The 100th Anniversary of Korean Cartoon

Posted by ShrikantModh | 7:59 PM | Korea | 0 comments »

Name: The 100th Anniversary of Korean Cartoon
Date of Issue: 2 June 2009
Country: Korea
Denominations: 250 won

The year 2009 is meaningful in that it is the 100th anniversary of the Korean cartoon.

On June 2, 1909, Daehanhyeophwoi (Korea Association), one of several Anti-Japanese Social Associations, published the cartoons of Lee Do Yeong which touched upon current issues on the first page of the first edition of 『Daehanminbo』, a daily which used both Korean and Chinese characters. This marked the first page of the history of Korea’s cartoon.

Since then, in the gloomy history of modern Korea where Korea’s restoration of independence from Japan was followed by Korea being divided into two countries and by cruel dictatorships, cartoons became the messenger of both dreams and hopes, and the sharp tongue that criticized and satirized the absurdity of reality. And in those times when there were no proper pastimes, the cartoon imparted a tiny bit of enjoyment into a dreary life. Though once estranged as a subculture, the cartoon is now positioned as an important contents across the cultural industry such as movies, dramas, games, studies, advertisements, etc.

Believing in the power of the Korean cartoon that has grown splendidly for the past 100 years, we anticipate that it, sometimes with humor that enables us to curl up and other times with pithy satire, will remain, even a hundred years later, as a source of the enjoyment in our everyday lives and a momentary respite from our tough life.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Korean cartoon, a commemorative stamp is issued, featuring such recollective cartoons as “Mr. Gobau” by KIM Seong-Hwan, “Run, Hany” by LEE Jin-Ju, “Little Dino Dooly” by KIM Soo-Jeong, “Mengkkongi Village School” by YOON Seung-Un, and “Robot Zzibba” by SHIN Moon-Soo.