Hegemony, Subalternity, and Subjectivity in the Emergence of Chinese “Losers’ Films”

Abstract This article uses the Chinese “losers’ film” genre—which rose to popularity in the new millennium—as a case study in which to critically examine the intersection of character subjectivity and hegemonic ideological formation in popular culture. In losers’ films, the subjectivities of middle-class “loser” (diaosi) protagonists emerge through a dynamic interplay of resistance and the structural constraints imposed by the socialist authoritarian system. However, despite their apparent defiance, these narrative portrayals ultimately conform to the system, reinforcing subordinated, consumerist, patriarchal, and egoistic identities on screen. By framing this analysis within the theoretical lens of hegemony, this study deepens our understanding of popular culture as a mechanism of social reproduction at the level of individual subjectivity.