By Cho A-la and Lee Hana
Photos = Annabelle Godeau

Annabelle Godeau, a 27-year-old French graphic artist who recently won the grand prize in the "comfort women" art contest run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG), said that she drew her 18-page graphic novel to spread awareness about the victims of sexual slavery from colonial times and World War II.

"I wanted to tell the story of the 'comfort women' so that others like me, who grew up in the West and know little about these atrocities, could learn about and hear these women's tales," she said.

Godeau began taking an interest in Korea in high school when she came across its music and films by chance online. In college, she studied animation and illustration and in 2013 landed herself an internship at a company in Korea.

It was during her time in Korea that she first learned about the "comfort women." From then onward, Godeau took an active interest in the issue. She even took the initiative to explore the topic further for her final graduation project.

"I learned a lot about World War II as a young student in France, but I never heard anything about the victims of sexual slavery in East Asia. The moment that I learned of this tragedy, I was utterly shocked," she said.

In a recent interview with Korea.net, Godeau explained the thought process behind her prize-winning comic, and what she hopes readers will take away from her material.



- In what context did you first learn about the "comfort women"?

I heard about the "comfort women" just before I graduated from university. I was in Korea at the time doing an internship, and one day I received an email detailing the facts of the issue.

After reading the email, I was both shocked and confused. I was at a loss for words. I'd learned all about World War II during my school years in France, but I had never heard about victims of sexual slavery in East Asia. The focus of our history class was mainly on events that occurred in France, Germany, Japan and the U.S.

When I asked people around me if all this was true, they replied yes. From them, I was able to learn more of the details.

- How did you go about creating your graphic novel?

I came up with the general plot after studying a wide range of photographs, videos, films, TV dramas and documentaries. However, I needed more information to write the actual storyline.

This was when I discovered the House of Sharing website. This is an organization that provides support to women who suffered as sexual slaves. Here, I was able to gather reference materials and additional information.

It took me two to three months to collect all the data. I was working on other projects at the time, so it took me a full year to write the story and finish all the artwork.

- What was the hardest thing about working on the comic?

As a human being, and as a woman, it wasn't easy to approach the subject matter itself. It was very challenging.

What troubled me the most was that the public seemed to show little interest in the plights of these women, women who longed to reveal the truth about the cruelty and violence they endured. What's worse is that the victims are being told to keep their mouths shut. It makes no sense whatsoever.

These women suffered from rape and forced abortion, and were killed if they got pregnant or ill. If we choose to ignore their stories, that is another form of violence.

- What kind of role do you hope your graphic novel will play in the public eye?

My biggest hope is that my comic will help to expose the truth behind the "comfort women."

While I was working on the comic, I decided to spread my message to the people around me, and those in foreign countries, as I figured Koreans already knew a lot about the issue. When the novel is more fully developed, I want to publish the work in France and in other European countries.

I hope that everyone who learns about World War II will also get to hear the "comfort women" story.

- Is there anything you would like to share with our Korea.net readers, who might not know much about the "comfort women" issue?

If you learn even a little more about the "comfort women" by reading this interview, I want to thank you for reading it.

If you would like to play an active role in supporting these women, I want to tell you that there are countless videos, photos and websites for you to consult. Pick the ones that suit your preference and study the topic.

Finally, you should know that this month in Paris, UNESCO will hold the World Heritage Committee, where it will be decided if documents related to the "comfort women" will be inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. I ask you all for your interest and support.








ala0919@korea.kr