The Role of Online Fan Communities in Shaping The Reception of Drama Adaptations in Malaysia (Case Study: Thariq Ridzuwan: His Treasure and Hilang dalam Rindu)

Social media has essentially transformed the way people connect with and understand media, particularly drama adaptations. In Malaysia, TikTok has become one of the main platforms where online fan communities continuously influence the reception of television dramas through lively discussions. The current study is aimed at investigating the effect of audience interactions on TikTok on the reception of Malaysian drama adaptations by evaluating two different cases, Hilang Dalam Rindu and Thariq Ridzuwan: His Treasure, both based on popular novels. Using the Reception Theory introduced by Hall and the participatory culture theory, the research aims to examine the dominant, negotiated, and oppositional readings of the audience, as well as engagement and participation patterns on TikTok. A qualitative research design was adopted, and purposive sampling was used in selecting TikTok videos and user posts during the periods of time when both dramas were being broadcast. The qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data with the help of a structured coding sheet that recorded the content types, audience tone, the level of engagement, and interpretive readings. The results show differences in the ways the two dramas were received. The interpretation of the majority of the viewers of Hilang Dalam Rindu was dominantly in line with the text, as evidenced by their medium to high engagement, which was sustained, along with the positive fan-driven participation, and out of pure approval of the narrative coherence and the faithfulness to the original novel, the audience kept the discourse going. The opposite is for Thariq Ridzuwan: His Treasure; the drama garnered more negotiated and oppositional readings, engagement levels were less stable, and participatory practices were driven by critique and controversy. In summary, this research shows that TikTok is a dynamic participatory environment where fans mutually negotiate meaning and shape how drama adoptions are received, thus helping further explain digital fandom and audience reception in the Malaysian media environment.