Sanho is the first Korean comic book artist to win the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award, one of the world's top three honors in the sector, for "Purgatory Funeral Cakes." (Munhakdongne Publishing's official Facebook page)

By Yoon Sojung

Cartoonist Sanho is the first Korean receipient of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards of the U.S., the so-called Oscars of comics, for her graphic novel "Purgatory Funeral Cakes."

Munhakdongne Publishing on July 31 said the work won the honor in the category of Best U.S. Edition of International Material-Asia.

Launched 38 years ago, the awards are one of the world's top three comics awards along with the Angouleme International Comics Festival of France and the Harvey Awards of the U.S. The Eisners have 32 categories.

The category that "Purgatory Funeral Cakes" won honors Asian comics published in North America the previous year.

Featuring people saying goodbye to their loved ones, the work is set at a place that makes one-of-a-kind funeral cakes filled with love and longing to honor the deceased.

"Winning an Eisner symbolizes recognition as a mainstream work on the North American comics market," the publisher said. "This remarkable achievement for print comics, along with the robust global expansion of 'K-webtoons,' marks a milestone for both the comics industry and published comics."

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young also sent a congratulatory message the same day.

"Sanho has consistently produced excellent works, winning the 2021 Today's Our Manhwa Award and the 2022 Korea Creative Content Agency President's Award at the Korea Content Awards," he said. "This award stems from global recognition of her artistic quality and unique worldview built up over the years."

"The government will also provide unwavering support to ensure many more outstanding outcomes like this emerge in comics."

Scenes from "Purgatory Funeral Cakes" by Sanho (Screen capture from Munhakdongne Publishing's official blog)

arete@korea.kr