The Effects of Social Media Engagement and Celebrity Credibility on Parasocial Relationships: An Empirical Study of Brazilian Consumers and K-Beauty

This study explores how social media engagement fosters parasocial relationships between Brazilian consumers and Korean celebrities, and how these relationships influence the intention to purchase Korean beauty (K-beauty) products. Drawing on theories of parasocial interaction, social media engagement, celebrity credibility, and self-enhancement, the research aims to understand the psychological mechanisms that drive consumer behavior in emerging markets. A quantitative survey was conducted with 213 Brazilian Instagram users who actively follow Korean celebrities. The findings reveal that both social media engagement and the desire for self-enhancement significantly strengthen parasocial relationships, which in turn positively impact purchase intention. Interestingly, celebrity credibility did not show a significant influence on the development of parasocial bonds in this context. This suggests that affective and aspirational factors outweigh rational evaluations such as trustworthiness or expertise in forming emotional connections with celebrities. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on global consumer behavior by highlighting how emotional resonance and self-image aspirations drive K-beauty consumption in Brazil. It also provides practical implications for K-beauty brands seeking to expand into culturally expressive markets by leveraging social media to cultivate deeper emotional ties with consumers.