The Research Journal of the Costume Culture (복식문화연구)

The Costume Culture Association (복식문화학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Effects of K-drama on attitudes of Chinese consumers toward Korean fashion products - The role of perceived similarity and people image -

중국 소비자들의 한국 TV드라마 시청이 한국 패션제품 태도 형성에 미치는 영향 - 드라마 등장인물과의 유사성과 국민이미지 역할을 중심으로 -

  • Park, Jee-Sun (Dept. of Fashion Industry, Incheon National University) ;
  • Jeong, So Won (Dept. of Clothing & Textiles, Sangmyung University) ;
  • Lee, Kyu-Hye (Dept. of Clothing & Textiles, Hanyang University)
  • Received : 2017.01.18
  • Accepted : 2017.02.27
  • Published : 2017.02.28
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

As the popularity of Korean drama and celebrities in China, Korean fashion is becoming increasingly popular in the Chinese market. Although the effect of Korean drama on Chinse consumers' attitudes toward Korean products are known, little research has been conducted to understand the mechanisms underlying the impact of Korean drama on the development of consumer attitudes. Thus, this study examines how Chinese consumers' exposure to Korean dramas has influenced their attitudes towards Korean fashion products. Applying the similarity-attraction theory, the study explores the roles Chinese consumers' perceived similarities in appearance and values with Korean characters in TV dramas plays in the process of attitude development. Data was collected via an online survey and the responses of 317 Chinese consumers in their twenties were used for data analysis. The results of structural equation modeling show that exposure to Korean dramas has a direct impact on Chinese consumers' perceived appearance similarity, perceived value similarity, image of Korean people, and attitudes toward Korean fashion products-results that support the theory of mere exposure. In addition, the analysis demonstrates that perceived appearance similarity positively influences the image of Koreans among Chinese people, which, in turn, influences attitudes toward Korean fashion products, supporting the similarity-attraction theory. However, the effect of perceived value similarity on attitude toward Korean fashion products was not significant. The study concludes by describing its practical implications for the Korean fashion industry and presenting ideas for future research.

Keywords

References

  1. Bagozzi, R. P. (1981). Attitudes, intentions, and behavior: A test of some key hypotheses. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41(4), 607-627. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.41.4.607
  2. Brock, T. C. (1965). Communication-recipient similarity and decision change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1(6), 650-654. doi:10.1037/h0022081
  3. Buckley, H. M. (1983). Attraction toward a stranger as a linear function of similarity in dress. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 12(1), 25-34. doi:10.1177/1077727X8301200103
  4. Busselle, R. W., & Shrum, L. J. (2003). Media exposure and exemplar accessibility. Media Psychology, 5(3), 255-282. doi:10.1207/S1532785XMEP0503_02
  5. Byrne, D. E. (1971). The attraction paradigm. New York: Academic Press.
  6. Castro, M. (2015, Aug 10). Luxury brands in China lose market share as consumers become more price-sensitive. YIBADA, Retrieved December 2, 2016, from http://en.yibada.com/articles/52600/20150810/luxury-brands-china-lose-market-share-consumers-become-more-price.htm
  7. Chaiken, S., & Maheswaran, D. (1994). Heuristic processing can bias systematic processing: Effects of source credibility, argument ambiguity, and task importance on attitude judgment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66(3), 460-473. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.66.3.460
  8. Choi, N. H., Lim, A. Y., & Meng, N. (2012). Chinese consumers' attachment to Korean soap opera and sympathy-inducing factors. Journal of Business Research, 27(4), 107-127.
  9. Churchill, G. A., Collins, R. H., & Strang, W. A. (1975). Should retail salespersons be similar to their customers?. Journal of Retailing, 51(3), 29-42.
  10. Davis, H. L., & Silk, A. J. (1972). Interaction and influence processes in personal selling. Sloan Management Review, 13(2), 56-76.
  11. Evans, F. B. (1963). Selling as a dyadic relationship: A new approach. The American Behavioral Scientist, 6(9), 76-79. https://doi.org/10.1177/000276426300600922
  12. Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. doi:10.2307/3151312
  13. Gilly, M. C., Graham, J. L., Wolfinbarger, M. F., & Yale, L. J. (1998). A dyadic study of interpersonal information search. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 26(2), 83-100. doi:10.1177/0092070398262001
  14. Ha, J., & Hwang, J.-S. (2014). The impact of Korean country image on brand identity, brand attitude and purchase intention: A case for Chinese consumers. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 38(2), 251-265. doi:10.5850/JKSCT.2014.38.2.251
  15. Han, C. M. (1989). Country image: Halo or summary construct?. Journal of Marketing Research, 26(2), 222-229. doi:10.2307/3172608
  16. He, S., Ling, G., & Li, J. (2013, May). Winning China's apparel market. A.T. Kearney, Retrieved December 2, 2016, from http://www.atkearney.com/fr/paper/-/asset_publisher/dVxv4Hz2h8bS/content/winning-chinas-apparel-market/10192
  17. Hekkert, P., Thurgood, C., & Whitfield, T. W. A. (2013). The mere exposure effect for consumer products as a consequence of existing familiarity and controlled exposure. Acta psychologica, 144(2), 411-417. doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2013.07.015
  18. Hoffner, C., & Buchanan, M. (2005). Young adults' wishful identification with television characters: The role of perceived similarity and character attributes. Media psychology, 7(4), 325-351. doi:10.1207/S1532785XMEP0704_2
  19. Hoffner, C., & Cantor, J. (1991). Perceiving and responding to mass media characters. In J. Bryant & D. Zillmann (Eds.), Responding to the screen: Reception and reaction processes (pp.63-101). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  20. Huber, J., & McCann, J. (1982). The impact of inferential beliefs on product evaluations. Journal of Marketing Research, 19(3), 324-333. doi:10.2307/3151566
  21. Hwang, I.-S., Kim, B., & Ahn, S.-A. (2008). Economic ripple effect of Korean wave(Hallyu): Impacts of the satisfaction of Korean popular music among Chinese college students on the purchase intention for Korean culture products. The Journal of the Korea Contents Association, 8(6), 140-150. doi:10.5392/JKCA.2008.8.6.140
  22. Hwang, J. S. (1998). The effects of body-cathexis and importance of meeting the ideal body image on clothing benefits sought. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 22(3), 293-302.
  23. Janis, I. L., Kaye, D., & Kirschner, P. (1965). Facilitating effects of "eating-while-reading" on responsiveness to persuasive communications. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1(2), 181-186. doi:10.1037/h0021644
  24. Jiang, Q. & Leung, L. (2012). Lifestyles, gratifications sought, and narrative appeal: American and Korean TV drama viewing among Internet users in urban China. International Communication Gazette, 74(2), 159-180. doi:10.1177/1748048511432601
  25. Jun, J. & Zhang, X. (2012). A study on the impact processes of Korean TV dramas on the image of Korean products among Chinese audiences. International Area Studies Review, 16(2), 135-154.
  26. Kaiser, S. B. (1997). The social psychology of clothing: symbolic appearances in context (2nd ed.). New York: Fairchild.
  27. Karrh, J. A., McKee, K. B., & Pardun, C. J. (2003). Practitioners' evolving views on product placement effectiveness. Journal of Advertising Research, 43(2), 138-149. doi:10.1017/S0021849903030198
  28. Kastenholz, E. (2010). 'Cultural proximity' as a determinant of destination image. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 16(4), 313-322. doi:10.1177/1356766710380883
  29. Kim, D. K., Singhal, A., Hanaki, T., Dunn, J., Chitnis, K., & Han, M. W. (2009). Television drama, narrative engagement and audience buying behavior: The effects of winter sonata in Japan. International Communication Gazette, 71(7), 595-611. doi:10.1177/1748048509341894
  30. Kim, E. A. & Lee, M. H. (1992). Clothing image and clothing design preferences relating to personal values. Journal of the Korean Society of Costume, 18, 269-281.
  31. Kim, J. E. & Park, K. S. (2004). The analysis of the effects of Hanliu phenomenon on the Chinese young generation's fashion style. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 28(1), 154-164.
  32. Kim, J. G. & Ahn, S. Y. (2012). Hallyu's effects on exports of Korean consumption goods: A comparative study of Chinese and Vietnamese consumers. Journal of International Trade and Industry Studies, 17(3), 193-217.
  33. Kleppe, I. A., Iversen, N. M., & Stensaker, I. G. (2002). Country images in marketing strategies: Conceptual issues and an empirical Asian illustration. Journal of Brand Management, 10(1), 61-74. doi:10.1057/palgrave.bm.2540102
  34. Kuo, L. (2015, April 23). China is the world's fastestgrowing market for "vanity" spending. Quartz, Retrieved December 2, 2016, from http://qz.com/389469/china-is-the-worlds-fastest-growing-market-for-vanity-spending
  35. Kwon, Y. J., Hong, B.-S., Seo, S., & Cho, M.-A. (2009). The effects of the attributes of Korean celebrity advertising models on Chinese consumer's intention to purchase Korean fashion brands. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 33(3), 477-488. doi:10.5850/JKSCT.2009.33.3.477
  36. Laroche, M., Papadopoulos, N., Heslop, L. A., & Mourali, M. (2005). The influence of country image structure on consumer evaluations of foreign products. International Marketing Review, 22(1), 96-115. doi:10.1108/02651330510581190
  37. Lee, Y.-A. (2009). Exploratory correlation analysis among age identity, proximity of clothing to self, and self-actualization for older persons in the United States. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 33(12), 1897-1909. doi:10.5850/JKSCT.2009.33.12.1897
  38. Lim, H.-K., Lee, J.-W., & Kim, M. Y. (2013). The effect of Korean national image on Chinese female college student's attitude towards Korean fashion. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 37(4), 439-451. doi:10.5850/JKSCT.2013.37.4.439
  39. Lim, K. B., Lim, S. J., & Jo, J. S. (1995). A study on value and clothing behavior by generation. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 19(4), 615-627.
  40. Makela, K., Kalla, H. K., & Piekkari, R. (2007). Interpersonal similarity as a driver of knowledge sharing within multinational corporations. International Business Review, 16(1), 1-22. doi:10.1016/j.ibusrev.2006.11.002
  41. McCroskey, J. C., Richmond, V. P., & Daly, J. A. (1975). The development of a measure of perceived homophily in interpersonal communication. Human Communication Research, 1(4), 323-332. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1975.tb00281.x
  42. Monga, A. B., & John, D. R. (2007). Cultural differences in brand extension evaluation: The influence of analytic versus holistic thinking. Journal of Consumer Research, 33(4), 529-536. doi:10.1086/510227
  43. Moon, H.-J. (2014). The relationship of the Korean wave, the Korean wave contents, the product preference and country image: Focused on the international students in Korea. Advertising Research, 100, 142-171.
  44. Mulligan, M. (2015, July 29). Chinese consumers 'laugh off' stock market gyrations. The Sydney Morning Herald, Retrieved December 2, 2016, from http://www.smh.com.au/business/china/chineseconsumers-laugh-off-stock-market-gyrations-20150729-gimt3d.html
  45. Oberecker, E. M., & Diamantopoulos, A. (2011). Consumers' emotional bonds with foreign countries: Does consumer affinity affect behavioral intentions?. Journal of International Marketing, 19(2), 45-72. doi:10.1509/jimk.19.2.45
  46. Oyunkhuu, E., & Park, J.-H. (2015). The effects of the Korean wave, national image, and companies' image on the attitude toward Korean products and purchase intention in Mongolia. Journal of the Korean Data Analysis Society, 17(3), 1461-1473.
  47. Parameswaran, R., & Pisharodi, R. M. (1994). Facets of country of origin image: An empirical assessment. Journal of Advertising, 23(1), 43-56. doi:10.1080/00913367.1994.10673430
  48. Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1981). Attitudes and persuasion: Classic and contemporary approaches. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press.
  49. Rogers, E. M. (2005). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press.
  50. Rogers, E. M., & Bhowmik, D. K. (1970). Homophilyheterophily: Relational concepts for communication research. Public Opinion Quarterly, 34(4), 523-538. doi:10.1086/267838
  51. Russo, C. (2015, Aug 13). Global Chinese consumer leaves no winners in luxury stocks. Bloomberg, Retrieved December 2, 2016, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-12/global-chinese-consumer-leaves-no-winners-in-luxury-stocks-rout
  52. Ryu, H.-J. (2013). Study on chinese people's cultural proximity and acceptance of Korean drama. Unpublished master's thesis. Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
  53. Schlinger, M. J. & Plummer, J. T. (1972). Advertising in black and white. Journal of Marketing Research, 9(2), 149-153. doi:10.2307/3149947
  54. Shin, K.-S., & Kim, C.-H. (2007). A study on the effects of Korea's national image in evaluation of products. International Areas Studies Review, 11(2), 259-285.
  55. Shrum, L. J., & O'Guinn, T. C. (1993). Processes and effects in the construction of social reality: Construct accessibility as an explanatory variable. Communication Research, 20(3), 436-471. doi:10.1177/009365093020003005
  56. Simpson, E. M., Snuggs, T., Christiansen, T., & Simples, K. E. (2000). Race, homophily, and purchase intentions and the black consumers. Psychology & Marketing, 17(10), 877-889. doi:10.1002/1520-6793(200010)17:10<877::AID-MAR3>3.0.CO;2-K
  57. Su, H. J., Huang, Y.-A., Brodowsky, G., & Kim, H. J. (2011). The impact of product placement on TVinduced tourism: Korean TV dramas and Taiwanese viewers. Tourism Management, 32(4), 805-814. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2010.06.020
  58. Sun, C. (2015, April 23). China tops world in 'vanity spending' growth. South China Morning Post, Retrieved December 2, 2016, from http://www.scmp.com/news/china/money-wealth/article/1773875/china-tops-world-vanity-spending-growth
  59. Szybillo, G. J., & Jacoby, J. (1974). Effects of different levels of integration on advertising preference and intention to purchase. Journal of Applied Psychology, 59(3), 274-280. doi:10.1037/h0036661
  60. Tang, S. K. (2015, March 10). Riding the K-wave, these Korean stocks are set to soar. CNBC, Retrieved December 2, 2016, from http://www.cnbc.com/id/102487133
  61. Van Reijmersdal, E. A., Neijens, P. C., & Smit, E. G. (2007). Effects of television brand placement on brand image. Psychology & Marketing, 24(5), 403-420. doi:10.1002/mar.20166
  62. Woodside, A. G., & Davenport, J. W. (1974). The effect of salesman similarity and expertise on consumer purchasing behavior. Journal of Marketing Research, 11(2), 198-202. doi:10.2307/3150562
  63. Xu, J. H. (2007). Brand-new lifestyle: Consumer-oriented programmes on Chines television. Media, Culture and Society, 29(3), 363-376. doi:10.1177/0163443707076180
  64. Yang, W.-D., Kim, S.-A., Rhee, Y.-S. (2012). Preference for Korean popular culture on purchase intention of Korean fashion products: Focus on the Dalian areas of China. Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 36(2), 206-217. doi:10.5850/JKSCT.2012.36.2.206
  65. Yoo, J.-W. (2007). The effect of Korean dramas on Korea's image overseas: A study of Chinese and Japanese viewers. Journal of Public Relations, 11(2), 126-158. https://doi.org/10.15814/jpr.2007.11.2.126
  66. Zajonc, R. B. (1968). Attitudinal effects of mere exposures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 9(2), 1-27. doi:10.1037/h0025848
  67. Zajonc, R. B. (2001). Mere exposure: A gateway to the subliminal. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(6), 224-228. doi:10.1111/1467-8721.00154

Cited by

  1. 뷰티 블로거에 대한 중국 소비자의 준사회적 상호작용이 동영상 태도와 제품 태도에 미치는 영향 vol.26, pp.5, 2017, https://doi.org/10.29049/rjcc.2018.26.5.649