Seokguram Grotto and the Lacanian triad: Imaginary, symbolic, and Real dimensions of heritage interpretation

Seokguram Grotto's heritage value is sustained through cyclical interpretations shaped by Lacanian dimensions of the Imaginary, Symbolic, and Real. The study reveals that despite its canonical status, the monument generates recurring debates over restoration and digital reproduction due to unresolved historical tensions and interpretive plurality. Using architectural analysis, discourse study, field observation, and digital heritage critique, researchers traced Seokguram's transformations and symbolic codification within colonial, nationalist, and UNESCO frameworks. The findings highlight how the grotto functions as an objet petit a in the Imaginary register of idealized harmony while being positioned within institutional narratives (Symbolic) and revealing Real intrusions through interpretive tensions. This work advances psychoanalytic approaches to architectural heritage research and advocates for an ethics of interpretation that embraces uncertainty.

Youn, H. C., & Bae, J. (2026). Seokguram Grotto and the Lacanian triad: Imaginary, symbolic, and Real dimensions of heritage interpretation. Frontiers of Architectural Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2026.03.021