Master Cartoonist Huh Young-man
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"There is nobody in this world who is inferior to me". That's the phrase that is hanging above Huh Young-man's desk as a constant reminder of his goal to improve and grow. Let's take a closer look at the life of cartoonist Huh Young-man, who has remained at the top of the cartoon world for over 30 years.
True-to-life characters
Huh's desk is blanketed with post-it notes containing all kinds of hand-written reminders. It was Huh's meticulous nature and professionalism that made him one of Korea's best cartoonists. Since debuting in the cartoon world in 1974, Huh has created a myriad of cartoons dealing with the subjects of society and culture, such as "Lonely Guitarist", "Beat", "Hole No. 19", "Asphalt Guy", "48＋1", "Hustler", "Morning Will Never Come If You Twist a Chicken's Neck" and "Horse Day". Huh's characters, most of which are true-to-life figures with numerous shortcomings, captured the spotlight in movies and dramas after the late 1990s when he produced his biggest hits, including "Trickster, "Fly, Superboard", and "Jajang Noodles". And the TV dramas "Mister Q", starring actress Kim Hee-sun, and "Asphalt Guy", starring Lee Byung-hun and Jung Woo-sung, were huge hits.
Huh's works have taken many actors to stardom, including Jung Woo-sung, Yu Oh-seong and Im Chang-jung, who all acquired the status of big-screen stars in 1997 through the movie "Beat", which was based on Huh's same-titled cartoon. The dramatic and well-knit plots of Huh's cartoons always draw attention as good movie storylines. Over three decades of life as a cartoonist, Huh has never veered away from the cartoon world. Even after the mid-1990s, when seasoned cartoonists began disappearing one by one from the public eye, Huh continued to produce works that always created a sensation. Even people who swore they would never read comic books again could never turn away from Huh's characters and stories.
Smart winner who craves adventures
Huh's road to becoming who he is today was not without its share of bumps. But at every decisive moment, the first thing he did was rise to the challenge. The early period of Huh's career coincided with the so-called "comic book store era" of the 1970s and 1980s, when the only way to read comic books was in comic book stores. Huh's cartoons Mask and Spider brought out his best as a master of sports cartoons, while "Lonely Guitarist" and "Like a Chameleon" made headlines as unconventional philosophical cartoons. From today's viewpoint, they may look like a chaotic and senseless mixture of notions, but at the time they had a profound impact on young people. Huh's cartoons The Wall, which depicts the political reality of the Fifth Republic through the youngest grandson of a tycoon family, and "Oh, Han River", which deals with the subject of national division and portrays Korea's modern history through the life of an artist, were bold attempts to discuss politics during turbulent times for the nation.
The era of the 1970s and 80s, which mass-produced lengthy series by renowned cartoonists by using their enormous brand power, also produced a number of masterpieces. But that era was doomed to end because of the limits of mass-production, the maturation of comic book readers, and most significantly, the inflow of Japanese cartoons in the 1990s. The "comic book store" system was a safe market for cartoonists, but they had to choose whether to continue to be "sheltered" by the system, even knowing that the market would continue to shrink, or to publish their works in book form. Huh was the first cartoonist to break away from the established system. He was not just a winner but a smart and realistic winner. Of all cartoonists of the "comic book store era", he was the shrewdest in interpreting reality and the first to realize what he should do in the new market.
Nicknamed "public servant"
It takes more than just decisiveness and a strong will to reach the top. It also takes thorough preparation, perfect equipment, reliable support, cool-headed self-management and accurate judgment. All of these factors are reflected in Huh's works. Despite his love for alcohol, Huh knows how to be temperate. He hikes whenever he has time, and he has excellent endurance and vitality for his age. It's not hard to guess why he has stayed on top for such a long time.
Born in 1947 in Yeosu, S. Jeolla Province
1966 - Studied under Park Pyung-il after graduating from high school
1996 - Debuted as cartoonist after being selected at 1974 competition of up-and-coming cartoonists of The Hankook Ilbo
Works:
"Oh, Han River" (1987), "Asphalt Guy" (1991), "Goodbye, America" (1991), "Beat" (1994), "Salesman" (1994), "Jajang Noodles" (1998), "Trickster" (2000)
True-to-life characters
Huh's desk is blanketed with post-it notes containing all kinds of hand-written reminders. It was Huh's meticulous nature and professionalism that made him one of Korea's best cartoonists. Since debuting in the cartoon world in 1974, Huh has created a myriad of cartoons dealing with the subjects of society and culture, such as "Lonely Guitarist", "Beat", "Hole No. 19", "Asphalt Guy", "48＋1", "Hustler", "Morning Will Never Come If You Twist a Chicken's Neck" and "Horse Day". Huh's characters, most of which are true-to-life figures with numerous shortcomings, captured the spotlight in movies and dramas after the late 1990s when he produced his biggest hits, including "Trickster, "Fly, Superboard", and "Jajang Noodles". And the TV dramas "Mister Q", starring actress Kim Hee-sun, and "Asphalt Guy", starring Lee Byung-hun and Jung Woo-sung, were huge hits.
Huh's works have taken many actors to stardom, including Jung Woo-sung, Yu Oh-seong and Im Chang-jung, who all acquired the status of big-screen stars in 1997 through the movie "Beat", which was based on Huh's same-titled cartoon. The dramatic and well-knit plots of Huh's cartoons always draw attention as good movie storylines. Over three decades of life as a cartoonist, Huh has never veered away from the cartoon world. Even after the mid-1990s, when seasoned cartoonists began disappearing one by one from the public eye, Huh continued to produce works that always created a sensation. Even people who swore they would never read comic books again could never turn away from Huh's characters and stories.
Smart winner who craves adventures
Huh's road to becoming who he is today was not without its share of bumps. But at every decisive moment, the first thing he did was rise to the challenge. The early period of Huh's career coincided with the so-called "comic book store era" of the 1970s and 1980s, when the only way to read comic books was in comic book stores. Huh's cartoons Mask and Spider brought out his best as a master of sports cartoons, while "Lonely Guitarist" and "Like a Chameleon" made headlines as unconventional philosophical cartoons. From today's viewpoint, they may look like a chaotic and senseless mixture of notions, but at the time they had a profound impact on young people. Huh's cartoons The Wall, which depicts the political reality of the Fifth Republic through the youngest grandson of a tycoon family, and "Oh, Han River", which deals with the subject of national division and portrays Korea's modern history through the life of an artist, were bold attempts to discuss politics during turbulent times for the nation.
The era of the 1970s and 80s, which mass-produced lengthy series by renowned cartoonists by using their enormous brand power, also produced a number of masterpieces. But that era was doomed to end because of the limits of mass-production, the maturation of comic book readers, and most significantly, the inflow of Japanese cartoons in the 1990s. The "comic book store" system was a safe market for cartoonists, but they had to choose whether to continue to be "sheltered" by the system, even knowing that the market would continue to shrink, or to publish their works in book form. Huh was the first cartoonist to break away from the established system. He was not just a winner but a smart and realistic winner. Of all cartoonists of the "comic book store era", he was the shrewdest in interpreting reality and the first to realize what he should do in the new market.
Nicknamed "public servant"
It takes more than just decisiveness and a strong will to reach the top. It also takes thorough preparation, perfect equipment, reliable support, cool-headed self-management and accurate judgment. All of these factors are reflected in Huh's works. Despite his love for alcohol, Huh knows how to be temperate. He hikes whenever he has time, and he has excellent endurance and vitality for his age. It's not hard to guess why he has stayed on top for such a long time.
Born in 1947 in Yeosu, S. Jeolla Province
1966 - Studied under Park Pyung-il after graduating from high school
1996 - Debuted as cartoonist after being selected at 1974 competition of up-and-coming cartoonists of The Hankook Ilbo
Works:
"Oh, Han River" (1987), "Asphalt Guy" (1991), "Goodbye, America" (1991), "Beat" (1994), "Salesman" (1994), "Jajang Noodles" (1998), "Trickster" (2000)
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