Analysis of Digital Aesthetics and Everyday Taste Construction in Douyin Food Reviews
Abstract
In contemporary China, Douyin has become a major source of dining information for young consumers, reshaping how taste is experienced, communicated, and legitimized. This study investigates how restaurant-review videos construct standardized taste cues and produce everyday food authority through visual storytelling, evaluative language, and platform-driven visibility. Using a case-based qualitative approach, the analysis reveals two intersecting mechanisms: the operationalization of taste through highly replicable visual and sensory templates, and the semi-professionalization of judgment through abstract descriptors and selectively framed expertise. Viewers alternate flexibly between the roles of audience, consumer, and follower, creating a dynamic trust relationship that amplifies creators’ influence while maintaining the appearance of accessibility. The findings highlight that taste formation on Douyin is neither fully democratized nor professionally institutionalized, but shaped by the interplay of platform algorithms, creator practices, and participatory viewing cultures. This study contributes a deeper understanding of digital taste governance and the cultural power embedded in short-video food media.
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