If there's any South Korean industry that is booming with as much success as K-Pop and K-Drama, it is the K-Webtoon industry. Webtoons, or manhwa, as they are called in Korean, have been an inseparable part of Korean culture for as far back as we can remember. All your favorite celebrities and idols probably grew up with their own favorites, albeit with physical copies. Now, in modern times, these physical comic books have translated seamlessly on screen, bringing us webtoons as we know them today.
Some of the most popular webtoon service companies in South Korea today include Naver Webtoon, Kakao Webtoon, RidiBooks, Lezhin Entertainment, Tappytoon, and more. The South Korean webtoon market size in 2022 was evaluated to be around 1.3 billion USD and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.2% between 2023 and 2028, according to industry experts.
Thanks to official translations of original Korean content into different languages, readers all over the world are now able to enjoy these webtoons, furthering the popularity of the medium. In addition, factors such as the proliferation of webtoon-based K-Dramas and AU webtoons based on K-Pop idol groups like BTS have also added to the growth of this industry. Similarly, popular K-Dramas are also getting adapted into webtoons to cater to a wider and more diverse audience.
The perfect example of such a case is "Our Beloved Summer". Released in 2021, "Our Beloved Summer" was Studio N's first original series. For those who might not know, Studio N is a subsidiary of Naver Webtoon that focuses on adapting its catalog of webtoons and web novels into TV and film. One month before the premiere of "Our Beloved Summer" (the drama), Naver Webtoon released a prequel webtoon of the same name by author Han KyoungChal, exploring the high school lives of our main leads, Choi Woong (Choi WooShik) and Kook YeonSu (Kim DaMi).
Fans of the webtoon were inevitably drawn to the live-action adaptation and likewise, fans of the drama couldn't help but check out the webtoon, thus facilitating a flux of audience between both. In addition, it was a pleasant surprise to explore more about the characters through different mediums, enjoying the originality of each.
The webtoon, in particular, received immense love from readers, not only for its wonderful storytelling but also for its stellar art and heart-fluttering scenes. Drawn to Han KyoungChal's unique style, fans flocked to her other works such as "Spirit Fingers", "Summer Breeze", and "GO! GO! Lookie-Lou", going as far as virtually casting their favorite actors in dream adaptations of the same! Fans also noticed that the author's debut work "GO! GO! Lookie-Lou" was also featured in the drama as an easter egg when Woong was seen reading it on his picnic date with YeonSu.
Kpopmap had the incredible opportunity of sitting down with Han KyoungChal for an exclusive interview, and the conversation that followed was not only enlightening but also extremely endearing as she took us behind the scenes of her creative process, opening up about her goals, aspirations and more.
Keep reading until the end for a special message from Han KyoungChal for fans all over the world!
Welcome to Kpopmap, Han KyoungChal! It’s an absolute honour to have you with us for this interview. We have a lot of things we are curious about, but first of all, how are you doing? Can you tell us about what a day in your life looks like?
Hello, Kpopmap! Nice to meet you, too. I am busy these days because I am working on my next project. Thanks to that, my day is a never-ending cycle of drawing, eating, and stretching. 😊 (+It's getting warmer these days, so I'm determined to take a walk once a day, but it's not working well ㅠ)
You are widely regarded among webtoon lovers as a healing author whose work provides comfort and joy to readers. Has this always been your goal?
Oh! It's such an honor to be known like that. My goal was just to draw a fun webtoon, but I often get comforted by communicating with my readers, so I think I came this far because I tried to return it. (These days, I'm a little embarrassed to be asked this question because I can't communicate with my readers as I'm preparing for my next work.)
Over the years, you have experimented with different art styles and methods, like traditional and digital art. Do you have any tips for aspiring artists who are trying to find their style?
When I was asked this question, I wondered "how was my painting style made?" I thought about it again.
I think my current style was created based on the croquis of the human body that I drew every day during my four years of college, and the things I tried with various materials such as oil pastels and acrylic paint gouache. My way is not the correct answer, but if there are people who feel frustrated with the state of their paintings, try something different. These days, there are many drawing programs that reproduce almost the same hand-drawn feel, so you can easily use various materials. I think it will be helpful to find your own style if you expand the scope of your painting by expressing it in a different way than just drawing lines and coloring them in. Actually, I'm a person who is better at cheering than giving advice, so I want to support you endlessly! Cheer up, everyone!
Something your works have in common is how familiar and relatable they feel. Have you ever based a character on your own personality or your friends/acquaintances?
Yes, I have! I usually create characters based on my personality. Well…there are many aspects to a person. Sometimes timid, sometimes bold in unexpected ways, and sometimes careless, but focused when they do something they like (yes, I'm talking about myself haha). I like to create a character by taking up these parts little by little. WooYeon of "Spirit Fingers" resembles my timidity, MiRae has my geekiness, and Green resembles my lively side. Of course, I also like to create characters that I want to be like, such as Yeom SeRa or Nam GiJung. I don't think I've ever made a character based on a friend or acquaintance.
Han KyoungChal’s characters are always unforgettable. When you are creating a character, what is the first thing you start with, and what is the last touch you give it? In addition, out of all your characters, is there any one you hold dear to your heart?
The first thing I think about when creating characters is the chemistry between them. Each character may be charming individually, but when I actually draw them, there are times when they don't seem to fit together. So I make them after thinking about this first. And the part I pay attention to the most until the end is the growth of the characters. Regardless of the genre, readers expect the characters to grow as they read the work, so I think this is the most important part.
All the characters I've created are precious to me but probably WooYeon from "Spirit Fingers" is the most memorable for me. I was reminded of my student days while I was drawing WooYeon so I felt like I was growing up with her. It's also because I've been comforted by a lot of readers who resemble WooYeon.
(However, if you ask me which of my works is the most precious to me, I would still say it's my debut work, "GO! GO! Lookie-Lou"!)
When you’re working, do you have any unusual requirements like particular snacks or drinks that help those creative juices flow?
Originally, I didn't have any but since the COVID-19 pandemic started, I've been spending more time at home. So having flowers at home and watching them has become a hobby. Flowers that are colorful like magenta or orange flowers seem to be a great source of inspiration for me.
Your webtoon “Our Beloved Summer”, which is a prequel to the K-Drama of the same name, retains the flavour of the original but adds a unique colour to it. Can you please take us through the process of creation for “Our Beloved Summer”?
"Our Beloved Summer" is a work that was planned as a webtoon and a drama from the production stage. It came about from the idea that it would be good to make a prequel webtoon about the high school days that briefly appear in the flashback scenes. The production team, who wanted a webtoon with a fresh and invigorating feel, made a proposal to me, I saw the scenario, fell in love with it at first sight, and made the prequel webtoon. The adaptation was based on the original draft of Lee NaEun, the writer of the drama. Based on the short original draft, I made specific episodes that matched the characters' personalities, fleshed them out, and then produced it as a webtoon through consultations with the writer. It was my first time doing this kind of collaboration but it was a good experience where I learned and felt a lot during the process.
Han KyoungChal's Instagram
Was there a specific turning point in your life when you decided that being a webtoon author was your calling?
I've been working as a webtoon author for a long time, but unfortunately, I've never thought of it as my calling. This is because I think I lack a lot in terms of trendiness and the ability to work fast, that are often said to be virtues of webtoon writers. However, there was a moment when I thought that I did a good job becoming a webtoon writer. That is when I met my beloved readers in person. The exhibition I had with my readers was truly a special experience for me, and I want to do it again someday.
First-time readers who enjoyed “Our Beloved Summer” naturally discovered more of your works like “Spirit Fingers” and are now looking forward to your future projects. Can you tell us a little bit about what you have in store for us next?
These days, there are many works that go back to the past, but I am doing the opposite, drawing the future era. I will just briefly say that it is a story of adventures that will take place in the future!
Finally, do you have anything you would like to say to fans all over the world who admire your work and support you endlessly?
I still can't believe that there are fans of mine somewhere in the world. Every time I think about it, my heart swells with joy. Even though my works are lacking, I sincerely thank the fans for enjoying them and sending me overwhelming support. As much as I'd love to meet you in person, unfortunately, there's no other way than to repay you with a good work. Slowly but steadily, I will continue to make good stories, so please keep keep an eye out. My respected and beloved readers, wherever you are, I hope you are happy and most importantly, healthy.
Which of author Han KyoungChal's works is your favorite? Tell us in the comments section down below!
