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Findings show fan art as the dominant engagement form: audiences reinterpret wuxia narratives, depict hanfu aesthetics, and explore emotional themes, extending reach and strengthening cultural influence. The study recommends closer industry–fan collaboration to support further global growth of C-Dramas.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & 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role does global fandom play in the sustained popularity of The Untamed?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"International fans keep the drama highly visible by creating and circulating original fan artwork, especially on social platforms like X.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How was the study conducted and what data were analyzed?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The research uses a qualitative case study approach, focusing on 10 X posts from December 2025 with over 1,000 likes each, many exceeding 10,000 likes and 50,000 views.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What do the results suggest about why fan art works?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Fan art drives engagement by reinterpreting wuxia stories, showcasing hanfu designs, and addressing emotional themes, helping the content reach diverse audiences and spread Chinese cultural 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ART ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE UNTAMED  \nNajmi Noor Izzati1, Rizki Nur Dwi Utari2, Nirina Wulan Agustina3  \nSebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Indonesia [E-mail](E-mail: najminoor@student.uns.ac.id)[:](E-mail: najminoor@student.uns.ac.id)[ ](E-mail: najminoor@student.uns.ac.id)[najminoor@student.uns.ac.id](E-mail: najminoor@student.uns.ac.id), [rizkiutari@student.uns.ac.id](rizkiutari@student.uns.ac.id), [nirinawulanagustina@student.uns.ac.id](nirinawulanagustina@student.uns.ac.id)  \n\n| Abstract |  |\n| --- | --- |\n| Keywords:\u003Cbr>The Untamed, Global Fandom, Fan Art, Chinese Drama, Soft Power. | The Untamed [Chén Qíng Lìng 陈情令], a Chinese drama released in 2019 and adapted from the novel魔道祖师[Mó Dào Zǔ Shī], remains highly popular worldwide six years later. Much of this ongoing success comes from international fans who actively share original artwork on platforms like X. This study examines how these global fandom practices, especially the creation of highengagement fan illustrations, help sustain the drama's appeal and spread Chinese cultural elements. A qualitative case study approach was used, focusing on 10 posts from December 2025 that each received more than 1,000 likes, with many exceeding 10,000 likes and 50,000 views. Data were gathered through targeted searches on X and analyzed using thematic content analysis, supported by Joseph Nye's soft power framework and Henry Jenkins'theory of participatory fandom. The results show that fan art is the mainform of engagement. Fans reinterpret wuxia stories, depict hanfu clothing, and explore emotional themes, reaching diverse audiences across countries. These activities extend the drama's reach and strengthen China's cultural influence through natural attraction. The study suggests that the entertainment industry could benefit from closer cooperation with international fans to build on this creative energy and support further global growth of CDramas.\u003Cbr>This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license\u003Cbr>|\n\nINTRODUCTION  \nChinese dramas, commonly referred to as C-Dramas, have established themselves as a significant component of global popular culture. The Untamed [Chén Qíng Lìng 陈情令], released in 2019, provides a clear illustration of this trend through  \nits continued international appeal. As of December 2025, the drama maintains considerable activity on platforms such as X, where fan-produced illustrations frequently attract thousands to tens of thousands of likes and hundreds of thousands of views.  \nThis prolonged interest stems primarily from the efforts of international fans, who consistently produce and circulate original artwork. Such illustrations typically portray characters in settings inspired by wuxia (martial arts fantasy) traditions, wearing traditional hanfu (historical Chinese clothing), or emphasizing the widely favored\"WangXian\" character pairing. Accompanied by hashtags including \\#MDZS,\\#TheUntamed, and \\#WangXian, these posts allow fans to reinterpret and expand upon the original story. In doing so, they promote Chinese cultural features, ranging from mythological elements and visual aesthetics to concepts of loyalty and harmony, reaching audiences across various countries. This includes creators and viewers from Korea, Japan, Thailand, and English-speaking regions.  \nExisting studies have addressed different dimensions of Chinese fandom, often concentrating on domestic settings or particular practices. Li et al. (2022) explored \"CP\"(couple pairing) patterns among Chinese youth, demonstrating how emotional attachment strengthens online communities and content sharing on Weibo. Liu (2020) presented a case study of celebrity fandom on the same platform, revealing how digital routines build shared identity. Zhang et al. (2022) focused on the intentional creation of positive content by fans to support celebrities across social media. Wang (2025) exam","cbCaigBPA0lP2Joq","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaigBPA0lP2Joq","pdf",349921,"English","# Introduction\n# Literature Review\n## Globalization of Chinese Popular Culture","[{\"question\":\"What role does global fandom play in the sustained popularity of The Untamed?\",\"answer\":\"International fans keep the drama highly visible by creating and circulating original fan artwork, especially on social platforms like X.\"},{\"question\":\"How was the study conducted and what data were analyzed?\",\"answer\":\"The research uses a qualitative case study approach, focusing on 10 X posts from December 2025 with over 1,000 likes each, many exceeding 10,000 likes and 50,000 views.\"},{\"question\":\"What do the results suggest about why fan art works?\",\"answer\":\"Fan art drives engagement by reinterpreting wuxia stories, showcasing hanfu designs, and addressing emotional themes, helping the content reach diverse audiences and spread Chinese cultural elements.\"}]","THE INFLUENCE OF GLOBAL FANDOM ON THE SUSTAINED POPULARITY OF CHINESE DRAMAS - A CASE STUDY OF FAN ART ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE UNTAMED | PDF",23]