You know that feeling. The one where a melody starts, and suddenly you're back in a world of paragliders, forbidden borders, and a green piano sitting on a wooden dock. If you’ve spent any time on Netflix in the last few years, the Crash Landing on You pier isn’t just a piece of wood over water. It’s a pilgrimage site.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild how a single location can change a whole town’s economy. Before the show, Iseltwald was this sleepy, quiet fishing village in Switzerland. Now? It’s basically the epicenter of K-drama tourism. You’ve probably seen the photos on Instagram. That turquoise water is real. It’s not a filter. It really is that blue.
But here is the thing: getting to the Crash Landing on You pier isn’t as simple as just "showing up" anymore. Things have changed. If you go there expecting a quiet, romantic moment alone with your thoughts, you’re in for a surprise.
Where Exactly Is the Ri Jeong-hyeok Piano Scene?
The location is Iseltwald. It’s a tiny village on the southern shore of Lake Brienz in the Bernese Oberland region. To find the specific Crash Landing on You pier, you need to look for the "Schiffstation Iseltwald." It’s the boat landing right in front of the Strandhotel.
When Ri Jeong-hyeok (played by Hyun Bin) sat down to play that heartbreaking song for his brother, he was facing the lake with the mountains in the background. It's a gorgeous shot. In the drama, the scene feels isolated and ethereal. In reality, there is a bus stop about three minutes away and a line of people waiting to take the exact same photo as you.
The lake itself, Lake Brienz, is famous for its color. Scientists say it's because of the glacial particles that sink slowly to the bottom, reflecting light in a way that makes the water look like Gatorade Frost. It’s stunning. But don't expect to hear a piano. The piano was a prop. It's gone. What's left is the view and a lot of history.
The Five-Franc Turnstile Controversy
This is where it gets a bit "real world." For a while, the influx of tourists was so intense that the 400 or so residents of Iseltwald were, frankly, overwhelmed. Imagine living in a quiet village and suddenly having 2,000 people a day show up to stand on one specific pier.
To manage the crowds and pay for the maintenance of the area, the local government installed a turnstile. As of late 2023 and into 2024, you actually have to pay a 5 CHF (Swiss Franc) fee just to walk onto the Crash Landing on You pier for a photo.
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Some people think it’s a rip-off. Others say it’s a fair price to support the local infrastructure.
Honestly, if you’ve flown halfway across the world, five bucks isn’t going to stop you. But you should know about it before you arrive so you aren't fumbling for coins or a credit card while a line of fifty people watches you.
How to Get to Iseltwald Without Losing Your Mind
Swiss transport is amazing. Truly. But it requires a bit of planning. Most people stay in Interlaken and make the trip from there.
- By Bus: Take the 103 bus from Interlaken Ost. It takes about 20 minutes. It's free if you have a visitor card from your hotel, but it gets crowded. Like, "standing room only" crowded.
- By Boat: This is the pro move. Take the BLS ferry from Interlaken Ost (See) to Iseltwald. It takes about 45 minutes, but the views are incredible. You see the village approaching from the water, which is much more cinematic.
- By Car: Don't. Just don't. Parking in Iseltwald is a nightmare, and the roads are narrow.
If you want the "CLOY experience" without the elbowing, go early. I mean 7:00 AM early. By 10:00 AM, the tour buses from Lucerne and Zurich start rolling in, and the vibe shifts from "romantic drama" to "theme park."
Beyond the Pier: What Else Is Near Lake Brienz?
A lot of people hit the Crash Landing on You pier, take their selfie, and leave. That’s a mistake. The area around Lake Brienz is packed with other filming locations and spots that are arguably more beautiful than the dock itself.
Take the Sigriswil Panorama Bridge, for example. It’s about a 40-minute drive or a series of bus rides away. This is where Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) was about to jump before Jeong-hyeok asked her to take a photo of him. The bridge hangs 180 meters above the Gummischlucht gorge. It’s terrifying if you’re afraid of heights, but the view of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains is unbeatable. There’s a fee to walk across this one too, usually around 8 CHF.
Then there’s First in Grindelwald. This is where the paragliding scenes and the final reunion happen. It’s higher up, it’s colder, and it’s way more expensive to get to because of the cable car. But standing in those alpine meadows makes you feel like you’ve actually stepped into the show.
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Why This Specific Spot Struck a Chord
Why Iseltwald? Why this pier?
In the show, the Crash Landing on You pier represents a moment of pure, unintentional connection. It’s where the two leads crossed paths before they "actually" met in the DMZ. It symbolizes the idea of fate—that two people are meant to be together regardless of the borders between them.
Switzerland, in the context of the drama, is a neutral ground. It’s the only place where a North Korean soldier and a South Korean heiress can exist in the same space without the threat of war. That's why the scenery looks so perfect; it’s meant to be a paradise that contrasts with the harsh reality of their home lives.
When you stand on that pier, you’re not just looking at a lake. You’re looking at the physical manifestation of "what if."
Logistics You Need to Know
- Payment: The turnstile at the pier usually accepts credit cards (contactless) and coins.
- Public Toilets: There are some near the bus stop, but they can be busy. Plan accordingly.
- The Weather: Lake Brienz looks best on a sunny day. If it’s cloudy, the water loses that vibrant turquoise glow and looks more like a standard grey-blue. Check the MeteoSwiss app before you head out.
- The "Vibe": Be respectful. People actually live in those houses surrounding the pier. Avoid shouting or playing the "Crash Landing" OST on a Bluetooth speaker at max volume.
The Reality of the "Instagram vs. Reality" Gap
Let's be real for a second. If you look at the Crash Landing on You pier on TikTok, it looks like a lonely, misty dreamscape. In reality, you will likely be standing in a queue. There might be a guy behind you checking his watch. There might be a group of teenagers doing a choreographed dance.
Does that ruin it? Maybe a little.
But if you look past the turnstile and the line, the mountains are still the same ones Hyun Bin looked at. The air is still that crisp, Swiss alpine air. If you take the boat back to Interlaken and sit on the deck, watching the wake of the ship disappear into that blue water, you'll get it. You'll feel the magic that the producers saw when they picked this spot.
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Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you are planning the trip, here is how you do it right. Skip the midday rush. Seriously.
First, buy a Berner Oberland Pass or a Swiss Travel Pass. It makes the trains, buses, and boats "free" (pre-paid), which saves you a massive headache at ticket machines.
Second, check the boat schedule. The ferry doesn't run as frequently in the winter. If you're going between November and March, you'll likely be stuck taking the bus. The pier is still there, but the "lake cruise" vibe won't be an option.
Third, explore the village of Iseltwald itself. Walk away from the pier. There are beautiful wood-carved chalets and small paths that lead along the water. Most tourists stay in a 50-meter radius of the dock. If you walk just ten minutes further, you’ll find the peace and quiet you actually saw in the show.
Finally, remember that the Crash Landing on You pier is just a starting point. The Jungfrau region is massive. Use the momentum from your K-drama hunt to see the Lauterbrunnen waterfalls or the car-free village of Mürren. You came for the drama, but you'll stay for the scale of the Alps.
Check the boat times on the SBB app before you leave your hotel. If you miss the last ferry, the bus is your only way out, and it gets very dark in the valley once the sun drops behind the peaks.