New Figures of Cartoon Set Novel View

How are the levels of work and individuality of the new figures in the cartoon literary world in Korea? “Born in 1977,” published by Nexus, has been released, which gathers the award winning stories of the 1st Korea Creative Cartoon Contest, in which tons of new cartoons, stories and creative comics competed.

In “Born in 1977,” the winners of the creative comic story competition, “She, You, Me or We…” by Jang Su-jin, “Look Back in Gloomy Days” by Kang Won-gu and “Circular Line” by Yoo Hyun-ho were included. 14 pictures from “Nudy Toon” by Hong Sung-il, who was honored in the cartoon division, and four pieces of “Billiard Mania” by Kim Heung-su will debut together.

Jang Su-jin of “She, You, Me or We…,” who graduated from the department of cartoon animation in Sejong University in 2003, is a totally new figure in cartoon literary world. In the Creative Cartoon Contest held by the Seoul Animation Center at the end of 2003, Jang was also granted the best story award for his short comic story, “Children Eating Woman.”

“She…” has a unique plot, with a cartoon picture in one side of the book, and prose on the other. He has great ability at changing the focus from the cartoon to the prose. The judges decided that the story had an excellent plot and development structure.

Three female ticketing clerks in a theatre, Suin, Dain and Jakyung, who are all in their twenties, were set as the protagonists. When Jakyung and her father, an alcoholic, ran away with a bank loan made on the guarantee of Suin and Dain, they all dispersed, but the three women meet again at the funeral ceremony of Jakyung’s father. The author focuses on this heart-rending process of reconciliation.

In “Look Back in Gloomy Days,” the situation of the 1980’s is well diluted into the story. With the frequently occurring civic demonstrations in Gwangju as a background, the story is described as the viewpoint of a member of the civilian costumed suppressing force, or the so-called skeleton corps. The feeling of the author is completely eliminated to describe the situation at the spot with a minute pen touch. It contains the suppressing forces’ pain, which is caused by the cold glances of the people, rather than bodily weariness. The author, Kang, who attends the department of cartooning in Sangmyung University, has visited Gwangju to look into the background himself, and interviewed former members of the suppressing forces, in great earnest.

In “Circular Line” by Yoo Hyun-ho, who was awarded with the best story award in the LG East Asia Cartoon Festival in 2003, a vague feeling of yearning between a college student and a high school girl is well described with a gold fish as the medium.

“Nudy Toon” of Hong, shows an adult type of cartoon. Kim Heung-su, in his forties sets forth a quiet style cartoon in “Billiard Mania.”

suhchoi@donga.com