Consumption in the Korean Wedding Ritual: Wedding Ritual Values, Consumer Needs, and Expenditures

Recently, consumer researchers have been interested in rituals that concisely express the consumption system in a culture. This article studies the Korean wedding ritual. The particular focus is on consumer values, needs, and expenditures related to Korean weddings. Research hypotheses were developed by analyzing the consumption phenomena in a sociocultural context and using focus groups and in-depth interviews. The author suggests that hedonic values relating to wedding rituals influence conspicuous and female-focused consumption. Implications of the study and further consumption research issues are discussed.