<![CDATA[This study investigates the psychological mechanisms and motivational drivers of South Korean popular culture (Hallyu) consumption among university students in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia (n=201). Employing a mixed-methods explanatory correlational design, the research explores how high digital immersion translates into behavioral aspirations and lifestyle modifications. Quantitative results, utilizing Spearman’s rank-order correlation, demonstrate that intensive media engagement particularly with K-dramas (rs = 0.460, p < 0.001) and K-pop (rs = 0.434, p < 0.001) significantly predicts linguistic acquisition desires and cross-border travel intentions. Complementary qualitative thematic analysis reveals core consumption motivations centered on emotional comfort, aspirational emulation, and visual pilgrimage. Crucially, the findings challenge the assumption of total cultural assimilation by introducing a framework of "Selective Adoption". Students utilize Hallyu as a modern style toolkit for identity performance, yet they maintain strict boundaries against adopting foreign beauty standards or daily lifestyle habits. The study further identifies an "Academic Paradox," wherein Hallyu stimulates informal cultural curiosity but remains intentionally compartmentalized away from formal academic performance. Ultimately, this research refines the concept of a monolithic "Unified Wave" into a "Hybrid Participant" model. The findings suggest that Hallyu functions as a specialized emotional indulgence that reduces psychological distance and fosters global mobility aspirations, all while keeping Southeast Asian youth firmly anchored in their indigenous identities.]]>
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