#orka

[Outro]

Q. ORKA, how do you think "A Stepmother's Marchen" will be remembered? I'm curious how it impacted your creative life!

A. 10 years is the time it takes for even mountains to change, and I poured half of that time into "A Stepmother's Marchen." It was my first commercial job, my first full-length novel, and it taught me to work hard ever single day so that I could give my readers better content. Since so much of the story is yet to be told, perhaps it's best to reflect on this sentiment when this tale comes a close!

Q. If you were to have a brief opening in your busy serialization schedule, what would you want to do first? I'd love to know, even if it's something small!

A. I'd like to pack up a few unread books I've had piled up in the corner of my room and spontaneously head off to a quiet travel destination! Recently I've also been interested in motorcycles, so getting my Class 2 small vehicles license would also be nice.

Q. For aspiring webtoon artists or creators who want to make beautiful art and stories like you, what's one piece of advice you'd give them as inspiration or encouragement?

A. I believe that the most important quality for a webtoon artist isn't to have spectacular drawing skills or flashy directing techniques, but rather, a desire to tell the world something. If you have a story that you've held deep in you're heart, then I'd say give it a shot. I cheer on all aspiring creators who have a dream.

Q. Today's interview is thanks to you giving us a precious moment of your time. Did anything special come out of this interview? Any new thoughts or feelings?

A. Reflecting on the creation process, I've come to realize what kind of journey I went through and what kind of feelings I experienced drawing this series! With a renewed perspective, I feel like I can dive back into the series with a fresher mind.

Q. Finally, if you have any message for the readers of "A Stepmother's Marchen", please feel free to share them.

A. In this era of media, where entertainment options are like stars in the sky, despite having countless choices to chose from, it's thanks to you, the readers, who sought out "A Stepmother's Marchen" and cheered me on that I have the drive to continue working. I will diligently try my hardest to deliver a worth ending that matches the love and support that you've given me. Thank you always!

TN: That's a wrap! Thank you for reading, and I hope you had as much fun and interest reading this interview as I did!

To reiterate, the original interview can be found HERE!

Q. It's very impressive how your various page cuts and compositions add a dramatic and dynamic vibe to the webtoon. Could you explain what direction you took to naturally draw readers into the story?

A. First, I consider how I want to convey the emotions and rhythm to the readers. Then I go into detail, keeping in mind to not let minor scenes take too much space. Since comic manuscript and web manuscript sizes differ, it can sometimes turn out awkward, so I go tend to go back and completely re-edit those panels.

Q. While novels can express a character's psyche through detailed descriptions, webtoons primarily use visuals and dialogue. What do you prioritize most in visual storytelling when trying to convey a character's psyche?

A. I pay close attention to the expressions and color palette. The color tone and exposure level significantly determine the meaning and atmosphere in a scene. When it's difficult to express solely through artwork, I sometimes borrow the power of narration. For scenes where a character is in emotion distress, I write how they are feeling.

Q. You brought to life the vivid settings, intricate costumes, and charming props that the readers imagined from the novel. What kind of references inspired you in your illustrations?

A. I took a ton of references into account. I even struggled to immerse myself in my work if I didn't have enough material to reference from. I actively collected images through Google, Pinterest and other sites. (cont. under image)

(cont.) Even when I'm drawing the main characters, relying solely on my memory inevitably lead to mistakes, so I always keep a character sheet and necessary reference photos open beside me.

Q. When adapting the novel into a webtoon, did you have any unique adaptation ideas or techniques to visually maximize specific scenes or relationships between characters from the original work?

A. While some readers are consuming the story for the first time by reading the webtoon, because it's based on an pre-existing original work, I tend to focus on how to deliver a fresh impact using content readers are already familiar with. (cont. under image)

(cont.) We also focus on direction and adaptation ideas. We aimed to visualize the picture that our readers imagined, creating scenes that are neither too off-putting or too ordinary.

Q. Were there any scenes or episodes added to the webtoon that weren't initially in the original novel, or vice versa, if any scenes were unfortunately cut for the sake of the flow of the webtoon? If so, why?

A. Cardinal Richelieu's flashback arc and the concluding chapter of Part 2's "The Flower That Never Withers" are original chapters created for the webtoon. We created side stories primarily for characters who required a little more background into their individual stories. (cont. under image)

(cont.) For "The Flower That Never Withers", the context heavily relied on metaphors and similes, and the challenge lied in making sure it wasn't difficult for readers to grasp. (cont. under image)

(cont.) Another example would be the scene where Nora is painting Shuri's portrait. I wanted to depict a scene befitting of the romance genre. (cont. under image)

(cont.) Scenes that were a little too violent to depict in the comic were also carefully omitted.

Q. In "A Stepmother's Marchen" is there a particular "moment" or "scene" that you put the most of your effort into? Or hold any particular special interest?

A. The moment where Shuri smiles brightly, cut to Nora's heart skipping a beat. Also the group shot where they all appear wearing pretty clothes. (cont. under image)

(cont.) I was also happy to hear that the readers enjoyed the scene where the Neuschwanstein family made their entrance.

Q. Is there a comment from the webtoon readers that stood out in your memory or gave you strength?

A. I'm incredibly happy when the readers discover the symbolic meaning behind each chapter or spot the little easter eggs that I've hid. I also receive many poetic and profound comments, so everyday I feel pressured like, "Wow, I'm presenting my work to such intelligent readers!" Aside from that, I read every single comment left by my readers and each on gives me tremendous strength. I love you all 🥰