Fans Of Chinese TV And Movies Flock To Cities Where Stories Are Set
Last month, the coastal city of Jiangmen in Guangdong province welcomed a large number of tourists. Many of them visited the city thanks to the series Knockout , which premiered in mid-January and quickly became a hit.
The 39-episode drama tells the story of a police officer's 20-year fight against organized crime. At the time of publication, it was rated 8.5 out of 10 on the review platform Douban, based on over 600,000 votes.
Most of the drama's emotional scenes were shot in Jiangmen, with various old streets and historic buildings combining Chinese and Western elements.
"It's a small but charming city," said a netizen on a Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform after visiting Jiangmen recently.
He said. "I took some great photos on set and sampled the local cuisine, including the noodle rolls. No wonder it's drama star Zhao Zhitian's favorite food.”
According to online travel agency Ctrip.com, the number of searches for Jianmen on its platform increased by 163 percent between Jan. 20 and Feb. 2 compared to the previous two weeks. Meanwhile, bookings for travel products related to Jiangmen rose 121 percent, according to Ctrip.com.
The Red Flood River, which made its debut on the first day of the Spring Festival, also boosted tourism in Taiyuan, capital of Shaanxi Province.
The suspense comedy, based on military general Yu Fei's famous poem written during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), was mainly filmed at the Taiyuan County Old Film Base. Some of the film's sets, costumes, and props have been preserved, allowing tourists to re-enact the film themselves and immerse themselves in the experience.
Workers say wearing armor and climbing to the top of the traditional building while reciting poetry has become popular with tourists visiting the old town.
