Sung Eun Park’s research while affiliated with Webster University and other places

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the popularity of K-content soared as people sought solace in streaming platforms like Netflix. This heightened exposure facilitated a deeper engagement with Korean culture, leading to a notable phenomenon: the rise of ajumma characters. These middle-aged female characters, often depicted in roles brimming with charm and whimsy, swiftly captured the hearts of viewers, contributing to a gradual redefinition of the term within Korean society. This chapter delves into the societal perception of ajummas in Korean culture, tracing the evolution of their portrayal in K-dramas and the profound impact they have had on the entertainment industry and beyond. By examining the journey of ajumma characters from the margins to the mainstream, we uncover the transformative power of media representation in reshaping cultural attitudes and fostering greater inclusivity, both locally and on a global scale.

Cultural diversity is a topic that has been taught across disciplines, but the pandemic has made it more difficult for universities and colleges to teach and discuss it when active interaction is limited in the classroom setting. The difficulties and challenges observed in communication courses, including advertising and public relations, brought this interdisciplinary talk with three professors. In the reflective essay, the faculties discuss the importance of teaching and discussing cultural diversity in the disciplines and how to incorporate the topic into the curriculum while acknowledging the challenges during the pandemic. Finally, the observations from teaching the courses last two years and analysis of theories and literature offered some guidelines and recommendations to help students and faculties move forward in the post-pandemic

Various social media platforms allow people to participate in activities on social causes, including donating money online. We have sought to clarify internal (attitudes toward online donation, social identification, cause involvement, relationships with SNS connectors) and external factors (perception of SNS features) that predict the publics’ behavioral intentions, such as online donation and sharing words via SNS. This study conducted an online survey to examine the proposed hypotheses based on the literature review. The results of regressions show that social identification, cause involvement, and relationships with SNS connectors predict the intention to donate via SNS, while social identification, cause involvement, relationships with SNS connectors, and perception of SNS features affect the intention of Word-of-Mouth. Theoretical and practical implications are presented in the discussion and conclusion.

Background Substandard and falsified medicine (SFM) sales (an estimated > $200 billion) has become one of the worlds’ fastest growing criminal enterprises. It presents an enormous public health and safety challenge. While the developed world is not precluded from this challenge, studies focus on low-income countries. They emphasize supply chain processes, technological, and legal mechanisms, paying less attention to consumer judgment and decision-making aspects. Methods With attention to the demand side of the counterfeit medicines challenge, this survey of U.S. consumers ( n = 427) sheds light on some of the social, psychological, and normative factors that underlie consumers’ attitudes, risk perceptions, and purchase intentions. Results Consumers who (a) self-report that they know about the problem, (b) are older, (c) view counterfeit medicine consumption as ethical, and (d) think their significant others would approve of them using such products are more inclined to perceive lower risks and have favorable purchase intentions. Risk averseness is also inversely related to the predicted outcomes. Perceived benefit of SFMs is a factor but has no effect when risk perception and aversion, attitudes, and subjective norms are factored into the model that predicts purchase intentions. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that consumer knowledge (albeit in an unexpected direction), people’s expectations about what will impress their significant others, their ethical judgments about selling and consuming counterfeits, and their risk-aversion are associated with their decision-making about counterfeit medicines. The study offers insights into a demand-side approach to addressing SFM consumption in the U.S. Implications for public health, consumer safety, and brand advocacy education are discussed.

This study examines the internal and external factors affecting behavioral intention of online donation and word-of-mouth via crowdfunding sites. The conflicting findings from the literature provided rationales and several key variables for this study. To investigate the key variables, the authors conducted an online survey. The result confirmed that social identification, involvement, credibility of platforms, and attitudes toward online donation positively predict intention to donate online. In addition, social identification, involvement, and crowdfunding site features had predictive power on the intention of word-of-mouth. Theoretical and practical implications for public relations and communication practitioners are provided in the discussion.

“Hidden Persuasion”: 33 psychological influence techniques in advertising by Andrews, van Leeuwen, and van Baaren has demonstrated that the book has great insight to offer. Its potential audience ranges from the public who can learn hidden advertising techniques to undergraduate students interested in learning more about the techniques from actual campaigns. The book is full of real examples and principles that were written interestingly and cohesively. Its layout and guideline to use the book in a different setting make the book unique and worth reading. Even with some room for improvement, the authors did a great job of making the book enjoyable and educational for various audiences.