The Mechanism of "Pleasure Production" under Platform Logic: A Study on the Narrative Structure of Vertical Micro-Dramas — A Case Study of I Became a Stepmother in the 1980s
Abstract
With the rapid development of mobile internet and short-video platforms, vertical micro-dramas have gradually become an important form within the digital content industry. Compared with traditional film and television works, micro-dramas are typically characterized by extremely short duration, high-density plots, and intense emotional stimulation, with their narrative structures exhibiting a clear tendency toward "pleasure-oriented" storytelling. This study takes the micro-drama I Became a Stepmother in the 1980s as a case study to explore the production mechanism of "pleasure-oriented narrative" in vertical micro-dramas. Adopting a combination of textual analysis and literature review, the study systematically examines the plot structure, character construction, and emotional rhythm of the series. It further interprets the formation of its narrative structure by incorporating platform logic, including algorithmic recommendation systems, user retention metrics, and monetization models. The findings indicate that micro-dramas construct high-density emotional stimulation through narrative strategies such as plot compression, frequent conflicts, and continuous reversals. Meanwhile, platform recommendation mechanisms and commercial models further reinforce such narrative forms, leading to increasingly standardized content production. This paper argues that the "pleasure-oriented narrative" of vertical micro-dramas represents a key manifestation of content production logic within the platform economy, shaped jointly by platform affordances and algorithmic logic.
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