I am Zishan from China. I hold a PhD in Communications and New Media from the National University of Singapore (NUS) (degree to be conferred in July 2026). Prior to this, I earned a Master of Arts in Media Practice from the University of Sydney (USYD). My research explores the intersections of gender, sexuality, and digital cultures in East Asia, with a focus on women’s fandom and consumption practices, particularly within anime, comics, games, novels (ACGN), and related subcultures. 

Drawing on long-term (digital) ethnography, in-depth interviews with players and industry practitioners, and close analysis of game design and discourse, my doctoral research examines how Chinese young women engage with otome (female-targeted dating simulation) games to navigate love and intimacy under the pressures of heteropatriarchy and consumer culture. Through this case, I analyse how emotional experience, social interaction, and consumption are shaped within female-oriented digital environments. 

Building on this work, I focus on how design features, platform environments, and industry contexts shape user engagement and consumption patterns. My research speaks to broader questions of content consumption, user participation, and evolving forms of digitally mediated consumption, where online platforms, fandom practices, and material goods are closely intertwined. It also opens up possibilities for applying qualitative insights to content strategy and cross-cultural market contexts, particularly in understanding how users engage with media, communities, and related forms of consumption across different cultural settings.