The Eternal Smile : Derek kirk Kim


The Eternal Smile, by Gene Luen Yang & Derek Kirk Kim.
New York: First Second, 2009. * pp. ISBN



Aspect to Aspect Transtion in The Eternal Smile (p. 35)
Medium: Watercolor, A splash page

Derek Kirk Kim (b. 1974 in Gumi, South Korea) is an award-winning Korean-American cartoonist. He won both major industry awards in 2004, the Eisner and the Harvey, for his debut graphic novel Same Difference and Other Stories, which was originally serialized on his website Lowbright (formerly known as "Small Stories"). He also won the Ignatz Award for promising new talent, in 2003, for the same graphic novel (which was originally published with the help of a 2002 Xeric Award).

Kim came to the United States when he was eight. He considers himself fortunate to have received formal training in the visual arts and in the craft of writing. Much of his early highly acclaimed work was done while living with his parents in Pacifica, California. He now lives in Portland, Oregon.

All of his stories reflect, to a greater or lesser degree, his personal experiences. He offers poignant tales with an ever-present dash of humor. His drawing style is realistic and clean, based on the "clear line" school made famous by Tintin creator Hergé. His story lines range from the naturalistic to the fantastic.

Most of the hostility and criticism of Kim's work seems to be self-directed (either explicitly or by skewering protagonists who resemble their creator), perhaps reflecting the influence of Robert Crumb.

Derek kirk Kim

Priest : Min Woo Hyung




Priest was a manhwa (Korean comic) series created by Hyung Min-woo. It fuses the Western genre with supernatural horror and dark fantasy themes and is notable for its unusual, angular art style. An interview with Hyung in Priest: Volume 3 states that the comic was inspired by the computer game Blood, which featured a similar horror-Western aesthetic and undead protagonist.



Priest was published in English by Tokyopop. The manhwa was adapted into the 2011 American horror film of the same name.



Director: Scott Charles Stewart
Writers: Cory Goodman, Min-Woo Hyung
Stars: Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet and Maggie Q

Born in 1973, Hyung published his first manwha, Chronicle of a Hot-blooded Judo King, in 1994 and four years later the first volume of Priest caught the attention of readers around the world. Priest was made into a video game (not available in the US) and there's been rumors of a movie, but to date no official announcement has been made regarding the status of the project.

Parking, : June Bum Park




Parking 2002. DVD still - You Tube

Like a young boy playing with his toys, June Bum Park guides and protects the people in the miniature play worlds of his video works with touching tenderness. Through a clever shift of perspective, the most ordinary of environments are transformed into extraordinary scenes in which the artist’s hands interfere with the forces and currents of our everyday lives in a way that is both comic and comforting.

In I Parking a regular car park becomes a playmat for matchbox-sized cars and miniature people as the artist guides the movement of cars and pedestrians, holding back cars to let people pass and maneuvering vehicles into safe positions. II Crossing shows Park’s ever-attentive hands directing the flow of traffic and pedestrians at an intersection. With devotion and patience, these omnipotent hands prevent accidents and betray the choreographed randomness of our daily movements.Played back at high speed, the ant-like actions of the people in these video works provide us with a humorous perspective on our own lives and portray an undeniable affection for humanity.


June Bum Park was born in Seoul in 1976 and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Department of Art Education at Sungkyunkwan University in 2003. Park’s video works have been shown extensively internationally, with solo exhibitions including videos, Gallery Koch und Kesslau, Berlin, Germany, 2004; and crossing, Gallery Jungmiso, Seoul, Korea, 2003; and group exhibitions including The 3rd Seoul International Media Art Biennale, Korea, 2004-5; Art Forum Berlin 04, Berlin, Germany, 2004; The Cobweb, (CGAC) Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, Galicia, Spain, 2004; bizart video festival, Bizart Center, Shanghai, China, 2003; and reality bites, Alternative spaces LOOP, Seoul, Korea, 2002.

June bum Park
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