diff --git a/src/main/java/com/mey/backend/domain/place/repository/PlaceRepository.java b/src/main/java/com/mey/backend/domain/place/repository/PlaceRepository.java
index eb0a75b..12945dd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/mey/backend/domain/place/repository/PlaceRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/mey/backend/domain/place/repository/PlaceRepository.java
@@ -13,10 +13,8 @@ public interface PlaceRepository extends JpaRepository<Place, Long> {
 
     List<Place> findByNameKoContainingIgnoreCaseOrNameEnContainingIgnoreCase(String nameKo, String nameEn);
 
-    @Query(value = "SELECT * FROM places WHERE JSON_CONTAINS(themes, :themeJson) LIMIT :limit", nativeQuery = true)
-    List<Place> findByThemeKeywordWithLimit(@Param("themeJson") String themeJson, @Param("limit") int limit);
-
-    Optional<Place> findByNameKo(String nameKo);
+    @Query(value = "SELECT * FROM places WHERE JSON_CONTAINS(themes, JSON_QUOTE(:keyword), '$') LIMIT :limit", nativeQuery = true)
+    List<Place> findByThemeKeywordWithLimit(@Param("keyword") String keyword, @Param("limit") int limit);
 
     // JPQL의 MOD 함수로 홀수 placeId만 필터링
     @Query("SELECT p FROM Place p WHERE MOD(p.placeId, 2) = 1")
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/mey/backend/domain/place/service/PlaceService.java b/src/main/java/com/mey/backend/domain/place/service/PlaceService.java
index fce4a33..c83f3c6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/mey/backend/domain/place/service/PlaceService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/mey/backend/domain/place/service/PlaceService.java
@@ -56,15 +56,12 @@ public List<PlaceResponseDto> getPopularPlaces(Integer limit) {
     }
 
     public List<PlaceThemeResponseDto> getPlacesByTheme(String keyword, int limit) {
-        String jsonKeyword = "[\"" + keyword.toLowerCase() + "\"]";
-        List<Place> places = placeRepository.findByThemeKeywordWithLimit(jsonKeyword, limit);
+        // DB 저장 형식에 맞추어 정규화 (예: 전부 대문자 + 언더스코어)
+        String norm = keyword.toUpperCase(); // "K_POP", "K_DRAMA" 등
 
-        if (places.isEmpty()) {
-            throw new PlaceException(ErrorStatus.PLACE_NOT_FOUND);
-        }
+        List<Place> places = placeRepository.findByThemeKeywordWithLimit(norm, limit);
+        if (places.isEmpty()) throw new PlaceException(ErrorStatus.PLACE_NOT_FOUND);
 
-        return places.stream()
-                .map(PlaceThemeResponseDto::new)
-                .collect(Collectors.toList());
+        return places.stream().map(PlaceThemeResponseDto::new).collect(Collectors.toList());
     }
 }
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