An EXO trip in Korea works best when you stop thinking of it as a hunt for one famous filming location. EXO’s strongest fan route now has two very different sides: Seoul for the group’s long SM history, and Suncheon for a newer travel story built around KAI and SEHUN.
That contrast is what makes the itinerary interesting. In Seoul, the experience is urban: SM, Seongsu, Gangnam and places tied to the era when EXO became one of K-pop’s defining groups. In Suncheon, the pace changes completely. The route moves through markets, gardens, reed fields, cafés and traditional spaces connected to KAI’s memories of the city and to the 2026 KAI & SEHUN tourism campaign.
This guide focuses only on places that are public and worth visiting on their own. Private homes, old dorm addresses and unofficial “sighting spots” are not part of the route.
1. KWANGYA@SEOUL — the easiest official EXO stop in Seoul
If you want one straightforward EXO-related stop in Seoul, start at KWANGYA@SEOUL in Seongsu. The public K-pop space sits in the same Seoul Forest complex as SM Entertainment and is built around artist merchandise, media displays and fan experiences.
For EXO-Ls, the appeal is simple: you can visit an official SM space without treating an office building as a celebrity-watching location. Merchandise and artist displays change, so it is better to think of KWANGYA as a current SM fan space rather than a permanent EXO museum.
Address: B1, 83-21 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul.
Nearest station: Seoul Forest Station, Exit 5.
Best for: first-time EXO-Ls, official merchandise and a Seongsu day.
2. SM Entertainment and Seoul Forest — make it a neighborhood visit
SM Entertainment’s headquarters is beside Seoul Forest, which makes Seongsu an obvious place to include in an EXO itinerary. The office itself, however, is still a workplace.
The better plan is to visit the public fan spaces, then walk through Seoul Forest and continue into Seongsu. Cafés, fashion stores, galleries and short-run pop-ups give the area enough to fill an afternoon even when there is no EXO-specific event running.
This is also a good place to check for temporary birthday events or comeback promotions. Those change constantly, so verify them close to your travel date rather than planning around an old post.
Best for: combining fandom, cafés and a relaxed first day in Seoul.
3. K-Star Road — a piece of EXO’s Hallyu-era history
K-Star Road in Gangnam belongs to an older chapter of K-pop tourism, but that is exactly why it still has value for long-time EXO fans.
The route is known for its large GangnamDol figures representing major K-pop acts, including EXO. It recalls the period when Apgujeong and Cheongdam were closely associated with SM artists and when EXO was central to Seoul’s early Hallyu tourism boom.
Do not expect a large museum or immersive attraction. This is more of a nostalgia stop: a short walk, a photo and a reminder of a specific era in EXO’s history.
Best for: long-time EXO-Ls, Gangnam walks and fans who followed EXO during its peak second- and third-generation Hallyu years.
4. Suncheon — the strongest current EXO destination outside Seoul
The most interesting EXO travel development in 2026 is not in Seoul at all. The Korea Tourism Organization’s Be In Artists’ Scenes campaign created an official Suncheon route featuring EXO KAI and SEHUN.
That makes Suncheon unusually strong as a fan destination. This is not a fan-made list of places someone once spotted a member. It is a current tourism route built around real locations, local food and KAI’s childhood memories of the city.
The official campaign runs through November 2026 and highlights eight stops across Suncheon. For international fans who have already visited Seoul, it is a much more distinctive EXO trip than repeating the same entertainment-company route.
5. Suncheonman National Garden — the easiest major stop on the route
Suncheonman National Garden is one of the city’s signature attractions and one of the easiest places to recommend even to someone who is not an EXO fan.
The scale is the important part. This is not a small photo garden that you can cover in twenty minutes. It includes large themed garden areas, seasonal planting, walking paths and transport connections toward Suncheonman Bay.
For EXO-Ls, the KAI and SEHUN connection gives the visit an extra layer, but the destination stands on its own. Give it several hours rather than treating it as a quick fan stop.
Best for: first-time Suncheon visitors, photography and a slower regional day.
6. Suncheonman Bay — the part of the route that should not be rushed
Suncheonman Bay is the place to slow the itinerary down. The reed fields and wetland boardwalks are more memorable when you stop thinking about recreating a specific frame and simply spend time in the landscape.
The bay is one of the core locations in the official KAI and SEHUN route. It also gives the trip a completely different mood from Seoul: open space, long walks and changing light instead of stores and traffic.
If you are visiting in the warmer months or during reed season, check the weather and closing time before you go. This is one place where arriving too late can turn a good plan into a rushed walk.
Best for: nature, photography and fans who want an EXO trip that feels like real travel.
7. Ongnidan Street and Jungang Market — the KAI memory stops
Ongnidan Street is one of the most personal stops on the route because the campaign connects it with KAI’s childhood memories. The neighborhood is lined with cafés and small local businesses, making it a natural break between larger attractions.
Nearby Suncheon Jungang Market adds a different side of the city. Instead of another polished attraction, you get local snacks, everyday shopping and the kind of street-level atmosphere that makes a regional trip feel more specific.
These two stops work well together because neither needs to dominate the day. Walk, eat, have coffee and treat the EXO connection as part of the experience rather than the only reason to be there.
Best for: KAI fans, food, cafés and a more local Suncheon experience.
8. Traditional Wild Tea House and Seonamsa — the quiet side of the EXO route
The Suncheon Traditional Wild Tea House and Seonamsa Temple give the route a calmer rhythm after markets and city streets.
The tea house offers a traditional Korean tea experience in a hanok setting, while Seonamsa is surrounded by forest and is known for the arched Seungseongyo Bridge. Both places work well because their value does not depend on fandom.
This is the part of the itinerary I would keep unhurried. A temple and tea house lose most of their appeal if they become two more boxes to check before the next bus.
Best for: traditional culture, scenery and travelers staying in Suncheon for more than one day.
9. Waonhaebyeon Beach and Nowol Observatory — save it for sunset
The official KAI and SEHUN route also includes Waonhaebyeon Beach and Nowol Observatory. This is the location I would place at the end of the day rather than in the middle of the schedule.
The campaign specifically frames the coastal stop around sunset, and that timing makes sense. If you are already making the trip to the coast, give yourself enough time to stay for the light rather than arriving, taking one photo and immediately leaving.
Best for: sunset, coastal scenery and an overnight Suncheon trip.
10. Utjang Gukbap Alley — start with food, not a photo
One of the smartest stops in the official route is also one of the simplest: Utjang Gukbap Alley.
Regional fan travel works better when the itinerary includes the city’s actual food culture. Starting with a bowl of Suncheon-style gukbap makes more sense than getting off a train and immediately chasing a photo spot.
It is also a practical first stop if you arrive around lunchtime before heading to the garden, market or bay.
A realistic one-day EXO route in Seoul
Morning — Gangnam: K-Star Road → Apgujeong or Cheongdam.
Afternoon — Seongsu: Seoul Forest → KWANGYA@SEOUL → cafés, shopping or a current fan event.
This is enough for one day. Trying to add several old restaurants or former SM locations usually creates more subway time than meaningful EXO time.
A better two-day EXO route in Suncheon
Day 1: Utjang Gukbap Alley → Ongnidan Street → Jungang Market → Suncheonman National Garden → Suncheonman Bay.
Day 2: Seonamsa Temple → Traditional Wild Tea House → coastal drive toward Waonhaebyeon Beach and Nowol Observatory for sunset.
You can technically compress the major stops into one long day, but two days makes the trip far more enjoyable and gives the nature locations time to breathe.
If KAI is your bias
Make Suncheon the priority. The 2026 campaign is especially meaningful for KAI fans because it connects the city to his childhood memories rather than using Suncheon as a generic backdrop.
Ongnidan Street, Jungang Market and the wider Suncheon route give the trip a more personal sense of place than a single Seoul photo stop.
If SEHUN is your bias
The same Suncheon route is currently the strongest travel connection because KAI and SEHUN appear together in the campaign. If time is limited, focus on the National Garden, Suncheonman Bay and the sunset coast rather than trying to complete all eight stops.
If you are a long-time EXO-L
Keep K-Star Road in the Seoul plan. It is not the newest attraction, but that is part of its value. The EXO GangnamDol belongs to the period when EXO, Girls’ Generation, SHINee and other SM acts helped define how international fans experienced Gangnam.
For fans who lived through that era, the nostalgia is the point.
What not to turn into an EXO attraction
Do not visit private homes, old dorm addresses or businesses that circulate online only because a member was once seen there. Do not wait around staff or artist entrances at SM Entertainment.
EXO-Ls already have enough legitimate places to visit: public SM spaces, K-Star Road and the full Suncheon route. There is no need to turn someone’s private schedule into tourism.
Before you go
- Save Korean place names in Naver Map before leaving your hotel.
- Check current opening hours for KWANGYA, gardens, markets and temples.
- Verify temporary birthday cafés and pop-ups close to your travel date.
- Do not assume an old EXO event or café is still operating.
- For Suncheon, check train or express-bus times before building the day.
- Stay overnight if you want to include the sunset coast without rushing.
- Respect office, temple and commercial-space rules.
Use the practical K-POP Travel guides too
For Seoul transport, see our Seoul public transportation guide. For navigation, use the Naver Map and KakaoMap guide. If you are combining the trip with a concert or fan meeting, our K-pop booking guide covers ticketing and event-day preparation.
The best EXO trip is no longer just a Seoul trip
For years, an EXO pilgrimage could easily become a tour of old SM landmarks. The more interesting option in 2026 is broader.
Use Seoul for the group’s history and official fan spaces, then go to Suncheon for the current KAI and SEHUN route. One side of the trip feels like K-pop history; the other feels like discovering Korea through EXO.
Official source
VISITKOREA — Be In Artists’ Scenes: EXO KAI & SEHUN