Investigating a Theoretical Background of the Consumption of Korean TV Programs in China: Focused on Globalism, Proximity, and Modernity

Abstract

The current study attempts to empirically identify a theoretical background that effectively explains Korean pop-culture consumption in the Asian Pacific region; particularly, in China. Specifically, this study investigates how globalism, proximity, and modernity, which have been suggested in literature as key theoretical backgrounds for the Korean wave, influence China's motivation to consume the Korean wave and its subsequent consumption of Korean TV programs (e.g., dramas, variety shows, etc.). The findings suggest that the motivation to consume the Korean wave is positively related to globalism and proximity. Modernity, however, is found to have a negative influence on the motivation to consume the Korean wave. That is, the more one holds international values, the more one perceives Korea as similar to China, and the more one holds traditional values, the more motivation one shows to consume the Korean wave. The study also finds that the motivation to consume the Korean wave has a significant impact on the consumption of Korean TV programs. In the revised model, the study suggests that proximity, followed by globalism, has the strongest positive relationship with motivation. Such a finding suggests that a proximity approach could serve as a better theoretical perspective to explain the phenomenon of the Korean wave in China. Regarding the relationships of the demographic/socio-economic variables and the motivation to consume the Korean wave, females, rather than males, the higher the family income one gains, and the lower education level one has had, the more motivation one will show to consume the Korean wave.■ keyword :|Korean Wave|China|Globalism|Proximity|Modernity|