Based in Seoul, illustrator and cartoonist Leebinsoyeon may just be one of South Korea’s most prolific artists. Her stunning work spans a range of formats, techniques and themes, while nevertheless maintaining a recognisable aesthetic. Ahead of her appearance at ELCAF, we spoke to Leebin about her background, process, and inspirations, as well as the many exciting projects she has on the go! Here’s what she had to say…
BROKEN FRONTIER: How did you get started as an illustrator? How long have you been drawing and creating art?
LEEBINSOYEON: I self-published my first graphic novel, <Stay the Same>, in 2016. The book introduced me to JJOKKPRESS, which is a small press publisher in Korea, and I began my career as an illustrator by working on their book covers. Before that, I ran a graphic design studio called Understand and Misunderstand. Since quitting the studio in 2017, I’ve built a career focusing on illustration rather than design, and have naturally gone on to draw cartoons, making friends not only with other illustrators but also with cartoonists.
BROKEN FRONTIER: What themes and ideas inform your work?
LEEBINSOYEON: I think my big theme is ambiguity, but there’s a bit of a difference between when I’m doing illustrations and when I’m doing comics. I personally feel satisfied with my illustrations when I manage to create a scene that hides a suspicious sense of wonder, within an image composed of seemingly ordinary people. If an ambiguity of situation is what I pursue for my illustrations, then in my comics, I try to show the ambiguity of humanity, and of women’s lives and new types of families, to inspire my narratives. I guess the atmosphere of conservative culture in Asia, in which a family is only considered a “proper family” when formed from marriage and childbirth, also affected me a little.