2011~2012 [In Seoul] My "Rooftop Prince" Series Journey

TvN's 2013 time-travel masterpiece "Nine: Nine Time Travels" made me think back to the classic 2012 time-travel drama "Rooftop Prince".

For me, this drama holds a special emotional significance.

I can jokingly say that just as there is TvN's "Nine: Nine Time Travels", I have my "three-time drama journey".

2011.10.28 - 2011.11.1 [First Trip to Korea] - Busan, Jeju Island, Seoul

2012.4.27 - 2012.4.30 [Second Trip to Korea] - Seoul, Nami Island

2012.3.21 "Rooftop Prince" started airing

2012.5.24 "Rooftop Prince" ended

2012.10.4 - 2012.10.7 [Third Trip to Seoul] - Seoul

What I never expected about my three trips to Korea was that each time I could find traces of "Roof".

When "Roof" was airing, seeing those familiar scenes that I had once walked through stirred an indescribable excitement in my heart.

After "Roof" ended, revisiting those scenes again brought a thrill that words cannot express.

On the first anniversary of the end of "Roof", I write this to commemorate my beloved "Rooftop Prince" and also to remember my multiple time-travel journeys with "Roof".

【STATION 1】 ★ On the way to Namsan Glass Elevator ★

【Drama Scene】❤ Trailer ❤

Many friends see this photo and ask, "Why isn't this shot in the drama?" Indeed, it never appeared in the drama; it was only in the trailer. When I saw this scene, I felt vaguely familiar. Later, while organizing photos from my first trip to Korea, I unexpectedly found that I had been here too.

【Time Travel】 October 31, 2011

On my first trip to Korea, this intersection was just a necessary route to the Namsan Glass Elevator. After "Roof" aired, I pulled out the photos from 2011 and suddenly realized that this was the intersection that witnessed a love across three hundred years: "Even after 300 years, I still love you."

【STATION 2】 ★ Samsoon's Stairs ★

【Drama Scene】❤ "Rooftop Prince" Episode 10 ❤

Seeing the Prince taking the Princess to Namsan to see the night view, my first thought was annoyance. But after calming down, I realized the stairs they walked on were none other than the famous Samsoon Stairs at the foot of Namsan Park!

【Time Travel】 October 31, 2011

Samsoon's Stairs, as the name suggests, originated from the drama "My Lovely Samsoon." On my first trip to Korea, climbing these 111 steps was purely to follow in the footsteps of "Samsoon." Who would have thought that over half a year later, this familiar scene would appear again in my beloved "Rooftop Prince"?

【Time Travel】 October 5, 2012

On one evening of my third trip to Seoul, I went to Namsan again. Revisiting the place after "Roof" ended made me sigh: the same place, different not only in time but also in the mood with which I view the scenery...

【STATION 3】 ★ N Seoul Tower Observatory ★

【Drama Scene】❤ "Rooftop Prince" Episode 10 ❤

During the live broadcast, my focus wasn't on the meaningful conversation between the Prince and the Princess at the Namsan Tower observatory, but rather on the setting where they stood. How familiar! The Namsan observatory. The only difference was that the Prince saw the night view, while on my first trip I had visited N Seoul Tower during the day.

【Time Travel】 October 31, 2011

Did you see the telescope and the signs for Singapore and Jakarta? Yes, the Prince and the Princess stopped at that window marked Jakarta. My foresight wasn't so accurate this time—my first trip only captured a friend looking out at the window marked Singapore, never expecting that half a year later the Prince would be standing at the next window.

【Time Travel】 October 5, 2012

Less than a year after my first trip to Korea, my third trip to Seoul was largely to revisit scenes from "Roof." As expected, I came to N Seoul Tower again, but unlike the first time, this time I truly experienced the night view. Unfortunately, I hadn't done my homework well enough. If I get another chance, I want to stand at the window marked Jakarta, where the Prince once stood, and feel the special sensation of overlapping time and space with "Roof."

【STATION 4】 ★ The Rooftop House in Seodaemun ★

My second trip to Korea happened to coincide with the hot airing of "Roof." I still clearly remember that the night before departure, the sweet kiss in the live broadcast made me extremely anxious since I couldn't watch it. And two days before departure, I suddenly decided on a whim to find the rooftop house. So I used all my means and quickly developed my own route map to the rooftop house. At that moment, little did I know that this spur-of-the-moment idea would forge such a special emotional bond between me and the rooftop house.

♥ The front door of the rooftop house ♥

Following the route I had researched, I climbed two steep slopes. Before even seeing the rooftop house, this path came into view. While screaming with excitement, I asked my friend to take a quick photo. She asked why I was so excited. I told her this was the path that Park-ha and the Prince often walked together. As I finished speaking, the rooftop house appeared before our eyes, and we screamed again in joy!

♥ The upgraded, splendid rooftop house ♥

Although the rooftop house was the first stop on my second trip, it was a last-minute decision I made only two days before departure. Honestly, I wasn't very sure about the address I found on the Seoul map; I was just giving it a try. So all the way to Seodaemun, I kept nervously asking myself if I could really find the rooftop house. But amidst my self-doubt, this familiar house appeared before me. When it truly came into view, I still couldn't believe it—was this the rooftop house from the drama? Was it real?

【Time Travel】 April 27, 2012

I originally planned to take a photo under the rooftop house and leave, but I couldn't bear to. First, I was dissatisfied not meeting the filming crew or my favorite actors; second, I didn't want to come all this way just for a photo with the rooftop house. Yes, human greed is endless—I had thought just finding the rooftop house would be enough, but now I wasn't content just looking up from below. Driven by immense greed, after pacing back and forth many times in mental struggle, I finally rushed up without caring. I intended to greet the second-floor owner and ask if we could go up to the rooftop, but the second floor turned out to be the drama's prop room, quite messy. So I boldly ran straight up the stairs, almost tripping on the last step because of my ecstatic excitement. Finally, I was actually in the rooftop house! It's hard to describe my feelings—just that everything was incredible!

♥ The splendid backdrop ♥

The splendid backdrop was Park-ha's Dreamland. While posing in front of this Dreamland, we joked, saying, "This is where Park-ha and the Prince just had their kiss—should we leave our names on the backdrop? Maybe it will appear in later episodes!" But it was just a joke—how could I bring myself to damage such a beautiful rooftop house scene!

♥ The location of the rooftop house ♥

The day after returning home, I still couldn't calm down. So I created a Weibo post introducing the route to the rooftop house. At that time, I hoped more fans who loved "Roof" could go there in person. Later, many friends did go, and some even had the luck to witness the filming of the final episodes, which made me very envious!

【STATION 5】 ★ Ihwajang (Ihwa Mural Village) ★

【Drama Scene】❤ "Rooftop Prince" Episode 15 ❤

An important itinerary on my second trip to Korea was the flower stairs in Ihwajang. At that time, I only wanted to see this romantic stone staircase. I never expected that nine days after returning home, in the live broadcast of "Rooftop Prince" Episode 15, I would see the exact same route and scenery from my trip! I was shocked!

♥ Traveler and Dog ♥

■ Episode 15's first shot of Ihwajang

■ In Ihwajang, this path under Naksan Park offers a great distant view of Namsan. While gazing into the distance, the traveler and this dog would inadvertently come into view. When I captured this scene with my camera on my second trip, it unexpectedly appeared in the later episodes. Many other scenes in Ihwajang were similar, which surprised me even more!

■ During my third trip to Seoul, I specially took friends to revisit Ihwajang, and I used this chance to relive the drama scenes. This time, my goals were more specific.

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ Path under Naksan Park ♥

■ The necessary path leading to the flower stairs, also a path with the footsteps of the Prince and Park-ha.

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ Parrot and Beetle ♥

■ On my second trip, I accidentally captured this beetle on an electricity meter, so on my third trip I deliberately looked for the parrot mural. It turned out to be right next to the couple mural.

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ Lovers ♥

■ The mural that impressed me most on my first visit to Ihwajang was this couple portrait. And then the Prince and Park-ha came to stop in front of it one after another. When I went in April 2012, it was just a mural; less than half a year later, when I revisited, there were many messages written on it—probably for the Prince and Park-ha.

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ Pink Memories ♥

■ An ordinary house halfway up the mountain, decorated cutely in pink! No wonder Yoo-chun and Ji-min chose to take photos here—the 3D effect is quite good! Unfortunately, on both visits, a car was parked right in front of the sofa, ruining my dream of copying Yoo-chun's pose each time.

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ Holding Your Hand, Seeing the Scenery Through ♥

■ If not for the almost-touch hand-holding of the Prince and Park-ha here, it would just be an ordinary scene. On my second trip, it was just a casual snapshot; when I came to Ihwajang again, I deliberately and cliché-ly stood where Park-ha had stood and took a photo.

■ "Memory" will allow us to be together forever... The warm support & love that you have given me. I'll cherish the moment... even after 300 years... — Han Ji-min posted this on Facebook after the drama ended, with this photo attached.

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ Cute Dog ♥

■ Just because Park-ha passed by, and it was only a fleeting scene in the drama, yet the lifelike dog mural still exudes cuteness. No wonder a classmate struck various poses in front of it on a return visit!

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ Sound Tube and Welcome Thomas ♥

■ If you see these two murals, it means you have arrived at the flower stairs. On my first visit, Ihwajang had few tourists; less than half a year later, the flower stairs were crowded with independent travelers. So when I saw the Thomas mural again, it was covered with all kinds of messages.

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ The highlight of Ihwajang: Flower Stairs ♥

■ My purpose for visiting this stone staircase on my second trip was just to see the romantic staircase introduced many times on Weibo. I didn't expect that the spot where I casually sat turned out to be almost the same where Park-ha sat later in the drama. That was another surprise from my second trip. On my third trip, I met a very kind ajusshi who took free photos for us, making us feel very embarrassed. But there was regret too—I forgot exactly where the Prince sat on the stairs! Next time, I must make up for it!

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

♥ The downhill path out of Ihwajang ♥

■ The Prince followed Park-ha downhill. Walking this path, you will inevitably see the "walk slowly" snail sign and the large bird mural.

【Time Travel】 April 28, 2012

【STATION 6】 ★ Marronnier Park ★

【Drama Scene】❤ "Rooftop Prince" Episode 15 ❤

The Prince secretly followed Park-ha downhill all the way to Marronnier Park. He hid behind the park's iconic structure, warmly watching the person he loved most! During my third trip, I deliberately photographed this park and the structure where the Prince had hidden. Without the musical performance, Park-ha, or the Prince, the park was just so-so under construction. But as a "Roof" and Prince fan, how could I not take a photo hiding behind the same structure the Prince did?

【Time Travel】 October 7, 2012

【STATION 7】 ★ Changdeokgung (Donhwamun Gate) ★

You must remember the F4 quartet causing a ruckus at the gate of Changdeokgung when they first time-traveled. Yes, it was filmed in front of Changdeokgung, but many interior palace scenes were not shot there. So on my second trip, I just stopped by the gate for a quick photo.

【STATION 8】 ★ HOLLYS COFFEE ★

As a sponsor of the drama, this coffee chain appeared many times. (I have to admire Korea's natural, pleasing, and enticing product placement!) I didn't go to the branch near Cheonggyecheon used in filming, but I happened to pass a similar branch in Myeongdong.

♥ Love token: Radish Doll ♥

Well, I admit I bought the doll purely for the drama. Just as a souvenir—what's wrong with being childish?

【STATION 9】 ★ Namsan Park ★

【Drama Scene】❤ "Rooftop Prince" Final Episode ENDING ❤

In the final ending, whether it was the Prince or Tae-yong, he came back! He still loves you! For this last ending scene, I made a special trip to Namsan Park on my third trip, just to recreate that final moment, standing in the same spot to fulfill my wish. Although a long time had passed, I finally made it...

【Time Travel】 October 5, 2012

This is my three-time "Roof" drama journey. Each time brought me different surprises. And after each return, while organizing photos, I discovered even more unexpected surprises. I think this is the special joy that travel and "Roof" have given me, and I will treasure it!

❤ 300년이 지나도..당신을..사랑합니다 ❤

❤ Even after 300 years, I still love you... ❤