The longest best-selling cartoon title in Korea is "Far Countries Near Countries" series by Lee, Won-Book, a Duksung Women's University professor. Since its first publication in 1987, it has sold 12 million copies including its sequel series "Length*Width World History" And it's still on the top best-selling cartoon chart.
There's a behind-the-scene story of unique cartoon of the professor. Rhie never learned how to draw cartoon, he pioneered his own way.
Rhie was graduated from Architecture Engineering of Seoul National University, not an art college. But he was a talented artist since childhood, so he could earn his tuition for architecture engineering school by serializing cartoons on newspapers. And it was his overseas studying experience that broadened his perspective.
When he was studying design and Western history in Munster, Germany, he started serialize his own experience in Europe on a teen magazine.
This cartoon that supported his tuition fee was the groundwork of today's "Far Countries, Near Countries." It was the birth of Rhie's cartoon with wit yet serious characters and, down-to-earth and extensive knowledge.
Also "Far Countries Near Countries" is a unprecedented cartoon title that is regarded as social science book.
Rhie's cartoon widened the perspective of many people to the world when overseas trips were limited. Because of this, publication experts pick this title as the best-selling social science title from 1980s and 1990s.
Rhie recently released the third title of "Length*Width World History", the Middle East.
This title provides balanced perspective to the unfamiliar Islamic world and Middle East issues.
Knowledges on the beginning of Islamic world, Islamic doctrines and philosophy, relationship and development of Islam and European civilizations, and the inside of the Middle East strifes are clearly told in this title.
Also Rhie's cartoon is an export product. Translation rights of his cartoons have been sold to China, Taiwan and Thailand, and the title is receiving great responses in the markets.
Extracted from Maeil Business Newspaper, March 23, 2007 |
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