The Great Flood: The Ultimate Filming Location Guide (2025)

When Director Kim Byung-woo announced The Great Flood (대홍수), fans of claustrophobic thrillers knew they were in for a ride. Set on the final day of Earth during a catastrophic global deluge, the film follows AI researcher Gu Anna (Kim Da-mi) and her son as they fight for survival inside a sinking 30-story apartment complex. While much of the heart-pounding action takes place within the murky, rising waters of a studio-built tank, the “dry world” of the film is anchored in the sleek, ultra-modern urban landscapes of South Korea’s most tech-forward cities.

Navigating the filming locations of The Great Flood feels like exploring a ghost map of the future. The production team leaned heavily into the geometric aesthetics of Hanam and the “Smart City” vibes of Songdo to ground the high-concept SF plot in a recognizable reality. From the peaceful riverside walks of Anna’s memories to the imposing glass fortresses of the Darwin Center, these locations provide the emotional and architectural foundation for humanity’s desperate last stand. Whether you’re a fan of Kim Da-mi’s powerhouse acting or just a lover of futuristic architecture, this guide will take you through the real-world spots that survived the cinematic tide.

Original Title: 대홍수 (The Great Flood)
Cast: Kim Da-mi, Park Hae-soo, Kwon Eun-seong, Park Byung-eun, Jeon Hye-jin
Director: Kim Byung-woo
Runtime: 106 minutes
Release Year: 2025
Platform: Netflix
Original Awards: World premiere at the 30th Busan International Film Festival (2025); listed in Netflix’s Top 10 Non-English Films for seven weeks

The Journey: Key Filming Locations

1. Misa Waterfront Park & Mangwolcheon (미사호수공원)

• Scene: Heartfelt “before” scenes depicting Anna’s daily life as she walks along the stream with her son, enjoying the peaceful, tech-integrated neighborhood.
• Address: 739 Mangwol-dong, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기도 하남시 망월동 739)
• GoogleMap Address: 739 Mangwol-dong, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do
• NaverMap Address: 16 Dosan-daero 16-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

The story begins not with water, but with the serene, planned beauty of Misa Waterfront Park (미사호수공원). In the film’s early flashback scenes, this park represents the pinnacle of modern Korean living—a “Smart City” where nature and technology coexist. Walking here feels like stepping directly into Anna’s memories. The wide, paved paths along the Mangwolcheon stream are perfect for a weekend stroll, and if you visit during the evening, the bridge lights mirror the futuristic glow seen in the film’s establishing shots.

To get here, simply take Seoul Subway Line 5 to Misa Station and head out of Exit 1. It is a brief five-minute walk to the water’s edge. While the movie shows a city on the brink of chaos, the real-life park is a local favorite for picnics. I recommend grabbing a coffee at one of the many minimalist cafes lining the perimeter—just try not to look too closely at the water levels! It’s a poignant spot to start your tour, as it sets the baseline for everything Anna stands to lose.

2. Hanam Misa Library (하남시립미사도서관)

• Scene: Scenes involving Anna’s academic research and her early work on the “Emotion Engine” AI. Its glass-walled interiors double for her university days.
• Address: 545 Arisu-ro, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기도 하남시 아리수로 545)
• GoogleMap Address: 545 Arisu-ro, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do
• NaverMap Address: 545 Arisu-ro, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do

As we delve deeper into Anna’s backstory, the Hanam Misa Library (하남시립미사도서관) serves as the backdrop for her intellectual journey. The director chose this library for its stunning glass-walled interior and minimalist design, which perfectly matches the clinical, high-stakes aesthetic of a top-tier research facility. In the film, these bright, orderly halls represent human progress and the birth of the technology that might—or might not—save the survivors.

Located about a 15-minute walk from Misa Station (Line 5, Exit 8), the library is a public space, meaning you can actually sit in the same study areas where Anna poured over AI schematics. The natural light flooding through the massive windows is a stark contrast to the dark, flickering emergency lights of the submerged apartment scenes. Note that it is closed on Mondays, so plan your “research mission” accordingly. It’s a quiet, contemplative spot that reminds you that the film’s conflict is as much about the mind as it is about physical survival.

3. G-Tower (G타워)

• Scene: The primary exterior for the Darwin Center, the UN-affiliated AI research institute. Wide shots show the facility as it looks before the catastrophe.
• Address: 175 Art Center-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 연수구 아트센터대로 175)
• GoogleMap Address: 175 Art Center-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon
• NaverMap Address: 175 Art Center-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon

Transitioning from the personal life of Anna to the global scale of the disaster, we move to the G-Tower (G타워) in Songdo. This building is the real-world face of the Darwin Center. Its jagged, futuristic silhouette is unmistakable in the wide cinematic shots that depict the center of power during the crisis. For fans of K-dramas, this building might look familiar—it’s a staple for any show requiring a high-tech, slightly intimidating vibe.

You can reach the G-Tower via the Incheon Line 1, getting off at Central Park Station (Exit 3). The best part for travelers is the IFEZ Observatory on the 33rd floor. It’s free to enter and provides a panoramic view of Songdo’s “International Business District.” From up there, you can look down at the city and imagine the CGI water levels rising above the rooftops, just as they do in the movie’s most terrifying sequences. It truly captures the “fortress of glass” feeling the director intended.

4. Songdo Convensia (송도컨벤시아)

• Scene: The main lobby and grand conference areas of the Darwin Center during a public announcement about humanity’s “future mission.”
• Address: 123 Central-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 연수구 센트럴로 123)
• GoogleMap Address: 123 Central-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon
• NaverMap Address: 123 Central-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon

Just a short distance from the G-Tower is the Songdo Convensia (송도컨벤시아). This massive convention center doubled as the interior lobby of the Darwin Center. The building’s unique roof, inspired by the peaks of the Taebaek Mountains, is briefly visible in the film’s exterior pans, but it’s the vast, vaulted ceilings of the interior that really sell the scale of the international response to the flood.

This is where the “mission” feels most real—where diplomats and scientists gather to decide the fate of the world. It’s easily accessible from the University of Incheon Station (Exit 4). Walking through the main hall, you can almost hear the echoes of the press conferences and the frantic footsteps of staff members. The architecture here is so advanced that it requires very little CGI to look like a set from the year 2025.

5. Tri-bowl (트라이볼)

• Scene: Cinematic wide shots of a half-submerged Incheon Songdo city in the later parts of the film. The unique bowl shape is seen barely peeking above the water.
• Address: 250 Incheon Tower-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 연수구 인천타워대로 250)
• GoogleMap Address: 250 Incheon Tower-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon
• NaverMap Address: 250 Incheon Tower-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon

Perhaps the most iconic architectural landmark in the film’s Incheon sequences is the Tri-bowl (트라이볼). In the later stages of The Great Flood, this building serves as a haunting visual metaphor. Its curved, bowl-like structure is shown sitting in the middle of a vast expanse of water, representing the literal “drowning” of human culture and ambition. In reality, the building is designed to sit atop a shallow pond, making it the perfect base for the film’s digital water extensions.

Located right outside Central Park Station (Exit 4), the Tri-bowl is a multi-complex cultural space. It’s one of the most photographed spots in Korea for a reason; its “upside-down” architecture feels gravity-defying. Visiting at sunset is a must—the orange glow on the metallic surface evokes the same eerie, beautiful atmosphere found in the film’s final act. It’s a short walk from both G-Tower and the Convensia, making for an easy afternoon walking tour of the Darwin Center “campus.”

6. Songjiho Beach (송지호해수욕장)

• Scene: The most poignant flashback of the film—Anna remembers a day at the beach with her husband Ga-won and their young son before the disaster.
• Address: 17, Songjiho-ro, Jugwang-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do (강원도 고성군 죽왕면 송지호로 17)
• GoogleMap Address: 17, Songjiho-ro, Jugwang-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
• NaverMap Address: 17, Songjiho-ro, Jugwang-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do

To find the soul of the movie, you have to leave the glass and steel of the city behind and head to the far northeast coast. Songjiho Beach (송지호해수욕장) in Goseong is where the film’s most poignant flashback takes place. For Anna, this beach represents everything she is fighting to save: the warmth of the sun, the sound of laughter, and the simple freedom of dry land. The long, white sandy shoreline and the distant view of Jukdo Island provide a stark, painful contrast to the dark, claustrophobic water-trap of the apartment building.

This location requires a bit more effort to reach, usually involving a regional bus (Bus 1 or 1-1) from the Sokcho area. However, the payoff is worth it. The beach is pristine and significantly quieter than the crowded shores of Busan or Gangneung. If you visit in the summer, you can enjoy the same crystal-clear water that Anna stares at longingly during her darkest moments. It’s the perfect place to wrap up your journey, reflecting on the film’s themes of memory and survival while looking out at an ocean that, in real life, remains peacefully at the shore.

Travel Tips for Fans

Navigating these locations is quite easy thanks to Korea’s stellar public transportation. For the Hanam and Incheon (Songdo) spots, your T-money card will be your best friend—just tap and go on the subways and buses. While Google Maps is getting better in Korea, I highly recommend downloading Kakao Map or Naver Map for more accurate walking directions and real-time bus arrivals.

If you’re planning a multi-day trip, I suggest spending one day in Hanam (it’s a great excuse to visit the massive Starfield Hanam mall nearby) and another full day in Songdo. The Songdo locations are all clustered around Central Park, making it a very efficient leg of the tour. For the Goseong beach location, consider staying a night in Sokcho and taking the local bus up the coast for a day trip. The best time to visit is late spring or early autumn when the weather is clear enough to appreciate the “Smart City” architecture without the summer humidity!