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How Shine On Me Is Driving Jiangsu Tourism Growth

Shine on Me’s romance and regional humour turn real Jiangsu locations into travel buzz, as plum gardens, libraries, & local jokes win viewers’ hearts.
How Shine On Me Is Boosting Jiangsu Tourism
Shine on Me Sparks Jiangsu Travel Craze as Song Weilong and Zhao Jinmai’s Romance Goes Beyond the Screen (Photo: Tencent Video)

Not every hit drama sells fantasy palaces or postcard-perfect skylines. Sometimes, all it takes is a plum garden, an early bedtime joke, and a borrowed-library-book debate to send viewers packing their bags. That’s exactly what Shine on Me (驕陽似我) has done. While audiences tuned in for Song Weilong and Zhao Jinmai’s gentle, slow-burn romance, many found themselves unexpectedly falling for Jiangsu’s everyday charm — and deciding they wanted to see it for themselves.

As Shine on Me continues to trend, its appeal stretches well beyond sweet chemistry. Viewers have praised the drama for weaving real locations, local humour, and regional habits directly into the storyline instead of using them as background decoration. 

The result feels lived-in, familiar, and oddly comforting — the kind of realism that makes fictional moments feel close to home.

That authenticity comes largely from screenwriter Gu Man, a Jiangsu native who clearly knows how locals joke about themselves. Rather than polishing Jiangsu into something glossy, she leans into its quirks, turning daily routines and stereotypes into light, self-aware humour that audiences instantly recognise.

How the Drama Shine On Me Is Increasing Jiangsu Tourism

One of the drama’s most replayed scenes takes place at Rongshi Meiyuan in Wuxi. 

Beneath blooming plum blossoms, Lin Yusen and Nie Xiguang finally clear up a misunderstanding that has lingered for two years — all because of a plum-viewing invitation that was wrongly used by someone else.

The emotional release, combined with the soft seasonal setting, struck a nerve. 

Fans quickly crowned it the “great historic moment” of the Sen-Guang couple, praising both the payoff and the symbolism of returning to where the misunderstanding began.

The impact didn’t stay on screen. Online searches for Rongshi Meiyuan surged, and the site’s official account leaned into the moment with a playful comment about viewers going from watching the drama to visiting the garden in real life. It was a rare case where fiction and tourism clicked almost instantly.

Another surprise hit came from a throwaway line about Suzhou Library. In the drama, the male lead casually claims readers can only borrow five books at a time. 

Sharp-eyed viewers immediately questioned it, and within hours, the library’s official account stepped in to clarify that adult reader cards currently allow up to 20 books.

Instead of sparking complaints, the response turned into a viral moment. Netizens dubbed it “the fastest PR response of 2026,” praising the calm, informative tone. What could have become nitpicking ended up as an entertaining piece of public knowledge — proof that drama buzz doesn’t always have to end in arguments.

Regional jokes run throughout the series, but one line in particular hit home. While on a work trip to Guangzhou, Zhao Jinmai’s character is shocked to hear that going out for roast goose at 10 p.m. is considered early. Song Weilong’s reply — “This is Guangzhou, not Jiangsu” — landed perfectly.

The line reopened a familiar internet joke about Jiangsu being the “early nights province.” Netizens piled on with comments like:

  • “Suzhou night market doesn’t start at 8:30 p.m., that’s when it ends.”

  • “Jiangsu nightlife is getting home early and helping kids with homework.”

  • “By 11 p.m., the streets are quieter than a library.”

Instead of feeling mocked, many locals embraced it, calling the humour accurate, gentle, and very Gu Man-coded.

Online reactions to the drama’s Jiangsu flavour have varied, but most lean positive:

  • Local viewers appreciated seeing familiar habits portrayed without exaggeration.

  • Non-locals said the humour made Jiangsu feel approachable rather than boring.

  • Travel fans admitted the real locations made the romance feel more tempting — “like places you could actually visit, not just admire.”

  • Sceptics initially worried about overusing regional jokes, but later praised how naturally they fit the story.

Many agreed that the drama didn’t shout “tourism promotion” but quietly planted curiosity instead.

Without loud campaigns or forced product placement, Shine on Me has managed something rare. It turned ordinary places — libraries, gardens, lakes, and early nights — into part of a romantic memory. Locations like Wuxi Taihu New City, Jinji Lake, and Nianhua Bay now carry emotional weight for viewers who associate them with key moments in the story.

More importantly, the drama shows how regional identity doesn’t need to be polished or hidden to be appealing. Sometimes, embracing everyday life is what makes people want to visit.

Shine on Me proves that romance, humour, and a strong sense of place can travel just as far as big-budget visuals. Now it’s your turn — did the drama make you curious about Jiangsu, or are you already planning a plum blossom trip? 

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#Song Weilong #Zhao Jinmai

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