<p>In this study, the transformative potential of hyperrealistic virtual humans in cultural heritage dissemination has been investigated through an empirical examination of five key design elements (character, styling, dynamic, sound, scene) grounded in affordance and situated cognition theories. Using a two-stage experimental approach that combined user testing and surveys on Douyin (China’s TikTok), the research reveals significant disparities in user satisfaction. Specifically, while styling, scene, and sound design exhibited strong performances, character and dynamic design revealed notable deficiencies, particularly in demographic trait accuracy and mouth synchronization. These findings demonstrate that optimizing dynamic realism and character depth, while maintaining existing strengths in visual and auditory fidelity, can significantly enhance hyperrealistic virtual humans’ effectiveness as cultural mediators. The study provides actionable design strategies for achieving this balance, advancing both theoretical frameworks and practical applications in digital heritage preservation by addressing critical gaps between technological innovation and cultural authenticity requirements.</p>