The Process by Which BTS’s Star Attributes Lead to Loyalty Through Global Fans’ Need Fulfillment and Satisfaction: Implications for Tourism Marketing

This study examines the psychological mechanisms through which BTS’s perceived star attributes—expertise, authenticity, likability, and similarity—influence fan loyalty within fandom-driven tourism. Anchored in activity theory and content theory of motivation, the proposed model identifies psychological need fulfillment and emotional satisfaction as sequential mediators linking celebrity perception to loyalty behaviors. Data were obtained from 916 BTS fans across six English-speaking countries via a structured online survey. To test the hypothesized relationships, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed. Results demonstrate that perceived star attributes significantly enhance psychological need fulfillment, which subsequently predicts emotional satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, the attributes exert direct effects on emotional satisfaction, supporting both reflective and intuitive engagement pathways. All hypothesized paths were statistically significant, and the model exhibited strong overall fit (SRMR = 0.039; NFI = 0.875). Theoretically, this study advances loyalty research by foregrounding the roles of symbolic consumption, emotional resonance, and identity-based alignment in global fandom contexts. Practically, the findings offer insights for tourism marketers, destination planners, and entertainment brands seeking to design emotionally immersive, narrative-rich tourism experiences. Recommendations are provided for developing BTS-themed content aligned with fans’ identity motivations to foster sustained emotional engagement and destination loyalty.