Joon Kyoung Kim

Joon Kim
Joon Kim

Biography

Joon Kim is an Associate Professor of Public Relations at the University of Rhode Island. His research focuses on how organizations present their corporate social responsibility and controversial social issues on social media and how the public responds to such prosocial activities. He is particularly interested in how sports organizations, including professional sports teams and sports apparel brands, communicate with the public on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. His research also focuses on examining psychological factors that shape individuals’ health-related behaviors such as use of emerging tobacco products and artificial intelligence-based health-monitoring systems. His work has appeared in journals including Public Relations Review, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Computers in Human Behavior, International Journal of Strategic Communication, Health Communication, and Tobacco Control.

Before joining URI, he previously taught Crisis Communications and Mass Communications Research at the University of South Carolina.

Research

Public relations, corporate social responsibility, sports communication, health communication.

Education

  • Ph.D., Mass Communications, University of South Carolina
  • Master of Arts, Media Studies, Syracuse University
  • Bachelor of Arts, Journalism and Mass Communications, Hanyang University

Selected Publications

Kim, J. K., Xiong, Y., & Hunt, D. S. (2026). Communicating the Benefits and Risks of AI Technology in Hiring: Implications for Organization-Public Relationship. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 31(5), 701-723. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-11-2024-0204

Jun, J., Kim, J. K., Woo, B., & Zain, A. (2026). Unpacking the Effects of Media Racism Exposure on Multidimensional Activism Among Asian Americans. Mass Communication & Society. DOI: 10.1080/15205436.2026.2685720

Noland, C., Kim, J. K., Overton, H., Alharbi, K., Carter, J., & Moon, W.K. (2026). Star Power and Prizes: How Do Celebrity Endorsements and Financial Inducements in Online Sports Betting Advertising Affect Brand Attitudes and Betting Intentions? Journal of Interactive Advertising 10.1080/15252019.2026.2695457

Hunt, D. S., Kim, J. K., Kothari, A., & Xiong, Y. (2026). Do Communication Managers Trust AI Fact-Checking? An Examination of Ethical Decision-Making, Credibility, and Fact-Checking Behavior. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media. DOI: 10.1080/08838151.2026.2680011

Overton, H., Kim, J. K., Sipes, C., & Wu, Y. (2026). Gen Z and Social Change: Examining the Effect of Corporate Social Advocacy Expectancy Violations on Positive and Negative Behavioral Intentions. International Journal of Business Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/23294884261437405

Xiong, Y., Hunt, D. S., & Kim, J. K. (2026). How Can Organizations Improve Hiring Practices with AI? An Examination of Predictors of AI Acceptance in Hiring and Recruitment. Journal of Communication Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-02-2025-0043

Kim, J. K., Overton, H., Wu, Y., Noland, C., & Moon, W-K. (2025). Enhancing Corporate Social Advocacy Support: Self-efficacy, Response Efficacy, and Collective Efficacy as Drivers of CSA Behavioral Intentions. Journal of Applied Communication Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2025.2551324