Histoire d'un couple

by Yeon-Sik Hong

Yeon-Sik Hong, auteur de manhwas éducatifs, et son enthousiaste compagne So-Mi quittent Séoul et tentent d’effectuer un surprenant « retour à la terre » dans ce pays en ultra-développement qu’est la Corée du Sud…

Bientôt locataires d’une maison isolée dans la montagne, avec trois chats, un chien et des poules, ils ont fort à faire pour subvenir à leurs besoins. De plus, Yeon-Sik aura bien du mal à assurer ses accaparants travaux de commandes, et parvenir à conduire le travail d’auteur, dont il rêve depuis des années… Rudes sont les hivers et terribles certaines angoisses, mais l’équilibre reviendra bientôt par l’observation de la nature, la cueillette et le travail du potager.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Memoir, Nonfiction, Manga, Asia, Bande Dessinée

570 pages, Broché

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's be honest.....
I felt overwhelmed before I even started this 600 page graphic autobiography.
Its physically heavy. It wasn't cheap either. Doesn't sound like I'm selling this book very well -does it?....
.......On the politically correct plus side of things,......the book cover is recycled paper: nobody had to tell me that -- it's pretty obvious!

I've mentioned this before -- I've developed an appreciation for graphic novels ( I WANT THE CREAM OF THE CROP ONE'S), ....no crappy junkie graphics, please.
I can justify buying these from time to time, because I can put them in our guest room to be read by our visitors.

This book had some BUZZ PRESS..... great professional reviews-
"Yippy.....I'm all over it"!
"I'm all over it?", really?" When did I start talking like this?
Forgive me -- I'm stuck at home unable to walk much for a few days. ( a little boo-boo-zapped out of my heel)...

Once I stopped resisting reading this lengthy book....the story took hold quickly.
We follow a married couple who leave the city for the mountains.
We get an honest look at their real life - the struggles and happiness. They are both artists. They thought they wanted a less hectic life --The husband is the one with the type of personality that tends to spin out of control with worry and anxiety. His wife is the cooler - calmer - and collective one.
However, living in the mountains was not easy for either of them. They had all the seasons to survive.
One of their struggles was money - The husband was especially finding it difficult to move his career forward.
Happy moments were things like grilled fish jerky and seaweed and mackerel.... AND THE SWEET SMILES FROM THE WIFE: her calmness - for both of them was uplifting.

They each had inner -independent -frustrations --but it was moving to read about how this couple problem solved together.

Possibly 200 pages longer than this book needed to be---yet it was heartfelt-- touching, and charming. Dogs, cats, gardening, writing, cooking, dealing with the elements---brrrrrr.....the couple was nested with love.

3.7 stars.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strange read . . .

A young, newly married Korean couple flee the city for life in an isolated rented house on a mountain. He's working on a graphic novel; she's working on her art. Neither is very likable. They whine, and they carp. He fumes about deadlines, and his editor, then tussles with his inner demons, rages at tourists visiting the mountain, and criticizes his wife's cooking. She repeatedly mentions that she should get a job, and contribute to their income, but does nothing about it.

The artwork is not spectacular:





. . . although I do like the way the author draws cats licking themselves.

So, I should have hated this book, right?

And yet . . .

I had trouble putting it down; I kept turning and turning the pages - all 572 of them!

There is a certain sweetness and charm to this couple, and their efforts at homemaking, their willingness to put in the hours and back-breaking work to achieve their dreams. And, I LOVE the way they celebrate and enjoy each season; they really take the time to appreciate nature.

The ending was rather bittersweet, but oh, so realistic.

Wherever they are now, here's hoping this couple is still happily together.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully done graphic memoir by Korean artist Yeon-Sik Hong about he and his wife's year or so renting an isolated house on a mountain. At 592 pages (originally published in two volumes) it is massive, promising Moby Dick-like epic-ness, but what you get is the sweet story of the marriage of two artists.

Hong needs to get out of Seoul, a big, loud, dirty city, though he is still going to school there. He wants clean air and isolation. He also needs to find a balance between the commercial art projects that pay his bills and the graphic novels he wants to write. Typical artist struggle, the artistic dream and the financial reality. He is anguished, driven to illness, overworking, driving himself crazy, also procrastinating all the time. Annoying, but honest. His wife is happy and stable, talks him out--as much as possible--of his craziness, and does her own art, which she becomes wildly successful with! As does Hong, finally, as he learns to calm down, and actually completes this tome in part about that process of achieving emotional stability.

But the real sweetness of the book is the portrait of a marriage--barely surviving, almost freezing to death in the mountain winter, with cats and a dog, and too much work. This is a kind of romantic story, finally, credit going to his wife for hanging in there with him and her own success. Never read a Korean story? Here you go, you won't regret it.

[Alwynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Korean author Yeon-sik Hong took episodes from his life with his wife Sohmi Lee and transformed them into this award-winning, slice-of-life manhwa. When Yeon-sik was growing up his parents did everything possible to dissuade him from pursuing an interest in art and graphics, his father warning him that “art is only for the rich.” But despite that Yeon-sik managed to scrape a living as a comics artist doing contract work for publishers but his choices left him and his wife living in a cramped, noisy apartment in Seoul. In search of something better the couple, and their cats, move to the countryside, renting a small, draughty house close to Jukyeop Forest. The cats adapt to rural life with aplomb, not so their humans who’re initially overwhelmed by the isolation, the lack of reliable transport, strange sounds emanating from the forest and the overwhelming darkness that surrounds them when night falls. But Hong’s story’s as much about his battles with himself as it is with nature, he’s remarkably frank in his depiction of his various flaws from his irritating blend of perfectionism and procrastination to his nit-picking and short fuse - as well as his feelings of inadequacy for not living up to cultural expectations that men should be chief providers and guardians of their family. Sohmi is more resilient, managing to cope with Hong’s mood swings and still develop her own brand of art.

It's a fascinating portrait of a couple and of a world divided between those who strive to live in harmony with their surroundings and those who simply want to exploit it in any way possible – from thoughtless tourists scattering litter to local landowners engaged in development projects which satisfy their greed but despoil the landscape. There’s a lot about Hong and Sohmi’s situation that’s recognisable from the endless accounting needed to make ends meet as they lurch from pay cheque to pay cheque, the precarity of their work to the challenges of staying together. But despite some appalling setbacks, there are also numerous moments of joy, unexpected pleasures that come from learning to grow vegetables or foraging for wild food, and having space and time to think. Hong simple but scrupulously-detailed black-and-white illustrations shift between evocative realism and marvellous bursts of fantasy or whimsy. As a manhwa it’s perhaps a little long but I quickly became absorbed in this, caught up in its rhythms and atmosphere. Translated by Helen Jo.

Rating: 3.5

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

▫️ UNCOMFORTABLY HAPPILY by Yeon-sik Hong, translated from the Korean by Hellen Jo, 2012/2017.

A graphic memoir of the one year that Yeon-sik Hong and his wife moved to a remote cabin on a mountain top. They were both eager for the quiet life after living many years in Seoul.

Hong separates the book into their seasons on the mountain; from their first hard winter with snow and little food, to the warmth and abundance of summer. The couple are both artists working on their respective projects - Hong his comics and his wife, her first children's illustrated book. It's quite a long story that grapples with things like poverty, urban encroachment and habitat destruction, the life and frustrations of being a contract artist, but also the joys of simplicity - berry picking, walks with their rescue dog, swimming in the lake.

It's a rewarding read with many funny parts, but also larger, more serious subjects.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a bit uneven - I could have done without all the fantasy and dream sequences for instance - but if you commit and make it through to the end, you get a pretty good portrait of a man navigating a psychological and physical crisis through the strength of a loving relationship with his wife. At first I was annoyed by the narrator's whininess and then at one point I worried the narrative was going to take a turn toward The Shining, but this semi-autobiographical book stays on a domestic drama track and has a subtle but rewarding ending.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good! It's an autobiographical tale. To get away from the high rents and hubbub of Seoul, Hong and his wife moved to the country, to a small house high up on a rural mountain. Part of the story is about their coping with the massive lifestyle changes and distractions of country life. Hong also went through an internal struggle to come to grips with his growing discontent with his chosen career of comics artist and the constant battle for financial stability.

The book is rich in observed detail and paints a vivid picture of rural life. Hong has a nice, clean style with just the right amount of detail. One technique he uses to good effect is to portray himself multiple times in a single panel as a way of showing himself wrestling with a problem--each self essentially argues one aspect of the situation. It's an interesting way to portray mental states. There are also a few fantasy and dream sequences that are quite striking. My favorite of these was himself and his wife breaking out into song after planting a garden and their pets join in to sing about the fertilizer they contributed. It's just goofy and fun. Loved this book! Highly recommended!

[Becki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growth is difficult. It is even more so when you are crippled with self-doubt, procrastination, jealousy, anger, and other mental health issues that most creative people live with. Hong wrote and illustrated with such raw honesty that the emotions crept off the page and into my spirit. The first three hundred pages were difficult to read because of the soul-crushing depression and firey rage that burned through the pages. The effervescent and hopeful spirit of his wife carried the story to Hong's character arc. Uncomfortably Happily is a finely tuned and well told story of growth and love. 4/5

[Matt Ely · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very different from most graphic novels I've read. The author is merciless about himself, both reveling and ridiculing the escapist fantasy of moving off the grid. Anyone with a penchant for procrastination, financial stress, and thought spirals will find themselves clearly reflected. Perhaps what I enjoyed most, though, was the clear expression of the secret language of a marriage, an understanding that only two people are allowed to share. This was a wonderful journey, though not always a pleasant one, and I'd recommend it broadly. Though I think it works best when read a chapter at a time, not all at once.

[Brian Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, childless artist-couples struggle with adversity trying to achieve a balance between what they must do to survive and what they love. This fairly long graphic novel documents these protagonists as they struggle to live an existence that forsakes convenience for the mare clearly demarcated line between necessity and bliss that exists in a wilderness setting. My first impulse was to call this novel "charming" or "cute" (which it is abundantly), but there is a good deal of darkness, especially on the part of the husband as he, almost literally, wrestles with his demons. The upshot, I guess, is that, as humans, we are all traumatized, injured and, as such, subject to emotional struggle, stress, and yearnings we don't fully understand. To distill what is important we must tame our own wilderness.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceeded expectations.
But long, and the art wasn't always clearly communicative *to me* ... I had to spend time parsing. I love the translation. And the notes by both translator and author.

I love when they learned to forage. And the bits about how all the voices in his head, or on the phone, were made animate. And that she got to spend time away, and he was just plain happy for her (more progressive than many American husbands would be). And the surreal bits when they danced in the air, or had sing-alongs with their animal companions.

Bittersweet ending.

[Barry Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen to my review on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82XzC...

Hello everyone, welcome to episode 4 of Barry's Book Reviews. Today I'm reviewing "Uncomfortably Happily" by Hong Yeon-sik. It's a Korean graphic novel, and I believe one of the first of its kind to be translated into English. It was nominated for an Ignatz Award in September 2018. The Ignatz awards were launched in 1997 and named in honor of George Herriman and his comic strip Krazy Kat. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning. Sadly "Uncomfortably Happily" didn't win. That honor went to "Why Art?" by Eleanor Davis, which I confess I know nothing about.
"Uncomfortably Happily" was translated by American cartoonist Hellen Jo. I have to confess I don't know Hellen Jo either. When this translation was published, I looked online to see if Hellen's work was available but couldn't find anything to buy or download. I checked again recently, and that still seems to be the case. So, if you have read Hellen Jo's work, why not let me know what you thought in a comment or a message? And it doesn't seem like Jo has translated any other books as far as I know. Hong Yeon sik's following translation, 'Umma’s Table’, was translated by Janet Hong. Another book I’ll review in a future episode.
The Korean edition of “Uncomfortably Happily” was very highly acclaimed and won a Manhwa Today award.
When the English translation was published, it continued a high-profile year for Korean literature being nominated for international writing and literature awards. And it was also the first of a series of successful graphic novel translations published in the last three years. Following “Uncomfortably Happily,” Hong Yeon sik published another called ‘Umma’s Table,’ Ancco published “Bad Friends” and “19”, Yeong Shin-ma published “Moms,” Keum Suk Gendry Kim published “Grass.” So, I think the success of “Uncomfortably Happily” started that trend, and long may it continue. Most of those titles are excellent and well worth checking, and I’ll review them in future episodes.
The publisher of the English translation was the Montreal-based influential alternative comics publisher Drawn and Quarterly. They should be celebrated for getting these English translations out and into shops.
And I should say the Korean original was published almost a decade ago in 2012, and the English translation made it into print in 2017.

The writer of the book, Hong Yeon sik was born in 1971. He became a manga studio apprentice in the 1990s. In 1992 he started writing his own comics, but he says that commercial projects kept him from his personal works for a decade. We’ve all got to pay those bills, right?

In 2005, Hong and his wife moved to the countryside. Two years later, Hong began work on a graphic novel inspired by these experiences. This would eventually become “Uncomfortably Happily.”
It was actually published in 2 volumes in Korea, and when it was published, it was a huge critical success and quickly went into a second printing. Now I believe Hong lives on the outskirts of Seoul but says that he would like to return to the countryside in the future.
I’ve been living in Seoul for over ten years now, and every now and again, there will be an article along the lines of – young South Koreans are burnt out on the work pressure and pace of modern life, and thousands are moving to the countryside to escape from Hell Joseon. There was one such article this year – ‘Young South Koreans, craving jobs and a slower pace of life, turn to farming,’ there was another in 2019 – “Nearly half a million S. Koreans move to rural areas in 2018”, and there was one back in 2012 – “Koreans flee stress and the city for rural idylls.” I think many people are fed up with how they live and work and want a better life. Anecdotally I know many who feel trapped by the rat race. And “Uncomfortably Happily” tapped into a lot of these feelings. It articulated something that many were and are still feeling. I grew up in the Scottish countryside, and just today, I was looking at some photographs from my last trip home on social media and couldn’t help but think that living that rural lifestyle would be more fulfilling in many ways than big city life. I love Seoul, but perhaps I’ll do what Hong did and move to the countryside one day. We can but dream, right?


So, let's talk about the book. “Uncomfortably Happily” is an autobiography and memoir.
In recent years, there has been an explosion in the popularity of literary graphic novels and graphic novel memoirs, e.g., Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Hostage by Guy Delise, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel so on and “Uncomfortably Happily” is very much in this vein of memoir.
It’s a true story of a couple moving away from the neon lights and hyper-modernity of 21st-century Seoul. Hong and his wife are struggling artists who move to a small house on top of a mountain.
Initially, they are glad to have escaped modern life.
They raise animals and lead a simple, quiet life. But of course, there are unanticipated problems and unexpected difficulties, and we see these as well.
It’s also something of an ode to the Korean countryside and the cycle of seasons and married life.
The small details of everyday life accumulate over time and from page to page and build, and the book genuinely feels like it captures the rhythms of life.

Life on the mountain is difficult for the couple for various reasons they didn’t consider when they were blinded by the dream of living in the countryside.
The public transport is inconvenient; they have to do lots of hard work to maintain their house. They have to look after their pets. It isn’t easy to heat the building. It’s cold during winter. Gardening is challenging during spring

And at the same time, they are both struggling to continue their careers as artists.
Hong wants to work on his own projects, but financial reality means he has to earn money working as a cartoonist. He wants to keep attending school, but the tuition fees are expensive. And it’s difficult to find time to work when he is so busy working on the house or in the garden. He quickly becomes disillusioned.

I love this book. It’s a very humanistic work. It celebrates the small things in life; People trying to make their way in the world against difficulties but working every day to make life better for themselves and the people they love. We see them overcoming hardships, enjoying life, and just living together. There are many elements of the book that make me think of my own relationship with my wife and how lucky I am that I get to share my life with her. When I read this book or dip into it again, it reminds me to appreciate every day we have together. Time is fleeting, and life is short, so we should appreciate the simple run-of-the-mill days that we spend with loved ones because, really that’s what is magical about life.

These ideas come through in Hong’s art style. The story is told in simple black and white cartons. It’s very simple and effective.
There’s something about these simple black and white drawings that says infinitely more about life than the most beautiful painting or a page of prose from a novelist.
Hong really captures mountain life, countryside life, and married life in a way that is Inspiring and frequently moving.
And the book itself is a beautiful object.
If you’ve ever wished you could escape city life or dreamed about living in the countryside, I highly recommend this book.

[Gabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I, too, want to live on the mountain and grow crops and swim in a pound 😔

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Hong is a serious layabout. He's good at his craft, sure. And his idealism is admirable, yes. But the Yeon-sik Hong of UNCOMFORTABLY HAPPILY is perhaps the most regrettably honest a creative person can possibly be. If not for the steely kindness and self-sustaining compassion of his wife, Sohmi Lee, then it seems inevitable that Mr. Hong would have ended up in a ditch somewhere (no doubt surrounded by used ink pens, crumpled drafting boards, and fossilized dog poop).

UNCOMFORTABLY HAPPILY is a fairly easy read. Easy, because autobiographical graphic novels have a tendency to assuage the heft of their narratives by way of humor, charisma, and an amicable otherness. Fairly, because in this particular publication, the subject (Yeon-sik) is not a particularly likeable fellow. And while the book itself tracks Yeon-sik and Sohmi's residence at a mountainside home for a calendar year -- navigating the frustrations of a life full of privacy but devoid of private success; it could just as well be said that Yeon-sik tests the patience of the reader in much the same way the unyielding Pocheon mountains test the mettle of the young couple.

The initial impulse to move away from the posh, congested life of southern Seoul and into the rural, mountainous north, in Pocheon, isn't so much debated by Yeon-sik and Sohmi as much as it is agreed upon by default. The two freelance illustrators need to get away from the city; they need space; they need fresh air; they need an environment that allows them to create.

Yeon-sik, after all, is lazy (rebutting established deadlines), unmotivated ("I just don't have the confidence to push my way out."), and on frequent occasion, emotionally unstable. The natural environs should do him some good, right? It sounds ideal, and for a while, it is. The scenery is beautiful; clear streams, clear skies, wildlife, wild berries, and nuts. Should he go for a walk? He can go anywhere! He practically owns the whole mountain!

And yet, that's just it. It's a whole freakin' mountain; it's the greatest beast of the natural order. The mountain is uncaring, unimpeded, and wholly insensitive to the pains, desires, and dispositions of humankind. To believe the mountain exists in service of human needs, Yeon-sik finds, is the gravest tactical error one can make.

Add to this the punishing winters of northern ROK? Add to this the burden of knowing Sohmi has made tremendous progress on her children's book? In UNCOMFORTABLY HAPPILY, Yeon-sik's expectations of himself are drawn thin, and then promptly snapped in two.

The lessons Mr. Hong eventually learns about creativity, drive, and the support structures necessary for these human elements to endure, are not without missteps and cursing and discontented fever dreams. The author's apparent brush with illness, both physical and mental, does threaten to pull the narrative sideways (How many times can an autobiography double-back on itself?). Fortunately, the savior of both Mr. Hong, as well as the book, is standing there on the cover (and the spine, and the interior front flap, and the back cover): Ms. Lee.

Sohmi's quiet, dogged pursuit of health and balance reminds readers of the importance of emotional stability in the creative process (and of emotional maturity, while questing to survive in dire straits). Her sense of humor is invaluable, and her even temper is hard to miss. When Yeon-sik claims to be "in a state of total anger" or "rotting" or "ashamed" or an "incompetent fool," it is never Yeon-sik who pulls him back from the edge; it's Sohmi.

[Charlefpai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved it! The only thing blocking it from being a 5 stars was my frustration every time the male character was being kind of a jerk to his wife (out of nowhere), and on top of that, that the wife would sometimes end up apologising. Otherwise, overall, great story, lovely drawing style and I had a lot of fun reading it.

[Peter Derk · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know if I've ever read a Korean comic before. This one is weird.
There's a lot of "We ate this, we went here, we did this chore, we did this task." It's like reading someone's diary, basically, someone boring.
I used to keep a day-by-day-diary, but I always stopped because I would reread the old entries and they were SO BORING. Because I think they were nice things at the time or whatever, but I want a laugh, Pete, a joke or something.

I stopped reading MY OWN DIARY because it wasn't entertaining enough. That's a harsh motherfucker right there.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

At over 500 pages, this is a commitment. Some of the humor and sentiment does not translate well, but what does, sticks. It's cheery, and dark, and frustrating, and relatable, and adorable.

[Matt Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This deceptively simple story so beautifully captures small everyday joys and sadnesses that it almost makes the task seem easy.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this graphic novel several weeks ago and didn't get very far because it was quite difficult to achieve a reading 'rhythm' with the writing style. I don't know how to describe it except to say it was choppy and lacked transitions leading from one set of panels to another. But the premise of the story intrigued me and so a couple days ago I gave it another shot and this time sped through it. I have only read a handful of graphic novels, but from a technical standpoint, the illustrations here were more simplistic in comparison. It was noticeable but didn't detract from the enjoyment of the book at all. My main criticisms are the choppiness, it seemed like there were some random flashbacks toward the end of the novel that came out of nowhere, and toward the end of the novel, I was having a hard time following the new characters and what specifically was happening.

This book is lighthearted and humorous in some ways but it is also extraordinarily heavy (literally at almost 600 pages but also figuratively) in that it tackled some tough subjects (particularly mental illness). There were enough parallels to my own life the past couple of years that at times it was uncomfortable to read. But that was the beauty of the book: simplistic artwork and text could still invoke the struggles and delight that this couple went through probably more powerfully than words alone.

[Kimberley Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sappy. Sincere. Strikingly raw. Uncomfortably, Happily indeed. The story of two newly wed artists who naively move from the hustle and bustle of Seoul to a pastoral abode in the mountains. There they are faced with the trials of enjoying life and comfort with little cash, adhering to the oppressive schedules and demands of their publishers (and facing the desire to follow their own paths as artists), and for the main character, coming to terms with his internalized criticisms of his naive and idealistic new wife. The art style is a pleasure; inconsistent and intimate, fully alive. This is a beautiful production from Drawn and Quarterly, however I must admit I quite dislike the particular drawing used on the cover. It does not represent the wonderful quality of the art within (sorry D&Q, I truly love every other element of the production, but that drawing just does not work!). If the cover drawing might have prevented you from picking this work up, please reconsider. Uncomfortably, Happily is bound to scoop up many awards, and well deserved for this entirely honest work.

[Katarzyna Bartoszynska · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me awhile to really get into this — at first it felt like it dragged, and wasn't really going anywhere, and then I realized that was the whole point, to convey this intense feeling of stuckness that the protagonist was struggling with. The narrator and his wife are both artists, and he works on comics to support the two of them while she pursues her own projects. Their financial struggles lead them to move to an isolated house on the top of a mountain, and most of the book is a chronicle of the struggle to make it work, as they adjust to rural living and try to find some kind of work-life balance, even as they live from paycheck to paycheck. The novel does a great job capturing the misery of financial struggle -- how there's just not enough money, and it's so real, but also so bizarrely abstract, and just endlessly stressful. But it also conveys their joy in each other, and in a well-cooked meal, and in the beauty of a perfect snowfall. And ends up being this lovely meditation on adulthood and happiness. It's a really wonderful book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I probably would never have picked this up except for the #koreanmarch challenge. I hadn't ever heard of it before, but I showed up to the library looking to find every author with a Korean last name and stumbled on this one.

It won me over completely. This is very long and sometimes slow, but in a way that serves the story it is telling. A young married couple moves to the country to save money and distractions while they work on their graphic novel projects, and they end up more isolated than they expected. They throw themselves into gardening, dodging his editor, landscaping, and yelling at people outside for littering. So, big social distancing mood. (I read this the second weekend of pandemic lockdown in Michigan).

There are also some charming little moments of the shared language and weirdnesses of a newly married couple that I really loved. This was ideal COVID-reading for me, and I was so happy to have found it.

[Gerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

My start with this book was somewhat slow. Guess I was preoccupied with the other book I was reading at the same time or I was still trying to get into the author's mindset. But I am glad I stuck with it as it explore the journey what someone working with creating graphic novel and graphic art deals with in life; finding creative inspiration, dealing with incessant editorial changes and hated working enviroment, hovering in poverty, journeying through illness and mental roadblocks, and eventually reaching understanding and acceptance and finding the courage to continue no matter what life decides to throw at you. I should salute the partner's stoicism in putting up with his 'episodes'. One couldn't wish for a better partner through life's journey. All in all, a truly enjoyable read. This is a book that has a start but not really a true ending, just a chapter stop, as life is.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible graphic memoir. In this book's afterword, Hellen Jo (who translated it from Korean) says that when she read it for the first time, she kept grabbing her boyfriend and yelling "IS THIS US?!" I too found this book eerily relatable to me and my wife's struggles: dealing with rising rents and greedy landlords, moving out of the city and feeling both lonely/out of the loop and inspired by our peaceful new surroundings. This book will send you into a dark head space at times, especially during the long and harrowing "winter" chapters, where deadlines, poverty, and fever dreams push the author to the brink of a nervous breakdown. But keep powering through with this couple's story, there's a lot of hard-won wisdom and inspiration to be found.

[Tia Gilles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really felt this one. These past two years specifically I keep wanting to run off and rent a place in the country… just hang out with my dog and draw (and then of course I want to hang out with people all the time and live in a big city…)

Full of charming, funny, and clever drawings, with creative departures from reality and ways of visualizing the narrator’s headspace. I love the tenderness, the natural sense of their mannerisms and how much they love each other. I can really feel that terrible winter cold and still be so warm and cozy.

[Mark Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really entertaining story of a couple. The author took the time and space required to investigate this semi-autobiographical (?) tale of a newly-married couple in unique circumstances in South Korea. It's a graphic novel about two graphic novelists - one of them writing what he knows! But the artwork and the honesty and the adversity are so compelling that the size of the book becomes its greatest strength, as you keep on wanting more of this story.

[I.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe something was just lost in the translation for me, but I just wasn't that into this. The art was great, but the main character was a whiny jerk and his wife was very one dimensional. I could see how comic artists could find something here but I didn't really. It had a sweet ending that salvaged much for me but getting there was occasionally an exercise in wanting to throttle the lead.

[Sarah Luchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, even though (because?) it made me cry.

[Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this quite a bit, but I hated the main character SO much. He was SUCH an asshole. I guess he's the author too, so....

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good reason why artists should have savings or an indulgent spouse. Also a sad comment on development and land greed in the country.