Woman

About the Artist

Park Jaedong — The Godfather of Korean Editorial Cartooning Park Jaedong (born December 20, 1952) is one of Korea's most influential cartoonists and art educators, having debuted in the cartoon world in 1974. Born in Beomseoeup, Ulsan, he moved to Busan around age ten and grew up immersed in comics at his father's manhwa-bang (comic book rental shop). The son of a looked-down-upon comic shop owner went on to enter the Painting Department at Seoul National University, a proud achievement for his humble family. After a long period of searching, he embarked on the path of an editorial cartoonist. After teaching art at Hwimun High School and Junggyeong High School from 1979, he joined the Hankyoreh newspaper at its founding in 1988 and serialized the editorial cartoon column Hankyoreh Geulimpan for eight years. Through sharp satire and social commentary during the 1980s and '90s, he earned the reputation as the master of Korean editorial cartooning, with critics noting that "Korean editorial cartooning can be divided into before and after Park Jaedong." In 1984, he joined Reality and Utterance (Hyeonsilgwa Bareon), the pioneering Minjung art collective, working alongside major contemporaries such as Oh Yun, Lim Oksang, Kim Jeongheon, and Kang Yobae. His work is recognized not merely as political satire but as art that elevates the lives and social voices of ordinary people. In 1996, he founded the animation company Odolttogi and produced the TV editorial cartoon segment Park Jaedong's TV Manpyeong for MBC Newsdesk, crossing the boundaries between comics and motion pictures. Webtoon artist Kang Full has credited Park's editorial cartoons as the inspiration for his own career, and the animation sequence depicting the May 18th Gwangju Uprising in the film 26 Years was also produced by Odolttogi, underscoring Park's broad influence on Korean comics and visual culture. His statement — "The more power oppresses the public, the fiercer and more powerful cartoonists' works become" — encapsulates his artistic spirit. He received the 10th Kobau Cartoon Award, the 4th Democratic Press Award, and the 1st Hankyoreh Award for expanding the social role of comics. As a professor in the Animation Department at the Korea National University of Arts, he has also devoted himself to nurturing the next generation, inspiring countless young artists with his educational philosophy: "There is no right answer in art — think of yourself as a cartoonist right now and start drawing." His major publications include Palm Art, Life Comics, and Silk Road Sketch Journey Vols. 1 & 2.