ISELTWALD, SWITZERLAND (AFP) – “It’s a dream come true,” said Filipina tourist Isabel Palijon, staring in wonder at a wooden pier framed by the turquoise waters of a Swiss lake and the towering Alps behind.
And she is not alone. Ever since the hugely popular South Korean series Crash Landing on You aired a romantic scene shot on this very spot, the picturesque village of Iseltwald has been overrun by Asian tourists.
The Netflix hit tells the unlikely story of a South Korean billionaire heiress who accidentally paraglides into the peninsula’s demilitarised zone, crashing landing onto a chivalrous army officer serving North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Several flashbacks in the show take place in Switzerland, including a riveting romantic scene on Iseltwald’s wooden pier, where the male lead plays a beautiful piano melody that echoes across the water as the girl he will later fall in love with arrives by ferry from Interlaken.
“I wish someday someone would do that for me,” said Jiah Hni Gwee, a 35-year-old from Malaysia, looking longingly at the spot on the pier where the piano stood. “It would be amazing and romantic.”
She was among dozens of tourists milling around the lakeside on a sunny day last week, as a large steamboat bearing a giant Swiss flag pulled up to the nearby dock, teeming with visitors.
The breathtaking scenery and the romantic setting have made the pier a must-see for so-called CLOY fans who make it to Europe.
