Linking Idol Attachment to Sense of Place: Application of Attachment Theory

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

With the development of the “Hallyu” (Korean Wave) and people's deep
understanding of South Korea, the phenomenon of “Hallyu ’’ idols driving tourism
has become very common. Tourists, especially fans are no longer satisfied with the
traditional tourist attractions with special symbolic meanings when visiting South
Korea, but instead focus on common places associated with idols. For example,
restaurants, cafes, bookstores, parks, and convenience stores that have appeared in
idol's social network accounts. With the application of the theory of attachment and
sense of place in the tourism field, this study will start from the celebrity attachment,
to explore the specific processes and mechanisms by which idols affect the behavioral
intentions of the fans. Relevant data were collected in the form of online
questionnaires, and 440 valid responses were finalized for data analysis. Data
analysis results show that idol attachment can positively influence the four cognitive
dimensions of sense ofplace (place identity, place dependence, social bonding and
atmosphere). The various dimensions of sense ofplace can promote the generation
of place attachment. Place attachment ultimately positively affects a series of
behavioral intentions, namely purchase intention, destination preference and
information sharing.