Linking Idol Attachment to Sense of Place: Application of Attachment Theory

Linking Idol Attachment to Sense of Place: Application of Attachment Theory

With the development of the “Hallyu” (Korean Wave) and people's deep understanding of South Korea, the phenomenon of “Hallyu ’’ idols driving tourism has become very common. Tourists, especially fans are no longer satisfied with the traditional tourist attractions with special symbolic meanings when visiting South Korea, but instead focus on common places associated with idols. For example, restaurants, cafes, bookstores, parks, and convenience stores that have appeared in idol's social network accounts. With the application of the theory of attachment and sense of place in the tourism field, this study will start from the celebrity attachment, to explore the specific processes and mechanisms by which idols affect the behavioral intentions of the fans. Relevant data were collected in the form of online questionnaires, and 440 valid responses were finalized for data analysis. Data analysis results show that idol attachment can positively influence the four cognitive dimensions of sense ofplace (place identity, place dependence, social bonding and atmosphere). The various dimensions of sense ofplace can promote the generation of place attachment. Place attachment ultimately positively affects a series of behavioral intentions, namely purchase intention, destination preference and information sharing.