<![CDATA[This study investigates the structural role of visual communication design in shaping contemporary character-based pop culture ecosystems. While existing research on popular culture has predominantly emphasized media consumption, fandom behavior, and market dynamics, limited attention has been given to how design functions as a strategic mechanism that constructs symbolic meaning, economic value, and identity mediation. Using a qualitative comparative case study of Pop Mart, this research examines how character design systems, visual branding strategies, and blind box distribution formats operate as interconnected cultural infrastructures. The findings reveal that visual communication design extends beyond aesthetic representation and functions as a cultural engine that sustains collectability, reinforces emotional attachment, and enables identity projection within digital consumer culture. The study argues that character-based pop culture should be understood as a designed ecosystem in which visual communication plays a central role in negotiating cultural capital, participatory engagement, and market value in contemporary creative industries.]]>
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