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| Gaeul Donghwa (Autumn in My Heart)
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| In the fall of 2000, audiences across Korea were glued to their television sets as Gaeul Dongwha (Autumn in My Heart) began to win the hearts of all. This television drama was the first part, in a four part series based on each season, by producer Yun Seok-ho. The talented young actors and actresses, along with beautiful filming locations, made this tragic love story a piece of television artistry that captured the hearts of all. Even after the series ended, many fans still visit the filming locations. Some of these include the beautiful sands of Hwajinpo |
| Beach, nostalgic Abai Village, and a small closed elementary school set in the countryside. |
| Jun-seo (Song Seung-heon) and Eun-seo (Song Hye-kyo) were happily growing up as brother and sister until the results of a blood test turned their lives upside-down. The blood test, brought on by injury in a car accident, revealed that Eun-seo had been switched at birth with another girl. When this was brought out into the open, she was placed with her birth family and Jun-seo's family went to the United States. Years later, in his early twenties, Jun-seo returned to his hometown in Korea where he one day ran into Eun-seo unexpectedly. Eun-seo was being courted by the son of a wealthy family, Tae-seok (Wonbin), when she met Jun-seo again. She didn't realize how much she had missed him since that chance meeting. They were both working in the art field and began to spend time together. The two that had once grown up believing that they were brother and sister, had begun to develop romantic feelings. They were emotionally distraught and unsure of what to do with these feelings of romantic love. |
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| Eventually, they decided that they had no choice but to consider themselves brother and sister. They had decided to go on one last trip together when they realized that their feelings of love couldn't be denied, turning there trip into an escape from their family and former loves. Loved ones looked upon them with disdain; they were unable to understand their newfound love. Unable to live with the guilt, they once again decided to separate. |
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| Eun-seo returns to Tae-seok, and decides not tell Jun-seo that she is suffering from cancer. As her condition worsens, Jun-seo learns all about the secret that Eun-seo has been keeping from him and runs to her bedside. They spend Eun-seo's remaining time at Jun-seo's art studio. They return to the beach they visited in childhood; here Jun-seo carries Eun-seo on his back while she takes her last breath. |
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| • Filming Locations
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Hwajinpo Beach
: The Lingering Sadness of Tragic Love
Hwajinpo Beach was the set of the last scene in Gaeul Donghwa where the two lovers spent their last moments together. As young and handsome Jun-Seo carried the beautiful yet dying Eun-Seo on his back down the beach, the deep blue winter ocean slowly comes in and out of the shore. This unforgettable scene invites an endless trail of visitors to Hwajinpo Beach where you can also find other attractions such as the magnificent Hwajinpoho Lagoon, historical summer villas and a refreshing pine tree forest.
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Jun-Seo's Art Studio
: a Small Closed Elementary School in the Countryside
The main character of Gaeul Donghwa, Jun-Seo kept a small art studio in Yangyang, Gangwon-do. Even after the series ended, this old abandoned elementary school set still maintains its charm attracting many visitors.
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Samyang Mokjang Ranch, Daegwanryeong
: Dreams of Honeymoons
Samyang Mokjang Ranch in Daegwanryeong is not only Eun-Seo and Jun-Seo's honeymoon destination, but also Asia's largest green pasture on the plateau. This ancient and vast meadow is where milking cows feed. The view from the plateau is remarkable as well. If you go up to Daegwanryeong Observatory early in the morning, you can witness a spectacular sunrise from the East Sea beyond the peaks of Mt. Odaesan. The lake where cows drink water is called Samjeongho Lake. In order to get around this grand ranch, you should take a car or bicycle. By car, it will take about 2 hours while bicycles will take about 5~6 hours. It would be too much to try to walk the entire ranch.
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Abai Village, Sokcho
: Eun-Seo's home |
Abai Village appears in Gaeul Donghwa as Eun-Seo's home. The village is reminiscent of the homes in the 1960s and 1970s. The scene of Eun-Seo arriving on a sailing boat or the village's tiny grocery store attracts many who pass by this little quaint village.
Abai Village in Sokcho is actually where many North Koreans settled after the Korean War. After Korea was divided, North Korean gathered in Abai ("father" in North Korean dialect) Village, but sadly, most villagers are second generation North Koreans who settled in the south after the war.
You can get to Abai Village by car or by boat. The boat from Sokcho to Cheongho-dong can carry 35 people at most because it not powered by an engine. After getting off the boat, walk southward a bit and you will find Cheongho-dong Dock. It is an excellent course for a stroll. This area is also well known for its 'Abai Sun-dae (Korean style sausage)'. It is made of squid and other seafood. |
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