The Production of Erotica: Photobooks of Teenage Models in Hong Kong

Abstract

This article examines the production of erotica in a Chinese cultural context. It takes the photo books featuring teenage models published in Hong Kong in 2010 as case studies in which a total of 2,205 photographs of teenage models were analyzed. In-depth interviews were conducted with six producers of these images. It was found that the set of erotic pictures was characterized by three distinctive features. First, they emphasized a look of innocence that suggested purity, fragility, and delicacy. Second, albeit being sexy and desirable, the girls were often presented as if they were unaware of their sexiness. The implication was that their sexiness was unintentional and, thus, the girls were not to blame. Finally, a sense of intimacy was purposefully built between the models and readers by constituting a direct gaze and presenting models as ordinary “girls next door.” All these echoed the emphasis of female chastity in Chinese culture. It appears that in Hong Kong, where sexuality issues often provoke debates, the producers of sexy images have benefited from media controversies. By heightening expectations of potential customers, they fuel the “erotic” imagination of the readers. The production of erotica is, hence, completed through a collaboration between teenage models, producers, marketers, and consumers.

Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the General Research Fund (443510) sponsored by Research Grants Council, Hong Kong SAR Government.

Notes

¹The photobook that was excluded from the study was designed for readers to tear off pages to see the “inside” images of models wearing underwear. As this resulted in two sets of images, the photographs were not counted to avoid confusion.

²The 2005 Japanese film Train Man depicts the life of a typical otaku in a more favorable light (Murakami, 2005).