Use the route below for planning, then open the linked sources for details that can change.
Begin with the fact that Gongjin is fictional
VISITKOREA explains that the drama's Gongjin was assembled from real locations in Cheongha-myeon and the Guryongpo side of Pohang. Those areas are spread along a working coast; they are not one preserved village set. Use Pohang as the regional gateway and choose a north-coast cluster rather than attempting the full official list. Cheongha Market is the clearest public anchor, followed by one weather-suitable beach or public landscape such as Wolpo Beach or Sabang Memorial Park. Homes attributed to characters are excluded from this route. Save Korean place names and arrange the return before leaving the city terminal, because local service can be less frequent than central-Seoul transit.
Use Cheongha Market as the orientation point
KTO identifies Cheongha Market as the real location for Gongjin Market and notes its traditional five-day market pattern on dates ending in 1 or 6. Treat that detail as dated and verify it before travel. Even on a market day, individual vendors decide whether to open and what to sell. Walk the public aisles without blocking carts, ask before photographing people or stalls, and purchase only through normal customer behavior. Information boards can help identify official filming context, but a production sign does not make neighboring shops part of the show. If the market is quiet, enjoy the community respectfully and continue to the prepared public coast stop rather than knocking on closed businesses.
Choose one exposed coastal stop from current conditions
The official KTO route links several beaches, breakwaters, ports, and hill landscapes. Wind, swell, rain, heat, fishing operations, and road access should decide which one belongs in the day. Wolpo Beach offers a recognized public shoreline; Sabang Memorial Park adds a hill and memorial landscape but requires terrain and mobility planning. A red lighthouse or breakwater may be visible from public ground while the structure itself is closed. Never climb barriers, stand where waves overtop, or enter a working harbor zone to match a frame. If marine warnings or poor visibility remove the coast, use a Pohang museum, market, or other official indoor attraction instead of searching for a more isolated shoreline.
Price the route in local travel time, not map pins
Cheongha, Wolpo, Sabang Memorial Park, Guryongpo, and Yangpo Port cover a long coastline. A private car or licensed taxi may make a two-stop route feasible, while public-transport travelers should inspect current bus intervals and reduce the plan. Agree on the pickup location before walking away from a staffed area and retain the Korean address for the regional terminal. Do not schedule a tight Seoul-bound train or coach immediately after a remote port. Plan food, rest, and toilets near established visitor facilities instead of assuming they exist at a drama pin. Limiting the day to Cheongha and one landscape stop makes the return easier and reduces pressure on coastal communities.
Keep character homes and resident doors out of directions
Some widely circulated locations represent Hye-jin's house, Chief Hong's house, the dental clinic, or other story settings. Their present ownership and visitor tolerance can differ, and nearby streets remain residential. Do not follow turn-by-turn directions to a home, take doorway photographs, or assume that an exterior is open to visitors. Follow any Pohang visitor-conduct notice, keep voices low, park lawfully, and leave immediately when a sign or resident requests privacy. Check the current status of small restaurants and stores, then behave as a normal customer. The drama's warmth came from a fictional community; visitors should not impose a fan economy on people who did not consent to be attractions.
Reopen Pohang guidance and the marine forecast
VISITKOREA confirms the filming relationship and suggests a broad course; Pohang and transport operators control current access, roads, buses, and community information. Check shop status, transport, the forecast, and any coastal restriction on the day. Use Cheongha Market, one established coastal landscape, and a confirmed return as the public route. When a business closes or the sea becomes unsafe, choose an ordinary official Pohang attraction, never a residence. A historical filming relationship does not mean that every remembered building remains open for inspection.