‘TikTok is the real you — more lo-fi, not as polished’

When TikTok, the popular short-form video platform, is compared with other social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and X, one of its most distinctive features is how it connects users to a vast, global audience rather than just friends or acquaintances.

Videos on TikTok are often under 15 seconds and could seem trivial at first glance. Yet, Sofia Hernandez, global head of business marketing and commercial partnership at TikTok, says this simplicity and spontaneity are central to the platform’s identity and success.

“The community made it what it is today — an authentic space where people connect, regularly discover new things and share their passions and interests,” Hernandez said during an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul, Sept. 25. “At the core of this community is authenticity…TikTok is the real you — more lo-fi, not as polished.”

TikTok provides a creative outlet for users to express themselves while sharing their talents with the world. Hernandez emphasizes that creators should not overthink the process but focus on genuine expression.

“If you always wanted to be a comedian, you make TikToks telling jokes. If you loved cooking, you share recipes,” she said. “The key is that creators don’t have to change who they are, but be authentic in how they show up. Because that is what people love and what resonates.”

Authenticity over polish

This principle of authenticity extends beyond individual creators to global brands seeking to engage TikTok’s communities. Hernandez cited examples of companies that embraced lo-fi, creator-led content to resonate with users.

“Take Chipotle, for instance. Their top-performing video shows someone making rice in their restaurant, filmed on a phone. It’s grainy, not stylized, but it became their most successful content because it answered the community’s curiosity,” she said. “Brands that listen and act in real time are rewarded.”

TikTok’s ecosystem, Hernandez explained, thrives on two-way interaction. Comments, duets and stitching features allow audiences not only to react but to participate actively, creating trends that spread globally. She noted that K-pop, in particular, benefits from this dynamic. Fans across continents recreate choreography, cover songs and adapt moments from shows, fueling viral waves that traditional media can rarely replicate.

“K-pop content on TikTok illustrates the same principles we see with brands: authentic engagement drives cultural influence,” Hernandez said.

For marketers, this shift has changed the rules of success. Instead of relying solely on views or virality, brands are focusing on deeper engagement metrics and cultural impact. Ninty two percent of TikTok users in Southeast Asia said K-dramas and K-pop increased their interest in Korean brands, according to the company’s 2024 research on Hallyu.

She also shared a case from the cosmetics sector: Users repurposed lotion bottles of EOS, a local cosmetics brand, prompting the company to test new prototypes based on real-time feedback.

“That’s the future of brand behavior: listen, find the opportunity and move quickly,” Hernandez said.

TikTok also enables brands to bridge cultural gaps through partnerships with locally relevant creators. A South Korean creator in Mexico, for example, produces videos that blend two cultures, drawing viewers globally and inspiring curiosity about unfamiliar traditions. Even when viewers do not fully understand the original context — as with K-pop or K-dramas — they are motivated to learn and engage.

“The platform allows trends to travel quickly, organically and creatively,” Hernandez said.

Bridging generations at speed

While TikTok is often associated with Generation Z, Hernandez said it appeals to many groups. Older users engage with niche communities — from golf to cooking — showing that authenticity, emotional connection and clear branding resonate universally. TikTok’s evolving formats, including long-form content, offer brands more flexible ways to connect.

Hernandez sees TikTok as more than social media: It is a space for entertainment, discovery and connection.

“Whether through a viral dance challenge, a lo-fi recipe video, or a global K-pop trend, TikTok exemplifies how cultural influence can spread organically — and how brands, artists and fans alike can thrive when authenticity leads the way,” she said.