A Comparative Analysis of Narrative Themes and Visual Symbolism in Film Posters from the Top 50 Domestic Box-Office Hits in China and Korea (2005-2025)

Movie posters are an essential tool for visual communication and film marketing.They attract viewers, disseminate movie information, and influence cultural iconography.Two of the biggest East Asian film markets, China and South Korea, have experienced tremendous domestic growth and have produced numerous high-grossing films.The movie posters from these nations exhibit striking visual differences despite their proximity and shared cultural heritage.This study examines the posters of the top 50 highest-grossing domestic films in China and South Korea from 2005 to 2025.The analysis focuses on two primary variables: visual symbolic language and narrative themes.The analysis is based on concepts of cross-cultural communication, visual semiotics, and image narratology.Visual symbolic aspects (textual vs. picture symbols) and narrative themes (story-based vs. image-based) are evaluated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) analyses, such as chi-square tests and Cramér's V.The results reveal significant differences in narrative themes, font choices, text positioning, and image color (p < 0.01).In contrast, image narrative, text orientation, text color, image kind, composition, and character count show no significant variation (p > 0.01).Cramér's V indicates moderate to strong effects across several variables, and post hoc analyses highlight preferences for specific categories.These distinctions not only reflect the different cultural identities of China and South Korea but also demonstrate different design styles, aesthetic orientations, and visual communication techniques.Understanding these distinctions deepens our knowledge of East Asian cultural exchange and provides guidance for the local film industry in soft power growth and cultural diffusion.