Mapping transnational flow of C-dramas through cultural assemblages: Platformized audiencing as living practices

Abstract

The fast-evolving trend of digitization and platformization has fundamentally transformed the model of transnational cultural circulation, where previously disconnected actors—content producers, media conglomerates, distributors, regulatory bodies, and consumers—now function as interconnected players. This study examines how Chinese television dramas (C-dramas) circulate transnationally through “cultural assemblages” or ensembles of diverse cultural practices and discourses. Drawing on a mixed-method approach combining platform walkthrough with thematic analysis of audience reviews, we investigated how C-dramas create contraflows of non-Western culture, using the well-documented globalization path of Korean dramas as an inter-Asian referencing point. Our findings point to an emergent form of audience engagement that we term “platformized audiencing”—idiosyncratic and dynamic patterns of content consumption and cultural interpretation that naturally occur within a policy-driven multiple-platform ecosystem. The fragmented nature of C-dramas’ overseas distribution across multiple platforms necessitates viewers to selectively navigate between different services by evaluating subtitle quality (privileging Viki and Netflix), technical capabilities (increasingly considering iQIYI and WeTV), and content accessibility (defaulting to YouTube). These viewing practices reveal how regulatory frameworks, platform governance models, and audience agency intersect to shape patterns of transnational media consumption. By examining these dynamics through the lens of cultural assemblages, this study advances scholarly understanding of how digital platforms mediate cultural flows while highlighting the continued importance of audience agency in cultural interpretation and circulation.