How Does a Fan-Made Video Become a Cross-National Dance Challenge? A Case Study of the Intercultural Communication Pathway of "Idols' March" on Social Media

Abstract

This study examines how a fan-made short video develops into a cross-national dance challenge through interactions among fans, social media platforms, idols, and users. Drawing on participatory culture, textual poaching, emotional labor, and platform-mediated visibility, it uses an exploratory case-study design combining timeline reconstruction, public video observation, and cross-case comparison. "Li Xicheng March" is analyzed as the primary case, while "Ian March" and "Zhang Hanrui March" provide extended comparisons across K-pop and Chinese domestic entertainment contexts. The findings identify a four-stage pathway: fan-generated remixing, platform-supported visibility, idol or official response, and wider cross-circle and cross-cultural diffusion. The cases show that fans act not only as audiences but also as editors, promoters, and co-producers who reshape existing performance materials into repeatable participation formats. Platform topic organization and creator incentives increase visibility, while official responses become important turning points that further stimulate participation. However, the same features that support rapid dissemination may detach dance fragments from their original artistic contexts, encourage content homogenization, and transform voluntary fan creativity into repetitive promotional labor. The study concludes that fan-generated short videos have become important vehicles of intercultural communication, although their influence remains dependent on platform visibility, official selection, and observable rather than causal evidence.