The Construction of Female Characters and Their Social Impact in the Context of Digital Media

Abstract

In the digital age, visual media increasingly permeates social life, while the global interplay of cultural homogenization and differentiation influences the production and dissemination of content. Within this context, public attention paid to female characters has intensified, while the interplay between consumerism and the media environment renders Asian female characters more susceptible to being typified. This paper explores the primary representations of Asian women in digital media, investigates the continuity in character construction and dissemination logic between traditional Hollywood cinema and digital platforms such as TikTok, and evaluates the role of commercial and algorithmic factors in shaping the depiction and cultural significance of these characters. By integrating Arjun Appadurai’s media landscape theory and Jörg Schweinitz’s fixed schema theory, this study examines film/TV and short-video content. The findings suggest that in traditional media, Asian women are frequently represented through the “Lotus Blossom” and “Dragon Lady” archetypes. Such stereotypical depictions both restrict the range of identity expression and remain open to cultural evaluation. While stereotypes such as the delicate homemaker and assertive career woman persist on digital platforms, greater diversity in female characters can be fostered through creator practices, algorithmic design, and cross-media collaboration, affecting cultural views.