Everything still looks the same— and Gong Yoo just went back

What the Goblin 10th Anniversary Special Actually Shows

The Goblin 10th anniversary special is a 1-night, 2-day reunion road trip that brings the drama's four leads — Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, and Yoo In-na — back to its original filming locations for the first time in a decade. It premieres July 4, 2026 at 9:10 p.m. KST on tvN . This is a travel variety program, not a studio interview or clip package — the cast actually revisits the coast where the 2016 series was shot .

The trip itself was filmed on April 24–25, 2026 as a one-night, two-day excursion, with the destination set in Gangneung, Gangwon Province — the coastal region tied to the drama's most recognizable imagery . According to Dojeon Media, the full title is reported as "함께여서 찬란하神 — 도깨비 10주년 여행" (roughly "Together, So Brilliantly Divine — Goblin 10th Anniversary Trip") .

One detail worth clarifying: the special airs as part of tvN's own 20th-anniversary programming lineup, not on the drama's exact broadcast anniversary. Goblin first aired December 2, 2016, so its literal 10th anniversary falls in December 2026 . The original 2016 series was itself branded a "tvN 10th anniversary special project," which is why some online phrasing blurs the two milestones .

The first teaser dropped May 22, 2026 and leans entirely on the drama's lore: it centers on the Jumunjin breakwater — where Ji Eun-tak "summoned" the Goblin by blowing out candles — alongside the OST "이미지," the red scarf, and buckwheat-flower (메밀꽃) motifs . The reunion's sentimental hook is captured in Yoo In-na's reaction at the shore: "It's amazing how everything still looks exactly the same" (너무 신기할 정도로 그때랑 똑같아 보여) .

The Filming Locations: Jumunjin Breakwater and What Fans Will Find There Now

Jumunjin Breakwater (주문진 방파제) is the symbolic heart of the reunion — the open-sea pier in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, where Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun) blew out birthday candles and unknowingly "summoned" Kim Shin, the Goblin (Gong Yoo), in Episode 1 of the 2016 series . The candle scene was filmed at the breakwater's tip facing the water, marked by a tall red lighthouse and a stone pier — both structurally unchanged a decade on, which is exactly what struck the cast on the teaser: "It's amazing how everything still looks exactly the same" (너무 신기할 정도로 그때랑 똑같아 보여), Yoo In-na noted at the shore .

What has changed is everything behind the pier. The Jumunjin fishing village has grown into a recognized fan-tourism stop since the drama's 2016 broadcast, and several cafés and photo-stop businesses now lean explicitly on Goblin iconography — red-scarf signage and menu names that echo the show's motifs . The breakwater itself remains free, open public infrastructure, so the exact candle spot is reachable on foot without tickets or reservations. Coverage around the special notes that the production deliberately revisited this broader Gangneung seaside backdrop rather than a single frame .

📍 View on Google Maps

Beyond Jumunjin, specific itinerary stops had not been fully detailed at the teaser stage, so additional Gangneung location reveals may follow closer to the July air date . The table below maps what is currently confirmed against the wider Gangneung coastline fans tend to pair with it.

For fans timing a visit, the practical takeaway is simple: the one element the cast traveled back for — the candle-scene breakwater — is the one element you can still stand on yourself, unchanged, while the village around it has quietly turned into a small Goblin pilgrimage hub .

Day 1: Seoul to Gangneung — Getting There and the First Coastal Stop

Getting to the breakwater is a half-day trip: take the KTX on the Gyeonggang Line from Seoul Station or Cheongnyangni to Gangneung Station in about two hours, then transfer to a local bus or taxi for the final 20–25 minutes to Jumunjin. Standard one-way fares start from around ₩27,600, and seats sell out fast in summer, so booking ahead is the single most useful thing you can do before this trip.

Tickets are available through the official Korail app or the SRT app. Advance reservations are strongly recommended in July and August — the same window the special airs (premiere July 4, 2026 on tvN ), when fresh interest in the location collides with peak East Sea beach season. Aim for a morning departure so you reach Gangneung with the afternoon still open.

From Gangneung Station, two routes reach the Jumunjin coast:

• Local bus 300 or 302 — roughly 25 minutes, about ₩1,500 with a transit card.
• Taxi — roughly 20 minutes, approximately ₩13,000–16,000 depending on traffic.

Time the breakwater for late afternoon. Walking out to the candle-scene pier before sunset gives you the softest light and the thinnest crowds — the red lighthouse and the open public coastline that the cast revisited photograph best in the golden hour . The walk itself is short and flat, so it slots neatly into the first evening rather than requiring a full day.

For an overnight base, two areas work. Gangneung city center, near the station, is the budget-friendly choice and keeps you close to the next morning's train and bus connections. The Gyeongpo Beach area sits closer to the coast, with guesthouses to mid-range hotels running roughly ₩60,000–120,000 per night. Either puts you within easy reach of Day 2's coastal circuit.

For a first dinner, lean into Gangneung's regional specialties rather than chain food. Chodang sundubu (초당순두부), the area's signature soft tofu, is concentrated in the Chodang tofu village, while ojingeo-sundae (오징어 순대) — squid stuffed with glass noodles — is a coastal classic found near the harbor and around Gyeongpo. Both are inexpensive, distinctly local, and a fitting close to a day that ends where the drama's most-quoted scene was filmed .

Day 2: The Full Jumunjin to Gangneung Coast Circuit

Start Day 2 back at the Jumunjin breakwater between 8 and 10 a.m., before the day-trippers arrive, and walk to the far tip of the pier facing the open sea — the exact spot where Ji Eun-tak blew out her candles and summoned Kim Shin in the 2016 series . Summer mornings here often bring dense sea fog rolling off the water, the same atmospheric backdrop the drama leaned on, so an early arrival doubles as the best light of the day. When the cast returned to this shore for the anniversary special, Yoo In-na summed up the feeling on camera:

"It's amazing how everything still looks exactly the same," — Yoo In-na, on revisiting the Gangneung filming sites a decade later (source: Soompi).

Mid-morning, explore Jumunjin village on foot and scan for Goblin-themed café signage that has accumulated around the harbor over the years. The red lighthouse at the pier's end is the standard photo anchor, but the stone walkway running along the breakwater wall also appears in the anniversary teaser footage — worth framing if you want a shot that goes beyond the obvious.

Gyeongpo Lake (경포호) | Scenic Trail

In the afternoon, move south to Gyeongpo Lake and its coastal trail, where the wide, sea-fog horizons echo the open seaside mood the drama used throughout its Gangneung scenes. The flat lakeside loop is easy walking and pairs the inland lagoon with the adjacent Gyeongpo Beach, giving you both calm water and open coast in one stop. It sits roughly 30 minutes by bus or about 20 minutes by taxi from Jumunjin.

📋 Gyeongpo Lake, Gangneung-si, Gangwon Province · open public trail (no fixed hours) · lakeside walking and cycling loop

💡 Rent a bike at the lake if you want to cover the full loop quickly, and time your visit for late afternoon when the light over the water is softest.

📍 94 Jeo-dong, Gangneung, Gangwon-do
🕒 Daily Open 24 hours
⭐ 4.4 (577 reviews)
🔗 View on Google Maps

Anmok Beach Coffee Street (안목해변 커피 거리) | Café District

Close the circuit in the late afternoon at Anmok Beach coffee street, a continuous string of independent cafés sitting directly on the sand. It delivers the Gangneung coastal atmosphere — espresso with a sea view — without the Goblin tourist density of Jumunjin, making it a quieter place to decompress before the trip back. The strip is known locally as the origin of Gangneung's coffee reputation, and most cafés keep large windows or terraces facing the water.

📋 Anmok Beach, Gangneung-si, Gangwon Province · most cafés open late morning into the evening · beachfront independent coffee shops

💡 Grab a hand-drip coffee to go and walk the shoreline; weekday afternoons are far less crowded than weekend evenings.

📍 Gyeonso-dong, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do
🕒 Daily 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM
⭐ 4.3 (1,854 reviews)
🔗 View on Google Maps

For the return, the last KTX departures from Gangneung Station to Seoul typically run between roughly 10 and 11 p.m. KST, but summer timetables shift, so confirm your specific train on the Korail app on the day of travel rather than relying on a fixed time. Building in that buffer lets you stay for sunset at Anmok without risking a missed connection back to the capital.

Extending the Pilgrimage: The Full 2016 Goblin Filming Map

Gangneung is only one chapter of the original shoot. The 2016 drama filmed across three Korean regions and one Canadian city, so a complete "Goblin" pilgrimage stretches from a Joseon-era mansion in central Seoul to the cobblestones of Quebec. According to production records for Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, the Korean sites cluster in Seoul, South Jeolla, and North Jeolla, while the international sequences were shot in Quebec City . The Gangneung reunion special leans on the same visual motifs — the red scarf and buckwheat flowers — that connect several of these locations .

운현궁 양관 (Unhyeongung Western Annex) | 관광

The Western Annex of Unhyeongung in Jongno served as the exterior of Kim Shin's 900-year-old residence, the grand house where the immortal Goblin lives across centuries. The building pairs with the Duksung Women's University main gate for the drama's recurring street scenes, so fans often treat the two as a single Seoul stop. Entry to the Unhyeongung grounds is free, which makes it an easy addition to a central-Seoul day.

📋 주소 · 운현궁 일대, 종로구, 서울 · 영업시간: 방문 전 확인 권장 · 특징: 입장료 무료, 김신 저택 외관

💡 Visit on a weekday morning for clear photos of the facade before tour groups arrive; combine it with nearby Insadong.

📍 464 Yulgok-ro, Jongno District, Seoul
🕒 Monday Closed / Tuesday–Sunday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
⭐ 4.3 (11 reviews)
📞 02-2148-1114
🔗 View on Google Maps

덕성여자대학교 정문 (Duksung Women's University Main Gate) | 거리

The university's main gate appears in the drama's everyday street sequences, the ordinary urban backdrop that grounds the fantasy. It is a quick, free photo stop rather than a destination in itself, best slotted in alongside the Unhyeongung visit for fans tracing Kim Shin's Seoul scenes.

📋 주소 · 덕성여자대학교, 서울 · 특징: 드라마 거리 장면 배경

💡 It is an operating campus, so keep to public areas and be mindful during class hours.

📍 33 Samyang-ro 144-gil, Dobong-gu, Seoul
⭐ 4.6 (184 reviews)
📞 02-901-8000
🔗 View on Google Maps

나주 영상 테마파크 (Naju Image Theme Park) | 체험

The Naju Image Theme Park in South Jeolla hosted the drama's period sequences and the buckwheat-field imagery tied to the show's lore, alongside nearby Gimje. Naju remains an active film location, so opening hours can shift around productions — confirm before you travel. The buckwheat scenes reach their visual peak in late September to early October, the same seasonal motif the 2026 reunion special revisits in its promotional materials .

📋 주소 · 나주 영상 테마파크, 전라남도 나주시 · 영업시간: 촬영 일정에 따라 변동, 방문 전 확인 · 특징: 사극·메밀밭 장면 배경

💡 Time a late-September to early-October trip to catch buckwheat in bloom; the nearest hub is Naju Station on the Honam KTX line.

📍 산2 Sin-gok-ri, Gongsan-myeon, Naju, Jeollanam-do
⭐ 4 (496 reviews)
📞 061-335-7008
🔗 View on Google Maps

Château Frontenac & Petit Champlain (Quebec City, Canada) | 관광

For fans planning the full cross-continental route, Quebec City holds the drama's internationally iconic scenes: the Château Frontenac courtyard, the cobblestone Petit Champlain street, and the Fontaine de Tourny . These backdrops carry the same fairy-tale weight that made "Goblin" a phenomenon, and they remain freely walkable parts of the historic Old Quebec district.

📋 주소 · Vieux-Québec, Quebec City, Canada · 특징: 샤토 프롱트낙, 쁘띠 샹플랭, 투르니 분수

💡 Late spring through autumn offers the mildest weather for walking the Old Town; fly into Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport.

📍 1 Rue des Carrières, Québec, QC G1R 5J5, Canada
⭐ 4.7 (26,730 reviews)
📞 (418) 692-3861
🔗 View on Google Maps

Budget, Best Season, and What to Pack

A two-day Gangneung pilgrimage built around the Jumunjin breakwater costs roughly ₩155,000–250,000 per person (about USD $115–185 at 2026 rates) once transport, a night's stay, and meals are counted. That estimate breaks down as a KTX round trip of ₩55,000–60,000, accommodation of ₩60,000–120,000 depending on whether you book a guesthouse or a sea-view hotel, and ₩40,000–70,000 for meals and local buses or taxis along the coast. These are planning ranges rather than fixed prices, and they scale with season, room class, and how far north you push along the shoreline.

Season changes both the cost and the atmosphere. The drama's signature imagery leans on buckwheat flowers (메밀꽃), the red scarf, and thick coastal fog, all of which the 2026 teaser deliberately revisited in Gangneung . For that full "Goblin" mood, late September to early October is the closest match: buckwheat is in bloom inland and along the route, the sea fog is denser, and the summer peak crowds have thinned. It also aligns with the buckwheat-season windows of the original mainland filming sites in Naju and Gimje.

A July visit, timed to the special's broadcast on July 4, 2026, on tvN , is a different experience: warm, humid, and building toward the August high season when Gangneung's beaches fill up. If you go in summer, arrive at the Jumunjin breakwater before 9 a.m. for clear, people-free photo angles, and treat sunscreen and water as non-negotiable for the exposed coastal walk. The cast themselves filmed the reunion as a one-night, two-day trip on April 24–25, 2026 , a shoulder-season window that avoids both extremes.

Pack for a long, breezy day outdoors regardless of month:

• Portable charger — the coastal walk is long and outlets are scarce at the breakwater itself, so a phone running camera and maps drains fast.
• Light rain jacket — coastal fog and sudden summer showers are unpredictable on this stretch of the East Sea.
• Comfortable walking shoes — stone piers and uneven seaside paths are not the place for new sandals.
• A red scarf — optional, but it doubles as recognizable fan signaling at the spot where Ji Eun-tak summoned the Goblin, and it photographs well against the gray breakwater.

How and Where to Watch the Goblin 10th Anniversary Special

The reunion special airs first on tvN, the Korean cable channel that originally broadcast the 2016 drama. It is scheduled to premiere on July 4, 2026 at 9:10 p.m. KST , as part of tvN's 20th-anniversary edition lineup . Episode runtime had not been confirmed at the time of publication, so treat the slot as a starting point rather than a fixed duration.

International streaming will depend on licensing. tvN variety content frequently lands on Netflix, Viki, or Wavve, but no platform had been confirmed for this special as of the May 2026 teaser rollout . Check the official tvN announcement closer to the air date for the confirmed regional platform list rather than relying on early aggregator listings.

For lore and location context before you travel, the original series is the better preparation. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God ran for 16 episodes from December 2, 2016 to January 21, 2017 and is currently available on Netflix in most regions. A rewatch — especially the Jumunjin breakwater candle scene — sharpens what you'll actually be standing in front of on the Gangneung coast.

Real-time fan discussion tracks under #도깨비10주년 and #GoblinReunion2026 on X/Twitter, where reactions to the teasers first surfaced . Korean-language coverage and location tips tend to gather on Naver Café threads and DC Inside drama boards, which are worth scanning for late itinerary reveals if more filming stops are announced before broadcast.

The practical summary: mark July 4, 2026 for the tvN premiere, queue the original 16 episodes on Netflix beforehand, and plan your own Jumunjin trip around the same coastline the cast revisited on April 24–25, 2026 . Watch the special first, then walk the breakwater — the order makes the visit land harder.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly did the Goblin cast film the 10th anniversary reunion?

The four leads — Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, and Yoo In-na — filmed in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, with the central location being the Jumunjin breakwater (주문진 방파제), the pier where Ji Eun-tak first "summoned" the Goblin in the 2016 series . The reunion was shot as a one-night, two-day trip on April 24–25, 2026 . Broader Gangneung seaside backdrops also appear in the teaser footage, though stops beyond the breakwater had not been fully detailed at the teaser stage .

When does the Goblin 10th anniversary special air?

The special is reported to premiere on July 4, 2026, at 9:10 p.m. KST on tvN . The production team released the first teaser on May 22, 2026 . One timing nuance is worth clarifying: the literal 10th anniversary of Goblin's first tvN broadcast (December 2, 2016) falls on December 2, 2026, not mid-year . The July air date reflects tvN's 20th-anniversary programming calendar rather than the exact broadcast anniversary.

How do I get from Seoul to Jumunjin breakwater?

Take the KTX Gyeonggang Line from Seoul Station or Cheongnyangni to Gangneung, a journey of roughly two hours. From Gangneung Station, transfer to local bus 300 or 302, or take a taxi, to reach Jumunjin in about 20–25 minutes. Door-to-door from central Seoul, plan for approximately 2.5 hours. Booking the KTX in advance is advisable on weekends and during the July–August peak, when seats fill quickly along the eastbound coastal route.

Is Jumunjin breakwater in Gangneung open to tourists year-round?

Yes. The Jumunjin breakwater is publicly accessible year-round at no cost, with no entry requirement or ticket. The pier and its red lighthouse are structurally unchanged from the 2016 shoot, which is exactly why the cast remarked that everything "still looks exactly the same" on their return . Summer (July–August) is crowded, while autumn (September–October) brings buckwheat bloom season and noticeably lower foot traffic.

Which season is best for a Goblin filming location visit in Gangneung?

Late September to early October is the strongest window. Buckwheat flowers (메밀꽃), a recurring motif in Goblin's lore, are in bloom, coastal fog is at its most atmospheric, and summer tourist density has dropped . July aligns with the special's July 4, 2026 air date and the renewed attention it brings, but it also coincides with peak heat and high-season crowds along the Gangneung coast. For photography and a quieter walk along the breakwater, autumn is the more rewarding choice.