CHINA’S SUPER GIRL SHOW: DEMOCRACY AND FEMALE EMPOWERMENT AMONG CHINESE YOUTH

Abstract: In China, the reality talent television show Super Girl not only was an unprecedented hit in television history of the country and an economic miracle in the entertainment industry but also raised ebullient debates on democracy and female empowerment. The purpose of this research was to contribute to studies on reality talent television shows by giving an appraisal of the impact Super Girl had on youth’s attitudes. Two central questions were raised: To what extend did Super Girl enhance or erode democracy experienced by Chinese youth audiences, especially girls? And to what extend did the tomboyish phenomenon in Super Girl empower female participants and viewers? This research mainly adopted qualitative methods, particularly case study and focus group. The primary data came from intensive interviews and participant observations in several online forums. The results showed that although Super Girl planted democratic seeds in youths’ minds, it also generated an illusion of democracy that lured its audiences into a fantasy scope. The tomboy vogue brought about by the show did give young women more choices of expression, but the consequence was gender discrimination rather than equality. Nevertheless, in a male-dominated society with an authoritarian polity, a participatory show like this was definitely a pleasurable experience.