Meme and label
Media convergence and digital visibility of ‘Mutai Danshen’ in Chinese audiovisual media
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7150983 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Junjian Liang (0009-0007-5229-6041, Tsinghua University), Lina Hyun (0009-0003-1124-6401, Tsinghua University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 882-897 |
| Publication date | 2025-06-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Convergence The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1354-8565 • E-ISSN: 1748-7382 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/13548565251328766 |
| OpenAlex | W4409599621 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 34 |
The term ‘Mutai Danshen’ (母胎单身), referring to individuals who have never been in a romantic relationship, has recently gained significant cultural prominence in China. This study explores how media convergence enhances the digital visibility of ‘Mutai Danshen’ within Chinese audiovisual media. Using a case study approach combined with netnography, it is argued that media convergence facilitates both the memeification and stigmatization of ‘Mutai Danshen’ by enabling interactions across diverse media formats, thereby amplifying its online visibility. As the term interacts across different media, it evolves from a niche internet buzzword into a widely recognized social phenomenon. This process reshapes public perceptions of singlehood and marital norms, creating a dynamic environment where ‘Mutai Danshen’ becomes both a humorous meme and a contested social label. This study showcases media convergence’s role in the process of gaining visibility in audiovisual media, which furtherly offers a mechanism for the dissemination and negotiation of cultural identities, underscoring the transformative potential of integrated media landscapes in shaping contemporary social narratives
Geography · Meteorology · Multimedia · Technological convergence · Telecommunications · Visibility · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Computer Science · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Media, Gender, and Advertising
Netnographic Analysis
Case Study Research
Comparison of Convenience Sampling and Purposive Sampling
Discipline and Punish
Douyin, storytelling, and national discourse
‘Traffic rewards’, ‘algorithmic visibility’, and ‘advertiser satisfaction’
Memes in Digital Culture
Social Media Use in Organizations
The patriarchal Western gaze and the discursive policing of fandom
Introduction to the special issue
Between the Media
Identity Theory and Social Identity Theory
Rethinking affective publics as media rituals through temporality, performativity and liminality
The Rise and Influence of Weibo (Microblogs) in China
Queer recognition and politics on YouTube
The ambivalences of visibility
Record, revise, reinvent, and resist
You have one identity
Visibility labour
The disclosure processes model
Visibility
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |