Visual Semiotic Analysis of Regional Government Characters in Korea: Focusing on Seoul, Sejong, and Gangwon

This study begins with the observation that many Korean regional governments have repeatedly replaced or redesigned their brand identities (BIs), yet failed to establish a strong and enduring image in the minds of residents and visitors. Focusing on Seoul, Sejong, and Gangwon—each having experienced more than three character replacements—this research applied an integrated analytical framework that combines visual semiotics with Floch’s semiotic square of consumption values to analyze their transformations. The findings reveal that Seoul restructured its capital identity through a sequential chain of values: from the Daul-i set (friendliness and playfulness) to Wangbeom-i (familiarity and operability), Haechi (normativity), and finally Soul Friends (plurality). Sejong evolved from the peach motif to the official emblem and then to Chungnyeong, moving from everyday familiarity to institutional symbolism and historical authority. Gangwon progressed from Banbi to Beomi & Gomi to Gangwoni & Teukbyoli, sequentially constructing a visual trajectory from naturalness to internationalism to institutional legitimacy. Across all three cases, facial expressions and gestures at the plastic level articulated affective modulations; motif selections at the iconic level expanded narrative identity; and colors at the symbolic level visualized socio-cultural codes. The analysis also shows that their consumption values evolved from ludic and utopian orientations toward practical and critical ones, or combined these axes into complex portfolios. This study conceptualizes characters not as simple characters but as urban interfaces connecting regional identity, policy, and civic experience. By integrating visual semiotics and value theory, it proposes a comprehensive analytical framework that broadens the theoretical horizon of place branding research, while practically suggesting the need for systematic planning of value orientation, formal elements, color codes, and citizen participation in future regional character design.