Colorlab introduces Byeongjin’s (김병진) latest publication, “Designing Perceived Product Personality Through Embedded Lighting in Home Appliances.” This study investigates how embedded lighting in home appliances can shape users’ perception of product personality and preference. Across three experiments, the research examines how variations in brightness, color, and lighting form influence the Big Five personality impressions of appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers, washer-dryer combos, and light booths. The findings show that lighting attributes, especially color, systematically affect perceived traits including extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness, while also revealing that personality impressions remain relatively consistent across product categories. At the same time, user preference was found to vary more depending on appliance context, suggesting that preferred lighting depends not only on expressive quality but also on whether the lighting fits the product’s role, visibility, and everyday usage context. The study demonstrates that embedded lighting can serve as a practical design tool for communicating product character across appliance lineups, while also highlighting the importance of contextual fit in creating lighting that users actually prefer.

DOI: 10.14695/KJSOS.2026.29.2.25