Culture Minister Congratulates Sanho, First Korean to Win Eisner Award for 'The Funeral Cake Shop of Yeonokdang'

South Korean Culture Minister Choi Bo-yoon congratulated artist Sanho on becoming the first Korean to win the prestigious Eisner Award for his graphic novel 'The Funeral Cake Shop of Yeonokdang.' The award, presented at the 38th Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, recognized the U.S. edition of Sanho's work in the Best U.S. Edition of International Material - Asian category.

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Congratulations on becoming the first Korean artist to win the American Eisner Award, one of the world's most prestigious awards in the field of comics.

In a congratulatory message sent on July 31, Minister Choi praised Sanho's achievement, stating, "This Eisner Award win is the result of your artistic quality and unique worldview being recognized globally." He added that the government would provide ample support to foster more outstanding achievements in the Korean comics industry.

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This Eisner Award win is the result of your artistic quality and unique worldview being recognized globally.

Often referred to as the 'Oscars of comics,' the Eisner Awards are among the top three international comic awards, alongside France's Angoulême and the U.S. Harvey Awards. The category Sanho won specifically honors the best translated Asian comics published in North America. While Asian works, predominantly from Japan, have dominated this category since 2010, this marks a significant breakthrough for South Korean comics, which had previously received four nominations without a win.

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The government will provide ample support to foster more outstanding achievements in the Korean comics industry.

'The Funeral Cake Shop of Yeonokdang' is a fantasy graphic novel set in 'Yeonokdang,' a shop that creates cakes for the afterlife. The story unfolds in an omnibus format, exploring the stories of those mourning their loved ones and the secrets of the shop's owner, Mago. The graphic novel had previously received the Korea Contents Award from the Korea Creative Content Agency in 2022.

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Once again, congratulations on your award. I look forward to your continued work delivering great emotion to readers worldwide with your outstanding imagination and profound resonance.