The Semiotic Symbolism and Power Configuration of Korean Shamanic Rituals: A Quantitative Analysis of Ssitgim-Gut and Byeolsin-Gut

In the governance of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), traditional rituals often fall into a paradox of institutional exhibition. The Korean shamanic rites Ssitgim-gut and Byeolsin-gut, respectively, represent the two poles of ritual institutionalization, displaying semiotic logics of original iconicity and institutional textualization. This study, based on audiovisual materials, archival records, and performative documentation, constructs event-level coding of the signifier–subsystem–power relation and, through hierarchical regression and Mann–Whitney nonparametric tests, proposes the Dual-Axis Symbolic Regime Model (DSRR)—comprising the Symbolic Purification–Differentiation Axis (S) and the Textual–Institutional Axis (I). Results indicate that along the S-axis, the purification segments of Ssitgim-gut, dominated by iconic signifiers of soul pacification, manifest a shaman-centered unipolar power structure, whereas its performance segments, involving community participation, reveal a collaborative and co-performative power distribution. Moreover, institutionalization significantly affects the distribution of symbolic power. Along the I-axis, after Byeolsin-gut was incorporated into ICH stage performances, its ritual signifiers became scripted and codified, acquiring administrative value; consequently, the power gap between shamans and families narrowed, and interpretive authority shifted toward institutional agencies. These results remain robust after controlling for media-related variables.In conclusion, the DSRR model elucidates the correlation between symbols and power, offering empirical insights for ICH governance—specifically, how to preserve ritual integrity while avoiding the semantic attenuation of symbols caused by over-textualization.