Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed
The story is set in contemporary South Korea, moving between Seoul neighborhoods and a remote fictional island where the games take place. All filming occurred in real South Korean locations: Seoul streets, stations, and parks for city scenes, Incheon for airport and island exteriors, purpose-built sets at Daejeon studios for the games, and Seongapdo Island for island establishing shots. Nothing was filmed outside the country.
The Studio Side
The massive game sets, including full-size staircases inspired by MC Escher and a 10-meter-tall doll, were physically built inside studios at Daejeon Expo Science Park in Daejeon rather than relying heavily on CGI. The facility, also known as Studio Cube, hosted the Red Light Green Light arena, the glass bridge, the dorms, and the marbles neighborhood across Seasons 1 through 3. The surrounding science park is ticketed and open to visitors, though the studio sets themselves are not publicly tourable.
Tours That Visit These Locations
Most Seoul and Incheon locations are free and reachable by public transit, but a guided tour saves planning time and connects sites spread across the metropolitan area, including the Incheon side that most visitors never see.
Hotel Pickup Tour From Seoul
Incheon: Squid Game Tour with Hotel Pickup from Seoul
For USD 160, this guided tour covers Squid Game sites around Incheon with hotel pickup from Seoul included, sparing travelers the multi-leg transit journey, and it holds a 4.7 rating from 5 reviews.
★ 4.7 out of 5 · 5 reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit the island where Squid Game takes place?
No. Seongapdo Island, used for exterior establishing shots in Seasons 1 and 2, is privately owned and closed to the public. Its inaccessibility is exactly why production chose it as an isolated location.
Can you tour the Squid Game sets at the Daejeon studios?
The indoor game sets were built at studios inside Daejeon Expo Science Park, but the Studio Cube sets are not publicly tourable. Visitors can buy tickets to the surrounding science park itself.
Which Squid Game locations in Seoul are free to visit?
Yangjae Citizen's Forest Station, Namsan Park, Ssangmun-dong neighborhood, IFC Mall in Yeouido, and Incheon International Airport are all publicly accessible without charge or special permission.
When was Squid Game filmed?
Season 1 filmed from June to October 2020, including a mandatory COVID-19 break. Seasons 2 and 3 were filmed back-to-back after that.
Did Squid Game use CGI for the game arenas?
The production relied on practical effects extensively. Sets such as the Escher-inspired staircases, the 10-meter-tall doll, and the marbles neighborhood were physically built rather than heavily computer generated.
Is there a tour that covers Squid Game locations?
Yes. A guided Incheon tour with hotel pickup from Seoul costs USD 160 and holds a 4.7 rating from 5 reviews, covering sites most independent travelers find awkward to reach.
Squid Game splits its world between places anyone can walk into and places no one can. Seoul's stations, parks, and malls sit on ordinary subway lines, while Daejeon's studio sets stay behind closed doors and Seongapdo Island stays private. A day of location hunting in Seoul costs nothing but a transit card, and an Incheon tour adds the harder-to-reach spots.
