In the rapidly evolving beauty industry, particularly in emerging markets like Indonesia, digital platforms and e-commerce have reshaped how consumers make purchasing decisions. One of the most significant changes has been the rise of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), which includes online reviews and ratings, and their increasing influence on consumer behavior. Consumers now rely heavily on reviews and ratings provided by other users rather than traditional advertisements or marketing claims ((Donthu et al., 2021); (Filieri et al., 2021))This shift has significantly affected both global and local beauty brands, as the digital space provides an open forum for consumers to share their experiences and opinions. In markets like Indonesia, where online shopping is gaining rapid popularity, understanding the role of eWOM in consumer behavior is essential for brands aiming to stay competitive and build consumer trust ((Karinda & Fajri, 2024); (Tanuwijaya et al., 2023))

In Indonesia, a market characterized by a high percentage of internet penetration and active e-commerce participation, local beauty brands have leveraged online reviews and ratings as key tools to strengthen their market presence and build consumer trust. Somethinc, a local skincare brand, has rapidly emerged as a leader in the Indonesian beauty industry, effectively using eWOM through digital platforms to create a loyal consumer base (Somethinc Market Overview, 2021). Somethinc's success can be attributed to both the quality of its products and the strategic use of online reviews and ratings, which help consumers make more informed purchase decisions. Furthermore, it has built a strong digital presence and engaged with younger generations who rely on social media and e-commerce platforms for their beauty-related needs (Karinda & Fajri, 2024).

However, despite the recognized significance of online reviews and ratings, there remains a gap in understanding the specific role of cultural influences— such as the Korean Wave (Hallyu) in amplifying or diminishing the effects of these online feedback mechanisms. The Korean Wave, which encompasses K- pop, K-dramas, and K-beauty, has become a powerful cultural force that has influenced consumer preferences globally, including in Southeast Asia ((Chae et al., 2020); (Halim & Kiatkawsin, 2021)).

The Korean Wave has had a profound impact on beauty standards, particularly among younger generations in Indonesia. Korean beauty products, which emphasize flawless skin, multi-step skincare routines, and a natural aesthetic, have gained immense popularity (Halim & Kiatkawsin, 2021). Korean celebrities, K-pop idols, and K-drama stars play a crucial role in shaping these trends, creating a strong cultural appeal that resonates with Indonesian consumers. The influence of Korean beauty standards has made Korean-inspired products highly desirable, even among local brands like Somethinc, which incorporate K-beauty elements into their product offerings (Chae et al., 2020).

The integration of the Korean Wave into digital marketing strategies has been shown to improve consumer engagement, as Korean beauty standards and products are often seen as symbols of beauty and aspiration (Scott, 2020). Studies show that Korean beauty standards and products have shaped consumer

perceptions, particularly in Southeast Asia (Muskitta et al., 2022). Local brands such as Somethinc have capitalized on this trend by aligning their products with Korean-inspired beauty ideals, which resonate with Indonesian millennials and Gen Z consumers who are heavily influenced by global beauty trends (Halim & Kiatkawsin, 2021). However, while the influence of the Korean Wave on consumer behavior is well documented, its interaction with digital feedback mechanisms, such as online reviews and ratings, remains underexplored in the context of local beauty brands in Indonesia.

This study aims to examine the role of online reviews and ratings in shaping consumer purchasing decisions for Somethinc products in Pekanbaru, Indonesia, while also investigating how the Korean Wave acts as a moderating factor in this relationship. By investigating how cultural trends like Hallyu affect consumer responses to online reviews and ratings, the study aims to provide a deeper understanding of the factors driving consumer behavior in the beauty industry. Positive eWOM, such as high ratings and favorable reviews, can enhance brand reputation and increase consumer trust, while negative feedback may deter potential buyers ((Macheka et al., 2024); (Zhao et al., 2020))

The importance of this research is twofold: it contributes to the growing body of literature on eWOM by examining the moderating role of cultural phenomena like the Korean Wave, and it provides practical insights for local beauty brands, such as Somethinc, on how to better align their digital marketing strategies with cultural trends. As consumers increasingly rely on online feedback to make informed purchasing decisions, brands that effectively integrate global cultural influences with digital marketing strategies can build stronger consumer trust, enhance brand loyalty, and ultimately drive greater sales performance ((Zhao et al., 2020); (Leong et al., 2021)).

This research employs a quantitative approach to examine the impact of online reviews and ratings on consumer purchase decisions for Somethinc products in Pekanbaru, with the Korean Wave acting as a moderating variable (Santoso & Madiistriyatno, 2021). A survey method was used for data collection, targeting 134 respondents who have purchased Somethinc products and have been exposed to online reviews, ratings, and the Korean Wave. The respondents were selected using purposive sampling, which was chosen to ensure that participants had relevant experience and exposure to the factors being studied. A structured questionnaire was developed to assess the respondents' perceptions of online reviews, ratings, and cultural influences, and their impact on purchase decisions.

The sample size was determined using the formula recommended by (Sarstedt et al., 2021), who suggest that the required sample size for structural equation modeling (SEM) is the product of the number of indicators for each latent construct and a multiplier of 5 to 10. Given that the study used 13 indicators, I selected a multiplier of 10, resulting in a recommended sample size of 130 respondents (13 indicators × 10). Thus, the final sample of 134 respondents exceeded the recommended minimum, ensuring the robustness and reliability of the data for analysis.

Data collected from the respondents were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the relationships between the independent variables (online reviews and ratings) and the dependent variable (consumer purchase decisions), as well as to evaluate the moderating effect of the Korean Wave. This method is suitable for investigating complex relationships and provides a comprehensive approach to testing the proposed hypotheses.

The R-square value for purchase decision (Y) is 0.264, indicating that the model explains 26.4% of the variance in consumer purchase decisions. When adjusted for the number of predictors in the model, the adjusted R-square is 0.236, suggesting a slightly lower explanatory power. This implies that the model has a weak to moderate explanatory power, meaning that while online reviews, online ratings, and the Korean Wave do influence purchase decisions, there are other factors not captured by the model that also play a significant role in shaping consumer behavior.

The results of this study offer significant insights into the factors influencing consumer purchase decisions, particularly in the beauty industry, and provide valuable implications for local brands like Somethinc in Pekanbaru. This research examined the effects of online reviews, online ratings, and the Korean Wave as a moderating variable in shaping consumer purchase decisions. The findings reveal that online ratings have a significant positive influence on purchase decisions, while online reviews did not show a statistically significant effect.

The findings of this study provide deeper insight into the interplay between online reviews, online ratings, and cultural influences in shaping purchasing decisions. The significant of online ratings aligns with existing literature, such as (Gil-saura et al., 2020) and (Sun et al., 2020), which emphasize that numerical ratings offer quick and accessible evaluations for consumers. Consumers often perceive online ratings as reliable indicators of product quality, especially in high-involvement categories such as beauty and skincare. This support the notion that a high average rating can build consumer confidence and influence their purchase decision ((Ventre & Kolbe, 2020)).

In contrast, the study found that online reviews do not significantly influence purchase decisions. This results diverges from some prior findings ((Donthu et al., 2021); (Sun et al., 2020)) which suggest that reviews enhance credibility and reduce uncertainty. A possible explanantion is that in markets like Pekanbaru, where beauty product purchases are frequently influenced by trends and peer behavior, consumers may prioritize easily digestible information like ratings over more elaborate written feedback. Moreover, the dominance of visual-based platform and influencer content reduce the relative impact of written reviews (Tanuwijaya et al., 2023).

The Korean Wave plays a dual moderating role in this context. It positively moderates the relationship between online ratings and purchase decisions, suggesting that cultural affinity with Korean trends amplifies consumer trust in products that are highly rated. This reflects the view of (Halim & Kiatkawsin, 2021) and (Chae et al., 2020), who found that the aesthetic appeal and celebrity endorsement in K-beauty significantly shape consumer behavior. Consumers

influenced by Hallyu are more likely to associate high product ratings with alignment to Korean beauty standards, increasing their willingness to purchase. On the other hand, the Korean Wave negatively moderates the influence of online reviews. This counterintuitive result may be due to consumers' preconceived positive perceptions of Korean-influenced products, rendering textual reviews less necessary in their decision-making process. As suggested by (Suwuh et al., 2022), cultural admiration for Korea can lead to cognitive biases, where consumers assume quality based on brand image or trend conformity rather than detailed descriptions. This findings is supported by (BOUGUERN Hamida, 2023), who explored the impact of Korean Wave can alter consumers' perceptions and minimize the weight given to written reviews, as consumers increasingly rely on cultural signals and brand associations with Korean beauty trenfs. In this context, the Korean Wave reinforces the appeal of products that are perceived as culturally trendy or fashionable, even if the online reviews do not

explicitly highlight the product's benefits.

Interestingly, this study found that the Korean Wave does not have a direct significant effect on purchase decisions. This indicates that while cultural influence does shape perceptions, it is more impactful as a contextual enhancer rather than a standalone determinant of consumer behavior. This finding contributes to the growing body of literature that explores how global cultural phenomena indirectly shape market outcomes through interaction with other marketing variables (Macheka et al., 2024).

From a practical perspective, these findings suggest that beauty brands like Somethinc should prioritize enhancing their online rating visibility and ensure consistency in consumer ratings. They should also consider embedding Korean aesthetics in their branding strategy to appeal to culturally influenced consumers. However, less emphasis may be needed on textual reviews, especially when targeting consumers who are highly familiar with K-beauty trends.

Overall, this study offers a nuanced understanding of the effectiveness of eWOM elements and the moderating role of cultural influence. By situating the research in a specific regional context—Pekanbaru—this study adds localized insight to broader discussions on digital marketing and cross-cultural consumer behavior.

This study provides valuable insights into the factors influencing consumer purchase decisions for Somethinc products in Pekanbaru, particularly in relation to online reviews, online ratings, and the Korean Wave as a moderating variable. The findings reveal several key insights that have practical implications for local beauty brands aiming to optimize their digital marketing strategies.

First, the study found that online ratings have a significant positive effect on consumer purchase decisions, suggesting that ratings are a crucial factor in shaping consumers' trust and willingness to purchase. This supports the growing body of literature that emphasizes the importance of aggregated, numerical feedback in online decision-making processes. In contrast, online reviews did not

show a significant direct effect, highlighting that consumers may prioritize quick, simple cues like ratings over more detailed, qualitative feedback when making purchasing decisions.

Second, the Korean Wave was found to significantly moderate the relationship between online ratings and purchase decisions, amplifying the impact of positive ratings on consumer behavior. This finding suggests that cultural trends, such as the growing influence of Korean beauty standards, play a crucial role in shaping how consumers respond to online feedback. However, the Korean Wave did not significantly moderate the relationship between online reviews and purchase decisions, indicating that reviews may be less influential for consumers who are strongly influenced by cultural trends.

The results of this study underscore the importance of leveraging both online ratings and cultural trends in digital marketing strategies. For brands like Somethinc, aligning their products with popular global beauty standards, such as those associated with the Korean Wave, could enhance the effectiveness of their eWOM strategies. While detailed online reviews are important for building credibility, focusing on optimizing online ratings and incorporating cultural elements in product positioning may yield greater results in driving consumer purchase decisions.

In conclusion, while online reviews and ratings both play critical roles in shaping consumer behavior, ratings appear to have a more direct and powerful impact. Additionally, cultural influences like the Korean Wave can enhance the effectiveness of eWOM, especially in markets where consumers are highly attuned to global beauty trends. These findings offer valuable guidance for local beauty brands to refine their marketing approaches and better align their strategies with the evolving preferences of their target consumers.

Building upon the findings of this study, future research can adopt a more advanced approach by exploring the dynamic interplay between different types of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) content—such as visual reviews (e.g., TikTok, Instagram Reels) and influencer endorsements—and their differential impacts on consumer purchase decisions in culturally influenced markets. Incorporating longitudinal data and behavioral tracking could offer deeper insights into how consumer trust evolves over time in response to fluctuating online ratings and culturally resonant marketing campaigns. Additionally, employing a cross-regional comparative framework, particularly between cities with varying levels of exposure to the Korean Wave, could illuminate the geographical boundaries of cultural influence and the scalability of digital marketing strategies across diverse consumer segments.