The Korean Cultural Center in New York from Oct. 31 to Dec. 16 will jointly host with the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency the exhibition

The Korean Cultural Center in New York from Oct. 31 to Dec. 16 will jointly host with the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency the exhibition “Bang! K-Webtoon,” which showcases Korea’s leading webtoons. From the left are the webtoons “Navillera,” “True Beauty” and “The Red Sleeve.”

By Xu Aiying
Photos = Korean Cultural Center in New York

Korean webtoons will be showcased in New York.

The Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in New York on Oct. 19 announced its joint hosting of the exhibition “Bang! K-Webtoon” from Oct. 31 to Dec. 16 with the Korea Manhwa (Cartoon) Contents Agency to showcase Korea’s leading webtoons.

The exhibition will offers a range of webtoons like those set in modern times and others with traditional themes including “Navillera,” which is nominated for the Eisner Award, dubbed the Oscars of American comics, for Best Webcomic; “True Beauty,” which was made into a popular TV series; and “The Red Sleeve,” a romance featuring King Jeongjo, the 22nd monarch of the Joseon Dynasty who ruled in the late 1700s.

For visitors to better understand the lives of court ladies-in-waiting during the Joseon era (1392-1910) and royal court culture as shown in “The Red Sleeve,” Seoul Museum of History will also display traditional works like the classic novels “Gwakjangyangmunrok” and “Gungnyeosa.”

The exhibition will also receive aid from the Cultural Heritage Administration and Namwon, Jeollabuk-do Province, which is home to the nationally designated scenic spot Gwanghalluwon Garden and a key setting for “The Red Sleeve,” to promote the beauty of Hanbok (traditional clothing) by displaying the royal robes of the Joseon king and the attire of court ladies-in-waiting.

The KCC said, “This exhibition will serve as a venue for directly showcasing and introducing to New Yorkers the charm and global influence of Korean webtoons, which serve as source content for the ‘K-drama syndrome,'” adding, “We hope that K-webtoons, which are transcending Korea and leaping onto the global stage, develop into Hallyu content that represents the country.”

This is the promotional poster for the exhibition

This is the promotional poster for the exhibition “Bang! K-Webtoon” slated for New York.

xuaiy@korea.kr