The Impact of Familiarity with Hallyu Culture and K-POP Academy Experience on Attitudes toward Korea and Intention to Visit: Focusing on the Thai Market

This study investigated how Thai people's familiarity with Hallyu culture and the experience of K-POP Academy affect Korean national brands.Therefore, in this study, a survey was conducted on Thai students who participated in the K-POP Academy hosted by the Korean Cultural Center in Thailand more than once, and a structural model analysis was conducted based on this.As a result of the survey, familiarity with Hallyu culture had a positive effect on the experience of the K-POP Academy, and the experience of the K-POP Academy had a positive effect on both the attitude toward Korea and the intention to visit Korea.In addition, attitudes toward Korea showed a positive influence on the intention to visit Korea.This study has academic implications in how the state-led cultural project called the K-POP Academy, which has been studied so far, affects the Korean national brand.In addition, the study results provide practical implications in that they can help overseas Korean cultural centers establish strategies to enhance their national image.Finally, this study can be significant in that despite the high popularity of K-POP, Hallyu research was conducted based on the insignificant Thai market.