Cultural Discount of Chinese Slow-Living Shows

Chinese slow-living shows have gained substantial recognition and widespread acclaim domestically for their authentic and interesting life experiences and unique cultural essence. In the context of cross-cultural communication, however, such shows have faced certain challenges due to the phenomenon of cultural discount. To address this issue, this study selects the Chinese Slow-Living Show (SLS) <i>Become a Farmer</i> and the Japanese equivalent show <i>The! Tetsuwan! DASH!!</i> as two representative cases to carry out a comparative analysis. It’s found Chinese SLS face a few problems in international dissemination. Currently, Chinese SLS exhibit limited originality because some of them simply replicate foreign formats, resulting in homogenization. Besides, disparities in cultural contexts, aesthetic paradigms and value systems among different societies create barriers for non-native Chinese to understand and appreciate Chinese SLS. Simutaneously, content creators of SLS in China may experience creative inhibition due to cultural translation challenges, while investors responding to tepid market adopt risk-averse stances, thereby constricting capital flows into cultural products. By analyzing some possible reasons for the cultural discount, this study proposes a series of innovative communication strategies and approaches including the adoption of novel narrative techniques, the strategic integration of celebrity and non-celebrity participants, and decontextualized communication approaches for Chinese SLS to enhance their global outreach and, consequently, strengthen the international competitiveness and influence of Chinese culture.