Can Narrative Fragmentation Serve as a Cultural Passport? A Comparison of Coherence Differences and International Communication Efficacy between Micro-dramas and Traditional Long-form Dramas

Abstract

This article directly confronts the core proposition of whether narrative fragmentation can serve as a cultural pass for cross-cultural communication. Through methods such as semiotic analysis and case comparison, it systematically studies the differences in international communication effectiveness between micro-short dramas and traditional long dramas. By combining cognitive load theory and cultural discount theory, it analyzes the “symbolic condensation - rapid reach”" mechanism of fragmented narratives and the “system integrity - deep penetration” logic of coherent narratives. The research finds that narrative fragmentation has the attribute of a “limited pass”: by stripping away redundant information and emphasizing universal emotional symbols, it adapts to the fragmented reception scenarios of the digital age and demonstrates an advantage in efficient reach during the initial cultural contact stage, but it also poses the risk of cultural misinterpretation due to symbol simplification. Coherent narratives, although they raise the communication threshold due to high-context encoding, can carry complex cultural connotations through complete narrative chains and form long-lasting influence across time and space. The two are not in a binary opposition but rather form a collaborative ecosystem of “broad coverage - deep sedimentation”. Through gradient narrative strategies, the optimization of cultural communication effectiveness can be achieved.