"Purgatory Funeral Cake Shop Yeonokdang," Backed by 2,505 Supporters, Wins the "Oscars of Comics"

Sanho's "Purgatory Funeral Cake Shop Yeonokdang"
Wins Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia
4406% Funded on Tumblbug, Sold to 9 Countries
Dark Horse English Edition Marks First Homegrown Korean Comic to Win

The deceased must walk across the vast plains of purgatory for 49 days. Meanwhile, the living order cakes filled with memories and love from their shared past to ensure those who have embarked on their long journey do not grow weary. Standing on the boundary between life and death, a Korean cartoonist baking the 'last piece' has crossed the highest threshold in the global comics scene.

The long-form graphic novel "Purgatory Funeral Cake Shop Yeonokdang" by cartoonist Sanho has been awarded the "Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia" at the Eisner Awards in the United States. This marks the first time a Korean comic, created and published domestically, has won in a competitive category at the Eisner Awards.

Comic-Con International, which organizes the Eisner Awards, held the 38th Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel on July 24 (local time), announcing the winners in 32 categories. The English edition of "Purgatory Funeral Cake Shop Yeonokdang," titled "Purgatory Funeral Cakes," was translated into English by Danny Lim and published by U.S. comics publisher Dark Horse Comics.

The "Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia" is given to one work among comics originally published in Asia and translated into English for the North American market. Sanho's work competed this year against four titles, including the Japanese comics "Hirayasu-mi," "Land," "Tokyo Alien Brothers," and the Taiwanese comic "Yan." The award takes into account not only the quality of the original work, but also the translation, editing, and overall production quality that allow American readers to fully engage with the comic.

This category has long been dominated almost exclusively by Japanese comics. Since the award was restructured under its current name in 2010, Japanese works have taken the prize every year except 2017. Notably, Donghwa Kim's "The Story of Hwanto," Keumsuk Kim's "Grass," and Sanghoon Yeon and Gyuseok Choi's "Hellbound" were nominated in 2010, 2020, and 2023 respectively, but did not win.

"Purgatory Funeral Cake Shop Yeonokdang" takes place at a shop that creates one-of-a-kind cakes for the deceased. The bereaved share stories about foods their loved one enjoyed and memories with the shop owner, Mago. The finished cake becomes nourishment for the departed, sustaining them for 49 days until they reach the gate of reincarnation. Unfolding the grief and loss of various customers in an omnibus format, the graphic novel also develops the epic story surrounding Mago and the ghostly guide, Miro.

The starting point for reaching a global audience was not a major publisher or a webtoon platform, but crowdfunding. In 2019, Sanho launched a campaign on Tumblbug to raise funds for an independent print edition. A total of 2,505 people participated, raising 88,135,000 won, which was 4,406% of the original goal. Born from readers' support, the work was officially published as a standalone volume by Munhakdongne in 2021 and was completed in three volumes last year.

The U.S. edition was published last November by Dark Horse Comics. Its copyright details indicate that the Korean original was licensed through Munhakdongne and Shinwon Agency, with translation by Danny Lim and lettering by Michael Heisler. The translation and editorial work helped to convey the Korean worldview of death, reincarnation, and the 49-day journey to North American graphic novel readers.

The rights to the work have been sold to nine countries, including the United States, Taiwan, Japan, Russia, Vietnam, Poland, Türkiye, Ukraine, and France. In 2022, it won the Korea Creative Content Agency Director’s Award at the Korea Content Awards. Sanho has continued to build a creative world with titles such as "Rain and Swimming," "And the Witch Went into the Woods," and "Nannani in a Glass Bottle." Originally a storyboard artist for films, Sanho turned to comics after realizing they had many stories to tell.

An official from Munhakdongne stated, "Compared to the Harvey Awards, the Eisner Awards are known for considering a work’s mainstream appeal during the judging process, so this win signifies recognition as a major work in the North American comics market," adding, "This award is a remarkable achievement that demonstrates the growth of Korean comics."

Established in 1988, the Eisner Awards are named after the pioneering American cartoonist Will Eisner, considered a founding father of the graphic novel format. The finalists are selected by a judging panel from the previous year's North American releases, and the final winners are determined through voting by industry professionals including comic artists, editors, and publishers. Alongside the Angoulême International Comics Festival Awards and the Harvey Awards, the Eisner Awards are considered among the most prestigious in the global comics industry and are often called the "Oscars of comics."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.