TV drama brings customs frontline into spotlight

When director Huang Wei and his team set out to make Gimlet Eyes, a popular television drama on customs passenger inspection, the project was driven by a simple impulse: curiosity.

Adapted from the online novel Wu Bei Dang Guan (We Serve as Officials) by Zhao Yunhe, popularly known by his pen name Lie Yiyang, the series follows Guo Cong, head of a passenger inspection unit at an airport customs office, and his colleagues as they protect the nation's borders. Working within a 50-meter inspection corridor, they identify smugglers and investigate cases involving the illegal trafficking of genetic samples, cultural relics, vaccines and products derived from protected wildlife.

According to industry tracker China Audio-visual Big Data (CVB), it attracted 540 million viewers and ranked first among prime-time television dramas in April.

Speaking at a recent seminar in Beijing, Huang recalled spending three months researching customs work before embarking on an intensive 63-day shoot. Determined to authentically portray a profession rarely depicted on screen, the crew filmed primarily in Huizhou, Guangdong province, paying close attention to even the smallest details.

"When luggage passed through the X-ray machine, the images shown on screen were real scans. Every suitcase appearing on camera contained a different set of items," Huang said.

For the cast, understanding the profession proved just as demanding as recreating it.

"When I first received the script, I was really nervous," admitted actor Jing Chao, who portrays Guo. Unfamiliar with customs procedures and workplace culture, he immersed himself in field research before filming began.

The experience quickly reshaped his understanding of the job. During a visit to a customs checkpoint, Jing watched an officer identify a passenger carrying prohibited items without relying on sophisticated technology. As the inspection unfolded, he witnessed firsthand the sharp instincts and professional judgment developed through years of experience.

"That officer's sharp gaze, calm expression and decisive handling of the situation became a model for my performance," he said.

Actress Huang Yao, who plays rookie officer Zhang Yu, said she had never truly appreciated the pressure customs officers face, despite having passed through airports countless times.

"When you watch wave after wave of passengers surging toward you like ocean swells, while simultaneously checking IDs, luggage, behavior and facial expressions, your brain simply can't keep up," she said.

The experience gave her a deeper appreciation of the dedication and professionalism of the often-overlooked guardians of the nation's borders, she added.