Stephen May, Director of The Screen Arts Institute, was invited to deliver a keynote speech to promote Korean “manhwa” alongside the launch of the Korean London Film Festival.
“Manhwa” is the less well-known cousin to Japanese manga. The blockbuster “Priest” was based on a manhwa graphic novel and represents just the tip of an iceberg of storytelling and illustrating talent coming out of South Korea.
The Korean Cultural Centre (Grand Buildings, 1-3 Strand, London WC2N 5BW) is running a three week exhibition of “manhwa” illustrations and video from November 1st to November 18th, before the exhibition moves on to New York.
With Korean cinema hitting a resurgence over the last ten years and films such as “Oldboy”, “Musa” and “Memories of Murder” wowing international audiences – will manhwa take on the might of Marvel and DC and compete head-to-head with the US and Japanese gaming/webtoon industries?
Check the links below for an mp3 of Stephen May’s speech and links to some of the best of manhwa.