Over the years, Thailand has become a prime destination for Korean productions seeking striking, versatile, and culturally rich filming environments. From luxury hotels and pristine beaches to vibrant cityscapes, bustling markets, and lush mountain ranges, the country offers an exceptional variety of backdrops that elevate the visual storytelling of rising K-dramas. Since their surge in popularity in the early 2000s, K-dramas continue to expand globally, and Thailand’s cinematic appeal has only strengthened in response.
Why is Thailand such an attractive choice for K-series? Going beyond its diverse locations, the Thai government offers enticing cash-back incentives of up to 30% to support international production crews and maximize their creative potential. Bangkok-based Mbrella Films further enhances this appeal, providing multicultural, English-speaking, highly skilled crews and comprehensive support across every stage of the production pipeline.
With an efficient workflow powered by Thailand’s top industry professionals, K drama productions can move from planning to execution with remarkable speed, quality, and polish.
1. Typhoon Family (2025)
One of this year’s standout K-drama hits is Typhoon Family, starring Lee Jun-ho of 2PM and acclaimed actress Kim Min-ha. Appearing as a cameo is Thai actress Mai Davika, who plays Nicha, appearing alongside Lee Jun Ho in the series.
The story follows Ke Tae Poong as he assumes control of his father’s company. While striving to protect the business, he finds himself navigating mounting challenges amid the turbulent 1997 IMF financial crisis.
A significant portion of the series was filmed in Thailand over a four-week production period, spanning Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. Filming locations in Bangkok include The Peninsula Bangkok, The Coach Hotel Sukhumvit, Yaowarat Road (Chinatown), and a riverside warehouse near the Rama III port. Additional sequences were captured across Samut Prakan, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.
Several cast members were also spotted filming at Cape Yamu Resort & Villas in Phuket, whose interior spaces were used to portray the show’s luxurious residential setting.
2. The Fiery Priest 2 (2024)
The Fiery Priest 2 filmed portions of its overseas arc in Thailand during June–July 2024, marking the production’s first major shoot in the country. The cast and crew were spotted across Bangkok and surrounding regions as they staged action-heavy sequences meant to expand the show’s international crime storyline.
In Bangkok, filming took place in dense urban zones and side streets often used for chase setups, while Samut Prakan provided industrial backdrops: warehouse blocks, port roads, and container yards that fit the tone. The team also shot in Khao Yai, using the national park’s forested terrain and rural roads for pursuit scenes and hideout sequences.
Furthermore, local Thai stunt performers and crew joined the production, and several BTS sightings from June and early July confirmed on-location filming before SBS later acknowledged Thailand as one of the drama’s international sites.
3. Love in the Big City (2024)
One of the most prominent BL series of 2024 is Love in the Big City, which follows a young gay man navigating the complexities of romance, identity, and the evolving dynamics of his friendship with his straight roommate, Choi Mi-ae. The series is noted for its grounded portrayal of queer life, capturing the emotional spectrum of love, loneliness, and self-discovery. Seeking clarity and a fresh start, Go Young travels to Thailand.
Mbrella Films provided full-scale production support during the Thailand shoot. Services included securing accommodations and transportation, supplying dedicated security teams for the cast, and coordinating logistics for nearly 50 Korean crew members. During pre-production, Mbrella Films also assisted with location scouting and permitting, cast more than 300 background and featured extras, and delivered production design support across all filming sites.
The series was shot at several key locations, including MBK Center, the Chao Phraya River, Park Hyatt Bangkok at Central Embassy, SPEED CLUB BKK, Baan Channasongkram Hostel, and additional sites across the city.
4. The Player 2: Master of Swindlers (2024)
This crime-heist action drama brings together an elite team of specialists: scammers, hackers, fighters, and drivers unified by a single mission: to track down and steal illicit wealth hoarded by the powerful.
Filming took place in Thailand from September to November 2023, spanning multiple cities, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Ayutthaya, and Phuket. In Bangkok, key locations included the Sathorn District, where production utilized a luxury hotel with a sweeping rooftop bar. Yaowarat (Chinatown) was also prominently featured, with the Korean crew importing custom signboards to blend Korean storefronts into the local streetscape. Additional filming occurred at Hua Lamphong Railway Station and at ICONSIAM.
In Pattaya, the production was shot at Terminal 21, highlighting the mall’s iconic airplane installation at the entrance. Phuket sequences included Cape Panwa, Ao Yon Beach, and aerial views of Old Phuket Town, showcasing the island’s scenic diversity.
The Thai government actively supported the shoot as part of a broader tourism campaign. To date, this project is regarded as one of the most expensive overseas filming sequences for a K-drama in 2023.
5. King the Land (2023)
King the Land follows Gu Won, played by Lee Jun-ho, heir to The King Group, a luxury hotel conglomerate locked in an intense inheritance battle. His world shifts when he meets Cheon Sa-rang, portrayed by Im Yoon-ah, a dedicated hotelier known as the King Hotel’s beloved “smile queen.”
Mbrella Films assisted with full production services throughout the Thailand leg of the shoot. The team coordinated accommodations, transportation, security, work permits, and location permits while delivering comprehensive logistical support for nearly 90 Korean crew members. Beyond standard production assistance, Mbrella Films created a custom festival space along ICONSIAM’s iconic waterfront and transformed Ong Ang Canal through redecorations tailored to the series’ tone and visual style.
Popular Thailand filming locations included several of Thailand’s most renowned sites: Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Vertigo Rooftop at the Banyan Tree Hotel, Siri Sala Private Thai Villa, and the Ancient City (Muang Boran). Additional Bangkok locations featured in the series include Asiatique The Riverfront, ICONSIAM, Ong Ang Canal, and Khao San Road.
6. Bloodhounds (2023)
Bloodhound follows a young boxer who joins forces with a delinquent and a moneylender to take down a ruthless loan shark organization. Packed with explosive action, gritty heists, and adrenaline-fueled boxing matches, the show keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
Episodes 5 and 6 were filmed in Thailand in late 2022, with Bangkok serving as the primary backdrop. Key locations included Yaowarat Road (Chinatown), Sukhumvit Soi 11, Soi Cowboy, various riverside areas, and the Chao Phraya docks. One of the standout sequences, the motorbike chase in Episode 5, was shot at Chaloen Buri Intersection near Wat Traimit, a vibrant corner of Chinatown known for its bustling energy.
Production also adapted club interiors on Sukhumvit Soi 11, notably Insanity and Sugar Club, reshaping the venues to fit the series’ tone and aesthetic.
In Pathum Thani, the major warehouse brawl and fire stunt was filmed at an industrial estate north of Bangkok, a site frequently used by international productions for controlled explosions and high-risk stunt work.
The crew also captured brief scenes in Pattaya, primarily around Jomtien Beach and the Terminal 21 shopping mall.
7. Run On (2020)
A love story unfolds between Ki Seon-gyeom (Yim Si-wan), a former sprinter finally learning to follow his heart, and Oh Mi-joo (Shin Sae-kyeong), a film translator who changes his life the moment she steps into it.
Run On began filming in February–March 2020, just before international borders closed. Production spent roughly ten days shooting in Thailand with the support of around 40 local crew members.
Filming took place across Bangkok and Chiang Mai. In Bangkok, scenes were captured at ICONSIAM’s river terrace and along the Chao Phraya Riverside, with the Millennium Hilton featured prominently across the water.
In Chiang Mai, the production used multiple picturesque spots: the red-brick One Nimman complex on Nimmanhaemin Road, Ristr8to Coffee, Chic 39 Hotel, Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan, and Wat Chedi Luang. Additional scenes were filmed in the Mae Rim countryside along Rural Road Mae Rim 4024 near the Mon Cham viewpoint.
Drone sequences shot during golden hour followed the actors through sweeping landscapes, painting the series in warm, breathtaking fields of gold.
8. Vagabond (2019)
Vagabond follows Cha Dal Geon (performed by Lee Seung-gi), a highly skilled yet undervalued stuntman whose life is uprooted when tragedy strikes. While balancing the demands of his rising career, he also serves as guardian to his nephew, Cha Hoon (Moon Woo-jin). But when Hoon travels abroad for a taekwondo exhibition, and the plane mysteriously crashes, Dal Geon becomes convinced the incident was no accident.
Driven by grief and suspicion, he begins his own investigation, eventually crossing paths with Go Hae Ri (Bae Suzy), an NIS agent operating undercover at the Korean embassy in Morocco. Together, they unravel a trail of hidden agendas, shadowy operatives, and a conspiracy far more dangerous than either expected.
Filming took place between January and February 2019, with the production crew making key stops in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya. Thailand served as a practical stand-in for Morocco thanks to its compatible lighting, architectural features, and overall feasibility in cost and logistics.
In Bangkok, Don Mueang International Airport was transformed into the Moroccan airport featured in the opening episodes. Crews installed Arabic signage and staged crowds of tourists and officials to replicate the setting. Chinatown’s narrow alley markets were used for chase and pursuit sequences, while additional night scenes involved mock embassy vehicles and controlled traffic lock-offs. Near Lumpini Park, a high-intensity car chase with a black SUV was filmed, complete with carefully coordinated explosions.
Chiang Mai’s Old City was adapted into a bustling Moroccan market, where Thai storefronts were concealed beneath Arabic-script banners and props. The Mae Rim district, particularly the highway leading toward the mountains, provided the backdrop for aerial photography and road chase scenes designed to resemble North African terrain.
More than 120 Thai crew members supported the project, many of whom previously worked on major international productions, including Extraction 2 and The Hangover Part II.
9. It’s Okay to be Sensitive 2 (2019)
It’s Okay to Be Sensitive 2, a short YouTube drama filmed several key scenes in Thailand, with the production moving between Bangkok and Hua Hin to capture markets, stunning backdrops, and coastal settings.
In Bangkok, Chatujak Market appears in brief montage cuts, while cafés around the Ari district were used for casual character moments. Walking sequences were shot along Soi Chulalongkorn 42, where the cast passes colorful graffiti walls belonging to HOF Art Space Bangkok, confirmed by the gallery on Instagram after hosting tvN’s crew for a day. A series of overhead establishing shots also captures the Chao Phraya River skyline, likely filmed from a boat near ICONSIAM or Asiatique Pier.
Further south in Hua Hin, the team used Khao Takiab Beach for relaxed seaside scenes. The production filmed at the iconic Cicada Market, where the nightmarket date sequence, with its warm fairy lights, handmade crafts, and weekend buzz, matches the market’s signature look.
10. The Package (2017)
The Package filmed portions of its international tour scenes in Thailand during late 2016 to early 2017. In Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport appears exactly as it is, serving as the backdrop for departure and arrival sequences. Additional scenes were shot at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok, along Taksin Bridge, and around Soi Convent Road near Sala Daeng BTS, where the production used the busy street atmosphere for casual character cutaways and transitions.
The crew also traveled to Pattaya, filming at Bali Hai Pier. The waterfront views and open harbor area provided scenic establishing shots for the characters’ travel itinerary.
11. The K2 (2016)
The K2 carried out its Thailand shoot between January and February 2016, using Bangkok, Krabi, and Phuket to build the gritty Southeast-Asian backdrop for its opening arc. In Bangkok, filming centered around the Sathorn and Silom districts. The abandoned factory ambush from the first episode was actually shot in a warehouse complex on Sathorn Soi 12 near the Chao Phraya River. Silom Road and the Sky Bar area stood in for an unnamed Southeast Asian city, while the neon-drenched night sequences, tuk-tuks, street stalls, and all were captured along Soi Convent and Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Road.
The production then moved south. In Krabi, the team filmed at Railay Beach West, using drone shots of towering limestone cliffs and long-tail boats to create sweeping travel visuals. Phuket was another key stop: Dibuk Road in Phuket Old Town appears in transitional street scenes, and the crew’s base of operations was the Pullman Panwa Hotel, which also hosted one of the poolside moments featured in the show.
12. Healer (2014)
Healer filmed its Thailand sequences from mid-August to early September 2014, using multiple regions to stage the drama’s undercover jobs and atmospheric flashbacks. In Bangkok, the production shot around Soi Sathorn 11 and the Rama III Port area, where the “foreign warehouse job” sequence was created. The scene of Healer scaling shipping containers was filmed directly in the port’s industrial zone, while an abandoned warehouse near Soi Sathorn 11 provided interior coverage. Additional street shots were captured in Yaowarat (Chinatown), blending into the show’s international criminal-setting aesthetic.
Outside the capital, Samut Prakan’s Ancient City served as the backdrop for a key memory scene. The art department used fog machines and diffused lighting to give the location its soft, dreamlike texture. The team also traveled to Krabi, where Railay Beach (west side) was used for brief scenic and transitional shots.
13. My Love from the Star (2013)
My Love from the Star filmed its Thailand arc between July and August 2013, using Bangkok and Phuket to bring Song-yi’s “healing getaway” to life. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, the drama shot real departure and arrival scenes inside Concourse E, capturing the bustle of travelers as she jets off to her tropical escape.
Most major scenes were filmed in Phuket. Cape Panwa and the luxury Sri Panwa Resort served as Song-yi’s retreat, with Villa #18 in the West Wing used for her ocean-view stay and balcony moments. Portions of Phuket Old Town also appear, where the production team installed Korean-brand billboards to keep visual continuity with previous Seoul settings. Promthep Cape’s dramatic viewpoint rounds out the sequence, giving the show one of its most recognizable postcard shots.
14. The Fugitive: Plan B (2010)
The Fugitive: Plan B shot its Thailand sequences between February and March 2010, using Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket to build its action arc. In Bangkok, filming took place around Surawong Road, Soi Convent, and the Banyan Tree Hotel area, where sections of Silom were transformed into a gritty “Hong Kong black-market zone.” Hua Lamphong Railway Station and the Rama I area were also used, with the station closed overnight for production in early March. Along the Chao Phraya riverside near Asiatique Pier, the crew staged practical explosions on boats under the supervision of the Thai Marine Police.
The production then moved to Pattaya, capturing the nightlife atmosphere on Walking Street and waterfront scenes at Bali Hai Pier. Phuket rounded out the arc, with scenes filmed on Patong Beach and along Patong Hill Road toward Cape Promthep, giving the final Thailand episode its dramatic coastal backdrop.
15. Full House (2004)
Full House filmed its Thailand sequences between March and April 2004, using Bangkok, Phuket, and Koh Samui to build the drama’s tropical getaway arc. In Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport appears in the early terminal scenes before the story shifts south, while the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok was used as the Chao Phraya riverside hotel exterior during the “honeymoon transfer stop.”
Phuket appears briefly for beach inserts and scenic transitions, particularly at Promthep Cape and Kata Noi Beach, which were used as B-roll between the main Koh Samui scenes. The couple’s iconic seaside villa wasn’t a resort at all but a private property near Laem Sor Beach on Koh Samui’s southern coastline, serving as the primary location for the show’s island storyline.
Conclusion
In the end, Thailand’s rise as a K-drama hotspot comes down to the perfect blend of beauty, versatility, and industry muscle and experience. Its landscapes are diverse, providing everything a production crew needs from modern skylines to ancient markets, beaches to rugged mountains, Italian villas, luxury hotels, and more. With attractive government rebates and incentives and the hands-on expertise of companies like Mbrella Films, it’s no surprise that more Korean series continue choosing Thailand as their go-to filming location.
If you are interested in filming productions in Thailand, we are a production company located in Bangkok, ready to assist you with pre-production, production, and post-production.
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