ISELWALD - Ever since the hugely popular series "Crash Landing on You" aired a romantic scene shot in the picturesque village of Iseltwald, it 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, crashing landing onto a chivalrous army officer serving North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
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 beautiful piano melody that echoes across the water as the girl he will later fall in love with arrives by ferry from Interlaken.
Dozens of tourists were milling around the lakeside on a sunny day last week as a large steamboat bearing a giant Swiss flag pulled up to the nearby dock, teeming with visitors.
The breathtaking scenery and the romantic setting have made the pier a must-see for so-called "CLOY" 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 CLOY was the second-most popular K-drama show among foreign viewers in 2021 after "Squid Game".
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," local tourism office manager Titia Weiland told AFP.
She said it was difficult to calculate how many CLOY 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".
Last summer, up to 20 coaches began arriving each day, clogging traffic and sometimes blocking access to the village.
And locals complain that CLOY fans typically rush to the pier for a picture before moving on, often leaving a mess but little money.
In a bid to deal with the influx, the municipality last month announced only pre-booked coaches that pay for reserved parking spots will be let in.
And it installed a turnstile at the pier, which tourists can pass for a "selfie fee" of five Swiss francs ($5.50).