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Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea

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Famously referred to as one of the "Axis of Evil" countries, North Korea remains one of the most secretive and mysterious nations in the world today. In early 2001 cartoonist Guy Delisle became one of the few Westerners to be allowed access to the fortress-like country. While living in the nation's capital for two months on a work visa for a French film animation company, Delisle observed what he was allowed to see of the culture and lives of the few North Koreans he encountered; his findings form the basis of this graphic novel.

Guy Delisle was born in Quebec City in 1966 and has spent the last decade living and working in the South of France with his wife and son. Delisle has spent ten years, mostly in Europe, working in animation, an experience that taught him about movement and drawing. He is now currently focusing on his cartooning. Delisle has written and drawn six graphic novels, including "Pyongyang," his first graphic novel in English.

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

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About the author

Guy Delisle

46 books1,868 followers
Born in Quebec, Canada, Guy Delisle studied animation at Sheridan College. Delisle has worked for numerous animation studios around the world, including CinéGroupe in Montreal.

Drawing from his experience at animation studios in China and North Korea, Delisle's graphic novels Shenzen and Pyongyang depict these two countries from a Westerner's perspective. A third graphic novel, Chroniques Birmanes, recounts his time spent in Myanmar with his wife, a Médecins Sans Frontières administrator.

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Javier Ramalleira.
202 reviews
July 18, 2020
Sensacións contraditorias ao acabar este libro.

Por unha beira, é unha ventana ao interior do hermético réxime norcoreano, unha narración en primeira persoa por quen estivo alí, inda que o libro xa ten uns anos (xa cambiaron de presidente eterno!) e poucos detalles hai que non se coñezan xa por outros textos e reportaxes.

Por outra parte, o autor quédase no máis superficial e non aporta análise, só unha imaxe e unha crítica das enormes diferencias culturais e económicas coa sociedade occidental, pero botaría de menos un exercicio de porse na pel dos habitantes do pais, criados no medo ensinado ao invasor e no medo real ao hiperpresente exército. Quédase en tachalos gratuita e colectivamente de país sen sentido común.

Esto pódeselle perdonar porque ao fin e ao cabo non tivo tanto tempo alí, non lle deu tempo a ir máis aló do choque inicial. De todas formas, perdeu estrelas por unha serie de comentarios degradantes cara a muller, especialmente un sobre a súa guía no museo da ocupación capitalista.

En canto ao debuxo en sí do cómic, é un estilo simple pero nos deseños máis traballados, os de monumentos en viñetas a folla completa, o autor demostra unha gran destreza.

Gustaravos se queredes compartir os cuñadeos dun debuxantes francés expatriado en Corea do Norte, pero cuñadeos desde dentro de Corea do Norte. Se vos apuntades ás borracheras na discoteca dos expats e a volver ao hotel de noite a escuras e sen o guía, quen ao día seguinte saberá de calquera forma todo o que fixestes. Ou se queredes prestarlle 1984 a quen leva 50 anos vivindo en 1984.
Profile Image for Begoña.
81 reviews10 followers
August 4, 2014
Formidable a descrición detallista dun mundo tan tiránico e inhumano como absurdo do que participan en primeira instancia o propio réxime norcoreano e todo o mundo capitalista dun xeito máis subrepticio. Orwell e a distopía de 1984 como referente en paralelo ao longo de toda esta reportaxe dunha viaxe real en formato de banda deseñada.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews

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