(UN)TAMED IMAGINATIONS: EXPLORING IMAGINED COMMUNITIES IN CHINESE DIASPORIC AUDIENCES THROUGH CULTURAL CONSUMPTION OF THE UNTAMED

Abstract

How may we reimagine the diverse Chinese diasporic community through fans of a drama series? This honours thesis unpacks Chinese diasporic audiences’ responses to The Untamed, a Chinese danmei period drama which features romantic relationships between male characters, set in an unspecified time in ancient Chinese history. Danmei literally translates to “indulging beauty”, and The Untamed has certainly captivated global audiences since 2019, demonstrating its powerful unifying effect especially amongst Chinese diasporic audiences. This honours thesis draws upon in-depth autobiographical interviews on personal and family histories, as well as fans’ explorations of what being “Chinese” and “queer” means as a member of a dispersed transnational community. How has The Untamed been interpreted as a medium to connect with the Chinese diasporic community—be it newfound or familiar? Traversing the immersive worlds of imaginations and reality, I explore the integrative role of The Untamed as a cultural text that facilitates social memory, community-building and identity formation. Through this paper, I also suggest the value in relooking false dichotomies in conceptualising the “imagined” and “real”, drawing from the imagined communities formed via The Untamed.