23 Apr / Korea As Viewed by 12 Creators produced by Fanfare/Ponent Mon, translated by Vanessa Champion, Andy Milanesio, Andrés Moon
The idea is fascinating; so obviously simple yet undeniably clever. Six French graphic book artists were sent to Korea to be “completely immersed.” Six Korean manwha artists were also asked to participate. All 12 were given “complete carte blanche” to convey their individual views of Korea. The year was 2006, marking the 120th anniversary of Franco-Korean diplomatic relations.
Alas, the final product proves mixed, but perhaps that isn’t too surprising given the number of artists and the diversity of backgrounds and experiences.
The clear frontrunner is Lee Doo-Ho’s “Solgeo’s Tree,” a masterpiece of near-wordless perspective, both visually and literally: a painter creates a “marvelous painting” of a tree, but after his huge hands cradle a tiny still bird, he destroys his own work with the final pronouncement that “There is nothing more valuable than a life.”
The pine tree also looms tall in Lee Hae-Jae’s “The Pine Tree,” which shows a large, scattered family reuniting to mourn the death of the patriarch, poignantly narrated by a nephew whose memories give history to the family and their changing homeland. Vanyda’s “Oh Pilsung Korea!” is a cultural discovery romp for a pair of young hapa French Korean siblings as they make their first trip to their father’s estranged homeland. Guillaume Bouzard’s “Operation Zidane” comically depicts an over-the-top zany plot involving the French president and tiny pests in a mad dash to win the World Cup at any cost!
Other chapters vary – some are better than okay, some are hardly memorable, too many seem lost in translation (original languages are French, Italian, and Korean all rendered into English, although sometimes more clumsily than not), while a couple border on culturally insensitive at best. That said, the collection will definitely pique your curiosity, and hopefully encourage you to search out full-length works by some of the artists. Any excuse to read more manga and manwha always welcome!
Readers: Young Adult, Adult
Published: 2010 (United States)