This study examines the nature of online consumer-generated communications, focusing especially on consumer reviews of leading retail Web sites in South Korea and the U.S. The current investigation adopts a two-pronged approach that utilizes both the user control concept and a cross-cultural perspective. The active implementations of consumer review features in Korean Web sites found in this study indicate that people in high power distance countries can adopt information technology rapidly to facilitate horizontal communication. As a result, we were able to support and expand the traditional view looking at the differences between Northeast Asian business culture and Western business culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]