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Forest City, Malaysia’s China-backed US$100 billion ghost town, becomes set for Netflix shows
- Forest City, Malaysia’s China-backed US$100 billion mega-complex ghost city, is now serving as a set for a handful of Netflix productions
Now, the mega-development is serving as a set for a handful of reality shows and documentaries.
The competition-style reality series follows 12 contestants completing challenges while one of them secretly sabotages the other players. They race to grow a money pot prize and uncover who the traitor is among them.
The show’s 10-episode second season was filmed entirely in Malaysia and features Forest City, Kuala Lumpur, and Tioman Island. Filming started in July 2023 and lasted for six weeks, according to local media.
![A welcome sign stands at a roundabout in front of residential flats in Chinese developer Country Garden’s Forest City in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Photo: EPA-EFE](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/07/02/0f4d3707-0349-40c9-9e18-935486228f89_b6c0f612.jpg)
The contestants, who come from various professional backgrounds, complete treasure hunts, free dive, and abseil down a 38-storey building in Forest City.
In the third episode of the season, show host and former NPR journalist Ari Shapiro introduced Forest City: “A perfect spot for a glamorous holiday home, for those who can afford it. And most of the year, they lie empty.”
The city was also featured in other recent shows.
Announced in 2006, the luxury public housing estate was meant to feature flats, a water park, and hotels. The whole project cost its developers US$100 billion.
As of last year, only about 15 per cent of the planned property had been completed, while most finished flats appear never to have been lived in.
Netflix and Forest City did not respond to requests for comment.
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