jae-Shin (Lee Hyun-wook) when leaving the premises.

Sa Hye-jun (Park Bo-gum) is appointed Social Welfare Society Honorary Ambassador the at the Convention Center of this hotel in episode 16 of Record of Youth/The Moment/Youth Record (청춘기록) (tvN, 2020); also already seen in episode 11.

Yoon Seok-ho (Lee Sang-yeob) meets up with his ex-wife Sim Hwa-ran (Cha Soo-yeon) at this hotel’s café in full episode 14 of Good Casting (굿캐스팅) (SBS, 2020) and makes it clear to her that they do not have a second chance.

Also seen in episode 4 of The Road: The Tragedy of One (더 로드: 1의 비극/Deo Rodeu: 1-ui Bigeuk) (tvN, 2021); episode 12 of Start-Up (스타트업) (tvN/Netflix, 2020).

— MONSTA X’s “Shape of Love” (2022) concept photos – Originality ver.

Grand Hilton Seoul [그랜드힐튼 서울]
2002~2019

Parts of the exterior of this hotel appear as ‘Guseong Hotel’ in Never Twice/No Second Chances (두번은 없다) (MBC, 2019) — as seen, for instance, in episode 2 when Geum Bak-ha (Park Se-wan) leaves this venue.

The interior of this hotel appears as the interior of the hotel outside of Seoul where the workshop takes place in episode 15 of Still 17 / Thirty But Seventeen / 30 But 17 (서른이지만 열일곱입니다) (SBS, 2018) that Gong Woo-jin (Yang Se-jong) and Woo Seo-ri (Shin Hye-sun) attend. When Seo-ri sees somebody playing the violin at the hotel’s Terrace Lounge, she congratulates the person for their play and ends up playing her violin, a situation that Woo-jin observes from afar.

Yoon Jin-A (Son Ye-Jin) has a blind-date at this hotel’s Terrace Lounge (the exterior is filmed at another hotel) and she coincidently runs into her best friend Seo Kyung-Sun (Jang So-Yeon) who is about to meet her father at the same place in episodes 11-12 of Something in the Rain/Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food/Pretty Sister Who Treats Me to Meals (밥 잘 사주는 예쁜 누나) (JTBC, 2018). Kyung-sun is furious that Jin-a can do this while dating her brother and the whole situation gets very awkward.

The exterior of the place where the 2018 Myoungjeong Foundation event takes place in episode 2-3 of The Great Seducer/Tempted (위대한 유혹자) (MBC, 2018) is this hotel (parts of the interior are filmed here). This is where Kwon Shi-Hyun (Woo Do-Hwan) nearly overruns Eun Tae-Hee (Joy from Red Velvet) with his car.

Eun Bong-hee (Nam Ji-Hyun) comes here in episode 1 of Suspicious Partner/Love in Trouble (수상한 파트너) (SBS, 2017) and sees her boyfriend cheating on her. They talk in the Terrace Lounge of this hotel and she defies her boyfriend telling him that she’ll sleep with the first man she’ll run into to make their relationship even. Noh Ji-Wook (Ji Chang-Wook) – here for business meeting – overhears the conversation and steps into Bong-hee’s path so that she’ll bump into him when leaving. “Will you sleep with me?,” she asks him before she notices who he actually is.

This is seen as ‘Hyungjae Hotel’ in Witch’s Court/Witch at Court (마녀의 법정) (KBS2, 2017) — as seen in episode 8, when Ma Yi-deum (Jung Ryeo-won), Yeo Jin-wook (Yoon Hyun-min) and investigator Goo Seok-chan (Yoon Kyung-ho) enquire with the receptionist about a ‘K’ room in the hotel. They then cross paths with the pimp ‘Eel’ (Kim Ki-moo), and a chase ensues.

This is where the university alumni meeting takes place that Yoon So-Ah (Shin Se-Kyung) attends to find somebody that can lend her money in episode 3 of Bride of the Water God 2017 (하백의 신부 2017) (tvN, 2017). Of course, she runs into Hoo Ye (Lim Ju-Hwan) and Habaek (Nam Joo-Hyuk) becomes her savior.

Seo Ha-neul (Sung Yu-ri of former Fin.K.L) has a family dinner at this hotel for her birthday in episode 1 of One Fine Day (어느 멋진 날/어느 멋진날) (MBC, 2006) and this is where Kang Dong-ha (Namkoong Min) sees her and understands that she is from a different social class than he thought.

The premiere of Rex’s new MV —that he had just filmed in New Zealand with Young Hee-su (Kim Ok-bin) as main lead — takes place at this hotel in episode 2 of Over the Rainbow (오버 더 레인보우) (MBC, 2006). Hee-su also joins the celebration and has to find out that she was edited out of the video. Kwon Hyeok-ju (Ji Hyun-woo), who had watched the video premiere with friends, comes running over to console her.

Also seen in Doctor John/Doctor Yo-han (의사 요한) (SBS, 2019); Money Flower (돈꽃) (MBC, 2017); My Name is Kim Sam-Soon/My Lovely Sam Soon (내 이름은 김삼순) (MBC, 2005).

Swiss Grand Hotel Seoul [스위스 그랜드 호텔], established in May 1988, is a five-star hotel with a lobby resembling a historic European castle. It is located in Seoul’s neighborhood Hongeun [Hongeun-dong/홍은동] in the Seodaemun District [Seodaemun-gu/서대문구].

In April 2002, the hotel was taken over by the Hilton Group, which renamed it into Grand Hilton Seoul [그랜드힐튼 서울]. Since 2020, it has reverted to its original name.

The hotel’s convention center [그랜드 힐튼 호텔 컨벤션센터] was designed by Junglim Architects & Engineers (대한민국 정림건축 종합건축사사무소) in 1999 and competed in 2001. The architecture firm received the Bronze Prize of the 2002 Seoul Architecture Award (2002 서울특별시 건축상) and the Bronze Prize of the 2002 The 11th Korean Architecture Awards (2002 제11회 한국건축문화대상).

The Terrace Lounge is typically the meeting point for K-Dramaland’s characters at this hotel.

Address
서울특별시 서대문구 연희로 353
353 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
(홍은동 201-1)
Geolocation: 37.588838, 126.934032

Getting here
Hongje Station [홍제역], Seoul Subway Line 3, Exit 4
(5 min. by car / 8 min. by public transport / 16 min. walk)

— submitted by Marion KDL, updated by Mich KDL; last updated 19/05/2023
— Reborn Rich added by GGRIP