Iconological Reconstruction and Complementarity in Chinese and Korean Museums in the Digital Age: A Comparative Study of the National Museum of Korea and the Palace Museum

Hui Liu and Maowei Chen ()
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Hui Liu: Department of Global Convergence, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
Maowei Chen: Department of Global Convergence, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-37

Abstract: In the context of rapid global digitalization and evolving media ecologies, sustainable cultural communication has become central to both museum transformation and the theoretical renewal of iconology. Images, as vital carriers of cultural memory and identity, are shifting from static, linear presentations to generative, interactive, and participatory modes enabled by digital platforms. This shift calls for a new paradigm in image communication—one that integrates meaning construction with technological and user-centered logics. This study adopts a “technology–culture–user” framework, drawing on constructivism, cultural memory theory, and symbolic interactionism to construct a digital-era iconological system. Through comparative analysis of the Chinese Palace Museum and the National Museum of Korea, the research reveals complementary approaches: the former emphasizes structured, authoritative knowledge dissemination, while the latter prioritizes immersive, user-driven interaction. These differences provide a basis for cross-cultural cooperation. Accordingly, the paper proposes five collaborative strategies: integrating advanced technologies, building shared image resource systems, enhancing user engagement mechanisms, expanding East Asian visual symbol networks, and adapting institutional frameworks to diverse cultural contexts. These strategies aim to support both theoretical innovation in iconology and sustainable regional cultural communication in the digital age.

Keywords: cultural communication; China–Korea comparison; digital imagery; East Asian collaboration; museums; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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