Understanding Filipino Korean Pop Music Fans

Abstract Hallyu's success has caught the attention of academic research of various fields of expertise. This research endeavours to understand what makes Korean Pop music popular to Filipinos, addressing two research gaps: the lack of empirical management discourse, and the lack of focus on the Philippine KPop market. This research employs a theoretical model derived from an academic and practical product development and consumer behaviour discourse. Data collected from 932 Filipino respondents was subjected to several statistical tests, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), hierarchical regression, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results suggest that Filipino KPop fans are more concerned about the external environment that influences what is popular, rather than what looks and sounds good. Furthermore, KPop fan behaviour homogeneously cuts across age, gender, and backgrounds. This presents several useful theoretical and managerial implications enhancing the overall picture of KPop's international impact.