Baekje Faces: Facial Reconstruction Project

From September 2012 to January 2013, the National Buyeo Museum held a special exhibition titled “The Face of Baekje – Meeting the Baekje People.” TRIC contributed to this project by digitally reconstructing the faces of Baekje people based on archaeological remains, combining forensic science and cultural heritage technology to help visitors vividly imagine the appearance and identity of individuals from the Baekje era. Using a Baekje noblewoman’s skull unearthed from Neungan-gol and depictions of Baekje envoys in the historical painting Wanghuido, the team reconstructed the facial features of both a Baekje woman and man. The project was overseen by Dr. Jin-ho Park, then a senior researcher at Seoul National University’s Institute for Convergence Technology. Anatomical sculptor Dr. Yong-jin Cho modeled the faces using a combination of skeletal remains and visual references. TRIC’s senior researcher Sang-hoon Lee then digitized the physical reconstructions into 3D models and developed a stereoscopic video that illustrates the step-by-step process of facial reconstruction — from 3D scanning of bones to the final digital likeness. The content was presented on a glasses-free 3D display panel throughout the exhibition period, allowing visitors to view the stereoscopic imagery with the naked eye.