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Guide to Finding Cdrama Filming Locations, Merch & Ads in China

ByRoseanne Ducut

I’ve been watching cdramas for over 14 years now and have visited China three times, but I didn’t start seeking out filming locations until my most recent trip this year.

I love seeing the fictional world created through real-life locations.

Here are all the cdrama filming locations I visited across several cities in China on a recent trip, including tips and Amap locations.

I’ll also cover where to buy cdrama merch, plus where to find billboards and ads featuring cdrama actors and actresses.

If it’s your first time visiting China, make sure to read my ultimate travel guide for first-time visitors.

Where Are Cdramas Filmed in China?

Modern cdramas are filmed in various cities across China, while most historical cdramas are known to be filmed at built-in studio sets like Hengdian World Studios, which is open to visitors.

Hengdian World Studios is about 2 hours from Shanghai by high-speed rail, though an overnight stay is recommended.

You can purchase one-day, two-day, and multi-day passes on Trip.com.

It’s rare to come across live filming, though some fans manage it by staking out the locations.

Within Shanghai, there’s Shanghai Film Park, where the VR scenes from Love Between Lines were filmed.

Here’s cities where some popular cdramas were filmed:

  • The First Frost: Chongqing
  • The Best Thing: Hangzhou
  • Hidden Love: Xiamen
  • When I Fly Towards You: Qingdao
  • Meet Yourself: Yunnan
  • Ski Into Love: Jilin
  • Speed and Love: Nanjing

How to Find Cdrama Filming Locations

  1. RedNote app (Xiaohongshu): Search, for example, Shine On Me cdrama locations for posts and videos of filming locations.

There’s an auto-translate option, but you can also screenshot captions and run them through a translator.

  1. TikTok: If you’re not able to sign up for RedNote (like me until the very end of my trip), search on TikTok. Most will be from tourists (who likely got the locations from RedNote 😆). Instagram may have some posts.
  2. Google App: The Google app has a camera search option where you can upload a photo/screenshot and it will scan through the internet for similar posts with the image that may include the location.

Cdrama Filming Locations in Shanghai

Many cdramas were filmed in Shanghai like Love Between Lines, Lighter & Princess, Meteor Garden, and much more.

You’ll often see the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower and Pudong skyline as a backdrop or as b-roll in many cdramas.

I went to find specific sites in Shanghai from Shine On Me and Love Between Lines, two recent dramas from 2026 (Spoiler-free).

Shine On Me

Former Residence of Ke Ling | Amap

Two women in winter coats talking outside a yellow house decorated with red ornaments and greenery, with leafless trees in front and snow falling.
Credit: Tencent Video

In episode 12, Nie Xiguang and Lin Yusen have an important conversation in front of this yellow building.

It’s located in the Hunan Residential District, about a 20-minute walk from the French Concession.

You’ll also see views of the Pudong skyline in episodes 27 and 30 when they visit Shanghai.

Love Between Lines

Much of Love Between Lines was filmed in Shanghai. Here are the cdrama sites I visited.

EKA Tianwu | Amap

The EKA Bookstore in Shanghai, China, with its striking curved glass facade, nestled beside a reflective pond and surrounded by trees and market stalls

EKA is a creative park and open-air shopping complex built inside a cluster of restored factory buildings.

In the main area, you’ll immediately spot the building used as the VR game company in the show. In real life, it’s a bookstore.

Right across from it is the cafe that Hu Xiu’s best friend (Xiao Rou) owned in the show:

Visitors enjoying the outdoor terrace of EKA Cafe in Shanghai, China, with yellow umbrellas, blooming trees, and a tranquil reflective water feature nearby

It’s farther from central Shanghai, but the area is worth visiting and if you go a bit farther, you can visit the official IQIYI shop (Amap).

Riverside Corridor at Pudong Art Museum | Amap

A man and a woman stand on opposite sides of a large concrete pillar, looking out over the city skyline from a waterfront promenade with a glass railing.
Credit: iQIYI

This location appears twice in Love Between Lines, once before they know each other, and later when they sit down to talk over coffee.

It’s located near the west gate of Pudong Art Museum and near the Oriental Pearl Tower. It’s worth visiting regardless for the waterfront view.

French Concession

There are two Love Between Lines filming locations you can visit within the French Concession district.

One is the Lawson near Hu Xiu’s house and where she bumps into Xiao Yu. | Amap

A street scene featuring a Lawson convenience store in a multi-story building with residential units above, a traffic light, and pedestrians and cyclists on the sidewalk.

The other is the longtang that inspired the traditional alley neighborhoods in the show. | Amap

Credit: iQIYI

I only passed through, as it was still residential homes.

Meteor Garden

Many scenes were filmed in Shanghai, and I’d love to try visiting more next time.

China Art Museum | Amap

The striking red China Art Museum in Shanghai, China, housed in the former China Pavilion from the 2010 World Expo, with its iconic upturned eave architecture

I only realized I had already visited this on my first trip to Shanghai. Featured in episode 46:

Credit: Youku

The Bund and Pudong Skyline | Amap

A woman standing on The Bund at night in Shanghai, China, with the dazzling Pudong skyline and illuminated skyscrapers reflected on the Huangpu River behind her

You’ll see the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower shown in Meteor Garden. The kiss in episode 19 was shot at the Vue Bar at The Hyatt on The Bund.

If you’re a big fan of the show, this blog post covers more filming locations.

➡️ See all the attractions I visited in Shanghai.

Cdrama Filming Locations in Chongqing

First Frost

The most famous cdrama that takes place in Chongqing is First Frost. You’ll see many of the city’s popular attractions in the show’s opening and ending credits.

Liziba Station | Amap

This is more a fan-guessed filming location — I don’t remember seeing this actual station in the cdrama, but you’re able to see the same metro design as in the opening credits.

Yangtze River Cableway | Amap

Credit: Youku

A main location featured in the ending credits is the Yangtze River Cableway, though I only was able to catch it at night.

I wanted to visit the noodle shop shown during their college days and future visits, but it’s located farther from the city center:

Credit: Youku

If you’re a big fan of the show, here’s a blog post that goes over more filming sites in Chongqing.

Cdrama Filming Locations in Wuxi

Shine On Me

The city of Wuxi is Nie Xiguang’s hometown in Shine On Me and is featured more during their day trip in episodes 24 and 25.

Mei Jingsu | Amap

People queuing outside a shop with a wooden signboard, two display boards with photos, and a white wall with red roses climbing.

They buy plum blossom cakes, a popular local snack in Wuxi. The shop still has the Shine On Me board out front.

Qingming Bridge | Amap

Two people standing on a bridge over a canal in a traditional water town, with white buildings, colorful lanterns, and a stone bridge in the background.
Credit: Tencent Video

Qingming Bridge is where they walk to eat the cakes they bought.

This area is worth visiting regardless. You’ll walk through the popular Nanchang Street with shops and restaurants.

If you’re visiting during the cherry blossom season, you can visit Rongshi Plum Garden where they became official.

Zhang Linghe Spot | Amap

A woman with long hair wearing a brown jacket stands in a bookstore aisle, surrounded by shelves filled with colorful books and posters on the wall.

For fans of Zhang Linghe, Wuxi is his hometown. I visited Zuoqin bookstore, a popular fan spot where Zhang Linghe did a photoshoot.

His photos are plastered throughout the small bookstore.

The grandma who runs it is incredibly sweet and insisted on a photoshoot (it was free and she took about 30+ photos). We communicated using my limited Mandarin skills and Google Translate.

The bookstore is located right next to Nanchan Temple.

➡️ See all the attractions I visited in Wuxi.

Cdrama Filming Locations in Suzhou

A lively night scene at a street market with people walking, illuminated lanterns hanging from trees, and food stalls on the side. The area is bustling with visitors enjoying the evening.

Shine On Me

The main city in Shine On Me’s storyline is Suzhou.

Here are some sites I visited.

Amu Chongji Noodles Restaurant | Amap

The image shows the exterior of a traditional tea house with an open wooden door, customers sitting inside, and a window display. The building has a tiled roof and a sign with Chinese characters.

In the cdrama, Lin Yusen and his friend Fang Shengyi eat at this noodle shop near the main Pingjiang Road.

When I visited (April 2026), the shop still had a board out front promoting the cdrama:

Pingjiang Road | Amap

Credit: Tencent Video

After Nie Xiguang and Lin Yusen eat in episodes 13 and 16, they take a stroll through what looks like Pingjiang Road at night.

While the scene does take place in Suzhou, I couldn’t place the specific locations or bridge shown in the drama.

Lanterns hanging along a river at night, reflecting on the water, with a stone bridge and trees in the background.
Credit: Tencent Video

You’ll also see b-roll of the Gate of the Orient located at the Jinji Lake Scenic Area, which is worth visiting at night:

The Gate of the Orient, a striking arch-shaped twin skyscraper in Suzhou, China, photographed at night against a dark sky

➡️ See all the attractions I visited in Suzhou.

Where to Buy Cdrama Merch in China

A collection of Zhang Linghe fan items including photo cards, badges, and keychains arranged on a white surface.

Cdrama merch was harder to find compared to buying kdrama and kpop merch in Korea, for example.

I also went to many bookstores to find magazines like Elle China but could not find them anywhere. It’s better to purchase online through the official websites or Tabao and have it sent to your hotel if possible.

You generally won’t find cdrama merch in the main shopping areas.

TIP: download RedNote app (Xiaohongshu) and search, for example, cdrama merch Shanghai for posts and videos of where locals bought merch.

My RedNote didn’t work until the very end of my visit, so I missed out on a lot that’s not on TikTok.

IQIYI Stores

If you want the most official merch, IQIYI has two physical stores:

  1. Shanghai — New World City Mall (B1) near People’s Park
  2. Shanghai (main) — Wanda Plaza Mall, block C

There used to be one in Hangzhou, but it apparently closed down.

Chengdu

Chengdu is where I bought most of my cdrama merch, especially at the GoGo Ego Mall, a mall specifically for fashion and fangirls/fanboys/fanbys.

They have several stores with cdrama and cpop merch on the upper floors with both official and unofficial items, along with some kpop stores selling albums and photo cards.

Souvenir Shops

At some souvenir shops, you might find a tiny cdrama section. I came across this at Raffles City Mall in Chongqing (first floor).

A variety of small, laminated photo keychains featuring different K-pop idols hang on hooks, with a green price tag showing ¥4.98 in the background.

Where to Spot C-Actor Ads

TIPS:

  • The RedNote app will have the most recent and live ads i.e. for birthdays or anniversaries, or brand promos.
  • Look up your favorite actor’s current brand deals i.e. Zhang Linghe is currently partnered with Lee. You’ll see his ads displayed at Lee stores:
An image showing two large posters of male models promoting Lee men's clothing. The left model wears a light gray sweater and blue jeans, while the right model wears a yellow jacket over a white shirt.

Higher-End Malls

A young man with dark hair and a black jacket stands in front of a sunset background, with an Omega watch advertisement on the right side of the image.

Most actors and actresses have brand deals with higher-end brands or international chain stores. These are likely inside modern malls.

Just go to a store where the actor has a current brand deal.

Makeup & Skincare Stores

A large digital screen shows a young man with dark hair, wearing a white shirt and black jacket, holding a fan with a blue design. To the right, there is a cartoon horse mascot in a red outfit.

Many actors and actresses are the faces of makeup and skincare brands — you’ll see a display for specific brands. I went to The Colorist (chain store) and found a few of Zhang Linghe:

A large poster of a young man with dark hair and a plaid shirt is displayed in a cosmetics store, surrounded by various makeup products and promotional signs.

On Food at Convenience Stores

I’ve seen some cdrama actors on food items like this one:

Two boxes of Tao Kae Noi seaweed snack with cartoon character and a young man pointing, displayed on a store shelf.

Not related: found a pole ad of one of my favorite actors Li Xian:

A large vertical digital billboard featuring a young man in casual clothing, standing with hands in pockets, in front of a red background with the word "ORIGINALS" in bold white letters.

I hope this was helpful! I’ll be adding more as I inevitably visit China more!

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Roseanne Ducut is a Filipina solo female traveler of over 10 years from the Bay Area, California. She creates ultimate travel itineraries + vlogs inspired by the rich history and pop culture in Asia. A veghead for over 17 years, Roseanne also writes vegan guides to help others plan their trips.