Cultural Trait Vs. Personality Trait: Predicting the Appeal of Korean Entertainment among Asian Viewers in Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong

Abstract

This research explores transnational consumption of Korean entertainment among Asian viewers. To explain the appeal of Korean entertainment, this research focuses on mixed response of two opposing states (e.g., laughing and crying) that are induced, and examines the theoretical framework of personality trait (need for affect) vs. cultural trait (naïve dialecticism). Results from a survey (n = 745) reveal that mixed response mediates the positive association between naïve dialecticism (not need for affect) and the appeal. Findings are discussed regarding a cultural trait that predicts Asian viewers’ gratification from experiencing culturally fit emotions that fulfill central cultural (vs. personal) goals.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Although the reliability was within a minimally acceptable range (Cortina,1993), it was relatively low. Asian respondents may have responded differently to the scale that was developed and tested with Western samples.

2. Mixed affective (vs. physical) response alone (β = − .06,p = .097) was not a significant predictor of enjoyment.

3. Relating to footnote 2, mixed affective (vs. physical) response alone did not mediate the positive association between ND and enjoyment (β = − .01,p = .07).

4. When the data was split by country, the indirect effect on enjoyment was not significant in Singapore and Taiwan, as the positive association between mixed response and enjoyment did not reach significance,β_Singapore = .06,p = .36; β_Taiwan = .03,p = .59. In the case of Taiwan, the indirect effects on the three outcomes were not significant, as the positive association between ND and mixed response did not approach significance, β = .11,p = .10.

5. To examine whether mixed physical (vs. affective) response was a stronger mediator, a multiple mediation model using PROCESS (Model 4) (Hayes, 2018) was tested. Results confirmed that mixed physical (vs. affective) response was a statistically stronger mediator for all three outcomes. The strength of indirect effects differed significantly between the two responses: b_enjoyment = .14, SE = .03, 95% CI [.090, .215]; b_appreciation = .17, SE = .03, CI [.106, .240]; b_suspense = .06,SE = .03, CI [.006, .126].

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by POSCO TJ Park Foundation’s Research Grants for Asian Studies and by POSTECH Basic Science Research Institute.

Notes on contributors

Jinhee Kim

Jinhee Kim (Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University) is an associate professor in the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences at Pohang University of Science and Technology, South Korea. Her research interests include media and emotion, the appeal of entertainment media, and cross-cultural mediated communication.

Hye Kyung Kim

Hye Kyung Kim (Ph.D., Cornell University) is an assistant professor in the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Her research interests include uses and effects of persuasive messages and emerging media technologies in relation to health promotion.

Sojung Kim

Sojung Kim (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kyungpook National University, South Korea. Her research interests include advertising, consumer behavior in digital media, and crisis communication.

Shu-Fang Lin

Shu-Fang Lin (Ph.D., The Ohio State University) is a professor in the Department of Communication at National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan. Her research interests include cognitive and emotional effects of entertainment media.