Abhiroop Das
Created by Ken Woodruff and Steph Cha, Prime Video’s ‘Butterfly’ follows David Jung, a mysterious, fearsome US intelligence operative who lives a life of secrecy in South Korea. However, his cover is blown when he is pursued by an equally dangerous agent named Rebecca, which triggers a reconnection with his roots. With the sins of his past slowly catching up, the protagonist devotes all of his energy and skills to protecting the people he cares for the most, even when his enemy is an entire nation by itself. This character-driven spy thriller explores a web of complex family dynamics entangled with geopolitical strife, all coming into the spotlight as a part of the espionage industry. The show is an adaptation of a Boom! Studio’s eponymous graphic novel series, which is created by Marguerite Bennett and Arash Amel with illustrations from Antonio Fuso and Stefano Simeone. While the original graphic novel is set in Virginia and some parts of Europe, the show takes a step away from that creative decision and instead is set in Seoul.
Butterfly Filming Locations
‘Butterfly’ was taped entirely in South Korea, with a number of cities, notably Seoul, Busan, and Andong, coming into play. In 2023, showrunner Ken Woodruff collaborated with Seoul’s Location Scouting Support, a government unit designed to manage overseas film productions. Production for the inaugural season began in February 2024 and concluded on June 4 of the same year, making it the longest overseas production in South Korea as of writing, according to the Seoul Metropolitan government.
Seoul, South Korea
True to its narrative, a significant portion of ‘Butterfly’ was filmed in the capital city of South Korea, with the length and breadth of the story being brought to life as a crime thriller. The city served as the perfect means to replicate the fast-paced nature of the espionage, with its dense urban landscapes and thriving communities allowing its characters to blend in seamlessly. Several locations in Downtown Seoul, as well as the district of Gangnam, and the river island named Yeouido, all appear as the backdrop to both the high-octane action sequences and the close-knit pieces of character drama. Two iconic bridges of the city, the Seogang Bridge and the Mapo Bridge, are both featured as the base for wide establishing shots, as well as an intense driving sequence.
Notably, the iconic Seoul Station was also taped for some key action scenes in ‘Butterfly,’ with the city’s bullet train also adding to the narrative. Some of the other spots from the city that are featured in the story are the Bukchon Hanok Village, a neighbourhood known for its restored traditional style of housing. Reportedly, the city government also provided the team with access to the Hangang River, as well as the district of Dongdaemun, helping bring the show’s intensity up another notch. Seoul is an extremely popular filming destination for creators around the world, with the production of many big titles such as ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron,’ ‘Train to Busan,’ ‘Squid Game,’ and ‘The Bourne Legacy‘ taking place in and around the city.
Busan, South Korea
The crew of ‘Butterfly’ also set up camp in Busan for the filming of some of the scenes, with an entire episode being named after the city. This added a personal element to the process, as Busan is also the hometown of actor Daniel Dae Kim. In an interview with NPR, he described the process of lensing Busan’s famous Jagalchi market, located at 52 Jagalchihaean-ro in district Jung-gu. He stated: “I’d invited 15 of my cousins and aunts and uncles and nephews to come to set, and this being their first experience at all of show business in their neighborhood market was a moment I’ll never forget, because it meant so much to me. It was literally the coming together of all of my worlds.” Busan is no stranger to large-scale productions, with hit titles such as ‘Oldboy,’ ‘Black Panther,’ and ‘Decision to Leave‘ all featuring the city.
Andong-si, South Korea
Filming also extended to the city of Andong-si, which is located along the Nakdong River. The city is famous for its lush green mountains and its rich cultural heritage. In particular, the open-air heritage and folk museums stand out as the highlights. The adjacent attractions include the Hahoe Folk Village, known for its traditional aesthetic and cuisine, which is complemented by the massive Buyongdae Cliff and observatory, which is a hotspot for thrill-seekers. The crew captured scenes covering the mountains of Andong-si, which have previously served as a backdrop to Korean movies and shows such as ‘All of Us Are Dead‘ and ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines.’
Daegu, South Korea
For the second episode of Butterfly, the team set up camp in the city of Daegu to follow the characters taking a breather and soaking in their surroundings. The city is a perfect match for this, as Daegu is known for its cultural heritage, particularly its history as a medicine hotspot. It is famous for the Daegu Yangnyeongsi Oriental Medicine Cultural Center, a museum dedicated to shedding light on traditional medicines and the ingredients that go into them. While in the city, the protagonist also brings up South Korean alcoholic beverages, and these align with Daegu’s famous soju breweries, with some of them being over 500 years old. Additionally, the bustling landscapes of the city can also be spotted in movies and shows such as ‘Train to Busan’ and ‘Mr. Sunshine.’
Other Locations in South Korea
Although the exact details have not been fleshed out as of writing, Daniel Dae Kim, who also serves as the executive producer of ‘Butterfly,’ has commented that as many as 20 cities have been a part of the production, with the crew lensing bits and pieces of the narrative at every point. This expresses their desire to integrate Korea into the narrative as much as possible and let its culture and scenic beauty seep in. In an interview with South China Morning Post, Kim explained, “I took the opportunity to showcase Korea because it’s a big part of who I am (…) It was a bit of a love letter to Korea. We got to see the shiny, glittery parts of Seoul as well as the back alleys and the places that you don’t often see in postcards or on websites. We went deep into the countryside, into remote areas. We went to Busan, the city where I was born. We were in over 21 cities.”
Read More: Where is Alien Earth Filmed?
