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Chung Wha Ki

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Chung Wha Ki

 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1372-1686
20162026

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Research interests

Dr. Ki is an Associate Professor of Fashion Business whose research focuses on fashion consumer behavior and the transformative impact of emerging AI technologies on the industry. Her work investigates how AI reshapes consumer perceptions, experiences, and decision-making across fashion retail, marketing, and service contexts. In her recent research agenda, she has focused on consumer responses to innovations such as virtual influencers, embodied AI service robots, and AI-powered virtual assistants, while examining the broader implications of these technologies for the future of fashion and retail.
 
Dr. Ki's primary research areas include:
  • AI and human-computer interaction: She investigates how artificial intelligence and interactive technologies shape the way consumers perceive, engage with, and make decisions in retail, marketing, and service environments—both online and offline.
  • Digital retail and marketing: She examines how online platforms, immersive metaverse retail environments, and technology-driven marketing strategies influence consumer engagement, brand evaluations, and purchasing behavior in fashion markets.
  • Circular fashion: She explores consumer perceptions of circular fashion initiatives and brands’ circular business models—such as take-back programs—and how these perceptions influence purchase intentions and circular consumption behaviors. She developed a scale to measure circular fashion readiness.
  • Luxury fashion: She investigates the psychological tensions underlying luxury consumption—particularly the coexistence of pleasure and guilt—and examines whether second-hand luxury is perceived not only as sustainable and status-signaling, but also as a wise and value-oriented consumption choice.
Methodologically, she employs a diverse range of approaches, including controlled experiments, survey research, and qualitative studies. Her work is further supported by advanced AI techniques such as StyleGAN, FaceSwap-GAN algorithms, and Latent Dirichlet Allocation, which enable innovative research designs and data analysis.

Dr. Ki serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Consumer Marketing (ESCI; ABDC: A). Her research has been published in leading academic journals, including Journal of Business Research, Psychology & Marketing, European Journal of Marketing, and International Journal of Information Management. 
 
To learn more about Dr. Ki’s research and her team, please visit:

Teaching

Dr. Ki specializes in teaching luxury fashion, circular fashion, and brand management, while integrating emerging topics such as generative AI, the metaverse, and digital transformation into her lectures and tutorials. Her teaching connects academic knowledge with contemporary developments in the fashion industry, helping students understand the changing landscape of global fashion business.

Drawing on her active research in fashion consumer behavior and emerging technologies, Dr. Ki incorporates current research findings and industry trends into the classroom to ensure that course content remains relevant and up to date. She also aims to create an industry-connected learning environment by inviting guest speakers and industry professionals to share practical insights and experiences with students. Through her industry collaborations, students are provided with opportunities to engage directly with leading fashion brands and gain exposure to real-world professional environments. Examples include: 

  • Seven SFT BA students were provided with the opportunity to participate in the renowned “World of FENDI” VIP event (Link)
  • Two GFM MA students secured internship positions with the LVMH Fashion Group (Link)

Dr. Ki has taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Courses she has taught include:

  • SFT413 Fashion Brand Management
  • SFT502 Contemporary Issues in the International Fashion Business
  • SFT513 Luxury Fashion Brand Management 
  • SFT5101 Green Branding and Marketing of Lifestyle Products 

Education/Academic qualification

Bachelor of Arts in English Language & Literature, Ewha Womans University

Master of Arts in Clothing & Textiles, Ewha Womans University

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  1. SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
    SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

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  • 9 Editorial work for journals
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