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“Kyu-seok has been sending poems after meetings lately.”
When director Yeon Sang-ho (45) teased, cartoonist Choi Kyu-sok (46) responded with a sly smile, saying, “What kind of poem did I send? I just wrote about the inner world of the characters.” In light of the recent release of the comic book “Revelations” (published by Munhakdongne), there was a meeting at Yeon’s studio in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Choi, who was taking a break in Changwon, Gyeongnam Province, joined the conversation via Zoom. “When Yeon Sang-ho sends me an overview of an incident, I talk about the inner world of the characters. Especially when thinking about the inner world of villains, I end up sending pedantic writings.” (Choi Kyu-sok) “I’m not sure how to reflect that inner world.” (Yeon Sang-ho) The secret to their success, topping global Netflix rankings in 2021 with the webtoon-based drama “Hellbound,” seemed to lie in their casual conversations.
“Revelations” is the second collaboration between Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Kyu-sok after “Hellbound.” Last year’s webtoon was compiled into a book. Both Yeon and Choi were in the Class of ‘96 at Sangmyung University, where Yeon studied Western Painting and Choi majored in Comics. Having known each other since their university days, they remember each other’s past. They used to talk about their works on the phone every day. While Yeon Sang-ho is at the top of his career after the 10 million-viewer movie “Train to Busan (2016)” and the box office success of “Hellbound,” his life before the animated movie “The King of Pigs (2011)” was different. “Yeon Sang-ho’s talent was evident in my eyes, but it was frustrating when things weren’t working out for him for a long time. Now things are working out too well, and I worry that he might die from it.” (Choi Kyu-sok) Choi began his creative activities in college and published several socially critical comics, including “Awl,” which won the Bucheon Comics Award in 2018. “Kyu-sok was a cartoon prodigy who was the envy of everyone. We shared cultural and social perspectives for a long time, so he could figure out what I was thinking without much explanation.” (Yeon Sang-ho)
“Revelations” portrays the stories of individuals who are captivated by their own beliefs. The story involves a collision between a church pastor who believes that killing someone is a divine revelation and a detective who sees the apparition of his deceased sister. It depicts the vulnerability of human beings in the face of faith. Director Yeon mentions the animation “The Fake (2013),” which tells a story against a pseudo-religious organization, saying, “I thought, ‘What if I rewrote it 10 years later,’ and I wanted to give it a more definitive ending.” The theme of “human vulnerability” has been on Yeon’s mind for years. “Just as ‘Hellbound’ interpreted the announcement of going to hell as a form of religion, ‘Revelatioins’ also deals with the fragility of human beings trying to establish causality in events.” (Yeon Sang-ho) In reality, ‘Revelations’ also started as a conversation during a meeting for the upcoming webtoon ‘Hellbound’ Season 2, set to be released next month. Choi, the comic artist, said, “I tried to depict individuals who are addicted to assigning meanings. I hope readers realize that we are constructed that way.” He added, “This time, the story is more likely to happen in reality compared to ‘Hellbound,’ so I think it will be accepted more vividly.”
Their working styles mesh together like cogs in a wheel. Director Yeon handles the overall outline of events and scene composition, while comic artist Choi mainly focuses on logical structure and characters. Yeon’s ideas are refreshing, while also sharply delving into aspects of reality. Choi says, “Yeon comes up with fresh ideas that carry a concentrated thematic awareness, presenting them as chunks. I, who enjoy logical concepts, break down those chunks, and through feedback from Yeon, our thoughts solidify into something concrete.”
Lastly, Director Yeon mentioned, “There’s a work I’d like to try with Kyu-sok. I want to create a boy’s comic without any intention of adapting it into a visual medium. Since my interest in comics began from there, I want to take on the challenge before it gets too late.”
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