Authenticity and Conflicting Identity Goals: How Consumers Protect Their “Authentic Self” While Consuming Inauthentic Marketplace Offerings

ABSTRACT This study examined how consumers achieve their desired authenticity when tension arises between their individual and collective identity goals. Insa‐dong, a popular tourist attraction in Seoul, was chosen as a conducive research setting to examine conflicting identity goals given that the place has been criticized as inauthentic by many consumers while often touted as a must‐visit tourist attraction for experiencing traditional Korean culture. The primary data were collected through in‐depth interviews and focus groups with 24 native Korean individuals with prior experience in Insa‐dong. Additionally, promotional materials, relevant mass media content, and TripAdvisor reviews were included as supplemental data. The analysis revealed the tension between different goals based on multiplicity in the self and two main strategies to maintain one's desired identity while performing socially expected roles. Based on these findings, the present study demonstrated that the quest for authenticity is a social endeavor enmeshed with various social roles with their accompanying expectations and obligations. Additionally, the current study expands the understanding of authenticity in consumer experience by identifying middle‐ground strategies between downright resistance and conjuring the perception of authenticity.