Role of Cultural Capital and Social Relationship in Shaping Cultural Consumption Diversity

(disponible en anglais seulement)

[VERSION EN PRÉPUBLICATION]

Hakjun Lee, Shik Heo

Hakjun Lee is currently working at the Korea Invention Promotion Association. His research interests include cultural consumption, utility theory, and intellectual property. He has published peer-reviewed articles in SSCI-indexed journals, including Applied Economics and Leisure Studies, addressing topics such as the relationship between cultural education and arts consumption, the impact of fiscal decentralization on cultural finance, and the benefits of leisure activities.
Shik Heo is a Professor in the Department of Economics at Chung-Ang University, specializing in cultural economics and labor economics. He received his B.A. in Economics from Chung-Ang University and his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Kansas. His research focuses on the labor supply behavior of artists. He has published extensively in SSCI-indexed journals.

ABSTRACT
Cultural capital is recognized as a key determinant of cultural consumption. While previous research has demonstrated a positive relationship between cultural capital and the frequency of cultural participation, its impact on the diversity of cultural consumption remains underexplored. This study empirically examines how cultural capital influences the breadth of cultural consumption in South Korea. The findings reveal that cultural capital significantly increases cultural consumption diversity. Specifically, recent engagement in cultural activities has a more significant impact than past education. A stratified analysis by income level highlights the role of public policy interventions in fostering cultural capital among disadvantaged populations. Furthermore, an age-based analysis shows that cultural diversity peaks in young adulthood and declines with age, reflecting historical gaps in cultural education for older generations in South Korea. These results underscore the need for cultural policy initiatives to enhance cultural consumption diversity across socioeconomic groups.

KEYWORDS
Cultural capital; cultural consumption; diversity; arts education