Cultural Symbols and Identity Construction: Navigating Regional Expression and Global Dissemination in Micro Short Drama

Abstract

The spread of micro short drama has become a cross-cultural phenomenon attracting global attention. This paper examines micro-short dramas as an emergent media form, analyzing from the perspectives of cultural semiotics and communication theory how they effectively integrate cultural expression with global dissemination through the translation of regional cultural symbols and identity construction narratives. Employing a multi-case analysis methodology, this study selects internationally influential micro-short drama works to delineate the evolutionary trajectory of their cultural dissemination mechanisms from unconscious to conscious modes. The research reveals that micro-short dramas, via a translational pathway characterized by "cultural symbol purification-narrative internalization-emotional resonance," embed regional cultural elements within a cross-cultural identity negotiation framework. This process constructs a "glocal" inter-embedded identity mechanism, thereby substantially mitigating cultural discount and achieving a compact, emotionalized transmission of cultural soft power. This investigation establishes a theoretical framework and practical paradigm for Chinese cultural international communication in the digital era, while simultaneously offering a novel perspective for global cross-cultural communication research.