EFFECT OF KOREAN WAVE ON YOUNG VIETNAMESE CONSUMERS : CASE OF KOREAN RESTAURANT POPULARITY

Korean wave has been playing an important role in Vietnamese society. It has created a stronger impact than other previous influences such as Chinese and French culture. Korean popular culture has entered Vietnam’s market via television dramas, movies and music since the last decade of the 20th century. The younger generation is the target group of this study because they have grown up with Korean popular culture. The Korean pop stars have had a deep impact on Vietnam, especially on the consumer behavior of the young Vietnamese people.The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the Korean wave on the behavior of the young Vietnamese in Ho Chi Minh City. Manrai and Manrai’s theory (2011) has been adapted for use as the conceptual framework for this study. This research considers the decision to go to Korean restaurant as the measure of consumer behavior. The data are collected from 306 young Vietnamese consumers aged between 18–30 in Ho Chi Minh City from March–April 2014. The results show that young Vietnamese consumers are affected by the Korean wave. Moreover, Korean wave is the primary reason they go to Korean restaurants. Many respondents indicate that Korean wave has influenced them to try the foods they have seen in Korean TV dramas and movies. The result also shows that Korean restaurants will remain popular in Vietnam for the long run, especially in Ho Chi Minh City.Marketers should use more Korean celebrities to advertise their products and the two countries’ governments should cooperate to efficiently use the positive impact of Hallyu to promote Vietnamese–Korean collaboration, such as Korean studies in Vietnam.