Few TV series can make the shooting location an important element of the plot like “White Lotus Hotel”. From the sunny beaches in Hawaii to the magnificent historical palaces in Sicily, the story stage of each season not only shapes the unique beauty of the series, but also strengthens the structural development of the plot, allowing the audience to gain an in-depth understanding of the protagonists of the story, their inner world and the final outcome.
With the broadcast of Season 3, we found that Mike White, the screenwriter and director of “White Lotus Hotel”, decided to bring the roles in the play to Thailand, making the rich Thai culture and traditional spirit an indispensable part of the play. However, many drama fans may not know that in the original shooting plan, Thailand is actually not included in the option. “At the beginning, it was a bit like a smoke bomb, because I actually wanted to shoot in Japan,” Mike White said. “I have been in Japan for a long time, and I have the idea of shooting in Japan.”
However, this idea has not been realized—or at least not yet. Under the unexpected arrangement of fate, Mike White finally completed the filming of season 3 in Thailand. During the scene survey, he suffered from severe bronchitis, which also pushed him to a completely different choice. “They installed the inhaler for me, and I had never used it before, and it kept me from sleeping for a full 48 hours,” he recalled. “And during those 48 hours, the inspiration for the new season flooded my mind. And so, the Japanese idea was left behind.”
But if there is any feature of “White Lotus Hotel”, it is that everything will eventually return to “daily”. This makes people start to think: “Is it possible for Japan to become the stage for the next season?”
Season 3 also marks a change in focus throughout the series, exploring the themes of the soul and faith in depth. “The storyline and characters are full of Buddhist spirit,” Mike White explains, “and that will indeed have a great impact on the characters and culture you experience, whether directly or indirectly.” If that is what attracted him to shoot in Thailand, it is not difficult to imagine that Japan, which has a deep Buddhist and divine belief, will also inspire unprecedented inspiration.
