"Man From the Stars" Revisited: Inside Korea's Best Drama Exhibition

Any “Man From the Stars” fans still out there? We thought so! The drama turned out to be such a runaway hit, SBS decided to sponsor a two-month-long special exhibition for the public to enjoy. Sadly, Kim Soo Hyun and Jun Ji Hyun aren’t here in person, but you can find set displays, interactive demos, costumes, gift shops, and more! Soompi decided to visit during the opening week, and it turned out to be totally awesome! Let’s take a look.

The exhibition is located in the brand-new Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). This futuristic exhibit hall, which was designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid, finally opened in March 2014 after five years of construction. Since some filming actually took place at DDP, it seemed natural to hold the exhibit here. 

The “Man From the Stars” exhibit opened four days ago and will stay open until August 15. Tickets are KRW 15,000. If you’re going to be in Korea this summer, make sure you check it out!  

The entrance… transporting you to another world! 

The exhibit was very interactive. This booth showed fans how the famous “bullet time” effect was created. A Go Pro camera shot this young fan from various angles as she jokingly attempted to walk off the set with Do Min Joon (hey, we’d do the same thing in her place). In the finished video, you could see how time appears to freeze as the camera spans around her.

You do have to pay a little extra for these photo and video opportunities, but for fans of technology (and SM music videos), it’s well worth it!

It also contained almost every set display you could hope to find. Many of them were surprisingly hands-on — for instance, you could walk around Do Min Joon‘s living room and wander out onto his balcony. Other sets allowed you to perch on the bed or the sofa for an excellent photo op.

Do Min Joon’s library. No books floating around, but still as gorgeous as it was in the drama.

One for the interior design fans: Another shot of Do Min Joon’s apartment.

The courtyard where the final scene took place.

A media display, and the balcony in the background…

… and how the same balcony appears on camera, with a little help from technology!

“Man From the Stars” spared no expense on the set, so why should they skimp afterward? They brought in an actual meteorite that landed in Korea last March. It may not be the same meteorite that came along with Do Min Joon, but for this young fan, it will do!

Cheon Song Yi’s Dolce and Gabbana gown, worn at the scene of the murder. Sadly, the famous silver shoes did not make an appearance.

Cheon Song Yi’s bedroom. You know you’ve made it when every room in your house features a gigantic photo of yourself.

A shot of the vanity.

The living room. The screen outside replayed Cheon Song Yi’s hilarious “drunken rage” scene — definitely enjoyable to watch again.

The litter from which Seo Yi Hwa was saved by a mysterious handsome alien 400 years ago.

In the two gift shops, you could buy some “Man From the Stars” merchandise, as well as some items that were featured in the drama, such as sunglasses, jewelry, and this sleeping mask.

The actual filming location of Cheon Song Yi’s stunt scene. Now it overlooks the exhibit!

That’s all from us. There’s a lot more to be seen, though, so definitely check it out if you’re in the area this summer!