For the past ten years, top Korean celebrities have gained supranational popularity and now they are referred to as Korean Wave stars. Meanwhile, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of studies dealing with the interrelation of the stars a...
For the past ten years, top Korean celebrities have gained supranational popularity and now they are referred to as Korean Wave stars. Meanwhile, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of studies dealing with the interrelation of the stars and their cultural and economic implications. The Korean Wave has made a significant contribution to the spread of Korean pop culture and has resulted in much more meaningful economic and cultural effects. Moreover, this supranational phenomenon has not only accelerated the flood of Korean cultural contents into South Asia but it has also consolidated the basis of a new cultural community.
At the core of the Korean Wave, there are the Korean Wave stars and a supranational cultural community sharing a common interest in the Korean pop culture. Nevertheless, not much research has been carried out on the interrelation of the Korean Wave stars and their fandom or factors of this relationship or its consequences. Therefore, we are to examine each genre of Korean cultural contents that the Korean Wave stars provide to the public. This research is based on a critical enquiry into which factors of the Korean Wave are most preferred by their fans.
This present article aims to provide implications for the future Korean Wave marketing. For the purpose, this carries out a research on the Korean Wave star’s activities, desire on emotional identification with star and consumption behavior. Then, this research studies further into the interrelations of them.
In order to accomplish its research goals, this study carried out both empirical examination and literature research. It also identified the variables of the Korean Wave stars’ activities, fandom’s emotional identification and consumption behavior. Then, the results of a survey have been carefully analyzed to deduce an interrelation of the three factors and more practical aids.
The aforementioned variable factors have been identified through literature research. The Korean Wave star’s activities consist of acting, music and advertising. The fandom’s emotional identification comprises of identification with the Korean Wave stars and identification with a fan community. The consumption behavior is classified as either Korean Wave culture event participation intention or purchasing intention on Korean products.
In addition, this study developed a hypothesis in accordance with the research model. In order to identify a causal relationship, this research carried out a survey of the Korean Wave fans from four different fandom groups in English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese languages from October 26, 2014 to November 8, 2014. Analysis of the results yields the following findings.
Firstly, the Korean Wave star’s activities affect both the fandom’s emotional identification and consumption behavior. The fandom’s emotional identification is one significant determinant of consumption behavior.
Secondly, the fandom’s emotional identification is greatly influenced by all three forms of the Korean Wave star’s activities : music, acting and advertising. Music was the most important factor in the Korean Wave culture event participation intention, followed by less influential acting and advertising. As for the purchasing intention on Korean products, advertising had the greatest power followed by acting and music. Furthermore, the desire on emotional identification with star had a greater influence on consumption behavior than any other type of the fandom's emotional identification. The desire on emotional identification with star had the greatest influence on both Korean Wave culture event participation intention and purchasing intention on Korean products. All these findings emphasize that music is the most influential form of the Korean Wave star’s activities and that K-POP is the pivot on which the Korean Wave turns. The results also predict a continuation of the phenomenal Korean Wave, which is primarily being led by idols, and more active fandom.
Thirdly, among the fandom’s emotional identification, the desire on emotional identification with star is greater than the identification with a fan community. This finding reflects two facts. First, the Korean Wave stars are the heart of the Korean Wave. Second, the fandom may shift based on the popularity of a celebrity. In other words, the fandom is not restricted to geographical boundaries or a specific artist or even a fan community. Instead, the fandom forms a new community, which transcends both geographical and cultural limitations. Thus, the fandom is a symbol of the connection between the Korean Wave stars and their fans as well as the relationships among the fans.
In conclusion, further studies are required to fully appreciate the varied interactions of the Korean Wave star’s activities. This study is expected to have made a prospect of the diversified Korean Wave market and thus to be valuable information for the development of a new model for the Korean cultural contents.
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