Li Chongjing, *Wan Norbani Wan Noordin

Abstract:

In recent years, Chinese films have been extensively remade from South Korean films, but both reputation and box office collections have been underwhelming. To understand Chinese audiences’ attitudinal behaviour toward this type of film, this study collected textual materials reflecting Chinese audiences’ reception attitudes: Douban long reviews, short reviews, and questionnaires. This study analysed 220,264 words from long and short reviews, plus questionnaires using thematic analysis,
and identified four themes: Films, Audience, Reality, and Expression. The study found that the localization strategies employed by Chinese films in cross-cultural adaptations have left Chinese audiences dissatisfied. Furthermore, audiences are not averse to the remake nature of the films; rather, they are more concerned with the director’s professional ability and the story’s logic after adaptation. The actor choice also significantly drives viewership.

Keywords: Remake, Chinese film, cross-cultural, thematic analysis, Korean films