Ha Il-Kwon works

[Rose]

 

Ha Il-Kwon is the author of 8 manhwas(webtoons more precisely) and 1 manga. This man is not simply a good author, he's a genius. Even if I know I'm being biased here, it's an insult to call him any less than that. Among his works, the ones I read are:

 

• Annarasumanara - Do you believe in magic? How would you answer this question? Think about it and look back, think about the children you once were and try to image how it would react to your answer. The story brings light to opposite sides of the same coin, the growing up. Studies, decisions about the future, the truth in life itself. Above all, what's the right way to live?
• 3-Level Combination - This story shows a lot about receiving bullying and to a lesser extent, about addressing the consequences of bullying others. It'll also question about possible problems that would arise with the birth of human-like robots, with a focus on their use for different kinds of human relationships and emotions.
• My Heart Is Beating - Loss of identity, divided families, not being able to do what you truly love. MHIB brings light into how hard the life of students in Korea is, however, it's message applies to anywhere in the world. What do you truly love doing? Does your studies matter more to your heart, enough to render your desires unnecessary for your life? "In sports… no… in everything… you can’t become good because someone’s forcing you… we were all born to do what we love… am I wrong?"
• After School War Activities - ASWA shows a cruel side of war, one where kids (yes, high schoolers are by no means adults) are forced to take military training to participate in war. It's way more relevant if you know about Korean story when it comes to war, which is something that still hunts them even now while it seems that the threat is small. Also, it shows how much pressure there is upon the back of students in Korea, one which is ridiculous if taken in consideration the extremely high amount of youth suicides and study hours for students in their last year.

Those four are all masterpieces. I was impressed at first at just how amazingly different it feels to read a webtoon when compared to reading a regular manga, from the no-page style to the colors, it's extremely refreshing and beautiful. But what truly makes those manhwas incredible is just how deep those stories are, you can pick classic books out there that won't get close to how much those stories are going to mess with your feelings. In special, Annarasumanara and My Heart Is Beating are probably the greatest ones out of his works, but not only are they masterpieces, they are life-changing stories. I'll highlight Annarasumanara here, not only because it's mine and of many others favorite, but because it's likely to be the easiest to read without thinking "wtf is this?", trust me, if you only read the first chapters of My Heart Is Beating or only the synopsis, it'll look like just another ecchi.

 

 

I wasn't kidding when I said that Annarasumanara is a life-changing experience, I am extremely grateful toward Ha Il-Kwon for writing it because it literally changed my life. The background is simple: There are rumors about a mysterious magician; one who can make true magic. He lives in an abandoned carnival and if you go there, he'll perform real magic to you. But before doing so, he'll stare you in the eyes, deep enough to look at your very soul and ask, "Do you believe in magic?"

 

What makes the story so impressive is how much anyone can relate to it in a way. Your age doesn't matter, neither does your status, the message passed will definitely touch your heart, no, it'll do more. While reading and even after finishing it, you'll get in touch with the kid you once were, one filled with the most absurd kinds of dreams and expectations for life, you'll reflect on what you became and what you actually wish to become in the future.

 

The magic used in Annarasumanara is not the kind of magic you see in shonens, there won't be people flying, summoning creatures or meteors. If anything, it's up to you to believe in it or not, just like it is in real life. That is the beauty in the magic of this manhwa, just how much it accomplish with merely 27 chapters, 3 main characters and a bit of magic. The art was nothing less than magnificent, the characters expressions are good enough to render words useless when describing their feelings, the same goes for many "pages" where no words were needed due to the beauty of the drawings.

 

I only talked about one of his works, but most of this applies to some extent to at least the other three mentioned at the beginning. This is an artist that definitely deserves more recognition than he already got, this is a thread to discuss about his works and particularly, I'm hoping to spread his magnificent job to you guys.