Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea

by Guy Delisle, Helge Dascher (Translator)

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.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Nonfiction, Travel, Memoir, Bande Dessinée, Asia

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Eva Lavrikova]

Jeden z komixov, ktorý si ma fakt získal a ku ktorému sa rada vrátim. Úsporne, ale trefne a presne zachytiť nielen fakty, ale aj emócie od bezradnosti cez nudu až po rozhorčenie a všetko to podať s inteligentným humorom a pritom ironicky a to všetko štylisticky jednoduchou, čistou čierno-bielou kresbou... paráda. Guy Delisle si ma získal a rozhodne si zaobstarám aj jeho ostatné práce.

[Veronika Pizano]

Dobrá kresba a aj zaujímavá téme, ale zafungovalo to na mňa, chýbalo mi tu to, čo má väčšina autorských komiksov - prenesenie emócií, rozporov a vnúteorného prežívania celkovo. Je to jednoducho len záznam autorovho pobytu v Severnej Kórei s pár zaujímavosťami a faktami.

[Ivan]

V krajine, kde je propaganda náboženstvom, jedinou zábavou a životným štýlom a kde aj zárodky slobodnej myšlienky musia zmeriavieť v strachu z vnútroštátnej genocídy, je pre návštevníka najsilnejším dojmom nekonečná nuda. Rozprávač si veľmi nepomohol tým, že si ako jedinú knihu zobral 1984. Niekoľko detailov aj častí sa podarilo, ale v celku kniha nezachádza omnoho ďalej, ako dlhšia reportáž z oficiálnej prehliadky, akých je na webe množstvo.