Chapter 136 – The Courage to Be Hated (1)
In a corner of Bluehouse’s middle floor, where the business department offices were packed.
At the end of a busy hallway filled with people coming and going, a poorly printed paper that read <Webtoon Department> was sloppily taped to the wall.
The desks were of different colors, and instead of desktop computers, laptops were casually placed around.
To anyone looking, it didn’t look like a proper workspace — more like an isolated, alien island.
Business department employees passing by glanced at it as if it were a zoo exhibit.
And right there, in the center of those gazes.
A woman with glasses and a ponytail was sitting.
“Hmmmm……”
Her identity was none other than Editor Pan Hee-hyun.
She was the sole team leader and the only member of Bluehouse’s Webtoon Department.
When the higher-ups ordered that Bluehouse must launch a “webtoon” service to compete with Lemon Tree, and no one else volunteered, she was the only one who stepped forward — a true hero (though to the other employees, it looked more like suicide).
That Pan Hee-hyun was staring intently at her laptop monitor.
Her expression was unusually serious.
What was displayed on the screen was an internet article.
The title was……
“Genius Artist’s Radical Challenge! From Bucheon Comic Awards to Webtoons.”
Written by
<We, Comics> Ki Cheon-yong.
Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk (17), who won the Grand Prize at the Bucheon Comic Awards.
We, Comics interviewed the artist who lit a fire in the continuously declining Korean comic industry.
There is quite a lot of radical content, so we recommend reading it if you are interested in the future of Korean comics.
The flow of the article was simple.
It covered why Kang Min-hyuk started drawing comics.
There were small episodes from the serialization process of Brave King.
For a 17-year-old high school student, the stories were quite dynamic and extraordinary — interesting content.
But that was just the side dish.
‘The real interview content is this.’
Gulp.
Editor Pan Hee-hyun swallowed hard as she read the section below.
<Interviewer>: You’re saying your next work will be a webtoon? Fans might be quite disappointed about that part. Is there a particular reason?
<Kang>: I believe webtoons are a medium with potential. Smartphones are already becoming popular overseas. Webtoons can be accessed conveniently on such devices, and……
The part where he stated he would serialize his next work as a webtoon on Bluehouse instead of continuing with printed comics.
Even though it was written text, the interviewer Ki Cheon-yong’s bewilderment and subtle skepticism toward webtoons were clearly conveyed.
Of course, Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk answered quite earnestly.
‘The era of webtoons is coming.’
The spread of smartphones, which was rising mainly in the United States.
If that became the standard for phones, mobile-based content would become the mainstream, and the center of comics would shift from paper books to the web.
For a high school student to say this — or even for an ordinary office worker — the logic was remarkably solid and spoken with considerable conviction.
But……
‘It’s too optimistic.’
A sigh escaped from Pan Hee-hyun’s lips.
Even though she had volunteered for this department because she loved comics.
Even though these were words from a 17-year-old genius artist who had made everyone cry and laugh.
Honestly, even she, who was actually working here, didn’t feel like those words would become reality anytime soon.
‘First of all, there’s no way people will have unlimited internet on their phones…… or that free public Wi-Fi networks will be installed everywhere. What kind of companies are the Korean telecoms?’
Moreover, Min-hyuk’s future vision of “monetizing” webtoons — that people would pay money to read comics on the web — also didn’t feel realistic.
In Korea, after the IMF crisis and the rental shop era, even if you went online, so-called scanlated comics were everywhere……
The idea that someone would pay money to read webtoons that could be viewed anytime on the web?
It sounded completely nonsensical.
On top of that, what made this interview even more awkward was……
<Interviewer>: You said your next work is a horror comic? I thought Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk would naturally do another royal road story.
<Kang>: That would be good too, but since I think Brave King is already close to a royal road story…… I wanted to try something different to grow as an artist.
Moreover, I thought the horror genre would suit the medium of webtoons quite well.
<Interviewer>: In what way?
<Kang>: It’s a bit difficult to explain in detail…… but you need to understand the difference between page-turn directing and the way the gaze direction changes as you scroll down.
Declaring that his next work would be horror — a genre that anyone would consider minor among minors, rather than a major one.
This was something even Pan Hee-hyun had not anticipated at all, so a hint of bewilderment appeared on her face.
After finishing the article, Pan Hee-hyun checked the comments with a tense expression.
[Comic Critic]
- Just because he’s called a genius artist doesn’t mean he’s a genius in every aspect. Lol Webtoons…… What a waste of talent. And of all genres, horror comics.
[In One Day]
- Looks like this is the end for Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk. After reading the interview, he seems way too full of himself. Being an artist is already hard enough without sabotaging what you’re good at.
[Spirit of Art]
- Is he an idiot? Why abandon printed comics and go to webtoons? Who’s going to pay money for that low-quality stuff?
[Bean Pod]
- Honestly, webtoons are just something you read for free like daily life comics…… I don’t think they can contain deep comics. Honestly, his thinking is still too young and his head is full of flowers.
[Comic Doctor]
- Fuck, why use a knife for slaughtering cows to kill a chicken? Bluehouse that accepted this also has a problem.
A continuous stream of comments filled with hostility toward webtoons and pity toward Kang Min-hyuk.
They were extremely blatant.
It was enough to make wrinkles form on Pan Hee-hyun’s forehead.
From start to finish, the reactions were overwhelmingly negative, but……
“Everyone is saying things that make sense.”
Honestly, Hee-hyun couldn’t come up with any counterarguments.
In reality, the current status and perception of webtoons were indeed that low.
Moreover, for enthusiasts who had expectations for Korean comics…… or held hope for it?
‘They must feel even more sorry for Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk’s choice and resent Bluehouse even more.’
From a third-party perspective, even Hee-hyun herself would have thought the same.
If, in this situation, Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk’s next work failed to produce results……
It was obvious what kind of arrows of criticism would fly toward Bluehouse — or more precisely, toward Pan Hee-hyun.
Until now, Hee-hyun had been able to make excuses like “We haven’t been able to secure proper artists” or “Webtoons haven’t taken root yet.”
But Kang Min-hyuk was a “self-proclaimed and publicly acknowledged” genius artist who had even received the Presidential Award.
If they took on someone like him and still failed……
‘There won’t even be any excuses left.’
Her breath felt suffocating, but what could she do now?
At the same time, refusing when such a big-name artist was willing to board the ship together was out of the question……
In the end, only one future remained for Pan Hee-hyun.
‘Either die, or succeed and fly all the way to space.’
She had to succeed.
No, she must succeed.
Just as Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk said, webtoons would someday become the future of comics that would replace printed ones.
Even if her head didn’t fully believe it 100%, Hee-hyun tried to convince herself and made that resolution.
‘It won’t be easy.’
She had come this far because she loved comics.
Because she had wanted to do this kind of work someday.
But now that she had to bear the full weight of it alone, honestly…… she didn’t find the situation entirely welcome.
“Huuuu…… Let’s do well today.”
She was taking a deep breath and organizing her mind when,
“Excuse me?”
“……You don’t necessarily have to do a horror comic, so try persuading the artist…… and also talk in detail about the planning.”
While Hee-hyun was clenching her fist and muttering to herself,
A person standing behind the partition tapped her on the back of the hand and said,
“Um, excuse me…… Editor Pan Hee-hyun?”
“Ah, yes!”
She turned her head at the voice coming from the side again.
A business department employee was staring at her.
Hee-hyun smiled awkwardly and asked,
“What…… can I help you with?”
“Um, there’s someone named Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk in the first-floor lobby? His manager? Or someone from another publishing company. Anyway, other people came with him too.”
“Ah……”
Hee-hyun blinked, then checked her phone.
She saw multiple missed call notifications on the call log.
She had been distracted and hadn’t noticed them.
‘I’m screwed.’
A chill ran down Hee-hyun’s spine.
“Thank you!”
Thud!
She bowed her head, quickly grabbed her laptop, and stood up.
She practically ran out and headed straight to the first-floor lobby……
Where she saw Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk, Director Song Mi-hyeon from New Chance, and Editor Go Gwang-jin standing together.
She erased the panic from her face and put on a professional expression — fully embodying the editor-in-chief (though she wasn’t sure if “chief” was the right title when she was the only team member) of Bluehouse’s Webtoon Department.
When she reached them,
Pan Hee-hyun quickly bowed at a perfect 90 degrees and greeted them.
“I’m so sorry, Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk, Director Song Mi-hyeon, Editor Go Gwang-jin. I didn’t see the calls. I came down late.”
Her posture was polite but not servile.
Min-hyuk scratched the back of his head and replied,
“No, it’s fine. We just arrived too. We actually got here a bit early for the appointment.”
The two from New Chance also greeted her warmly.
“It’s been a while, Editor Pan Hee-hyun.”
“You didn’t have to run over like that.”
Today was the meeting to discuss the planning for Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk’s next work.
Since it wasn’t just a Bluehouse serialization but a simultaneous release with New Chance as well, the two had come together.
“Please follow me this way. There’s a nice café nearby. I’ll take you there.”
“Do they have watermelon juice there?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Oh, nice.”
At the mention of watermelon juice, Min-hyuk’s lips curved up.
“Then, let’s go.”
Pan Hee-hyun adjusted her glasses and led the three with confident steps.
***
Inside a café just a three-minute walk from the Bluehouse building.
Pan Hee-hyun, Kang Min-hyuk, Song Mi-hyeon, and Go Gwang-jin.
The four of them sat by the window, sipping their respective drinks.
“Have you seen that new work from the other company?”
“It wasn’t bad.”
“Hmm…… Is that so?”
The three freely chatted about recent new works from other magazines, webtoons, Japanese comics, and so on.
Perhaps because they had worked on a project together before, they seemed quite close and comfortable with each other.
However, Pan Hee-hyun was so tense that she couldn’t find the right timing to join in.
How to put it……
Rather than engaging in small talk right now……
Her mind was dominated by the need to resolve the most important issue first.
Then, as the conversation gradually died down,
‘Now’s the time.’
Pan Hee-hyun, who had been quietly listening, clenched both fists as if steeling herself and spoke.
“Um…… Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk. This might be presumptuous, but before we get into the full planning meeting, may I offer one opinion?”
“Yes, please go ahead. I came today to hear opinions.”
“I really hope…… you don’t do a horror comic.”
“Excuse me? Suddenly?”
Pan Hee-hyun took a deep breath and continued,
“I know this is overstepping. But I believe you, Comic artist, have a truly great strength in royal road stories. I think you can create a work with enormous impact using that strength. Horror has its own charm, but please, just this once…… could you reconsider your choice for the next work? I beg you.”
Her voice was solemn and filled with desperation.
Pan Hee-hyun stood up from her seat and bowed deeply once more.
Pride and everything else had been thrown away.
At that moment, Director Song Mi-hyeon lifted the corners of her mouth and asked,
“Um, Editor Pan Hee-hyun?”
“Yes.”
“You haven’t seen the sample pages drawn by Comic artist Kang Min-hyuk yet, right?”
“……That’s correct.”
“I think it would be better if you said that after seeing the sample pages. Personally speaking.”
“Pardon?”
What did that mean?
A faint look of bewilderment appeared on Pan Hee-hyun’s face.