If you fell for Ryu Sun-jae and Im Sol’s time-traveling romance in Lovely Runner, the good news is that you don’t have to imagine their world, you can eat in it. Since its 2024 release turned lead actor Byeon Woo-seok into a breakout star, the drama has sent fans worldwide chasing its real filming locations across Suwon and Seoul. Several of the show’s most recognizable spots are real, working cafes and restaurants, still serving the same salt bread and home-style Korean dishes fans recognize from the screen. Here’s exactly where to go, what to order, and how to get there.
Mong Ted Café: Suwon’s Real “Im Sol’s House”
The most photographed Lovely Runner filming location by far is Mong Ted (몽테드), a small cafe on Haengnidan-gil in Suwon’s Haenggung-dong neighborhood. Its red brick facade and arched entrance played Im Sol’s house in the drama, and the yellow umbrella out front has become the unofficial landmark fans line up to photograph.
Once you’re inside, order what the cafe is actually known for: salt bread (소금빵), served in several flavors from a classic sweet red bean butter to a savory tomato basil version, alongside coffee or a seasonal latte. Mong Ted is open 12pm-9pm Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday through Sunday (closed Wednesdays), at 14 Hwaseomun-ro 48beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, about an hour from central Seoul by train or bus. Because it’s both a working cafe and a filming location, expect other fans quietly waiting their turn at the yellow umbrella, especially on weekends.
Mong Ted sits inside a bigger, free open-air set: the rest of Haenggung-dong. A short walk takes you to Hwahongmun Gate, the arched fortress gate where Sun-jae confesses to Sol on the bridge out front, and to Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion, the spot where he teaches her to ride a bike. The neighborhood’s mural-covered alleys also double as the walk-to-school route the two characters take earlier in the show. None of it costs anything to see, so budget at least an extra hour beyond your cafe stop if you want to hit all three.
Seokgo Jip: The Restaurant From Sun-jae’s Family Story
Back in Seoul, Lovely Runner fans make a second stop in Insadong, one of the city’s most walkable historic districts. Here you’ll find Seokgo Jip (석고집), the traditional hanok-building restaurant used as Sun-jae’s father’s first restaurant early in the drama’s storyline.
The building itself is as much a draw as the food, a genuine tiled-roof hanok tucked just off the main Insadong Shopping Street, the kind of restaurant exterior international fans usually only see on screen. It’s an easy add-on to a day of exploring Insadong’s craft shops and tea houses, and it sits close enough to Anguk Station (Line 3) that you can walk there from most of the neighborhood’s other sights.
Insa Dodam: A Real Hanok Meal to Pair With Your Insadong Pilgrimage
If you want to actually sit down for a proper hanok meal while you’re in the neighborhood, Insa Dodam is a well-reviewed option about two minutes from Anguk Station’s Exit 6 (it isn’t a Lovely Runner filming spot itself, just a genuinely good stop in the same alley).
Lunch centers on bibimbap, and the soy-sauce nungae-seungma bibimbap, made with a wild mountain herb sometimes called “beef of the mountain,” is the vegan-friendly signature dish. In the evening the kitchen shifts to shared plates like Eonyang-style crispy bulgogi and minari jeon (water parsley pancake), best ordered with makgeolli for the table. Like Seokgo Jip, it’s set inside a restored hanok, so book ahead or expect a short wait if you’re visiting with a group.
FAQ: Visiting the Lovely Runner Food Trail
Do I need a reservation at Mong Ted café?
Mong Ted doesn’t typically require reservations for a small group, but it does get busy with fans on weekends and around golden hour for photos at the yellow umbrella entrance. Going on a weekday morning or early afternoon gives you the best chance at a quiet table.
Can I visit Suwon and Insadong in one day?
It’s doable but makes for a full day. Suwon’s Haenggung-dong is roughly an hour from central Seoul, so most fans treat Mong Ted and the surrounding Hwaseong Fortress area as a half-day trip on its own, then save Seokgo Jip and Insadong for a separate afternoon back in Seoul.
Are these filming locations free to visit?
Yes, walking the streets and photographing the exteriors costs nothing. Mong Ted, Seokgo Jip, and Insa Dodam are working businesses, though, so you’re expected to order something if you sit down inside rather than just taking photos.
How do I get to Suwon from Seoul?
Suwon is connected to central Seoul by regular Korail commuter trains and Seoul Subway Line 1, with a ride time of roughly an hour depending on your starting station. From Suwon Station, it’s a short taxi or local bus ride to Haenggung-dong and the Hwaseong Fortress area where Mong Ted is located.
Lovely Runner turned a quiet corner of Suwon and a handful of Insadong storefronts into a real-world pilgrimage route, and the best part is that none of it requires a ticket or a tour guide, just good walking shoes and an appetite. Start with the salt bread at Mong Ted, make your way to Seokgo Jip’s hanok facade in Seoul, and round out the day with a proper meal at Insa Dodam. Whether you’re chasing a specific drama scene or just looking for good food in a beautiful old neighborhood, this is one Korea itinerary that delivers on both.
Learn more about how SeoulBites picks every restaurant and cafe we feature on our About page.
For more official filming-location itineraries in the area, see the Korea Tourism Organization’s Haenggung-dong walking guide.
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