In an interview on the set of Keep Running Season 14, producer and director Yao Yitian said that Haikou stood out not only for its ravishing scenery and year-round pleasant climate, but for the momentum the city has built since the launch of island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port.

"Haikou is thriving, full of life and opportunity," he said, saying it was exactly the kind of energy that the show was looking for. Yao also pointed to Haikou's rapidly growing film and TV industry as a key factor.

With favorable policies in place to attract talent and investment, the city is fast becoming one of China's most exciting production destinations — making it a natural home for Keep Running Season 14's opening shoot.