Lee Hyun-cheol (An Woo-yeon) is befriended by hip hop muso Lee Moon-se (Ji Min-hyuk) and his crew in Mint Condition (민트 컨디션) (tvN, 2021, Drama Stage Series — single episode). After an altercation with school bullies, the crew walk through the tunnel, in compulsory slow-motion, attempting to look cool and edgy.

When back in South Korea, Eun-jo (Kang Chan-hee of SF9) walks past the little public park at the Southern end of this tunnel in final episode 12 of Imitation (Imiteisyeon/이미테이션) (KBS2, 2021)and watches street musicians play which makes him think of a moment when he joined a group of buskers right at this park together with his late girlfriend Annie (Yeon Si-woo).

This tunnel is also shown in the final scenes of episode 16 of Oh My Ladylord/Oh! Master (오! 주인님) (MBC, 2021), with Han Bi-soo and Joo-in’s agents running together in the rain, sheltering under a jacket, at the Yonsei University Exit.

Disguised Han Yu-hyeon (Kim Young-kwang) meets up at this tunnel with disguised Anthony (Eum Moon-suk) in episode 3 of Hello, Me!/안녕? 나야! (KBS2, 2021) and they exchange money against limited edition accessories.

This tunnel is seen as Park Tae-joo (Yoo Je-hee) recounts the story of how Han-son (Tae Won-seock) got his name to Cha Joo-eun (Seohyun from Girls Generation/Seo Ju-hyun) and Jang Min-jung (Jang Jin-hee), in episode 7 of Private Lives/Private Life/Sasaenghwal (사생활) (JTBC, 2020). According to Tae-joo, Han-son was known for only using one hand to defeat his opponents, which is quite literally ‘han son’ in Korean.

When Sa Hye-joon (Park Bo-gum) walks back home drunk An Jeong-ha (Park So-dam) in episode 4 of Record of Youth/The Moment/Youth Record (청춘기록) (tvN, 2020), she breaks down and cries at the southern entry of this tunnel.

Yoon Tae-oh (Ji Soo) and Seo Do-hyun (Jung Jin-young) come here to talk things out with each other in episode 13 of My First First Love/Because It’s My First Love (첫사랑은 처음이라서) (Netflix, 2019).

On her way back home at night in episode 4 of Touch Your Heart/Reach of Sincerity (진심이 닿다) (tvN, 2019), secretary Yang Eun-ji (Jang So-yeon) decides to pass through this tunnel as a short-cut to her home. While doing so, she suddenly senses that somebody’s following her and quickens her pace. She freaks out when the person catches up with her — but it turns out to be her colleague Lee Doo-seob (Park Ji-hwan).

The police cracks down a cellphone dealer and his victim here in episode 25 of While You Were Sleeping (당신이 잠든 사이에) (SBS, 2017). As the story tells us, the dealer is the brother of the murderer of Nam Hong-joo’s (Bae Suzy)’s and Jung Jae-chan’s (Lee Jong-suk) dads.

Bong Pil (Kim Jae-joong) runs through this tunnel to finally confess his love to Kang Soo-Jin (Uee) in episode 1 of Manhole (맨홀-이상한 나라의 필) (KBS2, 2017), only not to be able to say a word when finally in front of her hours later. It’s also the manhole in front of this tunnel, that he’ll time travel just after berating himself (again and again) for another missed chance.

Flashback to the 1990s at the end of episode 16 of The Best Hit (최고의 한방) (KBS2, 2017): J2’s MV for “Say It” was filmed here.

In episode 10 of Goblin/Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (쓸쓸하고 찬란하神 – 도깨비) (tvN, 2016-17), Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) and the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook) were seen doing the runway walk through this tunnel after buying green onions (대파) for Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun) and their moment was interrupted when a motorist passed between them.

This tunnel was also featured in the web drama To Be Continued (투 비 컨티뉴드) (MBC Every 1, 2015), in which K-pop group ASTRO teleports in time, and Dream Knight (드림나이트) (Naver TV Cast, 2015) — starring GOT7.

Sinchon Graffiti Tunnel [신촌벽화터널] —also known as 신촌 토끼굴— is a 65 meters long and 4.5 meters wide passenger tunnel located in Seoul’s neighborhood Sinchon [Sinchon-dong/신촌동], in the Seodaemun District [Seodaemun-gu/서대문구]. In fact, this is a pass underneath the Gyeongui Line rail tracks leading to Sinchon Station [신촌역] connecting the street Sinchonnyeok-ro [신촌역로] on the station’s southern side Shinchon Myeongmul Intersection [신촌 명물거리삼거리와] and Severance Hospital [세브란스병원] to the one just behind the station. Formerly a dark and rather smelly tunnel, Seodaemun District installed LED lights, let the walls be painted with graffiti, newly paved the floor outside the tunnel and installed wooden staircase for safe access (on the northern side) and thus turned the walkway into a “cultural tourist attraction” in the frame of the Sinchon Rabbit Cave Public Art Project (신촌 토끼굴 공공미술 프로젝트) in June 2017.

The wall located at Changchun Street at Changcheon Stream (위치한 창천가) was painted by Shin Joo-wook (신주욱) showcasing landmarks such as Hong Je-cheon (홍제천) and Independence Gate (독립문).
The faces of poet Yoon Dong-joo/Yun Dong-ju (윤동주/尹東柱, 1917-1945), and Korean student activist Lee Han-yeol (이한열) as well as Korean independant activitst organizer Yu Gwansun (유관순/柳寬順, 1902-1920) and Kim Nan-sa (김난사), the first Korean woman to hold a US Bachelor Degree, were drawn by graffiti artist Leo Dav (레오다브, real name Choi Sung-wook/최성욱) at the entrance (existing still in July 2018); depicting people all related to Seodaemun District as Park Martin (박마틴) writes for the Human Aid Post (휴먼에이드).

Address
143-28 Daeshin-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
서울 서대문구 대신동 143-28 (Daum)
Geolocation: 37.560188, 126.941271

Getting here
Sinchon Station [신촌역 경의중앙선], Gyeongui Line, Exit 2 (NOT Seoul Subway Line 2)
▶ Turn left when getting out of the station
▶ Follow the road for 200-300 meters.
▶ The tunnel entry will be on your left hand side.

For those entering the tunnel from the opposite end
▶ Megabox Sinchon [메가박스 신촌점] is typically used as a landmark to find it, so follow the building.
▶ You will eventually end up at some stairs that lead you down to the tunnel (likely the ones seen in My First First Love).

Note
If you are visiting, note that the tunnel has been repainted so it’s highly unlikely that you’d be able to spot the iconic pieces seen in Goblin. While the walls were all painted white in February 2018 as Yoora informed us, Micka followed up to let us know the walls have been painted with graffiti again (as of 04/03/2018).

— submitted by Wewe, updated by Marion & Mich KDL
— Photos taken by © Florence, August 2018 & November 2019
— Dream Knight & To Be Continued submitted by Paige
— The Best Hit added by Caitlin
— Mint Condition; Oh My Ladylord added by sarahms