A Study on the Impact of Overseas K-pop Users on the Export of Korean Cultural Products

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The study analyzes the purchase intentions of overseas Hallyu (Korean Wave) consumers and their impact on exports using survey data and export data from 2013 to 2021 in nine countries. We investigate consumer intentions to purchase Korean products such as cosmetics, smartphones, and clothing, especially when foreign consumers associate K-pop-related items with their initial perceptions of Korea. It analyzes respondents by age, education level, and gender, and the overall intent-to-purchase results are positive. We also look at whether geographical proximity affects purchase intentions. The results show that the overall purchasing intention of Asian countries is high, but a positive increase in overall purchasing inclination is observed across both Asian and non-Asian nations. In the analysis of export impact, increased recognition of K-pop has a positive effect not only on the export of culture-related products but also on non-culture-related products. Consequently, with the heightened recognition of K-pop as a form of soft power, its positive influence increases Korean cultural product purchase intention and also impacts the export of non-cultural products.