Korean animation

The art of Korean animation, "Han-guk Manhwa Aenimeisyeon" (한국 만화 애니메이션) in Korean, has gone from small hand held flip books in early times, through to studios that produce most of the work for the major American, Japanese, and Australian animation companies. Notable examples of Korean animation include many episodes from the Simpsons and Justice League Unlimited television series, which were made and drawn in Seoul, South Korea. While it is mostly firms in South Korea that contract with Western studios, some of the work is reported to be subcontracted to North Korea as well.ref|sunny-lee

is a new feature film that was animated by DR Movie in Seoul, although the original series was previously produced in Japan (being comprised of three marginally related series). DR Movie also took on the Inbetweens and Paint for other well-known anime

Major players describe the Korean animation industry as in a period of crisis or transition. During the 1990s, a period of explosive growth for the industry, Korean studios made the lion's share of their profits from "OEM animation," or animation production deals, mostly from the United States. Nelson Shin's AKOM studio struck the prototypical Korean OEM deal in 1989, when it animated the first season of The Simpsons television series. Although some studios, notably DR Movie, remain busy, Korean OEM deals have been on the decline in the past half decade, leaving Shin and other studio heads without work.

Many animators see the salvation of the industry in original projects. But efforts to make up the shortfall in orders with original works have been mixed. These include My Beautiful Girl, Mari, Wonderful Days and Empress Chung. Some Korean animators blame the booming Korean game industry for draining the animation industry's talent pool.ref|manhwa1

elected List of Korean animation

*"Aachi & Ssipak" (아치 와 씨팍) (2006)
*"Ark" (2004)
*"Armageddon" (1986)
*"BASToF Syndrome" (26-episode series; original title: BASToF Lemon)
*"Black Rubber Shoes" (검정 고무신)
*"Blue Seagull" (1994)
*"Diatron-5" (다이아트론5)
*"Doggy Poo" (2003)
*"Elysium" (2003)
*"Empress Chung" (왕후심청) (2005)
*"The Fourth King" (work-in-progress) [http://www.fourthking.com/]
*"Golden Iron Man" (1968)
*"The Great Pig Pirate Mateo" (2004)
*"Guradian Fairy Michel
*"Guardians of Olympus" (2005)
*"Hammerboy" (2004)
*"
*"" (2005)
*"Jang Geum's Dream" (장금이의 꿈) (26-episode series) (2006)
*"Ki-Fighter Taerang" (기파이터 태랑) (26-episode series) (1998)
*"The King" (2001)
*"Life is Cool" (그녀는 예뻤다) (2008)
*"The Little Dinosaur Dooly" (아기공룡 둘리)
*"Mazinger 3" (1982)
*"Mazinger 7" (1983)
*"Mug Travel" (빼꼼의 머그잔 여행) (2007)
*"My Beautiful Girl, Mari" (마리 이야기) (2002)
*"Oseam" (오세암) (2003)
*"" (2004)
*"Phoenix-bot Phoenix King" (피닉스킹) (1985)
*"Restol SRS
*"Robot Taekwon V" (로보트 태권브이) (1976)
*"Run=Dim" (2001)
*"Solar I II III" (초 합금 로보트 쏠라 원, 투, 드리) (1983)
*"Sorry, I Love You" (2006)
*"Space Gundam V (스페이스 간담브이)
*"Spheres (2003)
*"Turtle Hero" (2001)
*"Wonderful Days" (원더풀 데이즈) (2003)
*"Yobi, the Five Tailed Fox" (천년여우 여우비) (2007)

ee also

*Korean art
*Korean culture
*List of Korea-related topics
*Manhwa
*Chinese animation

References

* - [http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200508/19/200508192126014809900091009101.html Animators gather as industry faces transition] - JoongAng Daily newspaper
* - Sunny Lee, [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/IC14Dg03.html "US cartoons 'made in North Korea'"] , Asia Times, Mar 14, 2007

External links

* [http://www.chuncheon.go.kr/eng/contents.asp?MCode=30302 Animation Museum in Chuncheon, South Korea]
* [http://hiraco.tistory.com/15 History of Korean animation] (long English article)
* [http://nandakorea.sakura.ne.jp/koreanime.html History of robot anime of South Korea] 　(in Japanese, with images & video clip)
* [http://koreananimation.blogspot.com Korea & Animation blog]