The "domineering CEO" is a classic term in Chinese online literature, typically referring to a male lead character with a specific set of personality traits and background features.
These characters are often portrayed as authoritative, assertive, wealthy, and grim on the outside yet tender-hearted—a combination that has long captivated Chinese readers and viewers.
However, as Chinese cultural products increasingly go global, particularly with the rise of short dramas in international markets, this highly localized character type has encountered significant cultural barriers and acceptance issues overseas.
To international audiences, the domineering CEO is often perceived as invasive and oppressive due to behaviors such as disregarding others’ consent, being overly controlling, or even confining the female lead—actions that are far from being seen as charming or romantic. This cultural mismatch not affects how the character is received, but may also lead to broader doubts about the values portrayed in the content.
Thus, how to adapt and reshape the "domineering CEO" for cross-cultural appeal—while preserving his original charm—has become a crucial task in short dramas localization for overseas markets.
First, fine-tuning the character design is key to improving cultural acceptance. Early online novels often exaggerated the male lead’s authority by endowing him with unrealistic, law-defying traits—using power to overwhelm others, restricting the female lead’s freedom, or making decisions on her behalf.
While these character setting might be interpreted as “aggressive affection” domestically, overseas audiences who value personal autonomy and gender equality may view them as disrespectful to basic human rights, or even as forms of emotional manipulation or psychological abuse.
Therefore, to make the domineering CEO appealing internationally, his character must be carefully refined. It’s essential to retain core qualities such as strength, wealth, and devotion, while toning down extreme and controlling behaviors. Instead, emphasis should be placed on his caring, respectful, and emotionally supportive side.
For example, highlighting his character arc—from a grim and detached individual to someone who learns to communicate, listen, and soften out of love—can help global audiences better understand and empathize with him, ultimately recognizing his appeal.
Secondly, dialogue localization plays a vital role in building a believable romantic lead. Classic lines such as “女人，你是在玩火” or “不要挑战我的底线” may carry a quirky, amusing tone in Chinese context, but when translated directly, they often come across as awkward, cringe-worthy, or even uncomfortable in English.
Eastern and Western cultures express emotions differently: Eastern narratives tend to imply affection through actions, while Western ones often favor verbal directness and sincerity. Thus, in translation, it’s important to soften commanding or objectifying language, and use expressions more aligned with Western romantic contexts—such as sincere affirmations or displays of vulnerability—to achieve functional equivalence in emotional resonance.
Third, on the plot level, a strategy of “preserving the core appeal while adapting sensitive content” is recommended. Attractive elements of the domineering CEO trope—such as a handsome, rich male lead falling for an ordinary girl, their journey through conflicts and misunderstandings toward mutual love—hold cross-cultural appeal and should be retained.
However, scenes involving forced intimacy, disregard for consent, or dismissal of the female lead’s agency should be revised or reimagined. For instance, “forced romance” scenarios can be transformed into emotional conflicts based on mutual respect, or treated with exaggeration and humor to reduce discomfort.
Additionally, pre-release promotion and packaging should not be overlooked. Marketing materials like posters, trailers, and synopses should align with Western aesthetic preferences—avoiding overly “East Asian domineering CEO” visuals and copy—and instead highlight universally relatable genre features like romance, personal growth, and light comedy. Preheat marketing effective can help set the right expectations and prevent cultural misunderstandings from negatively labeling the series before it even airs.
In conclusion, successfully adapting the "domineering CEO" into a romantic lead loved by international audiences is ultimately a process of cross-cultural adjustment. It’s not about completely meet the need of Western values nor stubbornly keeping the original unchanged—but rather about subtly identifying shared understandings of “charm” and “romance” across cultures, and finding common ground.
Only through detailed optimization of character, dialogue, plot, and promotion—all based on respect for universal emotions and human nature—can we truly bring domineering CEO short dramas to a global stage, and allow Eastern love stories to warmly resonate with viewers worldwide.
When “Domineering CEO” go global, cultural differences should not be barriers—they can be bridges. Artlangs Translation specializes in the localization of short dramas and online novels for international audiences. We offer comprehensive solutions including character adaptation, emotionally accurate translation, and culturally nuanced transcreation. We don’t just translate—we reshape narratives to ensure character appeal crosses borders, dialogues strike a chord, and stories resonate across cultures.
Choose us to make every “仙尊” understood. Empower Chinese cultural storytelling with a partner dedicated to building globally competitive content.
Artlangs Translation: Your Narrative Partner for Global Audiences.
