Shaped by the sea

"This time, our stories are more about people and their families," says Chen, also a documentary filmmaker who established his fame with the smash hit A Bite of China.

The latest season is different from the previous two, which premiered respectively in 2018 and 2020, Chen says, adding that the production team decided at the very beginning to choose families with children.

"As most industry insiders know, it's easier to handle conversations with children when shooting a documentary. The youngsters usually respond more naturally in front of the camera, with less stress or concern," Chen says.

As one of the most popular "stars" in the documentary, Lin Benben, an 8-year-old boy from a fisherman's family in Dongxiang Island in Fujian province, grabbed the attention of Yang Chao, the director for the first episode, with his adorable personality.

While the furthest city that Benben has visited with his parents is Fuzhou, the provincial capital of Fujian, the boy shows his knowledge of geography by talking about African countries. His cautious complaint about his demanding parents, who push him hard to do his homework, but also work hard to give him nutritious food, has struck a chord with the audience.