Cartoonist refuses to die away in digital age
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Jang Tai-san, a resident cartoonist of the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency’s Manhwa Business Center, poses during an interview at his office in Buchoen, Gyeonggi Province, June 19. / Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
This is the first in a series of interviews with resident cartoonists of the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency’s Manhwa Business Center. — ED.
By Baek Byung-yeul
When cartoonist Jang Tai-san revealed that he would release a new comic book series online last January, many manhwa or “comic books” fans hailed the 62-year-old legendary cartoonist’s comeback.
Some of his loyal fans showed concern over whether the veteran artist, who was accustomed to using a pen in his career spanning four decades, can adjust to digital methods. Dispelling those worries, Jang has been received well with his new fictional-history comics “Monghol,” telling the life story of Genghis Khan.
Jang started serializing “Monghol” on Naver (www.naver.com), Korea’s largest portal operator every Friday from January 8. Competing with 26 other Friday “webtoons” (online manhwa), Jang’s latest works have proven a success, positioned just above the middle in the popular list.
Sitting with The Korea Times on June 19, Jang, shared his story as a cartoonist and the hardships he faced entering the digital era.
“I have been preparing ‘Monghol’ for years in a rented atelier from the Manhwa Agency. Now I feel satisfied as I can breathe with my readers with my new cartoon,” Jang said at his atelier located in the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency’s Manhwa Business Center, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.
Jang said he had a hard time at first getting used to the digital mouse for drawing on a monitor instead of drawing on paper, but he finally adapted with the help of young cartoonists at the agency.
An image from Jang Tai-san’s online comic strip “Monghol.” In the cartoon, Jang depicts a fictional life story of Genghis Khan. / Courtesy of the artist
“While I was planning on drawing the life story of Genghis Khan, I was asked to release the series on Naver. But to serialize my work online, I had to learn how to use all kinds of digital tools.
“Without the help from young artists such as Choi Gyu-seok and Seok Jeong-hyeon, I couldn’t even imagine doing it,” he said, laughing.
Jang currently works for “Monghol” without anyone’s help. “After using digitalized tools for creating my work, it is better to work on my cartoon single handedly.”
Starting his cartoon career in 1968, Jang made his first comic strip appearance in 1982 with “Bulkkot” (Flame), and enjoyed his heyday during the 80s and 90s with action comics such as “A Man Called Beast,” “Gwimundo” and “Sky Wrestler.”
The glory days would not last as the culture ministry designated cartoons, along with cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, as “harmful substances” for youngsters in 1997. Since then, the country’s cartoon industry, which was previously thriving, was in sharp decline until online comic strips replaced printed cartoons in the mid 2000s.
“When online comics became popular here a decade ago, I thought it could not possibly replace print publishing because the payment online cartoonists received at that time was ridiculously small,” he said. “But thanks to many up-and-coming young cartoonists and the development of technology, the webtoon business emerged from its toughest time ever. I think I am bridging the gap between the older and younger generations.”
Jang said “Monghol” would probably be his first and last online comic strip.
“Currently, I am drawing the childhood of Genghis Khan. I am expecting it will take 10 years to finish the whole story. I hope that I will draw my version of his story by the end of my own life,” Jang said.
Introducing “Monghol,” Jang emphasized that his cartoon is basically fiction, not 100 percent based on the history of Genghis Khan.
“The thing is I don’t have a way to find the real story of Genghis Khan as no specific historical records of him survive nowadays. I would like to define my cartoon as a surviving story about people who struggle to live on the barren steppe in Mongolia,” Jang said.
‘Stay fit for creative activity’
At age 62, the cartoonist has a thin, yet muscular physique.
When asked about giving advice to younger cartoonists, Jang emphasized building up stamina is the most important element for creators, saying to “invest at least an hour every other day for exercise.”
“I started to go to the fitness center a few years ago after I injured my waist. Before the injury, I was not interested in paying attention to my health, but I had to visit the center as I was recommended to do so by my doctor.
“Surprisingly, there were a lot of changes in my life. In the past, it was hard for me to sit on a chair for a long time, but now I can concentrate on drawing my work continuously for 10 to 13 hours a day,” he said.
Jang said he has witnessed many talented cartoonists struggle with health problems.
“No matter how well cartoonists create their cartoons, if they lack stamina, they are destined to experience hardships. I would like to advise young cartoonists to invest at least an hour every other day for exercise. I guarantee it will help them in many ways,” he said.