Influencer Marketing of Korean Beauty Products in the Philippines: The Role of the Korean Wave, Influencers, and Content Attributes

Brands leverage the popularity of the Korean Wave to increase the acceptance of Korean-made products. This study examines how Korean beauty brands use influencer marketing to promote their products. Based on a large-scale quantitative content analysis of Korean beauty products on Instagram in the Philippines, this research describes the attributes of Social Media Influencers (SMIs) and the content attributes of sponsored Instagram posts. The results revealed that Korean beauty brands primarily collaborate with nano- and micro-influencers from the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle niches. In terms of content, higher engagement was linked to the information value provided and the audience’s perceived similarity with the influencer, which was fostered through parasocial relationships and online interactions such as asking questions and receiving responses. For trustworthiness, posts with implicit disclosures (e.g., #thanks to Brand X) generated higher engagement compared to those with explicit disclosures (e.g., “endorsement“). Finally, the study found that SMIs who use Korean Wave references in their profiles tend to achieve better engagement and receive more comments. KCI Citation Count: 0