Buzz
Longing to meet you, just want to meet you, whether in the future or the past, I just want to meet you alone
Across thousands of time streams, still wanting to stand shoulder to shoulder amidst the vast sea of people
At the end of 2019, the Taiwanese television series 'Someday or One Day' (Longing for You) was broadcast and gained fame in countries like China, Korea, and Vietnam. By chance, during my trip to Taiwan, I also had the opportunity to visit some spots to have 'cheap moments' with the handsome actor Hua Quang Han. Additionally, I collected some locations for you to 'save' for your own travel.
Official poster of the Taiwanese television series 'Longing for You' featuring performances by Kha Giai Yen, Hua Quang Han, and Thi Ba Vu. | Photo: FB.com/SomeDayOrOneDay
Longing for You is a Taiwanese high school romance series premiered in 2019 with 13 episodes, depicting the time-travel journey of Hoang Vu Huyen (Kha Giai Yen) after the death of her boyfriend Vuong Thuyen Thang (Hua Quang Han). She travels back to 1998 as high school student Tran Van Nhu and meets Ly Tu Duy - a spitting image of Vuong Thuyen Thang whom she yearns for every night along with Mac Tuan Kiet (Thi Ba Vu's role) - the boy secretly in love with Tran Van Nhu. With an intriguing plot, Longing for You brings many surprising and dramatic twists, winning 4 awards at the 55th Kim Chung Awards, including Best Television Series. In 2023, the film adaptation of Longing for You was also screened in many countries, including Vietnam, achieving remarkable success. Once again, Longing for You has turned ordinary scenes from the series into captivating locations through its excellent cinematography.
Tainan - The main setting of 'Longing for You'
How to get to Tainan
If traveling from Kaohsiung, opt for a regular train instead of the HSR to save time and avoid catching an additional train to the city center.
Usually when visiting Taiwan, many people may not choose Tainan as their main destination, preferring Taipei and Taichung instead. However, after reading more about Tainan, especially during the airing of 'Longing for You,' I decided to visit this city. Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan, so it's no surprise that it doesn't have an MRT subway system. The main mode of transportation here is buses. Because of this, it's not uncommon to stumble upon a temple or ancient house while walking around, adding to the city's nostalgic charm. Another thing that might make you fall in love with Tainan is the weather, which is very pleasant - sunny and cool. The weather here seems to be completely opposite to Taipei's.
Stepping out of the Tainan train station, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the beautiful weather - gentle sunshine and cool breeze. Behind the train station is the renowned Thanh Cong University, a popular choice among Vietnamese students for their studies.
The weather in Tainan is always bathed in sunlight, in stark contrast to Taipei.
The streets of Tainan are clean, lined with simple architectural houses, and there are not many high-rise buildings. Just taking a stroll, you can easily capture beautiful street scenes. The population here is much smaller than Taipei, so rest assured your photos won't be crowded with people.
The houses feature simple architecture, with few high-rise buildings, and the streets are spacious and clean.
Returning to the story, when visiting Tainan, you definitely can't miss Anping Old Street. It's the oldest street in Tainan and used to be the settlement of the Dutch when they occupied Taiwan. This ancient street is a complete complex, from historical sites to night markets, from history to cuisine. It's also a setting in the 'Someday or One Day' series, where the main character, Li Tudi (Hua Quang Han), takes the baby Hoang Vu Huyen for a stroll around the old town to find his grandmother's house.
The scene where Li Tudi (Hua Quang Han) takes the baby Hoang Vu Huyen for a stroll around the old town to find his grandmother's house was entirely filmed at Anping Old Street. | Photo: FB.com/SomeDayOrOneDay
How to get to Anping Old Street
Anping Fort
First, buy a ticket to visit the Anping Old Fort for 30 TWD. It's an old Dutch fort with distinctive red brick style, and you'll surely notice many similarities with Malacca in Malaysia when you visit here. The fort's grounds are lush greenery, and inside, there's a small museum housing artifacts, maps, and paintings about this landmark. In 'Someday or One Day', Li Tudi rode a motorcycle through this area while looking for his grandmother's house for the baby Hoang Vu Huyen.
Anping Fort with Dutch architecture
Tianhou Temple - Temple of Mazu
Located next to Anping Fort, the Tianhou Temple worships Mazu - the goddess of the sea, revered as the protector of fishermen and sailors, honored in both Buddhism and Taoism in East Asian countries, especially in Taiwan.
In front of the temple on the right corner, you'll easily spot stalls selling tea, fruit juice, and beverages with yellow and red banners. You can support by buying 2 cups of bitter melon juice to have a 'cheap moment' with Li Tudi.
Tianhou Temple near Anping Fort and drink stand on the right-hand side
You can quickly immerse yourself and imagine Li Tudi buying 2 cups of bitter melon juice.
Quày Bánh Quy Đường
As the 'culinary paradise' of Anping Old Street offers many enticing dishes, including a local treat called Peng Tang (椪糖), a type of biscuit made from cooked sugar and baking soda that expands when heated. The biscuit stand in the film is confirmed to be located on Anping Old Street. If you take a stroll around the old street, you may come across and enjoy this sweet snack.
The biscuit stand and a wide variety of snacks at Anping Old Street are ready for you to explore | Photo: FB.com/SomeDayOrOneDay
Apart from Anping Old Street, you can also visit some filming locations in Tainan City.
Record Store No. 32
Tran Van Nhu's record store in Tainan is actually a merchandise store called Small Half Floor. Since its appearance in 'Some Day or One Day,' it has become a famous tourist spot where many fans can take photos in front of the store (some even dress like characters in the movie).
Record Store No. 32 - Tran Van Nhu's workplace. | Photo: FB.com/SomeDayOrOneDay
Phuong Hoa High School
Phuong Hoa High School - where the trio of main characters attend. | Photo: FB.com/SomeDayOrOneDay
The high school is where most of the plot unfolds, making it the central filming location for the production team. Phuong Hoa High School has capitalized on the film's popularity by allowing visitors during certain times. The school even displays a series of stills from the film for photo opportunities, although tours have been suspended due to the pandemic and it's uncertain if they will resume. If you get the chance to visit, note that this is a functioning high school, so please be respectful and avoid being too noisy.
Mrs. Mac's shaved ice stand
Mrs. Mac is the owner of a shaved ice stand in the film. This is where the two friends often go for shaved ice, and Ly Tu Duy's favorite is red bean shaved ice with double condensed milk and pudding. Good news is that this shop actually exists in real life, it's called Long Tuyen Shaved Ice Stand located in the central market of Ma Dau.
Mrs. Mac's shaved ice stand is the Long Tuyen Shaved Ice Stand. | Photo: FB.com/SomeDayOrOneDay
Noodle shop near the Tay An Tea House
The noodle shop where Hoang Vu Huyen, Ly Tu Duy, and Mac Tuan Kiet go to eat. Hoang Vu Huyen tells a funny story about noodles.
This noodle shop is significant because Hoang Vu Huyen recognized the connection between Ly Tu Duy and Vuong Thuyen Thang through a bowl of noodles. The connection is a 'chilling' story that Vuong Thuyen Thang chuckled at the first time he heard it. The shop has been in operation for over 30 years, specializing in serving unique pot noodles and Taipei-style grilled sandwiches.
But if you're in Taipei, there's still an interesting place to visit
Coffee 32 - Good Things Spirit Cafe
The coffee shop owned by Tran Van Nhu's uncle in Taipei is actually a cafe called Hao Wu Spirit Cafe. Most of the time-traveling adventures of Hoang Vu Huyen in Taipei revolve around this cafe, so it's a must-visit spot. The cafe serves coffee and Western dishes, pasta, and various types of cakes that change regularly.
This is a favorite photo spot for fans of the movie when visiting Taipei
Drop by the Eslite Bookstore Dai An to purchase a photobook
Eslite is the largest bookstore chain in Taiwan with many branches spanning from North to South, but if you need a bookstore open 24 hours, you can choose the branch in Don Hoa. It's where you can buy any book you can think of and don't miss out on the movie's photobook.
Photobooks and many official movie publications are sold at the bookstore
With the success of 'Want to See You', the Tainan City government facilitates tourists' visits to filming locations by issuing the 'Want to See You Map', which you can pick up at the city's district offices.
The Tainan City government even distributes maps to guide you on how to be welcomed as a fan. | Photo: www.tainan.gov.tw
If you're a fan of the movie, don't miss the chance for a 'cheap moment' with your idol by scheduling, booking a flight, and packing your bags!
Author: Le Thi Kim Nguyen
*This article participates in the Mytour Goglobal program.
Mytour Goglobal is a blogging program introducing beautiful destinations around the world, part of the Mytour Go & Share program. It's a fantastic opportunity to promote new travel destinations worldwide. For each qualifying article, you'll receive 1,200,000 VND and the chance to become a Contributor with Mytour. For more information about the program, visit: https://trv.lk/goglobal
