Streaming platforms such as iQIYI and Tencent Video have grown rapidly over the past decade due to a combination of factors such as urbanization, the rapid growth of the cultural industry, and mobile internet.
When it comes to television and film production, genres such as historical drama, suspense, and urban romance have seen significant changes in both production and distribution over the past six to seven years, with mainland Chinese productions overtaking those from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. is dropping. And Taiwan. This marks a departure from the trend prevalent since the 1980s, when mainland dramas lagged behind those from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Outstanding series such as “Blossoms Shanghai”, “Yanxi Palace Story”, “Bad Kids”, and “The Three-Body Problem” not only dominate the domestic market but also receive high praise overseas.
Although Taiwanese productions such as The World Between Us and Someday and One Day have achieved great success in recent years, this cannot hide the decline of Taiwan’s pop culture industry. Well-produced mainland dramas, such as 2018’s The Story of Yanxi Palace, have garnered high ratings in Taiwan, and phrases from these series have quickly spread among the island’s youth. Despite claims that mainland dramas are being used as tools to promote national reunification and efforts by the island’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party to stir up anti-mainland sentiment, some pro-independence Taiwanese influencers A surprising scene unfolded in which people compared themselves to the characters in these dramas.
The influence of the mainland’s popular cultural products on Taiwan is undeniable. Its influence extends not only to TV dramas, but also to variety shows, live streaming, short videos, etc. In the field of live streaming and short videos, platforms such as TikTok and Xiaohongshu (Xiaohongshu) facilitate the exchange of common storylines, promote catchy songs between young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and promote youth It has narrowed the psychological gap between .
Apart from the globally recognized TikTok, social media apps targeting niche audiences in the mainland, represented by Xiaohongshu, have influenced the media in a way that mainstream media cannot match. For example, starting in 2021, the popularity of Xiaohongshu among Taiwanese teenagers has increased dramatically, and the media has dubbed Taiwanese high school students who download and use Xiaohongshu on their mobile phones as the “Xiaohongshu generation.” I started calling.
Xiaohongshu and Sina Weibo are both ranked in the top 10 social apps preferred by middle school and university students in Taiwan.
The new generation of young people in Taiwan, who are familiar with simplified Chinese characters and the lifestyle of mainland youth, have been able to shed the shadow of the “Sunflower Generation” and become part of the “Little Hongshu Generation”.
In contrast to the rapidly evolving mainland cultural market, Taiwan’s popular culture industry has lost its vitality. This change has led young Taiwanese to look to the west side of the continent in the entertainment industry. In particular, actors like Alyssa Chia, who starred in The World Between Us, are a product of mainland market exploitation. And local influencers in Taiwan are increasingly choosing to establish a presence on mainland streaming platforms to earn more fame and money.
Furthermore, Taiwan’s pop culture industry is not only shrinking, but also under tremendous pressure from global giants such as HBO and Netflix. This fact has increased the anxiety of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities, who have begun to view mainland media platforms with suspicion.
With the introduction of mainland Taiwan’s “pop culture,” the Democratic Progressive Party’s “de-Sinicization” and “cultural independence” policies have become even more farcical. Despite Taiwan enacting the “iQIYI Clause” in September 2020, which bans all streaming video services on the mainland, young people living in Taiwan are still using servers in Hong Kong and elsewhere to access and subscribe to streaming video services. continues to do so, making a mockery of the ban. As a result, Taiwan’s younger generation is becoming less and less influenced by the Democratic Progressive Party’s manipulated public opinion.
With the continuous development of the economy and society, especially social media and comprehensive pop culture fields such as dramas, games, live streaming, short videos, etc., the mainland has been able to tell Chinese stories, interpret Chinese experiences, and promote Chinese people’s It has gained unprecedented influence in developing capabilities. A country’s cultural soft power. This resonates with people on both sides of the Channel and fosters a greater sense of values and identity.
For example, in late 2023, the song “Taipei Girl” captured the dreams and aspirations of Taiwanese youth. It quickly went viral on the internet thanks to its heartwarming melody and relatable lyrics. Not only is the mainland’s pop culture industry continually evolving, but it is also playing an unprecedented role in building a common cross-strait cultural experience.
With the advancement of technology and the rapid increase in national power, the mainland’s popular culture industry has shifted from “Made in China” to providing “Chinese experiences.” This shift in the cross-strait pop culture map reflects Beijing’s continued rise on the global cultural stage.
The author is an associate researcher at the Central Culture and Tourism Administration. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
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