A corner of the Shitou Koumen Service Area recreates a scene from the TV series A Lifelong Journey, which was filmed in Changchun Film Studio. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Along the Hunchun-Ulanhot Expressway, the Shitou Koumen Service Area welcomes over 6,000 travelers daily, surging to three times that during holidays.

Inside, it feels like stepping into a corridor of cinematic history. A towering 6-by-4-meter sculpture of a vintage film projector commands attention, its metallic structure echoing the golden age of film. Nearby, a 14-meter-long wall traces the journey of Changchun Film Studio, pairing historic photos with a timeline of resilience and creativity.

The service area transforms nostalgia into reality, where visitors can wander past corn hung from farmhouse walls, lean against old bicycles, and catch black-and-white programs on antique TVs. Posters from decades past plaster the walls, creating a time-travelling photo hotspot.

Jiaohe Service Area. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Further along the highway, Jiaohe Service Area offers a gateway to nature's poetry. Just 17 kilometers from Lafa Mountain National Forest Park, it's surrounded by shifting seasonal beauty – from spring blooms to winter's silver hush. Soon, a new toll gate will cut the distance to just five km, turning this pit stop into a scenic escape.