Do K-Pop Consumers' Fandom Activities Affect Their Happiness, Listening Intention, and Loyalty?

Area of Science:

• Consumer Psychology
• Music Consumption Studies
• Fandom Research

Background:

• K-pop fandom activities influence consumer behavior and psychological states.
• Understanding the drivers of contemporary Christian music (CCM) listening intention and loyalty is crucial.
• Activity theory and content theory of motivation provide frameworks for analyzing fandom engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how online and offline K-pop fandom activities impact consumer happiness and CCM listening intention.
• To investigate the influence of happiness and CCM listening intention on CCM loyalty (word of mouth/purchase).
• To explore these relationships within the context of global K-pop consumers in the US and UK.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative survey administered to 331 global K-pop consumers (US/UK).
• Data collected between April 1 and September 30, 2022.
• Structural equation modeling (SEM) used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Offline K-pop fandom activities significantly increased consumer happiness.
• Both online and offline K-pop fandom activities positively influenced CCM listening intention.
• Consumer happiness also positively affected CCM listening intention.
• Happiness and CCM listening intention significantly predicted CCM loyalty (word of mouth/purchase).

Conclusions:

• Offline K-pop fandom engagement is a key driver of happiness and CCM listening.
• Consumer happiness and the intention to listen to CCM are critical factors for building loyalty.
• The study highlights a novel trend linking K-pop culture, CCM, and consumer psychology.