From Digital Social to Box Office Revenue: Analysis of the Impact and Trends of Electronic Word‑of‑Mouth

In the digital era, Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) — the online sharing of opinions and information about movies — has become a crucial factor influencing box office performance. Social media posts, reviews, and ratings shape audience perceptions and impact their choices. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the influence of eWOM on movie box office revenue, identifying key research areas, seminal works, and influential authors in this field, along with highlighting research trends through keyword analysis. The results reveal that the research field is divided into three stages: initial, exploratory, and empirical, with recent emphasis on factors such as the quantity, quality, and credibility of eWOM, significantly affecting consumer behavior. The study also identifies key eWOM research trends, including movie marketing, relevance analysis, and sentiment analysis of reviews. Target audiences include film industry professionals and academic researchers interested in understanding the role of eWOM in enhancing box office performance.