earticle

영어

This study investigates how metaverse technologies are being integrated into city branding strategies to enhance urban identity, symbolism, informativeness, and relationality. Focusing on the cases of Seoul, Paris, Dubai, and Tokyo, it adopts a qualitative case study method to analyze the application of four metaverse types—Virtual Worlds, Augmented Reality, Lifelogging, and Mirror Worlds—in relation to core city branding elements. The results show that each city strategically adopts metaverse technologies according to its cultural context, digital infrastructure, and branding vision. Metaverse platforms are shown to facilitate immersive communication, strengthen symbolic assets, expand citizen engagement, and enhance digital governance transparency. Ultimately, the study argues that the metaverse serves not merely as a technological tool, but as a strategic infrastructure that enables participatory, emotionally resonant, and sustainable urban branding.