Korean Manhwa Takes on Japanese Manga in New York

Korea has made extraordinary progress in translating and introducing its vital tradition of comics and graphic novels right here in the United States. Whereas the Japanese pronunciation "manga" had been the only term that American aficionados of Asian comics knew for Asian comics, the Korean term "manhwa" is increasingly heard in metropolises like New York.

Just duck into Midtown Comics in Manhattan, a Mecca for comics lovers right in the Big Apple, and you will see the experts swarming around the Korean manhwa. One diehard fan of Japanese manga who has been a regular at Midtown Comics confessed that when he savors the most recent Korean manhwa, he finds himself in another world, oblivious to the passage of time. "Unlike Japanese manga, manhwa are read from left to right. This oddly similar feature gives a fresh cultural shock to the reader", he explained.

As soon as he enters the enormous comic book room on the second floor, this savvy reader picks up the best-seller "Priest". This captivating tale describes how a priest who sells his soul to the devil to wreak revenge for the death of his lover sets out to destroy the supernatural ghouls who have tormented him.

Says the owner of Midtown Comics, "'Priest' has become such an incredible bestseller that the demands of readers border on the manic. "Korean comics are slowly but surely entering the U.S. market and drawing significant attention", he added.

As of yet, Korean manhwa are still on display in the "Manga" section. Nevertheless, at this rate of growth, they will have their own space soon. "Priest" and "Demon Diary" are clamoring for their own Korean corner. So are Model, Taro Café, Ragnarok and other best sellers. Ragnarok has already sold 500,000 copies in the U.S. so far. The Hollywood film studio Screen Jam has bought the rights for "Priest" and plans to make a movie this summer for international distribution.

The American market for illustrated works is divided into two genres: comics and graphic novels. Comics generally have color illustrations and cover one episode in a volume. Graphic novels are normally in the format of a novel with black and white illustrations. The comics market in the United States was $516 million last year. Out of that market, the best sellers were graphic novels, accounting for approximately $237 million in sales. Exact figures for Korean market share are not available. Nevertheless, over 100 different Korean comics and graphic novels were released in English for the U.S. market.

American comic fans say they are drawn to Korean manhwa for two reasons: the hybrid quality of the style and the purity that is manifested in the content.

The author of "Priest", Hyeong Min-woo, explains, "Korean manhwa combine characteristics of Japanese manga and American comics. For example, the brushstrokes and the characters featured in Priest are similar to what on sees in U.S. comics. But whereas American comics have dialogs in which just too much is said, Korean manhwa have cut back on the words, allowing for the delicate phrasing of a Japanese manga plot".

Purity is the general concept that distinguishes the American and Japanese traditions. Whereas American superheroes such as Superman and Batman reveal a purity of intention in their actions, Japanese manga are full of extreme violence, sex and depravity. Such rich and challenging fare is bound to upset the stomachs of Americans weaned on the heuristic content of Spiderman and the Hulk. Some of the new Korean manhwa such as "Model" have a purity and naivety about them that greatly appeals to American women.

It was not until 2002 that Korean manhwa made serious inroads in the American market. At first sales were left to American importers, but from last year a trend towards direct distribution has emerged. The giants of the Korean manhwa industry as Sigongsa and Seoul Munhwasa joined forces to establish a publishing house in the United States Icekyunion Media. The producer and distributor on and off line for manhwa, Ikomisu Media, has set up a branch in New Jersey which presents English versions of run away comic hits like "The Great Catsby" and "Let Die" for the American market.

Icekyunion Media's president Chung Hee-woon explains, "Japanese manga started out quite small as well. But because of the quality of their content they were able to dominate the market. Korean has manhwa that are perfect for an on-line format, or have plots that tear at one's heartstrings. We are confident that through our know-how we can set ourselves apart from the crowd and build a manhwa Korean wave right here in the U.S".

By Emanuel Yi Pastreich