지속 가능한 의류 소비 경험에 대한 한·미 소비자 수용 양상 비교 - 토픽 모델링 접근 -

Abstract

This study compared and analyzed text-based consumption experiences with 2,964 online reviews written post- purchase to investigate the differences in interpretations and evaluations of sustainable clothing products between Korean and U.S. consumers. The evaluation after purchase was emphasized by integrating text-mining techniques such as word fre- quency analysis, LDA topic modeling, and sentiment analysis, moving beyond just consumers’ attitudes or purchase inten- tions. The analysis revealed that the evaluation criteria for the same product varied between countries. Korean consumers focused on practical and tangible factors such as size accuracy, wearing context, ease of product management, and service experience. Conversely, U.S. consumers tended to interpret products with a relatively high weight on emotional and sym- bolic factors, including sensory satisfaction, positive use experience, and brand meaning. The sentiment analysis revealed that U.S. reviews prominently expressed “joy,” whereas Korean reviews exhibited a more nuanced and context-sensitive evaluation, characterized by a blend of “trust,” “anticipation,” and “fear.” Furthermore, consumer acceptance of sustainable clothing products was influenced not just by personal commitment toward environmental and ethical values but was shaped through a complex interplay of functional judgment, emotional satisfaction, and cultural meaning-making. Evidence showed that Korean consumers focused on practicality, highlighting the importance of emphasizing functional performance and real usage experience in the domestic sustainable fashion market. Overall, the study highlights distinct acceptance patterns across countries, offering managerial implications for developing sustainability communication that reflects cultural contexts.