Zhejiang TV's reality show Keep Running season 12 recently filmed in Hungary. Chinese celebs were brought to Budapest to explore some of the city’s iconic landmarks, uncovering a fascinating link between Hungary and Shanghai architecture in the process.

But what is the show and why film in Hungary?

It’s a Chinese hybrid variety and game show (a spin-off from the popular original South Korean show, Running Man) where guests have to undergo certain challenges to win a race. The show was invited to film in Budapest by the Hungarian Tourist Board, which seems to be utilizing a range of methods in publicizing the capital (ed: For example, a new marketing campaign to boost Budapest tourism was released in May that featured several of the world’s top influencers).

This Budapest edition of Keep Running leaned heavily on the castle and princess theme, weaving fairy-tale CGI elements into the opening scenes before revealing the first filming location of Gödöllõ castle (read more about the castle and its history here). If you’ve ever wanted to see a steam train rattle across Freedom Bridge, or a golden snitch fly around the cityscape of down-town Budapest, watch the first few minutes here of Running Man, Budapest edition:  

As reported in the China Daily, the show featured acting stars such as Li Chen, Zheng Kai, and Sha Yi, Bai Lu, singer Zhou Shen, and pop idols Fan Chengcheng, Song Yuqi, and Zhang Zhenyuan. As well as watching dancers break out some quality Csárdás moves, the show’s guests also engaged in games at the Gellért Baths (which frankly, looked like too much hard work considering it’s a spa) and took a scenic city river cruise along the Danube River.  

While looking for cultural parallels between Hungary and China, the show touched on the intriguing story of Hungarian-Slovak architect Laszlo Hudec.

A Hungarian-Slovak architect in Shanghai

Born in Austria-Hungary in 1893 (now Slovakia), Hudec studied architecture in Budapest before joining the Austro-Hungarian army in World War I. Captured by the Russians, he escaped to Shanghai from a Siberian prison camp.

After working for an American architecture firm, he set up his own practice in Shanghai and adopted the Chinese name Wu Dake. His most famous work in the city is the 22-story Park Hotel Shanghai, which was the city's tallest building until the 1980s. After spending time in Lugano and Rome, Hudec eventually moved to Berkeley and taught at the University of California.

Who says you can’t learn anything from reality tv?

Keep Running is broadcast to audiences in over 200 countries (including the U.S., Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia) and has over 3 million subscribers on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.

Sources & further reading:

China Daily

László Hudec

Keep Running (TV program)

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