Riding the Hallyu Wave : A Study of the Influence on Pop Culture Tourism on Branding in South Korea

Abstract

Over the past few years, there has been a significant rise in the popularity of K-pop, K-drama, and K-food. These terms have gained considerable attention on social media platforms and in various news outlets. With the increasing popularity of South Korea as a travel destination, there is a growing interest in the country that continues to rise day by day. This study investigated how much pop culture tourism affects branding in South Korea. In doing so, the study will examine the country's pop culture industry and branding tactics. The success in Korea is based not just on events in South Korea, but also on the influence of other countries globally, as a result of the global recognition of K-pop, K-drama, and Korean beauty items. The focus of this study was to gain a better understanding of South Korea's recent increase in popularity and determine how much pop culture tourism has influenced the country. South Korea is not only an appealing tourist spot, but it also actively markets itself as one. The promotional campaigns of the nation represent it as an extremely appealing destination, thereby bolstering its image as a dynamic center of entertainment and progress. The thesis utilized a blend of primary and secondary research methodologies. The theoretical section heavily relied on an extensive review of existing literature, while the empirical component relied on quantitative research method. Part of the empirical part involved conducting a survey to individuals who had either traveled to South Korea or were actively involved with the Korean Wave. This survey aimed to gather their personal accounts on the influence of pop culture tourism on branding. The results of the study showed a more thorough understanding of the connection between pop culture tourism and branding,