Fans of Netflix K-drama series Crash Landing on You mob Swiss village of Iseltwald, where a romantic scene was filmed – it’s a ‘dream come true’ for some

Asian tourists have overrun the Swiss village of Iseltwald since it was used as the location to shoot a romantic scene in popular K-drama Crash Landing on You
A tourism office manager estimates that ‘for every person living here, it’s been 1,000 visitors’ – an ‘overwhelming’ number for the 400-strong population

Tourism

Agence France-Presse

Published: 12:45pm, 12 Jun 2023

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“It’s a dream come true,” said Filipino 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, crash landing onto a chivalrous North Korean army officer.

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 piano melody that echoes across the water as the girl he will later fall in love with arrives by ferry from Interlaken.

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K-drama Crash Landing on You attracts tourists to filming locations in Switzerland

“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 in June 2023, as a large steamboat bearing a giant Swiss flag pulled up to the nearby dock, teeming with visitors.

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The scenery and the romantic setting have made the pier a must-see for Crash Landing on You fans who make it to Europe.

The 16-part series started airing just as Covid-19 began and it became a must-watch in much of Asia during pandemic lockdowns.

A South Korean culture ministry survey found that Crash Landing on You was the second-most popular K-drama show among foreign viewers in 2021, after Squid Game.

The village of Iseltwald, on the shore of Lake Brienz, in the Swiss Alps. Photo: AFP

But its success has caused an unexpected headache for Iseltwald, especially since last year, when travel restrictions were lifted across much of Asia.

“The numbers have exploded,” said Swiss tourism office manager Titia Weiland. She said it was difficult to calculate how many Crash Landing on You tourists had come but estimated that “for every local person living here, it’s been 1,000 visitors”.

She stressed that “almost everybody in Iseltwald – population 400 – is happy to have many tourists”, but acknowledged “it has been quite overwhelming”.

Tourism office manager Titia Weiland estimates that “for every local person living here, it’s been 1,000 visitors”. Photo: AFP

Last summer, up to 20 coaches began arriving each day, clogging traffic and sometimes blocking access to the village. And locals complain that Crash Landing on You fans typically rush to the pier for a picture before moving on, often leaving a mess but little money.

To deal with the influx, the municipality announced in May 2023 that only pre-booked coaches for which reserved parking spots have been paid will be let in. And it installed a turnstile at the pier, which tourists can pass for a “selfie fee” of 5 Swiss francs (US$5.50).

Sonja Hornung, the manager of the Strand Hotel, which overlooks the pier, said the measures had made a difference and her restaurant gives customers a turnstile token.

A Korean visitor takes pictures in Iseltwald, Switzerland. Photo: EPA

“Last year, it was terrible, [but] it has gotten much better,” she said, hailing the slot system that has dramatically reduced the number of coaches.

Some tourists, however, were a bit dismayed by the turnstile – and the price.

“Oh, 5 francs!” Florita Lichtensteiger, a 64-year-old Filipino living in Switzerland, exclaimed as she showed up with several visiting relatives.

Tourists in Iseltwald. Last summer, up to 20 coaches would arrive each day, clogging traffic and sometimes blocking access to the village. Photo: AFP

She grudgingly paid for them to go through, but did not follow, saying she had been here at least 10 times already. “All my guests want to see this place.”

“It’s not worth it,” said Park Na-yeon, a 21-year-old from South Korea.

Weiland insisted that the payment was needed for the upkeep of the pier. “It has to be safe.”

Iseltwald “is like paradise on Earth”, she said. “We want to really try to keep it that way.”

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