Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/316564 
Year of Publication: 
2019
Citation: 
[Journal:] East Asian Economic Review (EAER) [ISSN:] 2508-1667 [Volume:] 23 [Issue:] 4 [Year:] 2019 [Pages:] 381-407
Publisher: 
Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), Sejong-si
Abstract: 
The Korean wave has become a global phenomenon whose effect has been widely studied in Asia, Europe and the US. However the presumption of cultural distance makes it appear unlikely that the Korean wave could gain traction among African consumers of cultural products. As such, a dearth of evidence exists on the effects of the wave in Africa. This paper examines the effect of the wave in East African countries employing both descriptive and Probit model analyses. The results show that, contrary to conventional beliefs, most Africans surveyed perceive value proximity with Korea through the values conveyed in Korean dramas, movies and music. Confucius values, such as filial piety, family love and respect for the elderly are the most appealing to the East African audience. Importantly, contact with Korean wave contents contributes to the respondents' disposition to form favorable attitude towards Korea. The African consumers of Korea's cultural products are equally likely to purchase other Korean commercial products. These results remotely suggest that Hallyu may be a tool for advancing Korea's soft power towards Africa and could generate positive economic externalities.
Subjects: 
Africa
Korea Wave
Cultural Proximity
Value Proximity
Thematic Proximity
Globalization
Cultural Hybridity
JEL: 
F22
F59
Z10
Z11
Z13
Z18
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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