Exclusive Visit to the Mansions of Cheon Song-yi and Do Min-jun, Reliving Iconic Scenes from Korean Dramas

Text and photos /Maji Little Rabbit

In early June, a friend sent me a news article, and my heart immediately started screaming!!! Oh my God!! The South Korean SBS TV network had specially curated an [I Am Not a Robot Special Exhibition] at the newly opened Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, fully recreating the drama’s filming sets and props—allowing fans to immerse themselves in the love story of Do Min-jun and Cheon Song-yi.

Oh my, oh my, oh my… what an absolutely enchanting event for fans of the show—especially that dreamy study room in Do Min-jun’s home and the star-gazing garden. It was just too tempting. Ugh, I so badly wanted to go!!! I wanted to go on a date at Do Min-jun’s house soooo much~~~.

Just as I was almost about to give up on the idea, a series of perfectly aligned circumstances led me to book a trip to Seoul. So I spontaneously arranged the only free weekend in July to take a quick trip with a good friend, embarking on a mini Seoul getaway to rendezvous with Do Min-jun.

The “Dongdaemun Design Plaza DDP” is a design masterpiece by Dame Zaha Hadid—the first female recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize—an Iraqi-British architect whose work has always had a futuristic and abstract feel, known also for deconstructivism. Her architectural creations break conventional spatial concepts and are wonderfully unrestrained. Unfortunately, her works have eluded Taiwan several times.

※ Taichung’s Guggenheim Museum project was scrapped, and the bid for the Taichung Opera House was lost to Toyo Ito.
※ It’s said that Asia University once invited Zaha Hadid to design a campus building, but it’s unclear if that will happen. However, Asia University’s Tadao Ando Art and Design Museum has already been completed—so it’s still exciting to wonder if a Zaha Hadid design might eventually appear.
※ There was also the Yatai Land Mega Urban Project initiated by the Jet Year Group (I almost got the chance to help shoot a documentary for it), which invited many international masters—including Zaha Hadid—to design. But it seems it hasn’t been completed yet, so it looks like Taiwan might not be getting any master-designed buildings for now.

Seoul’s “Dongdaemun Design Plaza DDP,” with its futuristic metallic form resembling a spaceship, is truly stunning. When I visited Seoul at the end of 2013, it was still under construction—but even then, passing by Dongdaemun, it caught my eye like a spaceship parked right in the center of Korea’s fashion hub.

Since its opening, DDP has hosted a variety of exhibitions and performances. If you’re planning a trip to Seoul, it’s worth checking out—you can look up current exhibitions in advance on the “Dongdaemun Design Plaza DDP” official website.

The SBS TV network’s special exhibition [I Am Not a Robot Special Exhibition], held in March 2014 at the newly opened “Dongdaemun Design Plaza DDP,” fulfilled fans’ dreams of getting close to their idols. Outside the venue, there was even an SBS SNG (satellite news gathering) vehicle parked.

Take exit 1 or 2 at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station on subway lines 2, 4, or 5. Alternatively, you can walk straight for about 5 minutes from exit 7 of Dongdaemun Station on line 1—it’s not far. (We stayed near line 1, so we just exited from Dongdaemun Station.)

Just seeing the signs got me excited!!
%he entrance is very eye-catching, and once you're inside, you can get your ticket right away.

%he ticket booth for Hall 1 is just ahead.

%he theme of this exhibition is really cool. There's a floor map right at the entrance.

%he single entry ticket costs 5,000 KRW, about 500 TWD. There are also combo tickets available, such as pairing with fried chicken and beer or with tickets to Petite France Village—but you’ll have to figure out how to get to Petite France yourself. I just bought the single entry ticket.

%he actual exhibition space is way cooler than I imagined. You don’t need to wait in long lines either, and there are multiple entrances. Once you enter the venue, you can immediately enjoy the atmosphere.

%ote that there are card vending machines nearby where you can get a “Cheon Song-yi & Do Min-jun Card”—a prepaid card loaded with 5,000 KRW that you can use right away.

%ing ready with some Korean won is also a good idea.

%here are also photo zones that let you feel the atmosphere of the drama’s filming locations. It’s really immersive.

%he main design center building itself is part of the exhibition experience. The scene where Cheon Song-yi falls during filming in episode 4 was shot here.

%here’s a rooftop area where you can look down and see the world of the drama characters.

%he second floor features displays about the drama’s storyline.

%hey also showcase the costumes and props used in the scene where Do Min-jun and Cheon Song-yi’s past-life selves meet 400 years ago—you can even pick up the umbrella and take photos.

%he display layout is really well thought out.

%here’s also a romantic corridor with lighting that feels just like in the drama.

% Continued from the previous section? The explanation has come to an end, [

% I thought of something else to remind you, which you should probably understand.

% The couplet on the wall is also quite poetic.

% The second floor is where the male lead’s study is located. It’s really beautiful. However, you can only see the study from afar, you can’t go inside. There are also sofas, a coffee table, and bookshelves arranged in another corner, creating a very cozy atmosphere that also reflects real living needs. It’s not just a pretty picture.

% The living room is actually the set of the male lead’s home. The sofa is his favorite spot, and I collapsed onto it~

% From this corner, you can see the male lead’s bookshelf, but you can’t see the girl lead inside the house. Maybe she has some connection with the male lead’s room, but I’m not sure. The staff said Kim Soo-hyun’s agency doesn’t allow individual photos with the male lead. What the heck!! Photos are taken immediately after payment. You can choose the background too, and of course, I picked my favorite study. I hope to have such a personal study one day. (Is your bunny paw trying to push out the main wife or what...)

% You can see the whole cityscape here.

% There are also many scenes in the drama that use CGI effects, like Do Min-jun’s teleportation scenes.

% Here you can take photos with the male lead and the female lead, or just with the male lead, or even with the female lead. Each costs 10,000 KRW, but there’s no option to take a photo alone with Do Min-jun. The staff said Kim Soo-hyun’s agency doesn’t authorize solo photos with the male lead. What is this?! Photos are printed right after payment. You can also choose the background—I naturally went with my favorite study. I hope to have a study like that in the future. (Is your bunny hand trying to push out the main wife or what...)

% There’s a touchscreen here where you can select and instantly print your photo.

% Here you can also watch CGI effect videos.

% On the second floor, when you look through the bookshelf, the 3D effect is quite special—the books look like they’re right in front of you.

% When you open this door, the bookshelf will automatically slide open, making you feel as if you can step into the male lead’s space like he does. (Although I accidentally knocked my head... XDDD)

% Another tip: you can take photos in the male lead’s living room, which costs another 10,000 KRW. The staff will let you take several shots and pick the ones you like. The balcony where the two often hang out actually has a green-screen night view added in post-production.

% I finally saw the male lead’s living room—it’s so big and beautiful. I really have to admire the detail and scale of Korean dramas.

% I also took a photo with the female lead.

% There’s also a scene of the male lead working in the study and a kitchen scene, both really well done.

% The male lead’s room is just... wow!!!

% Some scenes were actually filmed elsewhere, though this part is just a set.

% The drama used a lot of special filming techniques, like time-freezing scenes where only the lead moves. They shoot about 20 angles here, resulting in roughly 180 degrees of coverage.

% After the photos are taken, you’ll get a QR code to scan, then download your digital photos later. If you can’t download them at home, they can also save them to a USB drive for you on-site. I saw it, but I’m not sure if they charge extra for that.

% The time it takes to get the photos is quite fast.

% I walked to this corner~ This is the male lead’s study, the one I was most excited to visit. I really hope I can have a study like this one day~ (I couldn’t bear to leave)

% Also, since the drama was filmed over 10 years ago, the study has a lot of old books, and the props are really well made.

% When I looked at the male lead’s bookshelf, I really appreciated how much love went into this corner.

% I also want to have a bookshelf like that.

% Then the next corner is the male lead’s home set!!

% There’s also the dining area.

% And the hallway.

Photo zones feature cutout boards for taking pictures—most girls will move the cutout of Cheon Song-yi far away first... XDDD. The drama stills zone displays several iconic scenes from the show.

[From Star to You. Special Exhibition]
Duration: June 10, 2014 – August 15, 2014
Hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Location: DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza), A1
Transportation: Exit 1 or 2 of Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Seoul Subway Lines 2, 4, 5); or about a 5-minute walk straight ahead from Exit 7 of Dongdaemun Station (Line 1).
Official Chinese Website: http://lovefromstar.sbs.co.kr/main_chinese.html