webtoon: about death - 죽음에 관하여

What is your thought about comics?

I've been a huge fan for every comics, cartoons and animations, but not ones from the US. Most likely I preferred Korean and Japanese comics because stories, characters, fantasy, and background were more touching my heart.

Now, many Koreans are enjoying comics on portal websites, and we call it 'webtoon', which would be similar to webcomic. These are Representative Korean search portal sites, Naver (http://www.webtoon.com/en/) in English and Daum (http://webtoon.daum.net/) in Korean, provide free comics on their sites, and popular ones are translated officially or unofficially by fans. There is also translation service for popular webtoons by Tappytoon. (https://www.tappytoon.com/) These are colorful comics with great stories, and other countries' comics are increasing as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webtoon

 

I'd like to introduce one webtoon, which may flip your thought about comic upside down.

 

About death - 죽음에 관하여

 

https://www.webtoons.com/en/drama/about-death/list?title_no=82

About Death

If you are thinking comics as hero story, violent fights, or high school love story, then you should read this webtoon. Not like most of webtoons, this is talking about death.

This is so blunt about death, that people reluctant to think or explain about.
Some gave up reading this with personal painful memories, thoughts, and regrets. However, I think that is why this is very meaningful and worthy reading it. With this, from time to times, I am seriously thinking about the situation with my sudden death, or something else for me and my family.

Death is scary, afraid, and so worried. But it is inevitable. Then, I decided rather to take it seriously and wisely to prepare for it, hoping my family and friends also know my intention. Only wish is anyone would remember me and good moments together sometimes.

On top of the brilliant topics, I'd like point out other great aspects of this webtoon.

* might be some spoilers *

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1. Drawing

- dividing color life / death, many different facial expression over ages and genders

Webtoon starts with just drawing in black and white. But later some scenes come with colors. This is a very smart technic to express the difference between life and death, and this brings you stunning impressions for the story. 

 

And, it is still surprisingly describing lots of diffent ages and genders with lots of facial expressions althougth drawing seems simple or kinda tough with thick lines and less colors. This is very unsual drawing with other very smooth and neat graphic drawings from most of webtoons. 

 

2. Scenes

- angles (looking up/down/Going around like camera / hiding some parts to show the hidden parts) / stares to readers, no frames for each scenes, close up and fade away / parallel layout 

 

Not sure if I should call the scenes as layout of the drawings. When reading story, you may be fell like in the vast space, sometimes you are spinning around, or jooming in / out to the screen. Showing various perspective of the scenes, webtoon delivers dramatic messages to readers. Especailly the paralled layout was amazaing from episode 18. 

3. Story - familiar situation, or something you may think very irrelevant to you

 

The most remarkable aspect is that the story is putting you on other shoes to provide deeper impression of the topic. To someone who never thought about death, it is telling death is not something away from you but happens with no notice in anytime. To someone who loses willingness for life, the story advices to reflect your life and buddens to your family, friends and yourself. The stroy also kindly reminds you that you may be able to correct things, or provides you moment to apologise sincerely. 

 

 

4. BGM - invites you to the story deeply, and implies head-up for the stroies

 

Is there any stronger cheating way to create great atmosphere other than music? This webtoon plays music when you scroll down the stories, and this music is very deeply connected to the themes and moods. Brilliantly, sometimes music title also explains further about the themes. Thus, turn up the volume and enjoy this with the music in the quite place! (you may need some tissues as well)

 

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Nevertheless, there are some drawbacks as well.

 

Since this is Korean comics, translated version is limited to show the nuance of honorific, such as polit speech to others. (존댓말, jon-daek-mal) I think this is inevitable cultural differences that even great translation can't overcome. 

 

The biggest part is some terms that wasn't perfectly describing the meanings because it also somewhat related to philosphical or regional meanings. Mu (무, 無) has so vast feelings with the meaning, but unfortunately it is translated in nothing. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu_(negative)

Mu (negative) - Wikipedia

Lastly, also Korean address terms are insufficiant to be explaned in English. When old couple calls each other in Korea, grandfather calls grandmother as Hal-moem (할멈), and grandmother calls grandfather as Young-gam (영감). I was a bit disappointed to see the translation for this scenes, cause I think those words also imply their relationship long time together. These are the specific addressing terms between old couples, and I wish there are better translation in other languages with same feelings. 

 

 

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It has total 28 comics with 22 episodes. You won't regret it. Please try it.