Stardom in the View of Media Power: Reproduction of Media Power in the Case of Li Yuchun

The purpose of this study is to examine the stardom of Li Yuchun, a star from Super Girls’ Voice (an American Idol-type show), which in 2005 was one of the most successful television entertainment programs in China, in the view of media power. Based on Couldry’s (2000) framework of media power, which focus on the symbolic boundary between the media world and the ordinary world, comparing to the stardom of Song Zuying, as a representative of party stars, and of Jay Chou, a representative of market-driven stars, this study attempts to explore the way in which audiences construct the stardom of Li Yuchun. The difference between Li Yuchun and other stars made in traditional ways, and its implications for the Chinese entertainment industry and popular culture, will be discussed as well.