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The goal of this study is to assess the effects the Korean food featured on the Korean TV drama seriesDaeganggeumhas on the perceptions of national image and intention to visit Korea by residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand. Estimates of structural equation models are used for samples from the three countries to produce information for comparing relationships between variables: on preferring Korean food, the national image of Korea, and the intention to visit Korea for food tourism. The results show similarities and differences between the three national groups. Virtually identical models are found for Hong Kong and Taiwan groups. However, the comparison of Hong Kong and Taiwan groups to the Thailand group demonstrate differences. Specifically, in the Thai sample, distinctiveness of Korean food culture significantly increases the intention to visit Korea for food tourism. All three national groups demonstrate that a strong relationship exists between the national image of Korea and the intention to visit Korea for food tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is to assess the influences that Korean pop culture has on Hong Kong residents' perceptions of Korea as a potential tourist destination. Among the 500 distributed questionnaires, 456 were collected. Finally, 440 usable surveys were used for data analysis after eliminating 16 questionnaires with multiple missing answers that were deemed unusable. Data analyses produced many meaningful results. For example, respondents who were less educated and tended to spend more on Korean cultural products had a higher intention to visit Korea after they tasted Korean food. Expenditures on Korean cultural products were a significant contributor to Hong Kong residents' intention to visit Korea after experiencing the three types of Korean pop culture used in this study. Results of this study confirm those of previous studies, which found that the media had a significant influence on a person's choice of tourist destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]