Universitas Padjadjaran, September 13, 2024 — A student from the Faculty of Communication Sciences (FIKOM) at Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD) has completed a study highlighting the link between pop culture phenomena and travel motivation. The study, titled “Hallyu Pop Culture and the Motivation of Generation Z in Visiting South Korea,” examines how the Hallyu wave, or South Korean pop culture, significantly influences the travel intentions of Generation Z.
The research was led by Dimas Maulana Irsan, a PSI FIKOM UNPAD student, under the guidance of four lecturers: Ute Lies Siti Khadijah, Kurniawan Saefullah, and Evi Novianti. The study’s background is the hallyu phenomenon that has become an integral part of Gen Z’s lives in Indonesia. Its main objective was to build a model and analyze the influence of Korean pop culture on this generation’s travel motivation.
The study used a quantitative method, collecting data through an online questionnaire distributed to 361 respondents in West Java who are fans of hallyu culture. The collected data were then processed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), a powerful statistical analysis technique for testing complex relationships between variables.
The research findings present an interesting discovery. It was found that Gen Z’s motivation to visit South Korea is significantly influenced by factors related to Korean popular culture. These factors include everything from K-Pop music and Korean dramas to the cuisine and fashion they see in the media.
The study also found that situational involvement (such as momentary interest or following a trend) has a strong influence in shaping travel intentions. However, enduring involvement (deep, long-term interest) does not have a significant impact on those intentions. This suggests that the primary driver of travel interest is the momentary appeal created by the massive wave of hallyu content.
This academic publication provides valuable insights for the tourism and marketing industries. The findings can be used to design more effective promotional strategies, targeting young audiences by leveraging popular cultural trends. The research also contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by promoting tourism, and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) which advocates for responsible tourism.
The article has been published in the Sinta 2 Journal Bricolage, making it a relevant reference source. It is hoped that this research will serve as a guide for stakeholders in understanding how global phenomena like hallyu can be utilized to advance the tourism sector.
The publication results can be accessed via the following link: http://media.unpad.ac.id/files/publikasi/2025/rpm_20250128114738_8863.pdf
Writers: Ridha Amalia, Nadziva Shaqeena, and Muhammad Ihsan Fauzul Haq
