Star attraction

Author: (Korean) Lee Hyejae Illustration / Fan Weili
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: This book was originally serialized in newspapers and magazines from 1986 to 1989. The author attempts to express his thoughts and feelings about this specific period in 1980s Korean history through his brush and visual metaphors. The title work, "Star of the Signboard," tells the story of a woman who is mistakenly believed by her family and friends to be a famous star in the big city, while in reality, she is just singing in a bar. The story employs satire throughout, reflecting the hardships of the Korean working class, the contradictions of modern society, and exposing the dark side of capitalist society. "Star of the Signboard" was praised by the Korean critics and readers as the best comic work in Korea since 1945, which shows people's desire to read works with profound content. Part of the success of this work may lie in the author's skillful use of humor and the joy of life to lighten the weight of history and the hardships of life. Another story, "The Path to Dawn," deals with domestic violence. After the son of a cleaner dies from carbon monoxide poisoning, the cleaner abuses his innocent wife. Another story also involves domestic violence, where a mother abuses her daughter, believing she has been stealing, unaware that her daughter has secretly saved money for years to treat her mother. The author of this book is known as a "realist" in the Korean comic world, unflinchingly depicting the social reality where the Korean working class, under unbearable societal pressure, turn to torment other laborers in the same way. At the same time, he emphasizes the transformation of the function of the family in Korean society. In Korea, the social hierarchy is strict and numerous, determined by factors such as class, gender, and age. The family becomes a microcosm and a victim of the social hierarchy.