East Asian Perspective in Transmedia Storytelling | The Multimedia Life of a Korean Graphic Novel: A Case Study of Yoon Taeho’s Ikki (Feature)

Abstract

In this article, I suggest that the multimedia life of the Korean graphic novel Ikki (Moss) exemplifies the prospects for Korean graphic novels both at home and abroad. I discuss author Yoon Taeho’s utilization and engagement with the highly developed Internet infrastructure in the Republic of Korea, as well as the success of Ikki as a work of creative writing that resonates strongly with the trauma and abuse of power that have characterized much of contemporary Korean history. I anticipate that the multimedial opportunities enjoyed by Korean graphic novels today, combined with the translation of representative works into languages such as English, Japanese, and Chinese, will allow these works to take their place alongside better known components of the wave of Korean popular culture (Hallyu) that is increasingly driving popular cultural production worldwide.