The female audience at the heart of Duanju's success

In China, and gradually in many Western countries, duanju attract millions of spectators, the majority of whom are... female spectators.

Why this success with the female audience? Firstly, because duanju originate from a universe already well established among women: web novels. These sentimental fictions, often written by female authors, are aimed at a predominantly female readership, lovers of intense love stories full of twists and turns. Naturally, these online stories have found an audiovisual extension in duanju , which adopts their narrative codes.

The vertical format accentuates this affinity. Close-ups of faces capture emotions, the play of glances, and the thrills of seduction. The staging focuses on a central duo between a man and a woman, in plots that give pride of place to the characters' psychology and romantic tensions. The economical filming of duanju is supported by a minimalist aesthetic, luxurious-looking but often interior sets, perfectly suited to romantic intrigues. The romantic genre thus allows for limiting costs while reinforcing the intimacy of the scenes. The accessible narrative codes of romance and an emotionally focused production therefore accompany this format designed for rapid and addictive immersion.

The typical audience? Women between 35 and 55, who watch these series on the go or during short breaks in their daily lives, on their phones. Within reach, these pocket-sized heroines accompany their everyday lives. Consumption is certainly fragmented but faithful, similar to that of telenovelas and soap operas of yesteryear. Could duanju then be for these women what video games are for some men: a codified, ritualized, and stimulating entertainment with a high addictive power?

Today, despite the current prevalence of female audiences, the situation could be changing. While romance remains king on many platforms and apps, other genres are beginning to emerge: adventures, everyday stories, friendships, family dramas. This welcome diversification could attract a wider and more male audience, while renewing the codes, both aesthetic and narrative.

Duanju may have been born in the virtual pages of online romances, but it is fast becoming a new universal language of short storytelling. And women, pioneers of this trend with web literature, are its first heroines. As the heroes of these short romantic fictions, female authors and directors also have a significant role to play in the renewal of genres and the creative side of the format, offering new, captivating, more varied stories that will appeal to a wide audience, beyond genre and genres.

Article written by Maëlle Billant

#MaelleBillant