While male-focused narratives have led Western and American comics, manhwa (Korean comics) are leading the charge for women and gaining popularity as a cultural export, reaching fans worldwide via mobile apps. Artists Narae Lee, Ministry of Culture Grand Prize winner, and Kyungran Park discuss their craft at The Korea Society. Sun Bang, CEO of TappyToon, provides insight into this rapidly expanding global industry.
Talk followed by Q&A and networking reception.
Women on Manhwa: The Future of Korean Comics
Friday, November 16, 2018 | 6:30 PM
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
About the Artists
Narae Lee has created comics since 2007. Her original series Bloody Sweet, about a young moodang (traditional Korean shaman) who becomes linked to a vampire, won the 2016 Korean Ministry of Culture’s Grand Prize in manhwa. She is the artist of James Patterson’s The New York Times bestselling Maximum Ride original English-language manga adaptations since 2008.
Kyungran Park won the 2007 Haksan Publishing comics contest, and was artist for the four-volume series M.A.X. and multiple short series. She began serialization of her original comic Imitation in 2014, about a newbie K-pop idol’s romance and rise to stardom. The latest works of both creators have been translated into Japanese, Chinese, French, Indonesian, English and more, and are available digitally on major online comics portals.
About TappyToon
Since 2016, TappyToon has offered a diverse range of manhwa (Korean comics) through its top-ranking smartphone apps and website, accessed daily by readers in over 190 countries. From novel adaptations to K-pop, TV drama originals to exclusive hits, TappyToon covers all genres of comics and is partnered with over a dozen publishers.
Sun Bang is CEO and co-founder of TappyToon. Previously, she led teams at Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and has worked in North American film sales.
