Choi Seong Guk (pictured left) is believed to be the first North Korean

defector to author a webtoon, with his series called ‘Rodong Simmun [a wordplay

on Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s state-run newspaper: ‘simmun’ means

investigation or inquisition].’ Mr. Choi will be publishing his webtoon series

each Wednesday through Naver’s ‘Comic Book Challenge’ page, which started at

the beginning of the month. His intriguing and realistic depictions of North

Korean defectors resettling in South Korea and the hardships they endure is

drawing attention from a diverse readership.

South Korean readers have praised the series as ‘compelling

and fun,’ with some commenting that they felt they “really need to try and

better understand those who come from the North.” North Korean defectors are

also getting into the series, saying it takes them back to their initial days

of resettlement in South Korea and “accurately depicts the differences in

culture between North and South Korea.”

Choi’s background is also noteworthy. For many years, he

worked at a studio called SEK in North Korea prior to his defection in 2011.

After living under North Korea’s socialist system, he experienced challenges in

adjusting to the markedly different lifestyle in South Korea, even though he

felt that he understood it. His former job in North Korea required him to draw

pictures to match a pre-written script, and he found it to be a significant

departure from his old mindset to be able to freely compose both a story and

the drawings to go with it.

In a recent email interview with Daily NK, Mr. Choi said

that because of this he has struggled greatly. “It’s really been do-or-die”, he

wrote. “The hardest thing has been writing scripts on my own.”

However, rather than giving up, Mr. Choi is striving to

achieve his personal dream. As a North Korean, he feels a sense of duty to more

fully understand his home country, and attempting to do so is not always easy.

Nevertheless, he enjoys his work immensely.

Mr. Choi wrote, “I have never in my life been as excited

about my work as I am now. I want to work hard and afterwards write something

from the perspective of liberal democracy that in a subtle way draws out

the cultural differences between the North and South.”

Mr. Choi’s positive outlook has been bolstered by the

support that he has received online for his work. He said that he found it both

surprising and rewarding when internet users started leaving messages in

response to his stories telling him to ‘keep up the good work.’

Whereas in the past he would merely focus on his work, he is

now mindful of his readers when composing new webtoons. “It’s amazing. I can

also feel how I am changing together with my readers. I feel like I am becoming

a more complete person and growing at the same time,” he wrote.

Mr. Choi finished his email to DailyNK by mentioning his

aspirations, saying, “In South Korea, I find it incredible that all kinds of

things are seen as talent and can be used to earn a living. I would hope to

share this with defectors that have come to the South after me, and if possible

share it with people in the North too,” adding, “This is despite the fact that

many people in the North would find it impossible to believe that South Koreans

can enjoy the works of a North Korean defector.”