[0:00]
Interviewer
Let us introduce you
The bouquet is coming up.
Thank you.
Would you look at the front?
[0:30]
I think they want to see your face.
Do you think there would be this much reaction if pop stars were to visit the Comic World?
Is the mike on?
It’s not. Let me do that for you.
Yes, please tell us your greetings.
SIU
Hi, I am the Tower of God’s author, SIU.
Thank you.
Interviewer
Should we call you S-I-U?
[1:00]
SIU
No, just SIU would be fine.
Interviewer
Oh, good.
Now, let us sit here and have a discussion.
SIU, would you increase the microphone's volume?
So we can hear you better.
[1:30]
So SIU, we have heard that this is the first time for you to visit the Comic World event.
How do you feel?
SIU
I am nervous.
And I had not looked around yet, but it looks fun, and there are a lot of people.
I think I did not talk through that well because I am nervous, but it looks like a lot of fun.
Interviewer
I see, SIU.
We hope that we will be seeing you a lot from now on, on this stage.
[2:00]
So, most of us here probably already know you well, and your work, too.
But for those who do not know you well, would you please introduce yourself and your work?
SIU
I am writing the Tower of God in the Naver.
It’s a sort of fantasy fiction work.
[2:30]
It’s already been 6 years since I started it.
It would take a very long time to read through, but I would appreciate it a lot if you do so.
Interviewer
I actually reread it, since I heard you will be coming.
Despite the fact that I was just rereading it, it took me 9 hours. Hahaha
How many times did you guys read the work through?
Raise your hand if you had read it more than twice.
As I expected, the popularity of ToG is high.
Today is the first time for you to do a signing event in Korea.
[3:00]
But you already had done it once in Germany.
The Frankfurt Book Fair, how was it?
SIU
Since it’s a foreign country, I thought a lot of them would not know about ToG.
But there were quite a lot more fans than I expected, so I was surprised.
There were a lot of people who had requested for a character sketch when they received the signature.
[3:30]
I realized that there are a lot of readers in the foreign countries as well.
And I thought about I happy would I be if there are more people who know ToG, stuffs like that.
Interviewer
Indeed, ToG has been translated in many foreign countries as well.
I heard a hearsay that there are bunch of fans out there.
By the way, those of you who are getting the signatures today, you cannot ask for a character sketch.
Also, although a lot of foreigners like ToG as well, still, I think our Korean fans who reread ToG more than twice, have the biggest love for ToG.
[4:00]
The number of ToG fan-cafe members, surprisingly, is 156,000.
And you also ranked #1 in the Readers’ Award in 2012.
Was there any most memorable fan or review while you worked on ToG?
SIU
One time, there was someone who asked me where I live, in the middle of a chat.
I didn’t think about it much, so just gave it away.
[4:30]
Interviewer
The address?
SIU
No, not as detailed like that. Just the region.
I think the person was living in Daegu, and I was living in Chungcheong-do.
And that person came all the way to Chungcheong-do, and wrote some posts reporting it.
(* Daegu to Chuncheong-do approximately takes a 3 hour ride)
Interviewer
I am here~ Come out now~
SIU
Yeah, like come out now.
Interviewer
So did you go?
[5:00]
SIU
Actually, I was visiting another region at that time, so I could not meet the fan.
Still, that was the most memorable fan for me.
Interviewer
Oh, that’s scary.
Even though that’s an amazing fan, that’s still scary.
Please everyone, don’t do stuffs like that.
Ever since you have debuted with ToG in 2010, you have dedicated yourself to the single path of ToG.
What is ToG for you?
SIU
When you say it like the ‘single path of ToG,’ that makes me feel like I am some sort of a master artisan.
Interviewer
But aren’t you like the master artisan of ToG?
Since you have been writing it for 6 years.
[5:30]
SIU
I think 6 years is not quite sufficient.
Interviewer
Oh, so you plan to write it a lot longer.
SIU
Like the Sound of Your Heart.
(* started in 2006 and still ongoing)
Interviewer
I see, like the Sound of Your Heart.
SIU
I feel that, like people, works have their own transitioning periods as well.
It comes and goes, in a several year period.
It’s pretty hard during the transition.
[6:00]
But once I overcome that,
Working on a long-term serialization is my goal, and if you look at it from another perspective, it’s something I have to continue doing in my life.
An objective? kind of.
Even if I do other works, I think ToG will be the one work that I would never let go of.
Interviewer
So you will be keep continuingggg the ToG, like One Piece?
SIU
That would be nice.
[6:30]
Interviewer
I see.
And there is something that fans are so anxiously waiting for-
The ‘published book.’
We all want to have Tog in our hand and read it while turning over the pages.
When will it come out?
SIU
It was initially expected to be published in the last year.
But I was having problems with my wrist and taking hiatus and stuff, so it ended up not happening.
Maybe this year, or next year it will come out, I think.
[7:00]
If it gets published, I want the book to have a higher level of completion.
By editing some of the art, or adding some more stuffs into it.
It will take awhile.
Interviewer
Oh, so even if it will take some time, it will have a better quality.
I will be looking forward to that.
By the way, I am curious about the merchandise too.
[7:30]
There are a lot people who are waiting for it.
SIU
Naver is currently making quite a few stuffs.
There is already the key ring that came out.
Also, there will be figures as well, pretty soon.
They are just mini figures, but they look quite cute.
Interviewer
Have you already seen them?
SIU
Yes.
[8:00]
There will be like 4.
There are Rakhunbaam, plus Endorsi.
If you buy Rakhunbaam, we will give you Endorsi as well.
Interviewer
Hey princess, what happened?
SIU
But they said that, if many fans buy these, there will also be real-size, bigger figures.
So if they sell well, there will be more coming out, I think.
Interviewer
Guys, did you hear that?
Audience
Yeah~~~
[8:30]
Interviewer
If you buy many mini figures, they will be releasing big ones as well!
Let’s buy Rakhunbaam and get Endorsi, too.
So, the ToG mobile game just finished the beta test. Would you talk some information about it?
SIU
Originally, it was expected to be coming out during this month.
[9:00]
But we found that there are some stuffs that still need to be improved during the beta test.
So, with a more improvement, I think it will come out during the beginning of this year or towards the middle.
Interviewer
So maybe middle or later this year.
By any chance, have you played the game? Even a little?
SIU
Yes, I did.
Interviewer
Was it fun?
SIU
I actually don’t play mobile games that much, but after I started one, I wasn't aware how fast the time was passing by.
I was stuck in the bathroom.
Interviewer
Yeah, many people do that in the bathroom.
[9:30]
SIU
Although it’s my game, I deleted it.
Interviewer
You deleted it?
SIU
Yeah, because I could not work on my manuscript.
Interviewer
ToG game that gets in the way of working on the manuscript, will be coming out in the middle or later this year guys.
Please look forward to that.
For ToG, the author writes about the settings in the blog.
Or, when the explanation is necessary, the author always uses the blog or fan-cafe to talk about it.
For today, let’s go beyond the ToG, and solve our curiosity about SIU.
[10:00]
So, SIU, about your Naver blog username, it was initially started as SIU, then it became grape seed oil, and then glucose, and now it’s marinated beef.
What’s the matter?
SIU
Uh… although I am not really sure if it’s really worth answering that, I like cooking a lot.
[10:30]
Since I am living alone.
Interviewer
A guy who likes to cook is so cool!
SIU
Since I was living alone for a long time, and I prefer eating at home, rather than going out to eat.
For the grape seed oil, I used that username since I use the grape seed oil in my house.
And the reason why I changed my username to glucose, is because whenever fan-cafe members see the name grape seed oil,
[11:00]
They would say stuffs like “SIU has appeared!” and kept writing posts that asking me to join in the chat room.
I wanted to go in more secretively, so I changed the name to glucose.
And about the marinated beef, it's because I like marinated beef.
When you go into the fan-cafe, there is a list of usernames who are currently in the cafe.
So I keep changing it.
Now I want to go in mobile.
[11:30]
Interviewer
Oh, so you want to go in mobile.
I think you have a homey aspect in you.
SIU
No, just for what I eat.
Interviewer
Only what you eat.
Which food are you most confident in cooking?
SIU
Maybe fried rice...
Interviewer
Fried rice?
How about some of the more difficult foods to cook?
SIU
Steak?
Interviewer
Steak?!
So, how do you spend your time when you are not drawing Manhwa, like during the weekends?
SIU
There isn’t that much of time when I don't draw.
[12:00]
Because, nowadays, there are so many devices that you can just carry around and draw with it.
So I bought one, thinking that it will help me save some time.
But after I bought it, I was drawing even when I went out to play, and inside a cafe.
But, if I am not drawing, I am thinking a lot, like how I should draw the next episode and stuff.
[12:30]
Unless I take a long hiatus, I am just keep thinking and thinking.
Interviewer
Oh, I see, so you draw Manhwa even during the weekends. Hahaha.
So if you have any specialty outside of drawing, would that be cooking?
SIU
Hmm… It’s not like I am really good at cooking, if I cook, I do cook though.
For sports, badminton.
[13:00]
Do I have any specialty? I don’t think I have much.
Interviewer
No specialty…
But SIU, you are tall, and I think you would be good at sports.
SIU
No, I am actually not that good at it.
Interviewer
I see…
According to xxx author, there is a theory that the deviations for authors include: drinking before the deadline, formatting computer before the deadline, purchasing a new game before the deadline, etc.
What is your deviation?
[13:30]
SIU
I am not sure who’s the author who said that,
And I will make that author feel awkward if I say this, but,
I rarely drink, and I do not play games that much.
Also, this is kinda bad but, I don't do formatting that often as well.
I am lazy, so I hadn't been doing it...
For me, when I am resting, I go for driving to pretty far away place,
[14:00]
And have a room in the lodging, and work there.
Interviewer
Ah~ I think you can refresh your mood if you change the environment.
SIU
Yes.
Interviewer
How do you drive backward?
SIU
What?
Interviewer
Driving backward, like you have your arm like this.
SIU
Oh, driving backward.
My car has a camera for that.
Interviewer
I see.. Camera is taking the romantic aspect away.
So, what if, in the whole world, there are only two women, Anak and Rachel.
[14:30]
Who would you prefer for relationship?
SIU
I think I would die single..
Interviewer
You would die single, hahaha.
But what if you have to?
Like, they ask you, "If you don't go date with me, I will erase you from this world!"
SIU
Ok.. If I have a relationship, I think I would prefer Rachel-
Audience
Booooooo
SIU
Never mind, I will just die single.
[15:00]
Interviewer
Hahaha, got it.
So, among the ToG characters, if there is one character that's close to your ideal type, who would that be?
Audience
*Shouts out some of the characters' name*
Interviewer
Not the audience's, but SIU's.
Stop talking about guys there.
SIU
Hmm.. if you talk about the ideal character, actually,
I would pick a male character.
[15:30]
Interviewer
I respect that.
SIU
Because, not in the romantic way, but as a person to person way,
To be honest, I think Baam is the ideal person to me.
But recently, my thought has changed.
Since he's way too kind.
Sometimes I feel a little frustrated with him as I progress the plot.
In these days, I think I prefer Khun more.
[16:00]
But,
Interviewer
Someone from there is saying that there is no Khun recently.
SIU
Soon, I promise.
And for a female character, I think it would be Yuri.
Interviewer
Yuri, yeah, she's pretty.
What would be the reason that makes Yuri ideal?
SIU
I am not so active, and pretty indecisive.
[16:30]
So for the ideal type, I like someone who is decisive, and has their own style of doing things.
Interviewer
Like, "Let's do this!"
So SIU, since 2010 you have been working on ToG for 6 years.
What was something that was the most memorable, whether good or bad?
SIU
For bad memory, I think I had struggled the most before my debut.
[17:00]
I kind of felt lost at that time, and my family was going through a difficult time as well.
So I felt pressure, that I have to make my debut happen.
And if I could not, I had to choose something else for the job, which would make it hard for me to draw Manhwa.
So I think that was the most difficult time for me.
And for good things, I think I see them all the time.
When I get sick, the fact that I can live like this, makes me happy.
[17:30]
I often think that I am living a bit happier life than others.
Interviewer
Oh, that sounds good.
Your dream is aligned with your job.
So question, SIU, what does Manhwa mean to you?
SIU
It's like my friend?
It's nothing special, but it's always by my side.
Interviewer
A very good friend, like someone who would accept me even if I don't treat them well?
[18:00]
SIU
I think they will accept me only if I do good.
Interviewer
Ahahaha.
I see.
By the way, is there anyone here who want to draw Manhwa in future when you grow up?
Yeah, would you please give an advice for them?
SIU
First of all, there are a lot of people who want to do Manhwa, who have passion for Manhwa, and who draw Manhwa as a hobby.
[18:30]
So if you aim for a professional Manhwa writer, I think it would be good if you have something unique to offer.
Rather than just pursuing for a professional Manwha writer, having some unique experience or major before preparing for Manhwa writer would help, I think.
Interviewer
Unique experience or major.
[19:00]
Guys, I hope you remember this and draw good Manhwa.
So, we now need to start closing this, but how did you feel about today's talkshow?
SIU
At first, I was nervous, so I could not talk a lot.
I actually had a flu until yesterday as well, so my voice might have not been so clear.
But it really feels good coming here.
[19:30]
It was fun, and I didn't expect so many people to be here, but there were so many. I'm very glad.