World Famous Comics: Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea
Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea
By: Guy Delisle Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Drawn and Quarterly Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 192 Publication Date: May 01, 2007 Release Date: May 01, 2007
A rare and well crafted glimpse into a secret world I finished this graphic novel about 2 months ago and it still stays with me. Guy Delisle excels at delivering "big picture" descriptions of life in Pyongyang and North Korea as well as the more unique (or odd) details of a Westerner just trying to pass his time on a job in a nation closed off from the world. His art compliments the mostly lighthearted take on his often puzzling encounters. It also helps the more serious matters subversively arrive. Delisle briefly pulled back a curtain and introduced to me to a place and people I've known very little about. My curiosity about Pyongyang and for details about life in N.K. has only continued.
Good but not genius Unfortunately I do agree with the person who felt slight disappointment with the artwork - and I found depth of penetration of the subject slightly disappointing too. And yet the book did leave a deep impression on me, of shock, and so I would recommend it. it's educative too - I knew nothing of N Korea before. There are some other artists' work in this book, which form part of the narrative for a few pages, and their work is vv impressive. But maybe the stark style that G de L has plumped for matches the subject matter, stark, and kind almost sterile. Still v well drawn though, just basic at the same time. Def worth a look though, v interesting indeed.
interesting book I am fascinated with North korea so I enjoyed it. Overall, I thought this was good but not great. If you think you would like this book, you probably will. It's a little boring/. I know North Korea is stiff and uneventful for foreigners but there's just not a lot of story here.
A Cartoonist Infiltrates the Axis of Evil This is probably one of the more unique books to come out in the past few years, in graphic novel format or otherwise. Delisle, an animator for a French company (though he is originally from Quebec), is assigned for two months to North Korea to work with an educational film studio in the capital, Pyongyang. Delisle's experiences mostly consist of going from his hotel to work and back, accompanied at all times by his guide and translator (except when they lose track of him) and occasionally venturing forth on an officially approved field trip to a museum or other important site.
The things Delisle sees are so bizarre and absurd he is constantly reminded of science fiction movies. His hotel, one of three in the city designated for foreigners, is situated on an island on the outskirts of Pyongyang, is almost completely empty. A great ceremony is made of a visit to the subway, which is "lit up like Las Vegas" (the rest of the city has sporadic electricity) but only seems to extend for two stops. The downtown is dominated by a giant 100-story triangular building that was designed as a hotel for foreigners during the Seoul Olympics but stands empty and unused. Next to Guy's hotel is an "International Cinema Center" which is only open once every two years for a festival of propaganda films. Oh and did I mention that every foreigner arriving in the country is required to pay respects to a 20-meter statue of the Dear Leader before going anywhere else? There are more chilling moments as well: the Museum of Imperialist Occupation has paintings of American soldiers pouring motor oil down the throats of children during the Korean war.
Delisle's take on things is a humorous one but the undercurrent of fear and oppression in the country is palpabable on every page. I read Delisle's subsequent book, Shenzhen, (which is also great but lacks the tension) first and felt that his drawings, which resemble quickly sketched comic stripts, left something to be desired. I appreciated his style more here, since the book has the feel of a graphic journal; at one point in the book he depicts himself in his hotel room at night sketching out the events of the day. I knew very little about North Korea before reading this and am glad to have had a peek behind the curtain courtesy of Monsieur Delisle!
Better than any other This cartoon is the better than any other written text. As a scholar, I did read many books on North Korea, but this is the most understandable and lively describe situation, I believe.
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