Around this time last year we were lucky enough to get a first hand insight into Leebin Soyeon’s new publication Shape of Shame. An original new comic featuring a hypnotic blend of hues and surreal characters, the comic delved into an integral human emotion that we’ve felt from time to time: shame. It’s a feeling the Korean illustrator is familiar with, visualising shameful sensations through evocative illustrations with a twist of humour. As her first publication it sought to normalise Leebin’s discomfort through cathartic creativity.
Recently releasing the second edition of the Shape of Shame, Leebin’s new publication is titled Spark Joy. Where the first comic looked inwards to the illustrator’s self, its successor takes on a broader outlook: “I wanted to create a story about how materialism and minimalism affect women’s lifestyles,” she tells It’s Nice That. Featuring a brand new cast consisting of a character called “Rich Girl” and “I”, the second story takes on a darker tone in its near-grotesque slimy greens underpinned by shadows of blacks and purples illustrated in Leebin’s signature smooth style.
In the last year she’s become more attuned to this airbrush effect, developing her technique to evoke both narrative and abstraction at the same time. In turn, the aesthetic accentuates the slightly sinister story where the character known as I goes in search for increasing likes and subscribers and finds herself at a concept baby shower hosted by Rich Girl. There, she realises that the uselessness of the luxury presents gifted to Rich Girl and as a consequence, spiralling events occur for both characters. Ultimately, the comic poses questions around the true value of material objects in society today using Leebin’s beautifully crafted illustrations as a vehicle.