The Impact of TikTok Beauty Influencers on Korean Skincare Brand Awareness Among Gen Z Consumers

Abstract

The rapid growth of TikTok has reshaped influencer marketing strategies within the global beauty industry. This study examines how beauty influencer exposure and credibility affect Korean skincare brand awareness, consumer perceptions, and behavioral intentions among Generation Z consumers. A quantitative approach was adopted, and survey data were collected from 401 Generation Z respondents. Multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. The results show that influencer content exposure predicts brand awareness (β = .724, p < .001), explaining 52.5% of the variance. Influencer credibility measured through expertise, trustworthiness, and authenticity also positively affects awareness (β = .676, p < .001). Exposure further influences consumer perceptions, which subsequently predict behavioral intention (β = .523, p < .001), indicating a cognitive-to-behavioral process. These findings highlight the role of influencer marketing as an awareness-building mechanism that indirectly shapes purchase intentions through perception formation. By integrating Mere Exposure Theory, the Source Credibility Model, and the Elaboration Likelihood Model in a TikTok-specific context, this study contributes to social media marketing literature and provides practical implications for Korean skincare brands targeting Generation Z.