'You don't need a degree': Korean webtoonist shares success advice

MANILA, Philippines — Dreaming of one day creating comics such as “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?” and “The Red Sleeve,” which have since been adapted into live-action Korean dramas starring some of Korea’s superstars?

At the recent opening of “K-Comics World Tour” in The M (Metropolitan Museum) in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, "The Red Sleeve" artist Cho Hye-seung shared some tips for aspiring cartoonists.

“One of the things that I would like to strongly recommend about being an artist is that you do not have to have a good degree or a prior knowledge… you do not have to go to that narrow way to actually be an artist,” Cho said in Korean, translated into English by an interpreter.

“You just need to make your results and the readers will be right there to actually have a check on your works.”

“The most important thing is your constant effort to actually publish your works and to talk about the priorities that you have to take… do you have the willingness to actually keep this going?” she pointed out.

Being a cartoonist or an artist entails a lot of patience because sometimes, a project takes years to be finished. 

“For this single project that I'm working in, I'm actually spending three to 4.5 years. And you know, to talk about my preparing stage, it's almost like five years,” she shared. 

“To to think about my lifespan, which is, which I'm assuming is like 100 years, five years is not a small period of time. A lot of other Western artists actually took more of their years to be successful in their fields.”

Contrary to stereotypes that artists are aloof and introverted, being the opposite has actually put Cho in a better place as an artist.

“Please encounter a lot of people in this world until you get that sincere message that you would like to give to the readers,” she suggested.

“You have to have the two important factors… one of them is that you have to have fun… and you have to have the meaning of the work that you're doing.”

Open to the public for free viewing, “K-Comics World Tour” showcases the successful expansion of Korean webtoons into various media. The exhibit, organized by the Korean Cultural Center, runs until August 10.

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