PLOS ONE
RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Citation: Ong AKS, Prasetyo YT, Manguray ARB,
Moral EJMG, Maun ALM, Diaz JGF, et al. (2023)
Evaluating factors influencing customers’ intention
to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal” in the
Philippines: A structural equation model forest
classifier approach. PLoS ONE 18(5): e0286077.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077
Editor: Charles Odilichukwu R. Okpala, Wroclaw
University of Environmental and Life Sciences:
Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy we Wroclawiu, POLAND
Received: November 5, 2022
Accepted: May 9, 2023
Published: May 19, 2023
Copyright: © 2023 Ong et al. This is an open
access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License, which
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original
author and source are credited.
Data Availability Statement: The data is available
online in this link: 10.6084/m9.figshare.22491274.
Funding: We would like to mention that this
research was funded by Mapúa University Directed
Research for Innovation and Value Enhancement
(DRIVE). The funders had no role in study design,
data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or
preparation of the manuscript.
PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077 May 19, 2023
Evaluating factors influencing customers’
intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”
in the Philippines: A structural equation
model forest classifier approach
Ardvin Kester S. Ong1, Yogi Tri Prasetyo ID2,3*, Atheena Rhezelle B. Manguray4, E. J.
Meinard G. Moral4, Andrea Lorraine M. Maun4, Josh Gasty F. Diaz4, Charlotte N. Monteiro4,
Venice Cristine C. Dangaran5, Satria Fadil Persada6, Reny Nadlifatin7, Irene Dyah Ayuwati8
1 School of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, Mapúa University, Manila, Philippines,
2 International Bachelor Program in Engineering, Yuan Ze University, Chung-Li, Taiwan, 3 Department of
Industrial Engineering and Management, Yuan Ze University, Chung-Li, Taiwan, 4 Young Innovators
Research Center, Mapúa University, Manila, Philippines, 5 Malayan High School of Sciences, Pandacan,
Maynila, Philippines, 6 Entrepreneurship Department, BINUS Business School Undergraduate Program,
Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia, 7 Department of Information Systems, Institut Teknologi
Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia, 8 Department of Information Systems, Institut Teknologi Telkom
Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
* yogi.tri.prasetyo@saturn.yzu.edu.tw
Abstract
Samgyeopsal has become a widely popular cuisine in the Philippines since 2014. The rise
of Samgyeopsal is evident worldwide as it is available in countries such as the United
States, Northern, and Southern Asia. This study aimed to explore the intention to eat Sam-
gyeopsal during the COVID-19 pandemic utilizing structural equation modeling and random
forest classifier. With a total of 1014 responses collected online, the result showed that utili-
tarian and hedonic motivation, Korean influence, and attitude led to very high actual behav-
ior in east Samgyeopsal in the Philippines. Moreover, subjective norm, perceived behavioral
control, and intention led to significant results influencing intention to actual behavior. Lastly,
the COVID-19 safety protocol showed the least significant result. This study is the first study
that evaluated the intention of consumers to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines during the
COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study would be beneficial to Korean BBQ restaura-
teurs and the further development of their marketing strategies even in other countries.
Finally, the model construct of this study can be extended and applied in evaluating the con-
sumers’ eating intention toward other varieties of food or cuisines worldwide.
1. Introduction
The Korean wave has had a great impact on the Philippines. It is also known as “Hallyu—wave
or flow of Korea” where Korean films, Korean pop music (K-pop), and even Korean dramas
have become popular [1, 2]. The Philippines had the highest growth rate of Hallyu enthusiasts
among 113 nations [2]. As an impact, the media popularization of the Korean wave has
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Competing interests: The authors have declared
that no competing interests exist.
PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077 May 19, 2023
Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach
increased its influence, even on the cuisines [3]. Eventually, the Filipinos’ consumption of
these media has taken their level of interest in Korean cuisine [4].
Korean cuisine such as Korean barbeque (Korean BBQ), commonly referred to by Filipinos
as Samgyeopsal, has rapidly become a popular social and dining activity in the Philippines [5–
7]. According to a 2020 survey conducted by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency
(KOTRA) in Manila, the number of Korean restaurants in the Philippines has climbed by 81.2
percent from 2014 to 2018. Consequently, all-you-can-eat buffets such as Korean BBQ restau-
rants are highly popular in the Philippines as they give great offers to consumers who are look-
ing to eat as much as possible at an affordable price. Moreover, numerous restaurateurs have
started franchises that market Samgyeopsal in different varieties.
Fig 1 represents the top 10 Korean barbecue restaurants in the Philippines and their respec-
tive number of branches. Based on this figure, it can be observed that Romantic Baboy and
Samgyupsalamat are the two restaurants that have the most number of branches in the Philip-
pines. They have a combined number of 131 branches in the Philippines while the other res-
taurants range from 1 to 7. Ultimately, the figure below shows that the top 10 Korean BBQ
restaurants currently have a total of 159 branches all over the Philippines [5–7].
Various studies on meat linked with Samgyeopsal will help provide better information on
how research on meat or Korean barbecue was conducted. Nam et al. [8] studied Samgyeopsal
relating to East Asian meat products and consumption habits. Their results showed that East
Asia’s dynamic environment, religion, history, and main food staples have contributed to a
lack of meat consumption culture. Recently, due to the globalization of the food business and
the countries’ rapid economic expansion, the amount of meat produced and consumed in
Eastern countries has increased dramatically. However, the study of Nam et al. [8] only
Fig 1. Top 10 Korean BBQ restaurants in the Philippines [5–7].
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077.g001
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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

focused on three Northeast Asian countries: China, Japan, and Korea, and two Southeast
Asian countries, Vietnam and Thailand. Both Vietnam and Thailand have traditionally shared
comparable environmental and cultural contacts but have their own distinct cuisine cultures.
Cultural influences lead to the variation in the practices of preparation and in the consump-
tion of food and cuisine [9]. It influences shapes the fundamental structure of food attitudes
[10]. The consumers’ experiences, beliefs, and values are shaped by culture, which is connected
to attitudes, emotions, social norms, intentions, and behavior [11]. The impact of culture in
correlation with food choice or consumption has been tackled by different studies [3, 10, 12]
and is commonly measured using the Theory of Planned Behavior.
The current times changed the behavior of people [13, 14]. It was explained in the different
studies how reassessment of behavioral factors should be considered. To which, their study
implemented the utilization of TPB, SERVQUAL 5 dimension, and even the social exchange
theory. The separate analysis made provided justification for the change in human behavior
due to the influence that happened during the strict lockdown, health fear, and perception of
people [15]. As well as their study focusing on the transportation sector, restaurants have also
been influenced due to changes in the behavioral aspects of people. Thus, the need to evaluate
behavioral intention through TPB is needed to further close the gap of changes that happened
during the COVID-19 pandemic [16]. In accordance, the lack of study focusing on Samgyeop-
sal despite its popularity should be evaluated to provide managerial implications and sugges-
tions for restaurants in the near end of the COVID-19 pandemic such as in the Philippines.
The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is a commonly used expectancy-value model of atti-
tude-behavior interactions that has been successful in predicting a range of behaviors to some
extent [17–20]. According to the TPB, attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral
control predicts behavioral intention which then affects the actual conduct of a person [21].
The model of the TPB is beneficial in predicting the behavioral intentions of individuals to pre-
dict consumers’ purchase intentions [18]. Several studies have used the TPB to determine the
intention and measure human behavior [22–24]. However, only a few researchers have used
the theory to investigate a consumer’s satisfaction and intention for eating meals [25, 26].
Hoeksma et al. [27] utilized an extended TPB to predict consumers’ willingness to purchase
mobile slaughter unit (MSU) meat. Their results showed that consumers who decided to buy
MSU meat have a stronger intention in buying. However, the study only covered pork and
beef meat. Charlton et al. [28] considered a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) rating for hunger
and satiety over a set time. Pork, beef, and chicken were test meals used in this study. Their
result showed that all three types of meats had similar effects on eating behavior. However, the
study only covered three (3) meals to represent the differences in the release of intestinal hor-
mones associated with appetite and hunger. Thus, studies on Samgyeopsal have been underex-
plored despite the consequent impact and rise of popularity with the Korean wave on Filipinos
eating Korean food, particularly Samgyeopsal.
This study aimed to evaluate the varying factors influencing consumers’ intention to eat
Samgyeopsal in the Philippines by extending the Theory of Planned Behavior. Various factors
such as hedonic motivation, utilitarian, Korean influence, attitude, subjective norms, perceived
behavioral control, COVID-19 safety protocols, intention, and actual behavior were analyzed
using the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Random Forest Classifier approach. This is
considered the first study to analyze the different factors influencing consumers’ intention to
eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines during the COVID-19 delta variant pandemic. The results of
this study would be beneficial to Korean BBQ restaurateurs and the further development of
their marketing strategies since Samgyeopsal is a business that has been growing exponentially,
even in other countries. Finally, the model construct of this study can be extended and applied
in evaluating the consumers’ eating intention toward other varieties of food or cuisines.

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

2. Conceptual framework
This study considered the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to evaluate factors
affecting the influence of consumers’ intention to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines during
the COVID-19 delta variant. As seen in Fig 2, there were 10 hypotheses created for this study
that included different latent such as hedonic motivation, utilitarian, Korean influence, atti-
tude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, COVID-19 safety protocols, intention,
and actual behavior.
Hedonic motivation refers to a person’s willingness to engage in acts that improve positive
experiences (pleasant or nice) while also reducing bad experiences [29]. The link between
beliefs and attitudes is analogous to hedonic motivation [30]. Hedonic motivation has been
discovered to have a significant impact on cognitive-emotional attitudes about purchasing
intentions. Moon et al. [31] presented in their study how consumers’ perceptions of hedonic
attributes are important and are considered a positive predictor of cognitive and affective atti-
tude. Ong et al. [22] also presented how hedonic motivation had a positive significant direct
effect on attitude of consumers. Thus, it was hypothesized that:
H1. Hedonic motivation had a significant direct positive effect on attitude.
The utilitarian aspect of a consumer’s attitude toward an action relates to the behavior’s
utility, value, and wisdom in the consumer’s eyes [32]. Attitude is directly affected by the Utili-
tarian motivation [33, 34]. Prior studies found that utilitarian traits are concerned with more
cognitive components of attitude when shopping or purchasing (e.g., convenience, economic
value for money, or time savings) [35–37]. Similarly, Ong et al. [22] showed how utilitarian
motivation had a significant effect on consumers’ attitude when purchasing. Hence, it was
hypothesized that:
H2. Utilitarian had a significant direct positive effect on attitude.
Consumers’ attitudes are positively influenced by the attachment and affinity features of
Korean trending dramas [38]. With that, Lee et al. [39] stated that consumption of Korean
items would ultimately lead to a better understanding of Korean culture and appreciation for
Korea. This demonstrates that people’s understanding and acceptance of culture are highly

Fig 2. Conceptual framework.

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

influenced by their level of contact with the environment, whether directly or indirectly. In
addition, media plays a vital role in learning to embrace the culture of a foreign place through
experience [39]. Thus, it was hypothesized that:
H3. Korean influence had a significant direct positive effect on attitude.
H4. Korean influence had a significant direct positive effect on subjective norms.
H5. Korean influence had a significant direct positive effect on perceived behavioral control.
Attitude is an antecedent of intention, as well as the degree to which an individual has a pre-
vious valuation of possible behavior concerning any purchasing situation [17]. TPB specifies
that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are the essential components
of behavioral intent and actual health-related behavior [40]. The subjective assessment of the
risks and advantages of the expected outcome, as well as the attitude about the chance that the
behavior will have the desired effect that subsequently influence behavioral intentions [41].
Lau et al. [42] mentioned that the variables of behavioral intention are directly correlated to
the factors derived from the TPB. In addition, Ong et al. [43] presented how attitude is one of
the highest factors influencing Filipinos that affects their intention. According to Latimer and
Martin-Ginis [44], perceptions of others’ views may influence intention, depending on how
much the individual fears being judged. In the context of the TPB, it is plausible that fear of
being judged badly by others moderates the path from social standards to fast food intents
[44]. In addition, Research suggests that if consumers possess high perceived behavioral con-
trol towards purchasing organic food products, positive behavioral intentions will also be high
[45–47]. Thus, it was hypothesized that:
H6. Attitude had a significant direct positive effect on intention.
H7. Subjective norms had a significant direct positive effect on intention.
H8. Perceived behavioral control had a significant direct positive effect on intention.
H9. Intention had a significant direct positive effect on actual behavior.
Restaurants, where cluster infections are easily spread, have been a source of concern dur-
ing the pandemic. Droplets, airborne particles, and person-to-person contact can disseminate
COVID-19 and someone with the coronavirus infecting the environment and anything in it
can easily cause its transmission [48]. Because of this, the people have become cautious and
thus, influenced their intention to dine out and eat. To promote safe dining out, the govern-
ment announced that restaurants must implement social distancing rules and set safety guide-
lines [7]. To reduce the risk of infection, close physical contact and food sharing in restaurants
should be avoided. Other precautionary measures that restaurants can take to make customers
feel safer and reduce physical and psychological risks include hand sanitizer, contactless pay-
ment, segregated dining areas, and separate restrooms. Hence, it was hypothesized that:
H10. COVID-19 safety protocols had a significant direct positive effect on intention.
As control variables, this study also considered demographic factors such as age, frequency
of consumption, and monthly allowance/salary which may affect the actual behavior for con-
sumption as presented among several studies [21, 29, 31, 34]. Based on the described presenta-
tion of the different studies, demographic characteristics may play a significant role in the actual
behavior of consumers from a different perspective. In addition, the presentation of age, income
or allowances, and frequency had presented a great factor among consumption or actual behav-
ior on a positive or negative decision [22, 30]. Therefore, the following were hypothesized:

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

H11. Age as a control variable had a significant direct positive effect on actual behavior.
H12. Monthly Allowance/Salary as a control variable had a significant direct positive effect on
actual behavior.
H13. Frequency of consumption as a control variable had a significant direct positive effect on
actual behavior.

3. Methodology
3.1 Participants
The study employed a self-administered online cross-sectional survey using Google forms. Due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey was distributed online via social media platforms [49].
This study used a convenience sampling approach, and respondents were asked to sign a consent
form before answering the study’s questionnaire. As shown in Table 1, a total of 1,014 people vol-
untarily responded to the survey. This study underwent verification by Mapua University
Research Ethics Committees. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to the
data collection in accordance with Data Privacy Act or Republic Act No. 10173 in the Philippines.
Utilizing the Yamane Taro equation, the Philippines’ total population is 62.6 million. At 95% con-
fidence, 399 or roughly 400 respondents would suffice the generalizability [50]. The current study
had 1014 respondents, which may be confidently a representation of the consumers.
The demographics are made up of 433 males, 557 females, and 24 other genders with the
majority belonging from the 15 to 24 years old age bracket (85.40%). Furthermore, approxi-
mately 80.87% receive a monthly salary/allowance of <15,000 PHP, and eat Samgyeopsal once
a month (68.74%). Most of the respondents came from National Capital Region (45.86%). The
result is supported by Gallinera et al. [51] who indicated that the majority of the consumers of
Samgyeopsal in the Philippines have low budgets and are between 15–35 years old.

3.2 Questionnaire
Table 2 presents the constructs that were used to create this study’s questionnaire that can
assess the various factors influencing consumers’ intentions to eat Samgyeopsal or Korean
BBQ in the Philippines. Following the study of Ong et al. [22, 43], a 5-point Likert scale was
used to measure all of the latent constructs using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The
questionnaire consisted of eleven sections: (1) Consent of the Respondents (2) Demographic
Information (gender, age, monthly salary/allowance, and health insurance). (3) Hedonic Moti-
vation, (4) Utilitarian, (5) Korean Influence, (6) Attitude, (7) Subjective Norms, (8) Perceived
Behavioral Control, (9) COVID-19 Safety Protocols, (10) Intention, and (11) Actual Behavior.
A total of 54 questions were developed for this study and adapted from different studies. Prior
to the distribution and apart from the approval of the Ethics Committee, the questionnaire
was subjected to preliminary assessment considering 150 respondents. The overall results
showed acceptable findings (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.70, Hair [52]). To which, the full question-
naire was utilized for distribution and data collection.

3.3 Structural equation modeling

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is a combination of statistical techniques for calculating
and analyzing the correlations between observable and latent variables. It investigates linear
causal links between variables while taking measurement error into account [70]. The correla-
tions between grandparenting practices, food insecurity, and childhood depression were

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

Table 1. The demographic of the respondents (n = 1014).

Characteristics Category n %
Gender Male 433 42.7
Female 557 54.9
Other 24 2.40
Age 15–24 903 89.1
25–34 29 2.90
35–44 57 5.60
45–54 17 1.70
Above 54 8 0.80
Monthly Salary/Allowance <15,000 PHP 820 80.9
15,000–30,000 PHP 89 8.80
30,001–45,000 PHP 40 3.90
45,001–60,000 PHP 22 2.20
60,001–75,000 PHP 11 1.10
>75,000 PHP 32 3.20
How many times do you eat Samgyeopsal in a month? 1 697 68.7
2 216 21.3
3 66 6.50
4 10 1.00
5 5 0.50
more than 5 20 2.00
Location Region I 45 4.10
Region II 6 0.60
Region III 120 11.8
Region IV-A 234 23.1
Region IV-B 6 0.60
Region V 19 1.90
CAR 8 0.80
NCR 465 45.9
Region VI 16 1.60
Region VII 17 1.70
Region VIII 4 0.40
Region IX 18 1.80
Region X 5 0.50
Region XI 22 2.20
Region XII 8 0.80
Region XIII 8 0.80
BARMM 16 1.60
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077.t001

investigated using SEM [71]. Cunha et al. [72] conducted a study on the differences between
observed and self-reported food safety practices by using SEM since it compensates for the
model’s complexity and may corroborate the distinction between observed and self-reported
behaviors. SEM investigates the possible mechanisms through which information and percep-
tions influence behavior [73]. Hence, this study utilized SEM to evaluate the factors that influ-
ence consumers’ intention to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines by utilizing the extended
theory of planned behavior.

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

Table 2. The constructs and measurement items.

Constructs Items Measures References
Hedonic Motivation HM1 I feel better when I eat Samgyeopsal. Taquet et al. [53]
HM2 I enjoy eating Samgyeopsal. Ajzen [18], Lam & Hsu [54]
HM3 I find pleasure in eating Samgyeopsal. Ajzen [18], Lam & Hsu [54]
HM4 Eating Samgyeopsal makes me excited. López et al. [55] Dhar &
HM5 I feel happy when I eat Samgyeopsal. Wertenbroch [56]
Utilitarian U1 I can’t live without Samgyeopsal. Dhar & Wertenbroch [56]
U2 I feel accomplished after eating Samgyeopsal. Childers et al. [57]
U3 Eating Samgyeopsal satisfies my needs. Dhar & Wertenbroch [56]
U4 I think eating Samgyeopsal is worth it. Zeithaml [37]
U5 Eating Samgyeopsal is worth my time. Izquierdo-Yusta et al. [58]
Korean Influence KI1 Korean dramas influenced me to eat Samgyeopsal. Jang & Paik [59]
KI2 Korean dramas introduced me to Samgyeopsal. Jang & Paik [59]
KI3 I eat Samgyeopsal because of the Korean idols I idolize. Jang & Paik [59]
KI4 I eat Samgyeopsal because I am fond of Korean culture. Jang et al. [60]
KI5 Korean Culture influenced me to eat Samgyeopsal. Jang et al. [60]
Attitude A1 I feel like eating samgyeopsal is a good choice Huang & Ge [61], Wang et al. [62]
A2 I like the samgyeopsal restaurant that I frequently visit Ajzen [18]
A3 Eating samgyeopsal uplifts my mood Ajzen [18], Lam & Hsu [54]
A4 The experience in eating samgyeopsal is good that is why I like it. Choe & Kim, [63]
A5 I feel that eating Samgyeopsal helps me relieve stress Choe & Kim, [63]
Subjective Norms SN1 The trend of eating Samgyeopsal among people around me is increasing. Al-Swidi et al. [45]
SN2 Most people I know have eaten Samgyeopsal. Ajzen [18], Lam & Hsu [54]
SN3 Most people I know think that I should eat Samgyeopsal.
SN4 Most people I know approve me eating Samgyeopsal.
SN5 People whose opinions I value would prefer that I eat Samgyeopsal. Youn et al. [64]
SN6 My friends prefer to eat Samgyeopsal over other food.
SN7 My friends always choose to dine in Samgyeopsal restaurants whenever we go out.
SN8 My family prefers to eat Samgyeopsal over other food.
SN9 My family always chooses to dine in Samgyeopsal restaurants whenever we go out.
Perceived Behavioral PBC1 It’s up to me whether to eat Samgyeopsal or not. Kim & Kim [65]
Control PBC2 I can go to a Samgyeopsal restaurant whenever I want.
PBC3 I have the financial capability to dine in a Samgyeopsal restaurant.
PBC4 Eating Samgyeopsal in the future is up to me. Ajzen [18], Lam & Hsu [54]
PBC5 I am confident that I can purchase Samgyeopsal in the future.
COVID-19 Safety CSP1 I practice social distancing when eating in a Samgyeopsal restaurant or having the food delivered. FDA [66]
Protocols
CSP2 I wash my hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before eating Samgyeopsal. FDA [66]
CSP3 The establishment frequently cleans the floors, counters, and other facility access areas. FDA [66]
CSP4 The employees use gloves to avoid direct bare hand contact with the food. FDA [66]
CSP5 The establishment frequently sanitizes their equipment and utensils. FDA [66]
CSP6 The establishment frequently sanitizes the surfaces touched by the customers or employees FDA [66]
(doorknobs, equipment handles, & check-out counters)
CSP7 I pay using my phone or via online to avoid the physical transfer of cash which can potentially Sanew [67]
carry the virus.
CSP8 I transfer the food out of the packaging and dispose of it. FDA [66]
CSP9 I clean the area where I place the bag/packaging. FDA [66]
Intention I1 I intend to continue to eat Samgyeopsal. Kim & Kim [65]
I2 I will tell others positively about eating Samgyeopsal. Kim & Kim [65]
(Continued )

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

Table 2. (Continued)

Constructs Items Measures References

I3 I want to eat Samgyeopsal food in the future. Ajzen [18], Lam & Hsu [54],
Zeithaml et al. [37]
I4 I intend to eat Samgyeopsal food in the future. Ajzen [18], Lam & Hsu [54],
Zeithaml et al. [37]
I5 I would also recommend others to eat Samgyeopsal. Al-Swidi et al. [45]
Actual Behavior AB1 I treat/reward myself with Samgyeopsal. Dunn et al. [68]
AB2 I eat Samgyeopsal as I cannot cook. Dunn et al. [68]
AB3 I eat Samgyeopsal even if I’m alone. Dunn et al. [68]
AB4 I eat Samgyeopsal when I crave for beef or pork. Coşkun & Özbük [69]
AB5 I plan to eat as much as possible because of the cost. Coşkun & Özbük [69]
AB6 Whenever I have thoughts about food, I automatically think about eating Samgyeopsal. Ajzen [18], Lam & Hsu [54],
Zeithaml et al. [37]
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077.t002

3.4 Random Forest Classifier

Random Forest Classifier (RFC) is a type of decision tree that produces higher accuracy in clas-
sifying factors [74]. This type of algorithm has several advantages such as easy interpretation
and data processing. Moreover, the interpretation of the result is also considered to be uncom-
plicated [75]. Different studies regarding human behavior utilized RFC to classify the different
factors considered [74, 76, 77]. Compared to other machine learning tools, the RFC provides a
higher accuracy rate and easier optimization, processing, and analysis. It was also established
that RFC shows only the highly significant factors affecting a subject matter. German et al. [50]
explained that mostly, RFC can suffice as support for SEM analysis since it provides insight
into the significant latent variables relating to the dependent variables which may be signifi-
cant due to the relative indirect effects but may not be evident.
Similarly, German et al. [50] showed the accuracy rates of different machine learning tools.
To which, neural networks may provide better accuracy rates, but would have higher standard
deviation compared to RFC which shows the consistent output. In addition, Chen et al. [74]
expounded on the efficiency compared to other advanced machine learning tools that may
also provide higher accuracy rates, but are more complicated those present almost similar find-
ings. Thus, this study considered the utilization of RFC to predict factors that significantly
affect the actual behaviour of consumers in eating Samgyeopsal in the Philippines.
Before running the RFC, data cleaning using correlation analysis was done for the 1014
responses collected. Only significant values (p-value < 0.05) and high correlation (> 0.20)
were considered for the 54,756 data. Following this was data aggregation and data normaliza-
tion. In utilizing RFC, different training and testing ratio (60:40, 70:30, 80:20, 90:10) were uti-
lized. To which, criterion (gini and entropy) and splitter (best and random) were utilized
following the study of Yang and Zhou [77]. A total of 9,600 runs were done for the optimiza-
tion process using Python 3.8.

4. Results
Fig 3 represents the initial SEM for consumers’ intention to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philip-
pines. Utilizing AMOS 25 for a factor-based model, the indicators were visually inspected for
values below the 0.5 threshold. According to Ong et al. [49] and Hair [52], the removal of non-
significant latent and indicators below 0.5 may be done to increase the model fit. As seen in
Fig 3, SN2 and AB3 were below 0.5, therefore, were removed.

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

Fig 3. The initial SEM for consumers’ intention to eat Samgyeopsal.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077.g003

From the initial SEM, the latent were all significant. Fig 4 represents the final SEM for con-
sumers’ intention to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines with significant latent variables and
indicators. Presented in Table 3 are the descriptive statistics of the factor loading. It could be
seen that the final factor loading had values greater than 0.50.
Table 4 represents the parameters for model fit. The threshold for the acceptable range was
adopted from different studies [78, 79]. The minimum cut-off value is greater than 0.80 for
IFI, TLI, CFI, GFI, and AGFI [78] and less than 0.07 for RMSEA [79]. From which, the differ-
ent values were greater than 0.80 and RMSEA presented 0.058. Ong et al. [22] and Hair [52]

Fig 4. The final SEM for consumers’ intention to eat Samgyeopsal.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077.g004

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

Table 3. Indicators statistical analysis.

Variable Item Mean StD Factor Loading
Initial Final
Hedonic Motivation HM1 4.107 0.984 0.826 0.843
HM2 4.502 0.831 0.867 0.877
HM3 4.214 0.983 0.842 0.850
HM4 4.272 0.993 0.861 0.845
HM5 4.378 0.903 0.911 0.906
Utilitarian U1 2.108 1.175 0.549 0.877
U2 3.351 1.187 0.744 0.698
U3 3.232 1.180 0.767 0.728
U4 3.969 1.080 0.863 0.858
U5 3.989 1.073 0.845 0.848
Korean Influence KI1 3.046 1.591 0.894 0.806
KI2 2.970 1.649 0.863 0.663
KI3 2.176 1.377 0.749 0.776
KI4 2.901 1.416 0.759 0.847
KI5 3.038 1.453 0.799 0.889
Subjective Norm SN1 4.119 1.009 0.598 0.596
SN2 4.390 0.907 0.460 -
SN3 3.623 1.171 0.723 0.796
SN4 4.070 1.009 0.653 0.753
SN5 3.532 1.148 0.754 0.823
SN6 3.094 1.208 0.713 0.607
SN7 2.990 1.289 0.687 0.885
SN8 2.479 1.220 0.676 0.899
SN9 2.434 1.259 0.641 0.843
Attitude A1 3.840 1.040 0.709 0.725
A2 3.841 1.065 0.654 0.638
A3 4.035 1.047 0.842 0.798
A4 4.033 1.030 0.805 0.768
A5 3.918 1.118 0.760 0.728
Perceived Behavioral Control PBC1 4.277 1.019 0.609 0.609
PBC2 3.350 1.345 0.572 0.659
PBC3 3.587 1.205 0.610 0.865
PBC4 4.281 0.977 0.769 0.880
PBC5 4.164 1.057 0.690 0.627
COVID-19 Safety Protocol CSP1 4.570 0.827 0.615 0.682
CSP2 4.532 0.830 0.640 0.690
CSP3 4.358 0.720 0.831 0.817
CSP4 4.349 0.912 0.793 0.805
CSP5 4.434 0.844 0.865 0.881
CSP6 4.264 0.922 0.832 0.842
CSP7 4.177 1.098 0.592 0.569
CSP8 4.156 1.040 0.609 0.585
CSP9 4.385 0.931 0.647 0.619
Intention I1 4.058 1.031 0.746 0.742
I2 4.095 0.969 0.758 0.730
I3 4.287 0.959 0.878 0.743
(Continued )

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

Table 3. (Continued)

Variable Item Mean StD Factor Loading

Initial Final
I4 4.240 0.992 0.860 0.736
I5 4.273 0.951 0.818 0.761
Actual Behavior AB1 3.734 1.265 0.718 0.804
AB2 2.441 1.308 0.538 0.873
AB3 2.979 1.521 0.455 -
AB4 3.340 1.381 0.747 0.589
AB5 3.725 1.288 0.524 0.576
AB6 2.755 1.365 0.716 0.761
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077.t003

stated that when the model fit parameters were within range, then the SEM is considered
acceptable.
The composite reliability (CR), average variance extracted (AVE), and Cronbach’s alpha
are presented in Table 5 for the test of the internal validity and reliability of the constructs.
Hair [52] stated that the values of CR and Cronbach’s alpha should be greater than 0.70, while
the AVE should be greater than 0.50 to present validity and reliability among the constructs.
Lastly, setting an acceptable Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) value of 5, all the variables were
seen to be below the threshold which presents further acceptability. As seen in Table 5, all the
latent possessed values greater than the threshold which indicates internal validity and
reliability.
The Common Method Bias (CMB) was run using SPSS 25. The CMB utilizing Harman’s
Single Factor should be below 50% to determine any bias among the constructs [43]. From the
results, it was seen that the CMB had a 35.505% value, which is considered acceptable. More-
over, Garger et al. [80] that when CMB is not present, no single source bias would be evident.
Lastly, Table 6 presents the direct, indirect, and total effects of the model. It could be seen that
all hypotheses are significant.
The summary of 9,600 runs of RFC results is presented in Table 7. Analyzing using Analysis
of Variance, the 92% accuracy of prediction from ‘gini’ criterion and ‘best’ splitter showed the
optimum result. Similar to the results of Yang and Zhou [77]. Utilizing the 80:20 training and
testing ratio, the result showed a 0.00 standard deviation. High accuracy of 92% is considered
to be acceptable and could be utilized for classification on predicting the actual behavior to eat
Samgyeopsal in the Philippines [74].
Fig 5 presents the Optimum Decision Tree by Random Forest Classifier. It could be
deduced that utilitarian motivation (X1) predicts the actual behavior of east Samgyeopsal in
the Philippines. X1 would lead to hedonic motivation (X0) which would consider X1 or Korean
influence (X2). If X1 was satisfied, it would also consider attitude which would lead to very

Table 4. The model fit.

Goodness of fit measures of SEM Parameter Estimates Minimum cut-off Suggested by
Incremental Fit Index (IFI) 0.896 >0.80 Gefen et al. [78]
Tucker Lewis Index (TLI) 0.884 >0.80 Gefen et al. [78]
Comparative Fit Index (CFI) 0.896 >0.80 Gefen et al. [78]
Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) 0.814 >0.80 Gefen et al. [78]
Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) 0.823 >0.80 Gefen et al. [78]
Root Mean Square Error (RMSEA) 0.058 <0.07 Steiger [79]
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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

Table 5. Composite reliability and validity.

Factor Cronbach’s α Composite Reliability (CR) Average Variance Extracted (AVE) Variance Inflation Factor (VIF)
Hedonic Motivation 0.933 0.937 0.747 3.447
Utilitarian 0.872 0.901 0.648 3.127
Korean Influence 0.908 0.898 0.640 1.197
Subjective Norm 0.865 0.926 0.613 4.841
Attitude 0.912 0.853 0.538 2.012
Perceived Behavioral Control 0.780 0.853 0.544 1.394
COVID-19 Safety Protocol 0.904 0.909 0.532 1.381
Intention 0.941 0.860 0.551 3.034
Actual Behavior 0.815 0.848 0.533 -
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077.t005

high actual behavior to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines. If X2 would be considered, it will
lead to high actual behavior to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines. This dictates that both utili-
tarian and hedonic motivation together with Korean influence and attitude predicts high to
very high actual behavior to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines during the COVID-19
pandemic.

5. Discussion
Over the past years, Samgyeopsal has been one of the most popular social and dining activities
in the Philippines. In this study, the SEM tool and RFC were utilized to examine the causal
relationships between hedonic motivation (HM), utilitarian (U), Korean influence (KI), atti-
tude (A), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), COVID-19 safety

Table 6. Direct, indirect, and total effects.

No Variable Direct Effect P-Value Indirect Effect P-Value Total Effect P-Value
1 HM ! A 0.633 0.001 - - 0.633 0.001
2 U!A 0.695 0.003 - - 0.695 0.003
3 KI ! A 0.100 0.002 - - 0.100 0.002
4 KI ! SN 0.408 0.001 - - 0.408 0.001
5 KI ! PBC 0.190 0.002 - - 0.190 0.002
6 A!I 0.722 0.002 - - 0.722 0.002
7 SN ! I 0.312 0.003 - - 0.312 0.003
8 PBC ! I 0.154 0.002 - - 0.154 0.002
9 I ! AB 0.716 0.003 - - 0.716 0.003
10 CSP ! I 0.072 0.049 - - 0.072 0.049
11 HM ! I - - 0.457 0.001 0.457 0.001
12 HM ! AB - - 0.327 0.001 0.327 0.001
13 U!I - - 0.503 0.002 0.503 0.002
14 U ! AB - - 0.359 0.002 0.359 0.002
15 KI ! I - - 0.229 0.002 0.229 0.002
16 KI ! AB - - 0.164 0.002 0.164 0.002
17 A ! AB - - 0.517 0.002 0.517 0.002
18 SN ! AB - - 0.224 0.003 0.224 0.003
19 PBC ! AB - - 0.110 0.001 0.110 0.001
20 CSP ! AB - - 0.052 0.048 0.052 0.048
21 Freq ! AB 0.136 - - - 0.136 0.001
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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

Table 7. Decision tree mean accuracy (Depth = 5).

Category 60:40 70:30 80:20 90:10
Random
Gini 82.22 81.08 84.33 83.70
Std. Dev 5.264 5.446 5.949 7.577
Entropy 82.50 81.91 83.71 85.38
Std. Dev 4.324 4.469 5.595 5.350
Best
Gini 84.00 83.00 92.00 88.00
Std. Dev 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Entropy 83.61 86.61 89.00 88.00
Std. Dev 0.492 0.492 0.000 0.000
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286077.t007

protocols (CSP), intention (I), and actual behavior (AB) in eating Samgyeopsal in the Philip-
pines. An online survey was administered for this study with a total of 1,014 respondents.
The SEM results, it indicated that A had the highest significant direct effect on I (β = 0.722;
p = 0.002). Based on the indicators, it was seen that Samgyeopsal restaurants were the primary
choice among consumers, eating at Samgyeopsal lifted a person’s mood, there is a sense of
relief, and there was an overall great experience when dining. Dunn et al. [68] suggested that
positive moods and emotions may be orthogonal to their negative counterparts. This may be a
critical factor to consider when recognizing that people may experience uncertainty within the
affective component of their attitudes towards meals. This supports the significance of A to I.
Emotions when eating Samgyeopsal were identified as major factors that influenced the inten-
tion to eat Samgyeopsal. This is found to be consistent with previous research suggesting that
people’s attitudes have a major impact on their behavioral intentions [81].
Second, HM was found to have a significant effect on A (β = 0.633 and p = 0.001). Several
key indicators under HM include feeling better, feeling enjoyment, pleasure, excitement, and
happiness after eating Samgyeopsal which led to a positive A. These findings were supported
by Ettis and Haddad [82] who also mentioned that HM is the key toenhancing the positive A.
Similarly, Schuitema et al. [83] also highlighted the importance of HM towards positive A. It

Fig 5. Optimum Random Forest Classifier.

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

shows that positive A is linked to a higher expectation of hedonic incentives, according to

other supporting studies.
Subsequently, UM was also found to have a significant effect on A (β = 0.695 and
p = 0.003). After consuming Samgyeopsal, several signs related to UM, such as satisfying the
needs, accomplishment, and functionality, were discovered to be crucial markers that contrib-
uted to a positive attitude. Ong et al. [22] backed up these findings, saying that UM is the key
to improving one’s good attitude. Similarly, Aderonke [84] emphasized the significance of util-
ity towards A. It demonstrates that A and perceived utility have a consistent and significant
relationship with each other.
Fourth, I was found to have a significant direct effect to AB (β = 0.716; p = 0.003). Multiple
factors under I such as continuing to eat Samgyeopsal, wanting to eat Samgyeopsal in the
future, and recommending Samgyeopsal to others were identified as key indicators that
resulted in positive AB. These findings were supported by Prasetyo et al. [85] who mentioned
that people’s willingness to follow leads to healthy behavior. In addition, Eren and Gauld [86]
specified the importance of I since it was found to be the only significant predictor of AB.
Fifth, KI had a significant direct effect on SN (β = 0.408; p = 0.001) and PBC (β: 0.190;
p = 0.002). Indicators such as the influence of Korean trendy dramas, pop music, and Korean
culture emphasized that the consumption of these media certainly influences a customer’s
decision-making process. Moreover, KI shows to have a significant indirect effect to I (β =
0.229, p = 0.002) and AB (β = 0.164, p = 0.002). This finding suggests that KI is one of the most
important considerations for I and AB. Thus, PBC (β = 0.229, p = 0.002), SN (β = 0.229,
p = 0.002), and A (β = 0.229, p = 0.002) also led to having an indirect significant effect to AB.
Similar to the RFC results, HM, UV, A, and KI presented as significant factors that influ-
enced actual behavior to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines. It could be deferred that the feel-
ing of happiness, enjoyment, and functionality of eating Samgyeopsal would lead to a positive
AB. Moreover, the influence of Korean pop, culture, and drama led to positive AB. These influ-
ences would have a positive attitude among consumers when it comes to the overall great expe-
rience, leaving them to continuously consume Samgyeopsal despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consequently, the SEM results also showed that SN had a significant direct effect on I (β =
0.312; p = 0.003). This indicates that the increasing trend of eating Samgyeopsal and the prefer-
ence of the people surrounding them greatly impact their overall intention to eat Samgyeopsal
as well. These findings have been corroborated by Jain [87] wherein it was discussed how SN
and PBC were positively linked to luxury purchase intentions. Likewise, the results in the
study of Ong et al. [7] showed that SN is the key motivator of purchase intention in relation to
foods.
It was also found that PBC had significant effects on I (β = 0.154; p = 0.002). It implies that
factors such as perceived confidence and financial capability are key predictors which lead to
one’s definite intention to eat Samgyeopsal. The findings were consistent with previous
research, which found that Koreans make extensive efforts to experience Yak-sun food,
emphasizing that PBC is a significant and the strongest predictor of consumers’ behavioral
intention to buy Yak-sun food [88]. Accordingly, Ong et al. [7] highlighted the significance of
PBC as a more significant predictor of behavioral intention than any other construct.
Lastly, using the demographic factors as latent variables, only the frequency of Samgyeopsal
consumption was seen to be significant. Other demographic factors were insignificant (p-
value > 0.05). The frequency showed a significant direct effect on AB (β = 0.136; p = 0.001). Di
Crosta et al. [89] explained that the frequency of consumption, especially in the pandemic era
negates purchasing intention and the actual behavior of consumers. Most of which spend only
on necessities. However, their results also explained that the consumption of unnecessary
products would still depend on their economic capabilities. Rodrigues et al. [90] presented

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

how demographic factors affect impulse consumption behavior, but when it comes to food
consumption such as Samgyeopsal, this study has presented that age and monthly salary/allow-
ance had no significant differences. From the descriptive statistics results, most of the consum-
ers eat Samgyeopsal at least once (68.7%), twice (21.3%), or thrice (6.50%) a week. Despite the
constant consumption, Liu [91] expounded on a possible cutback on indulgence. Thus, mar-
keters may strategize on this effect by changing up schemes for Samgyeopsal consumption to
reduce distaste for eating among consumers.

5.1 Recommendation
The extended TPB utilized in this study considered factors such as hedonic and utilitarian
motivation, COVID-19 safety protocol, and Korean influence. Based on the results, all the
latent considered were deemed to be significant. This study presents that the cultural influence
and motivations have a significant effect on consumers’ intention to eat in Samgyeopsal restau-
rants. The framework utilized may be considered in other cuisine and restaurant that have
been influenced by other cultures. In addition, the utilization of RFC showed high accuracy of
classification to predict factors that greatly influence different latent. Following the discussion
of Fan et al. [92], some factors may have lower significance due to the causal relationship pres-
ent in the SEM. Thus, integrating the method with machine learning algorithm such as RFC
could be done to determine the factors that greatly contribute to the relationship considered.

5.2 Practical implication

With the exponential increase of Samgyeopsal restaurants in the Philippines and with the
surge of branches opening, this study was able to deduce that hedonic and utilitarian motiva-
tion, attitude, and Korean influence led to very high actual behavior to eat in Samgyeopsal res-
taurants in the Philippines. The feeling of happiness and enjoyment, pleasant environment,
and functionality should be taken into consideration by restaurateurs. The setting of ambiance
to Korean culture, playing of Korean music, and continuous offering of unlimited food at an
affordable price may be capitalized on. Business strategies could be created with these indica-
tors to promote the consumption of Samgyeopsal. Moreover, creating promotions for mass
events and gatherings may be done right after the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance profitabil-
ity and marketing.

5.3 Limitations
Despite the strength of the findings, there are still limitations being considered in this study. First,
the study considered collecting the responses through a self-administered survey online. Further
results and factors may be evident if an interview was conducted along with the survey. Second,
this study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results may be different when
the respondents were able to consume Samgyeopsal with no restrictions set by the pandemic. In
addition, another perspective of the findings would be evident if the distribution of demographic
characteristics were identified. Due to the strict lockdown implementation, the study was only
able to collect the data utilizing an online survey. Lastly, further classification using conjoint anal-
ysis and K-Means clustering for market segmentation may be done to classify the respondents of
this study. To which, business strategies and target consumers may be highlighted.

6. Conclusion
The increase of Samgyeopsal restaurants has become evident in the past years with a lot of
branches opening in different areas of the Philippines. This study aimed to determine the

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PLOS ONE Customers’ intention to eat Korean cuisine “Samgyeopsal”: Structural equation model forest classifier approach

factors of affection intention to eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pan-
demic. Specifically, this study considered extending the TPB and analyzed using SEM and
RFC to classify the different factors affecting actual behavior to consume Samgyeopsal.
Based on the RFC results, hedonic and utilitarian motivation, Korean influence, and atti-
tude led to very high actual behavior. Moreover, SEM also indicated that the constructs of TPB
and the COVID-19 safety protocol were significant factors that affected the actual behavior to
eat Samgyeopsal in the Philippines. Business strategies may be created based on the indicators
presented in the result of this study. The results of this study would be beneficial to Korean
BBQ restaurateurs and the further development of their marketing strategies even in other
countries. Finally, the model construct of this study can be extended and applied in evaluating
the consumers’ eating intentions toward other varieties of food or cuisines worldwide.

Author Contributions
Conceptualization: Ardvin Kester S. Ong, Yogi Tri Prasetyo, Atheena Rhezelle B. Manguray,
E. J. Meinard G. Moral, Andrea Lorraine M. Maun, Josh Gasty F. Diaz.
Data curation: Charlotte N. Monteiro, Venice Cristine C. Dangaran, Satria Fadil Persada,
Reny Nadlifatin.
Formal analysis: Ardvin Kester S. Ong, Yogi Tri Prasetyo.
Funding acquisition: Yogi Tri Prasetyo.
Investigation: Ardvin Kester S. Ong, Yogi Tri Prasetyo.
Methodology: Ardvin Kester S. Ong, Yogi Tri Prasetyo.
Project administration: Yogi Tri Prasetyo.
Resources: Atheena Rhezelle B. Manguray, E. J. Meinard G. Moral, Andrea Lorraine M.
Maun, Josh Gasty F. Diaz.
Software: Ardvin Kester S. Ong, Yogi Tri Prasetyo.
Supervision: Ardvin Kester S. Ong, Yogi Tri Prasetyo, Charlotte N. Monteiro, Venice Cristine
C. Dangaran, Satria Fadil Persada, Reny Nadlifatin.
Validation: Venice Cristine C. Dangaran, Satria Fadil Persada, Reny Nadlifatin.
Visualization: Ardvin Kester S. Ong, Yogi Tri Prasetyo, Irene Dyah Ayuwati.
Writing – original draft: Ardvin Kester S. Ong, Yogi Tri Prasetyo, Atheena Rhezelle B.
Manguray, E. J. Meinard G. Moral, Andrea Lorraine M. Maun, Josh Gasty F. Diaz.
Writing – review & editing: Charlotte N. Monteiro, Venice Cristine C. Dangaran, Satria Fadil
Persada, Reny Nadlifatin, Irene Dyah Ayuwati.

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