Guryongpo Japanese House Street is one of the most distinctive places to visit in Pohang. Wooden façades, narrow lanes and stone steps create a nostalgic streetscape beside Guryongpo Port, while fans of When the Camellia Blooms will recognize several familiar filming locations.
However, this is more than a K-drama photo stop. The surviving buildings are evidence of a difficult period in Korea's modern history, when Japanese settlement and fishing interests expanded along the East Sea coast. A thoughtful visit begins with that background, then connects the old houses with the working harbor that still shapes Guryongpo today.
Location: Guryongpo, southern Pohang
Main sights: Historic wooden houses, museum, K-drama locations and harbor
Street admission: Free
Museum hours: 10:00–17:30
Museum closing day: Monday
Museum admission: Free
Parking: Available and free according to the official listing
Recommended visit: About 2–3 hours
Best route: Museum → old street → park stairs → Guryongpo Port
Where is Guryongpo Japanese House Street?
The historic district sits beside Guryongpo Port on Pohang's southeastern coast. The official listing gives the address as 153-1 Guryongpo-gil, Guryongpo-eup, Nam-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. In Korean navigation apps, search for 구룡포 일본인 가옥거리 or 구룡포 근대문화역사관.
The old street, museum, park stairs and port are close enough to explore on foot. The main lane is compact, but the hill and stairway add some effort. Visitors who prefer a level route can stay around the museum, lower alleys and harbor without missing the historical core of the area.
Why are Japanese-style houses preserved here?
According to the Korea Tourism Organization, Japanese residents began settling in Guryongpo after the 1883 Joseon–Japan Trade Treaty. Japanese influence over the East Sea fishing industry grew over time while Korean fishing rights were restricted. The settlement later became part of the wider history of Japanese colonial rule.
Pohang preserved 47 surviving wooden houses so that this history would remain visible. For that reason, calling the area a charming “Japanese village” misses the point. The architecture may look picturesque today, but it should be read as evidence of unequal power, colonial expansion and the changes imposed on a Korean fishing community.
Start at Guryongpo Modern History Museum
The Guryongpo Modern History Museum is the best first stop because it explains the district before you walk through it. The museum occupies one of the preserved wooden buildings and uses reconstructed rooms, household items and period displays to show how residents lived.
Hours: 10:00–17:30
Closed: Mondays
Admission: Free
Inquiry: 054-276-9605
The outdoor street itself is listed as open throughout the year, but individual museums, cafés and shops keep their own schedules. If the museum is important to you, avoid Monday and arrive well before closing rather than leaving it until the end of the walk.
Walking the old alleys
Guryongpo Japanese House Street is small enough to cross quickly, but rushing defeats the purpose. Look beyond the storefronts and notice the dark timber, old windows, rooflines, narrow side passages and small courtyards. Some buildings are visitor facilities or businesses, while others are not open to the public, so follow signs and respect closed doors.
The commercial side of the street is now part of the experience. Small cafés, snack shops and souvenir stores occupy several restored buildings. They bring activity to the district, but the most rewarding details are often found a little away from the busiest photo spots.
When the Camellia Blooms filming locations
The neighborhood became widely known after appearing as the fictional town of Ongsan in the 2019 K-drama When the Camellia Blooms. Fans come for the stairway, alleys and Camellia location, but the filming route is woven into a real residential and commercial district rather than a purpose-built television set.
The recognizable Camellia building now operates as a café and select shop selling drinks, desserts and souvenirs. Business hours can change, so confirm its current listing if going inside is essential to your visit. Even when you have not watched the drama, the route still works well as an architecture and harbor walk.
Climb the park stairs for the harbor view
The long stairway behind the street leads to a higher view over old rooftops, Guryongpo village, the breakwater and the East Sea. This is the viewpoint that ties the historic district to the fishing port below. The Korea Tourism Organization notes that the scenery from the park stairs was recognized in the Korea Landscape Awards.
The climb is optional. Anyone travelling with a stroller, sore knees or limited mobility can enjoy the lower street and harbor instead. If you do climb, pause near the upper sections and look back rather than focusing only on reaching the top.
Optional evening stop: Pieora Stairway Media Art
The stairway also hosts a free outdoor media-art show. VISITKOREA currently lists performances from Friday through Sunday, with each show lasting about ten minutes. The published times are 20:00, 20:20 and 20:40 in summer, and every 20 minutes from 18:00 through 19:40 in winter.
This is a changeable program rather than a reason to structure the entire trip around an old timetable. Weather, maintenance and local programming can affect it, so check the current official listing before waiting for an evening performance.
Continue to Guryongpo Port and market
The preserved street exists because of the sea, so the visit feels incomplete without walking down to Guryongpo Port. Fishing boats, public parking areas, seafood shops and market activity show the working town beyond the restored tourist lane.
Guryongpo is known for seasonal seafood, especially snow crab and gwamegi, the locally associated half-dried fish traditionally eaten in colder months. Squid, sashimi, grilled fish and seafood soups are also common. Availability and prices change with the catch, so ask the price before ordering crab or another market-priced item.
Admission, parking and transportation
Admission to Guryongpo Japanese House Street and the Modern History Museum is free. The current official tourism listing also shows parking as available and free. Spaces nearest the main street can fill on busy weekends, so follow local signs to the public parking areas rather than stopping in narrow lanes.
Travelling without a car is possible, although Guryongpo is outside central Pohang. From Pohang Station or downtown, use a city bus toward Guryongpo and continue through the district on foot. Bus numbers and intervals can change, so Naver Map or KakaoMap is more reliable than an old route copied from a travel post. A taxi is simpler but costs considerably more over this distance.
Wear comfortable shoes for alleys and stairs.
Carry a light outer layer because the harbor can be windy.
Use Papago or another translation app for Korean-only interpretation.
Check museum and media-art status before travelling for a specific program.
Allow extra transport time when coming from Pohang Station.
Best half-day route and Homigot combination
For a focused Guryongpo visit, allow two to three hours. Begin at the museum, walk the old houses and drama locations, climb only as much of the park stairway as feels comfortable, then finish at the port for lunch or coffee. This order gives the scenery a historical context before you reach the waterfront.
Modern History Museum
→ Japanese House Street
→ When the Camellia Blooms locations
→ park stairs and harbor viewpoint
→ Guryongpo Port
→ seafood meal or café
If you have a car, combine Guryongpo with Homigot Sunrise Square. The two attractions are close enough for an efficient coastal day but offer different experiences: Homigot is about the open sea and sunrise landscape, while Guryongpo is about modern history, architecture and fishing-town life. Public transport makes the combination slower, so check the actual connections before committing to both in one day.
Common mistakes to avoid
Calling it a traditional Korean village
The district preserves Japanese-style buildings connected to settlement and colonial history. It is not a hanok village.
Visiting only for K-drama photos
The filming locations are enjoyable, but the museum and harbor explain why this neighborhood exists and give the visit much more depth.
Assuming every building is open
Some buildings contain museums or shops, while others have restricted access. Follow posted notices and respect private spaces.
Arriving on Monday for the museum
The outdoor street remains accessible, but the Modern History Museum is closed on Mondays.
Planning around an old media-art schedule
The official listing can change. Confirm the day's program if the evening show is a priority.
Guryongpo Japanese House Street FAQ
Is Guryongpo Japanese House Street free?
Yes. The historic street, Modern History Museum and listed public parking are currently free.
Was When the Camellia Blooms filmed here?
Yes. Guryongpo served as a major location for the fictional town of Ongsan in the 2019 drama.
What are the museum hours?
The current official hours are 10:00–17:30. The museum is closed on Mondays.
How long should I spend in Guryongpo?
Allow about two to three hours for the museum, alleys, park stairs and port. Add more time for a seafood meal or a Homigot side trip.
Final tip
The best way to understand Guryongpo is to follow the story from the buildings to the sea. Start with the museum, walk the preserved street without reducing it to a retro backdrop, climb the stairs for the wider view and finish beside the fishing boats. That sequence connects the settlement's difficult history with the working coastal town that exists today.
VISITKOREA: Guryongpo Japanese House Street
VISITKOREA: Guryongpo Modern History Museum
VISITKOREA: Pieora Stairway Media Art
Pohang Tourism official website
Museum hours, shop hours and media-art schedules may change. Check the official listing before travelling for a specific program.
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