Korean Products Research Articles

The Effect of the Korean Wave Phenomenon toward Imitation Intention: Korean Product Purchase Intention in the Global Market

The Effect of the Korean Wave Phenomenon toward Imitation Intention: Korean Product Purchase Intention in the Global Market

K-WAVE FANS AND NON-FANS: CULTURE-SPECIFIC AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSES TO KOREAN COUNTRY AND PRODUCT IMAGE

Purpose – Malaysia is a multicultural society, comprising ethnic Malays, Chinese, Indians, and other ethnic minorities. Its culture has complex interactions among multicultural and multi-lingual people, with diverse faiths and religions. This study investigates how a multicultural and multi-religious society responds to the influx of Korean products in the market and explores the differences in responses between fans and non-fans of the Korean Wave.Design/Methodology – Using the Online Focus Group Discussions (FGD) technique, qualitative research was conducted with ten participants to investigate multicultural Malaysians’ response to Korean country and product image.Findings – Through questions asked during the FGDs, themes that explain Malaysians’ perceptions of the Korean country image, Korean culture, and Korean products were identified. “Valuing relationship”, “Asian compatibility”, “natural and authentic”, “creativity and innovation”, “projection of boldness and confidence”, “cautious followers”, and “protective and caring culture” were primarily identified, representing positive attributes; “cosmetic surgery” was viewed negatively.Originality/value – Studies about the influence of culture and religion on Malaysian consumers’ responses toward Korean products are scarce. The findings of this study would provide insights into Malaysian consumers from diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Understanding how foreign products enter and remain successful in a country like Malaysia could provide valuable insights to other countries and SMEs planning to enter new multicultural markets.

Research on the Investment of Chinese and Korean Enterprises in the Middle East Arab Market

Purpose - The Middle East is experiencing constant international conflict. Still, with global investment attracting much attention, trade continues to increase, and the image of war-torn areas is changing gradually.
 Design/Methodology/Approach - Many countries in the Middle East are opening up their markets from oil and state monopolies, trying to attract investment and participate in the construction of diversified domestic industries.
 Findings - These countries are actively promoting that they are safe and reliable investors, regardless of regional conflicts, when political instability or tension in certain regions of the Middle East increases. In addition, Korean and Chinese companies are increasingly interested in the Middle East due to increased economic exchanges between Arab countries and China, increased investment in infrastructure by oil-producing countries, and increased imports and exports of Korean products. However, companies seeking access to Middle Eastern markets often face more complex problems than when they entered other regions.
 Research Implications - Investment in the Middle East market depends on the needs of related companies and governments in the Middle East, so it isn't easy to find a common point of contact. The number of Arab countries in the Middle East, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Qatar, and Palestine, is estimated to be about 20. By analyzing the practicality and applicability of commercial and corporate laws in these countries, we will give some legal issues that Chinese and Korean companies should pay attention to when investing in the Middle East market.

E-Commerce Tax Implementation: A Study on South Korean Product Online Shop Business

Regarding the growing demand for South Korean goods among Indonesian entrepreneurs. E-commerce services provide a convenient and quick way for them to sell these items via the internet, bypassing the need for a physical encounter between the buyer and seller. The study's goal is to examine how well South Korean internet store owners comprehend e-commerce tax. A qualitative descriptive approach was taken for this investigation. Primary sources were employed for this study. Google Forms were used to collect data from a set sample of respondents, and online interviews were conducted virtually. Main findings this study, some online store owners selling South Korean products are already familiar with e-commerce taxes, while others are still in the dark about them due to a lack of socialization from the tax office.

틱톡마케팅 콘텐츠의 특성이 중국 소비자의 한국제품에 대한 신뢰도 및 구매의도에 미치는 영향

Purpose – This study aims to analyze, through empirical analysis, how the characteristics of TikTok's content, such as informativeness, entertainment, and empathy, affect the reliability and purchase intention of Korean products directly targeting Chinese consumers. Design/Methodology/Approach – The survey for this study targeted Chinese consumers that had placed an order using TikTok. The questionnaire was completed through Yunju Anxin, a highly reliable online survey company in China, and the questionnaire was sent only through SNS from July 1, 2022 to July 6, 2022. As a result, a total of 518 questionnaire responses were collected, and a total of 512 valid questionnaires were collected by removing questionnaires with missing values ​​and questionnaires judged to be significantly less reliable. Findings – In information, empathy, and entertainment factors, consumer trust, and consumer purchase intention were found to be statistically significant at the significance level of 0.000. In other words, as a result of multiple regression analysis, it was found that all three variables of information, empathy, and entertainment had a significant effect on the reliability of Korean products and consumer purchase intention. Research Implications – It was confirmed that the TikTok marketing of Korean products is an important factor influencing consumer purchase intentions, as in the results of previous studies. TikTok marketing should be operated strategically by utilizing the fact that information, sympathy, and entertainment, which are characteristics of TikTok content, have great influence on product marketing and consumer purchase intention.

The paradox of authenticity: The Korean Product Showroom of Mitsukoshi department store in colonial Seoul

AbstractMitsukoshi, a famed Japanese department store, opened a Korean Product Showroom in its Keijō (Seoul) branch in 1930. The Korean Product Showroom was the only space decorated in ‘Korean style’ within the Keijō Mitsukoshi building, which was designed in Neo-Renaissance style, much like its flagship store in Tokyo. This showroom offered Korean artefacts as luxury souvenirs aimed at Japanese tourists. The most popular items sold in the showroom were Koryŏ-style celadon ware and lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, which Mitsukoshi ordered from local workshops in Korea. Interestingly, the workshops were run by Japanese entrepreneurs and sometimes even employed Japanese artisans. This article examines the inauthentic authenticity of ‘Korean style’ and ‘Korean products’ that the Japanese produced and consumed in colonial Korea. It does not imply that only Koreans are entitled to represent Korean culture. There have been many studies asserting that Korean culture was destroyed and distorted from its ‘original’ forms by Japan’s cultural genocide during the colonial period. This article neither is interested in repeating such criticism nor focuses on recuperating genuine Koreanness. Rather, it explores why the Japanese desired ‘pure Korea’ and how that desire shaped ‘Korean style’ and ‘Korean products’ through Keijō Mitsukoshi’s Korean Product Showroom and its products.

자민족중심주의와 적개심이 한국 수출에 미치는 실증적 연구

As the foreign policy disputes between Korea and China continued, China's economic retaliation against South Korea could be said to have been carried out step by step. Therefore, the hostility of the Chinese government and consumers to Korea is increasing, and the tendency of ethnocentrism is strengthened, which can be explained as the reason for Korea's export deficit to China. Therefore, this study aims to examine how ethnocentrism and hostility, which is the cause of Chinese consumers' negative perception and attitude toward Korean products, affects Korean exports through the intervention of Korean foreign policy. In addition, the purpose of this study is to present two possible research models on whether Korea's exports will increase by using Korea's foreign policy as a moderating variable and to empirically analyze them.
 The results of this study are as follows: First, Chinese consumers' ethnocentrism influences the purchase of products exported to Korea, resulting in a decrease in exports. Additionally, Chinese consumers' ethnocentrism is influenced by Korea's foreign policy. can do. When analyzing Korea's foreign policy as a moderating variable, it is shown that exports to Korea tend to decrease as there is no intention to purchase Korean export products according to the ethnocentrism of Chinese consumers. Second, the effect of Chinese consumers' hostility toward Korea on the export effect shows a positive (+) effect, meaning that even if Chinese consumers have hostility toward Korea, they are not affected by Korean product exports. However, it can be said that the hostility of Chinese consumers is influenced by Korea's foreign policy, and when analyzed using Korea's foreign policy as a moderating variable, there is no intention to purchase Korean export products according to Chinese consumers' hostility, so Korean exports It can be seen that there is a decreasing phenomenon.

한국의 대(對)인도네시아 수출경쟁력 분석 및 한·인도네시아 CEPA 활용방안에 관한 연구

Purpose: This study analyzes the export competitiveness of Korean products in the Indonesian market. It suggests ways to use the Korea-Indonesia CEPA.
 Research design, data, and methodology: Export statistics on the main products in auto parts and the steel and petrochemical industries are extracted in terms of HS 4 units from the International Trade Centre Trade Map. The Trade Specialization Index (TSI) is calculated for Korea and Indonesia, and the Market Comparative Advantage (MCA) index is calculated for Korea and ASEAN countries in the Indonesian market.
 Results: From analyzing the TSI, Korea is dominant in the Indonesian market. Under the MCA index, compared to ASEAN countries, Korea had an absolute advantage in steel products. However, the petrochemical sector is competitive, and the auto parts industry is inferior.
 Conclusions: The automotive parts industry and the steel products industry are predicted to increase their competitiveness, but the analysis showed it will not be easy. In addition, the petrochemical sector should be more aggressive in marketing Korean companies by using the KI-CEPA, because local companies in Indonesia are increasingly competitive.

Factors Affecting Filipino Consumer Behavior with Korean Products and Services: An Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Approach

Korean entertainment industries are dominating all over the world, including in the Philippines. These celebrated mediums included Korean movies, songs, and products, many of which are beloved by Filipinos. As such, this study aims to determine factors that affect the buying decisions of Filipinos with Korean products and services by an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) approach. A total of 306 Filipino survey participants were collected and analyzed in this study through a convenience sampling approach. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to analyze the data using SmartPLS, which determined the correlation of the latent constructs of the factors. Based on the results, attitude had the highest effect on behavioral intention, followed by K-drama influence, K-pop influence, and product quality. Interestingly, product price was found to have a low effect on behavioral intention. This study can serve as a basis for investors and business owners to align business strategies concerning consumer behavior in buying Korean products and services.

The Influence of International Student Recruitment on Korean Product Export

유학생 교육은 국제 교육산업의 교육 서비스 무역 형태로서 한국의 대외투자 및 무역의 중요한 분야이다. 한국의 내한 유학생 사업이 국가 전략 차원에서 추진되면서 내한 유학생 규모는 급속한 발전 추세를 보이고 있으며, 동시에 한국의 수출 무역도 산업 구조의 고도화를 위한 중요한 발전기에 접어들었다. 세계화의 맥락에서 한국 유학이 한국 수출 무역에 미치는 영향을 올바르게 이해하고 분석하면 한국 수출 무역의 품질과 효율성을 높이는 데에도 도움이 될 수 있을 것이다. 본 논문에서는 한국의 수출 무역액을 연구 대상으로 하여 한국의 유학 교육 현황이 한국 상품 수출에 미치는 영향을 검증해 보고자 하였다. 본 논문에서는 양방향 고정효과 회귀모형을 이용하여 내한 유학이 수출 무역에 미치는 영향의 매커니즘을 규모와 품질의 측면에서 종합적으로 논의하였다. 실증된 논의의 결과를 살펴보면 유학생 교육은 전반적으로 한국의 수출 확대를 촉진할 수 있을 것으로 보인다. 매년 유학생 유치 규모가 큰 국가의 경우는 해당 국가에 대한 상품의 수출도 확대되어 긍정적인 영향을 미치고 있다고 판단할 수 있는 반면, 유학생 유치 규모가 작은 국가의 경우는 상품의 수출 확대에 유의미한 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 볼 수 있다. 본 논문의 연구 결과를 통해 한국이 국제 교육 협력하에서 ‘유학 대상국’이라는 긍정적 브랜드를 더욱 발전적으로 구축하고, 동시에 인재 유치 정책을 개선하여 우호적 외교 관계를 발전시키며, 국제 인재 유입 활성화 및 한국 수출 무역의 발전에도 긍정적 영향을 줄 수 있기를 기대해 본다.

Literature Review: K-Beauty Effect on Health Behavior and Korean Cosmetics Purchasing in Indonesia

Background: The K-wave popularity led to increased Korean fans in Indonesia, including other sectors of Korean products. Further, the styles of the stars, look, and culture became Indonesian people's references in fashion, ideal body shape, and food consumption patterns. However, a concern was also raised about the halal status of Korean beauty products and Indonesian health behavior to meet the ideal body shape of Korean celebrities. This study aims to understand the general perspective of the K-beauty popularity effect on Indonesian people's health behavior and cosmetics purchasing intention, including its halal issues. Method: This study was conducted by reviewing relevant research articles between 2012 to 2022 on the topic through a google scholar search engine. In total, 14 articles that meet the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Results: This study found that some adolescents that worshiped Korean idols had a negative body image and did a strict diet, heavy exercise, took weight loss pills, or did plastic surgery to meet their body goals. Further, South Korean dramas significantly affect the brand image of Korean cosmetics and further increase its purchasing intention. People's knowledge of halal cosmetics, religion, and the halal label will affect their purchasing level and preference for halal cosmetics. Conclusions: This study concludes that the emerging K-beauty trend should be balanced with the knowledge about a healthy way to gain beauty and the understanding of halal cosmetics. The stakeholder should enhance the intervention to improve youngsters' knowledge and attitude toward halal cosmetics and a healthy diet.

Acculturation, religiosity, and willingness to accept Korean products among Muslim consumers: an exploratory study

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the acculturation caused by the Korean wave among Indonesian Muslim consumers, especially in the food and cosmetic sectors, based on religious grounds.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through focus group interviews with 20 Muslim respondents in Indonesia.FindingsThe findings specifically highlighted that Muslim consumers’ acceptance of Korean products varied. Muslim consumers’ acceptance was influenced by similarities and differences in values between Islamic and Korean cultures. Consumers categorised into each acculturation mode (assimilation, separation, integration and marginalisation) showed different behavioural patterns in Korean product acceptance. This study proposes that global products can be optimised through specific and targeted marketing campaigns for different types of Muslim consumers with products that comply with their religious values.Originality/valueFew studies have explored the importance of religious values (e.g. righteousness, compassion and respect for others) with respect to the acceptance of foreign products in the acculturation context. Additionally, how values from other cultures reconcile with the Indonesian Muslims’ affinity for Korean culture has been limitedly studied. This study aims to fill these gaps by identifying the role of religious factors in the acceptance of global products by taking the example of Indonesian Muslim consumers and Korean products.

The Effects of Tangible and Intangible K-contents on Chinese Consumers’ Purchase Intention to Korean Products: Focusing on the Moderating Effect of Ethnocentrism

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is investigating the moderating effects of ethnocentrism, which has been overlooked in the research on the effect of K-contents on the intention to purchase Korean products. Design/Methodology/Approach - To test the hypothesis, a survey was conducted among Chinese consumers. The survey was conducted mainly through social media and online surveys. A total of 329 responses were collected, out of which 300 were used for empirical analysis, after excluding 29 incomplete responses. Findings - As a result of the empirical analysis, it was found that the ethnocentrism of Chinese consumers negatively moderates the relationship between the perception of tangible K-content, which is classified as Korean fashion and Korean food, on their intention to purchase Korean products. On the other hand, it was found that Chinese consumers’ ethnocentrism did not show a significant moderating effect in the relationship between their perception of intangible K-content classified as K-drama and K-pop and Chinese consumers’ purchase intention to Korean products. Research Implications - The results of this study can have important implications for multinational corporations in international markets, to manage their brand image in countries with strong ethnocentrism. It helps in identifying the negative moderating effect of ethnocentrism in the relationship between the Korean Wave (especially tangible K-content) and the consumers’ intention to purchase Korean products.

REFLECTION OF THE HALLYU EFFECT ON TURKISH CONSUMERS' INTENTION TO PURCHASE KOREAN PRODUCTS

Popular culture has become the soft power policy of countries and has been used as an important tool for promoting their own culture in other countries. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the effect of the Korean effect (Hallyu/Korean wave) which is an element of popular culture, which is increasing in Turkey, especially on social media, in parallel with the world, on the purchasing behavior of Korean products along with the country image and cultural proximity. For this purpose, data were collected from 280 people in groups consisting of k-pop and k-drama fans on social media. All three hypotheses formed as a result of the analyzes were accepted as similar to the studies in the literature. As a result of the study, it was revealed that k-pop and k-drama elements and Hallyu effect, country image and cultural proximity significantly affect the intention to purchase Korean products.

Can Squid Game Series Be Watched Through Social Darwinism? A Semiotic Review

Social events are reflected as a string of signs in the language of the productions in question by forming the subjects of cinema and TV productions. The language of expression in television creates a dream world, and the message is tried to be placed in the audience’s mind in the form of images. This study discusses whether the South Korean production Squid Game, which has recently reached a significant audience, can be watched through Social Darwinism. In the research, the exploitation of the efforts and hopes of the weak by the strong was analyzed within the framework of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is adapting Darwin’s theory of Evolution, which is valid in all species, to the social field. This theory asserts that the fittest for the environment can survive in competition between individual organisms. Social Darwinism postulates that competition between individuals, groups, or nations causes the social Evolution of human societies. The competition, which started as a group in the TV series Squid Game, continues with individual competition and is represented by the survival of the one who finally overcomes all these challenging competitive conditions. The semiotic method was used in the research due to its suitability for the subject’s purpose, context, and basic research question. The sample of the study was determined according to the purposive sampling technique. The research data consists of scenes and player expressions reflecting the Social Darwinism perspective of the visual and verbal expressions in the series. Research findings show that the evolutionary laws among living things continue in social life in the form of Social Darwinism.

한-ASEAN 자유무역협정(FTA)의 수출촉진 효과 분석

Purpose - This paper empirically examines whether the Korea-ASEAN FTA really promotes Korea’s exports, thereby drawing some policy implications for the Korea’s FTA policy.
 Design/Methodology/Approach - We first calculate the export-promotion effects of the Korea-ASEAN FTA as well as other Korea’s FTAs using a difference-in-difference (DID) method, and then conduct both static and dynamic panel regression analyses based on the augmented gravity model, using Korea’s FTAs and relevant data over the period from 1999 to 2018.
 Findings - First, DID results reveal that the Korea-ASEAN FTA has increased its exports by 9.1%, which is much larger than the FTAs with China (-7.2%), India (-9.1%), and the EU (1.2%), but lower than the FTAs with the USA (10.4%) and EFTA (26.2%). Second, however, neither static nor dynamic panel data regression results support the export-promotion effects of the Korea-ASEAN FTA, regardless of estimation methods and export categories. Finally, ASEAN membership itself plays a statistically significant role in promoting Korea's exports to members, which implies that Korea would export more to the ASEAN members than its normal level stipulated by a gravity equation even without the FTA.
 Research Implications - Unlike what is commonly believed, Korea’s FTA with ASEAN as well as its other FTAs were not likely to increase its exports in a statistically significant way. It is particularly true for its FTAs with developing countries. Thus, the Korean government needs to keep improving the content of existing FTAs with developing countries to enhance the market access of Korean products.

Influence of Korean Culture on Buying Behaviour among youths in Mizoram

Examining the entrance behaviour to look for similarities in buying behaviour in the international market has been an interesting field area for marketing research. This paper examines the influence of Korean culture in northeast India and the entrance of the market through social similarity, lifestyle similarity, cultural similarity and product acceptance, cuisine similarity and product purchase. The study analyses the data collected from youngsters of Mizoram state in northeast India and moderation and mediation analysis was carried out. The moderation analysis was based on gender and mediation analysis with the variables of Korean cultural proximity, cultural adaption and purchase of Korean products. The study finds that the inclusion of cultural influence mediates the relationship between the factors of cultural proximity and Korean product purchase.

High Road Strategy in the Era of Eco-friendly Car Paradigm - Making of Korean Production System Version 4.0

R&D enables car manufacturers to remain innovative and competitive. For example, producing eco-friendly cars in light of environmental concerns. Professor Hyung Je Jo, Faculty of Social Sciences, Ulsan University, South Korea, has studied the development process of the Korean automobile industry for more than 30 years and is conducting research to help this industry transition to the ‘green car’ paradigm and overcome interrelated challenges. A current research focus for Jo and the team is how internal combustion and electric vehicle production systems are impacted when this is transferred to a different country. The researchers have performed a case study looking at Hyundai’s motor plant in Alabama, US for which Jo visited the plant for a week in July 2009, during which time he conducted interviews and performed participant observation and then published a paper. He revisited the plant in July 2012 for a complementary study. The team also compared German and Korean automotive manufacturers in Central-Eastern Europe, discovering that the disparate strategies and labour-management relations of the mother company have different effects on the product development and human resource management methods of local factories in Slovakia. Now, the researchers are working on a ‘high road strategy’ in the era of the eco-friendly car paradigm.

The Influence of Korean Pop Culture on Purchasing Behavior of Korean Products among Consumers in Klang Valley

Malaysia is currently stricken with Korean fever in all local industries including fashion, food and cosmetic. K-dramas, K-music, and K-culture are building a stronghold in the country with the younger generation becoming more fascinated towards South Korea’s cultural images. The main purpose of this study is to determine the influence of Korean pop culture on purchasing behavior of Korean products among consumers in Klang Valley. There were total of 200 respondents participated in this study who were selected via simple random sampling method. The data were collected through a set of self-administered questionnaires and analyzed by using the Package Statistical for Social Science (SPSS). The results demonstrated by Pearson product moment correlation analysis had indicated that there were significant relationships between perception towards Korean foods (r = .249, p = .000), Korean fashions (r = .426, p = .000) and Korean cosmetics (r = .230, p = .001) with purchasing behavior of Korean products. In addition, perception towards Korean fashions reported to be the most influential predictor (? = .387 p ?0.001) as indicated by the multiple regression analysis. Results suggest that consumers take note of products originating from Korea and they are able to critically assess products from different dimensions.

중국 라이브 커머스 서비스 품질 특성이 이용자의 지속이용의 도에 미치는 영향 연구

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to empirically analyze users' continuous use intentions using the characteristics of live commerce in China. Design/methodology/approach - Social presence, influence of information source (Wang Hong), convenience, marketability, reliability, personal innovativeness, and social influence were selected as elements that affect the perceived value of users, and an assumption that perceived value would affect continuous use intention was set. 515 samples were obtained from Chinese consumers through a Chinese online questionaire survey. IBM SPSS 26 and AMOS was used for statistical testing. Findings - First, social presence, Wang Hong, convenience, marketability, and reliability, which are the quality characteristics of live commerce services, affect the perceived value of users and user’s continuous use intention. Second, the perceived value of users plays a mediating role between the quality characteristics of live commerce service and the continuous use intention. Third, personal innovativeness plays a moderating role in the effect of live commerce service quality on the perceived value of e-commerce users. Fourth, among the relative effects of the service quality characteristic variables, the relative effect of reliability is the greatest followed by that of convenience, marketability, and Wang Hong, in order of precedence, and the effect of social presence is the smallest. Research implications or Originality - South Korean government's plan to support for advancing into live commerce in China were presented as strategic implications for exporting South Korean products to China through online services including live commerce.