Kian84 Expresses Feelings: "Portraying the Vulnerable Feels Like Deception... Criticized No Matter What I Do"

A scene from the video titled "Interview with Gian84 Part 1 - Webtoons Are Hard Now," posted on June 15 on the YouTube channel 'Chimchakman' by webtoon artist Imalnyeon. Photo by YouTube capture, featuring webtoon artist Gian84 who appeared in the video.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Webtoon artist Kian84 recently expressed his feelings, saying, "No matter what I do, I end up being criticized," and "It's hard," regarding various controversies surrounding the webtoon he is currently serializing.

On the 15th, Kian84 appeared in a video titled "Kian84 Interview Part 1 - Webtoons Are Hard Now" on webtoon artist Imalnyeon's YouTube channel 'Chimchakman.' On that day, Imalnyeon, along with another webtoon artist Juhomin, visited Kian84's studio.

In the interview, Kian84 lamented, "When I was in my 20s, I was also a young person searching for a career. Now that I am among those who live well, drawing from the perspective of the underdog feels like hypocrisy."

He continued, "I thought I should also depict the lives of those who live well now," adding, "But there is no next work. Comics are hard now. This is not a retirement declaration."

Kian84 said, "Viewers are scary, and Naver is scary too. Why is everyone becoming so frightening? Am I the one making people like that?" and lamented, "I always get criticized no matter what I do. People curse at me, saying, 'Who does he think he is to appear on TV?'. No matter what I do, I end up being criticized."

A scene from episode 326 of "Bokhakwang," released on Naver Webtoon on the 12th of last month. / Photo by Naver Webtoon

Earlier, Kian84 drew attention by criticizing the current government's real estate policies several times through real estate-related episodes in his webtoon 'Bokhakwang,' which is serialized on Naver Webtoon.

In the webtoon released on the 2nd, Kian84 depicted conflicts between apartment residents and non-homeowners, including a line that said, "From the same status, one is a noble, and the other is a slave. What decides that is not the job but the apartment," satirizing the issue of soaring housing prices.

Also, last month, regarding the government's promotion of Happy Housing and rental housing, he drew the protagonist shouting, "It's just wrapped in goodwill, but I hate it! You guys can live in those houses all you want!"

Netizens responded by saying that the webtoon "well reflected the problems of the current government's real estate policies," but some criticized it as "going too far."