Inside the company TRIC by ARTMORE Magazine

Q: Please introduce yourself briefly.

Hello, I’m Jin-San Kim, Senior Researcher on the Art-tech Lab(creative technology team) at the Technology Research Institute for Culture & Heritage (TRIC). My work involves combining advanced media technologies with the great cultural and artistic legacies of humanity to widely share their true value and pass it on to future generations.

Q: Can you tell us what TRIC does and what your responsibilities are?

We are known as TRIC, short for the Technology Research Institute for Culture & Heritage. As the name suggests, we specialize in merging cultural heritage with technology. Our core work includes creating digital twins of high-value artworks for precise documentation and preservation, and utilizing these digital archives to produce various outcomes.

Our projects span a wide range—from developing immersive exhibition content using AR, VR, and media art, to research in physical replication and restoration of tangible cultural relics using digital data.

At TRIC, I focus on developing interactive technologies that allow people to communicate with cultural heritage through physical computing, utilizing diverse sensors and media. I also apply these technologies to public-facing services such as museum exhibitions.

(Digital Twin: a digital recreation of a physical object)

Q: What exactly does a digital heritage specialist do?

The term digital heritage encompasses several definitions. It can refer to the digital data that documents the original state of cultural heritage, or to activities like analysis, preservation, and restoration using this data. It also includes content development that helps people better understand heritage. While job roles vary, professionals working in all these areas are considered digital heritage specialists.

Q: What academic backgrounds do digital heritage specialists typically come from?

As mentioned, digital heritage is more segmented than people might expect and involves interdisciplinary collaboration. Therefore, experts in this field come from a wide range of academic backgrounds. At TRIC, our team includes people trained in cultural heritage conservation science, architecture, photography, ceramics, Eastern and Western painting, sculpture, film, computer science, library and information science, media design, landscape architecture, game design, and animation—no two individuals share the same major.

Despite the diversity, we all share a deep interest in culture, art, and heritage. Many of us also stay current with the latest trends in cultural content. We draw inspiration from films, TV dramas, and games, and we regularly visit exhibitions both in Korea and abroad to study curatorial intent and technical execution.

Art-tech Lab (fl 2)

What is the process behind TRIC’s digital heritage projects?

While each project differs depending on its nature, all begin with a deep understanding of the cultural heritage involved. Every team member approaches the subject from archaeological, art historical, and philosophical perspectives to gain as much context as possible. The more we study, the more we uncover hidden stories and appreciate details we may have initially missed—this naturally cultivates a genuine sense of attachment to the work. From there, we move into the planning stage. The project manager leads the overall direction, but every team member contributes ideas to understand their own role and how collaboration will unfold. This collaborative planning phase is crucial for minimizing errors and delays later in the process. Once the concept is in place, we determine which technologies and techniques are best suited to bring the vision to life. After the content is developed, we run multiple pilot tests to identify and troubleshoot any issues. In fact, this testing and refinement phase is arguably the most critical part of the entire process. Whether the project succeeds often depends on whether we’ve allowed enough time for this stage.

What do you prioritize most when creating digital heritage content?

Since we work with cultural heritage, our first priority is always historical accuracy—ensuring that we represent the original faithfully and verify the facts thoroughly during the planning stage.

Next, we focus on the audience engagement. Education and value are important, but if the content isn't engaging, those messages won’t be effectively conveyed. Engagement doesn’t just mean fun or lightheartedness—it could be awe-inspiring visuals, emotionally powerful soundscapes, or any element that immerses viewers. We constantly consider what features will make the experience not only informative, but captivating and memorable.

Heritage scanning studio (fl 3)

Why is digital heritage important?

Digital archiving is one of the most precise ways to preserve the current state of a cultural asset. While physical heritage constantly changes due to environmental and chemical factors, digital data can act like a black box—capturing and preserving the artifact exactly as it existed at the moment of recording. This makes it easier to identify damaged areas, compare conditions over time, and determine appropriate preservation measures.

As content, digital heritage allows us to experience places like Seokguram Grotto, which exist in reality but are not easily accessible. It can also virtually reconstruct artifacts whose original forms are no longer intact, offering viewers a vivid glimpse into the past. Because cultural artifacts are delicate and often inaccessible, digital technology is one of the most effective tools we have for preserving and sharing them.

Is there a project that left a strong impression on you?

Among many, the most memorable was our recent special exhibition on the restoration of the Iksan Mireuksa Temple stone lantern. Lanterns represent a core Buddhist value—enlightenment—yet they have historically received less public attention compared to pagodas or statues.

We digitally scanned ancient fragments of what is believed to be Korea’s oldest stone lantern, uncovered at the temple site. From these scans, we created multiple restoration models and incorporated sensing technologies so visitors could virtually reassemble the lantern and even light it up themselves.

Physically reassembling a multi-ton stone relic would be extremely difficult, but digital heritage allows us to easily simulate different configurations. Watching visitors illuminate their reconstructed lantern—accompanied by the resonant sound of a temple bell and a vision of the Mireuksa Temple as it stood 1,400 years ago—was an unforgettable moment, and deeply rewarding as a developer.

What technologies are most used in digital heritage today, and what trends do you foresee?

Up to now, immersive media technologies like VR/AR/XR, media facades, and projection mapping have been widely used in museums and exhibitions. Since the pandemic, metaverse platforms offering multi-user online experiences have also gained traction.

Looking ahead, we expect to see content driven by AI-based technologies, such as damage restoration, super-resolution imaging, and style reproduction based on big data of historical art and photography. These tools go beyond preserving and visualizing current data—they allow us to reconstruct lost sections and enhance existing assets. The future will focus on deepening and rebuilding data, not just archiving it.

What is TRIC’s long-term vision?

Our goal is to help safeguard and share cultural heritage—not just from Korea, but from around the world—by applying advanced technologies to preserve artifacts permanently and make them more accessible through engaging content. We want people everywhere to experience and connect with heritage anytime, anywhere.

In response to pandemic travel restrictions and conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, we've expanded global collaborations to digitally preserve cultural heritage sites that have become increasingly inaccessible. One example is Project Gyerim, a large-scale commercial media art exhibition that creates simulacra of cultural heritage that no longer physically exists, based on historical texts, myths, and oral traditions.

Through these experiences, we aim to establish South Korea’s leadership in the digital heritage field—ultimately surpassing competitors in the U.S. and France to become the world’s top digital heritage company.

(Simulacrum: an artificial construct that makes something nonexistent appear as if it exists)

Any advice for aspiring digital heritage specialists?

Because digital heritage is still a relatively new field, I often get questions about what to study or what skills companies are looking for. The truth is, everything humanity creates eventually becomes heritage. The cultures we enjoy today will one day be passed down—and there’s no single path to working in this field.

You don’t need a specific degree or certification. What you do need is a genuine love for cultural heritage, and a desire to share that passion with others and future generations. If you have that, and you’re willing to apply your unique skills and knowledge, then you already have what it takes to become a digital heritage expert.