This study aims to reinterpret the symbolic system of the traditional Hwarot by integrating its formative characteristics with the emotional codes of K-POP fandom, and to extend this reinterpretation into digital fashion design through a contemporary emotional design language. The Hwarot, one of the most splendid and symbolically significant garments in Korean costume history from the Joseon Dynasty to the early twentieth century, visually conveys symbolic and affective meanings through an artistic system in which form, color, pattern, and material are organically integrated. For this purpose, the formative characteristics of the Hwarot were analyzed, and the emotional codes of K-POP fandom were categorized into three types: visual attraction and sensory experience, narrative immersion and active participation, and community bonding and identity formation. A design concept was then established through formative–emotional connection. Subsequently, digital patterns based on traditional motifs were developed, and through a process of systematic selection and refinement, a total of eight digital fashion designs were completed using the CLO 3D program. Designs reflecting visual attraction and sensory experience expressed dynamism and splendor on stage through the combination of the Hwarot’s formative characteristics with fandom symbols such as logos, colors, and emblems, rendered through digital materials. Narrative immersion and active participation were visualized through pattern compositions centered on Hwarot motifs, layered structures, and repeated applications of fandom logos, emblems, and light-stick motifs, articulating the fandom’s narratives, worldview, and processes of interpretation and participation. Community bonding and identity formation were expressed through the combination of Hwarot-based forms and colors with fandom-representative color schemes and symbolic elements, making collective belonging and identity visually perceptible. These results indicate that digital garments combining the formative elements of the Hwarot with fandom symbolism possess the potential to expand not only as K-POP stage costumes but also as AR-based digital outfits for fans, and suggest that traditional costume can be reimagined in new ways within contemporary popular culture through digital technology.
Shin et al. (Wed,) studied this question.