Abstract

South Korea has begun to experience subtropical weather conditions due to global climate change. Thus, the South Korean Rural Development Administration (RDA) has identified fourteen subtropical crops as economically and nutritionally appealing alternatives to current crops that could be affected. However, as Korean consumers’ knowledge of subtropical vegetables is limited, these crops are considered novel. Consumers’ fears of unknown foods may limit the effective introduction of potentially beneficial crops. This study used focus groups to identify Korean consumers’ perceptions of subtropical vegetables to help build social media marketing strategies to promote their adoption. The results revealed the following key factors influencing Korean consumers’ acceptance of subtropical vegetables: price, availability, flavor, health benefits, degree of familiarity, exoticness, adventurousness, risk assessment, and media influence. Based on the findings, this study suggests three possible social media strategies for Korean consumers: creating Instagrammable food content, evoking the idea of adventure, and emphasizing nutritional values.