Youth Reception of Micro-Dramas Based on Lüliang Spirit and Liu Hulan’s Deeds: A Quantitative Empirical Analysis of a Self-Produced Micro-Drama

Abstract

In the digital media era, micro-dramas have emerged as a popular format for youth-oriented content, yet the reception of red culture micro-dramas among young audiences remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate youth acceptance of a self-produced micro-drama based on Lüliang Spirit and Liu Hulan’s deeds. A quantitative approach was adopted, combining platform viewership data with a questionnaire survey to capture both behavioral and attitudinal dimensions of audience engagement. A total of 95 valid responses were collected from university students across various disciplines. Descriptive statistics and independent-sample t-tests were employed to analyze the data, focusing on demographic variables and key acceptance metrics.
Key findings include: Independent samples t-test results showed that gender was statistically significant only in the dimension of clear and understandable plot within perceived quality (p<0.05), with males scoring significantly higher than females. This suggests that narrative clarity may be prioritized differently across genders in educational content evaluation. No statistically significant gender differences were found in the dimensions of emotional identity, cognitive improvement, or sharing intention, indicating that the core values and educational impact of red culture micro-dramas resonate uniformly. The micro-drama successfully fostered emotional connection and enhanced historical understanding among viewers, while also stimulating willingness for social sharing.
These findings provide empirical insights into how university students accept red culture micro-dramas and offer practical implications for the creation of youth-oriented red culture content by student teams with limited resources. The results underscore that while technical production values may be constrained, focusing on authentic emotional storytelling and clear historical narrative can effectively engage young audiences. The study demonstrates that micro-dramas can serve as an accessible medium for cultural transmission, particularly when they balance educational objectives with engaging narrative techniques that align with youth media consumption habits.