The Ghost Bride: Where Was the Netflix Show Filmed?

of The Ghost Bride: Where Was the Netflix Show Filmed? Shuvrajit Das Biswas
Updated August 2, 2022
黃姵嘉 (Huang Peijia) a.k.a. 'Pan Li Lan', and 田士廣 (Kuang Tian) a.k.a. 'Lim Tian Ching' - Deceased son of Lim family, childhood friend of Li Lan. In the Netherworld, also known as Courts of Hell. After a person dies, they have 7 days where they are allowed to visit their relatives. During the 7 days, spirits have the ability to enter a living person’s dream via an item of theirs. This is also a place where hungry ghosts, ghosts with no family or affiliation, roam for all eternity.

Netflix is constantly on the lookout for new content, and its repertoire of original shows makes it one of the most-loved platforms in the world. ‘The Ghost Bride’ is another offering from the streaming giant, which happens to be based on Yangsze Choo’s novel of the same name. The show is set in 1890s Malacca, and we see a Malaysian Chinese woman struggling with her family’s debt. She has the chance to get out of this jam by accepting a marriage proposal from a boy from a wealthy family. The only caveat is that the boy is dead.

A ghost wedding is a common Chinese tradition, where one or both parties are dead. The idea is that those who die unmarried, are not left alone in their afterlife. However, upon accepting this offer of marriage, Li Lan, the woman, finds herself embroiled in a dangerous supernatural situation. Not only does she have to deal with a murder mystery, but also with otherworldly matters which are beyond her control and comprehension.

The gripping tale happens to be the first Netflix Mandarin original from Malaysia. Naturally, the series represents the customs there, while portraying both the real-life and supernatural surroundings in Malaysia, with utmost finesse. As a result, you might be wondering about where ‘The Ghost Bride’ has been filmed, and we have got you covered in that regard.

The Ghost Bride Filming Locations

Being a show based in Malaysia, the cast and crew have gone for absolute authenticity and filmed the series there. Ho Yu-hang, the co-director, spoke about the research that went into the show, saying, “Quite a bit of research went into the series. Obviously, this was the first thing we had to do. We tend to do our research so that we’re over-prepared. However, we’re also aware that we’re not making a historically accurate story. We’re making a supernatural romance that also has an element of fun.”

Once the research was done, it was easier to zero in on the places where they wanted to film the series. The idea behind the choice of locations is to keep the tone slightly modern. Moreover, the intention is to have a show steeped in Malaysian customs but relatable globally. Accordingly, the spots have been chosen, using studios when needed. Now, let us walk you through the details of the filming locations of ‘The Ghost Bride.’

Malaysia

The crew went all across Malaysia to film ‘The Ghost Bride.’ Some of the locations include Perak, Penang, Johor, Taiping, and Ipoh. According to co-director Quek Shio-chuan, “…the majority of filming was done in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Baru. It is set in Melaka, but so many of the heritage sites we filmed in were so well-preserved and suited the era. We had references that we could replicate.”

Ho added to this, saying, “We did a pretty extensive recce and Malaysia has a lot of cool places to shoot. Not just Penang (Island) but places like Butterworth and we shot there too. I didn’t know these places existed, there’s still a lot of unexplored territory”.

The choice of locations allows Malacca to be portrayed in a dreamlike manner, showing busy streets, characters traveling by trishaw, and idyllic scenes through fields. Ultimately, the locations help capture the essence of Malaysia’s Peranakan culture, and the directors have said that there will be a bit of Bahasa Malaysia in the dialogue to reflect this setting.

You can check out cast member Ludy Lin’s celebration of wrapping up filming in Malaysia below.

Iskandar Malaysia Studios

While the warm tones, colors, and vibrancy of Malacca have stemmed from smart location choices, understandably, the darker and somber tones of the underworld have been recreated in studios. In this case, ‘The Ghost Bride’ has made use of Iskander Malaysia Studios, which used to be Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios.

With numerous film stages of varying sizes, as well as a water tank for productions that need some work on or underwater, Iskandar Studios is also located in Iskander Puteri, where most of the show is filmed, increasing ease of access. This obviously makes it the perfect choice for the Netflix show.

In conclusion, ‘The Ghost Bride’ has used ample locations in Malaysia to capture the culture and, thus, the essence of the series while relying on the studio system to execute the supernatural elements that make the show so immersive.

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