KCC in Egypt holds K-Comics world exhibition opening ceremony with the presence of Hellbound webtoon writer Choi Gyu-seok.
2025-07-02
The Korean Cultural Center in Egypt is hosting the “K-Comics World” exhibition throughout July, showcasing the global rise of Korean comics and webtoons. Organised by Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and supervised by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and The Korean Cultural Center.
In 2025, the K-Comics World exhibition will take place in five countries, namely: Egypt (Cairo), China (Shanghai), Canada (Ottawa), Hungary (Budapest), and Japan (Osaka).
Each exhibition will showcase the unique cultural identity of its host country alongside popular Korean webtoons. The event will include interactive programs with webtoon artists and writers and immersive experiences, providing an engaging introduction to webtoons for audiences of all ages.
The K-Comics World exhibition in Cairo will focus on the popular Korean webtoon “Hellbound,” which was adapted into a successful two-season Netflix drama. The first season premiered in November 2021, and the second premiered in October 2024, blending crime, thriller, and fantasy elements.
“You will go to hell in five days, at 3 p.m.”
Hellbound tells the story of two supernatural phenomena: “The Decree” and “The Execution.” When a person receives a decree about the exact time of their death, terrifying beings called “Hell's Messengers” arrive to carry out the execution publicly. These events are seen as divine judgment, leading to new belief systems and radical groups that manipulate society through fear and control. The webtoon examines how this phenomenon reshapes human communities in the face of the unknown.
The KCC in Egypt held the opening ceremony of the exhibition on Tuesday, July 1st, at 5:00 PM, featuring the original writer, Mr. Choi Gyu-seok. All Korean culture lovers in Egypt were invited to register to attend the ceremony, while the exhibition itself remains free and open to the public for the entire month.
Registration links for attendance were also sent to Koreanet reporters but I attended the event as a Sejong Institute student, thanks to a special invitation from the Center's Director, Mr. Oh Sung-ho, for levels 7 and 8 students. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I was lucky to be there with my friend Iman from level 7.
The event was attended by many distinguished figures from the Institute of Fine Arts, as well as several visual artists and Korean language teachers from Ain Shams University.
At 5:00 PM, Mr. Choi Gyu-seok arrived, and the Center’s Director, Mr. Oh Sung-ho, warmly welcomed everyone, expressing joy over the K-Comics World Exhibition launching from Egypt. He discussed the humble beginnings of Korean webtoons, which evolved from simple digital comics into popular film and television adaptations.
Mr. Oh emphasized the unique storytelling of Korean creators, which resonates with global audiences. He noted the popular webtoon "Hellbound" which will be feature in the K-Comics World exhibition which was adapted into a famous Korean drama released on Netflix in over 190 countries. He also welcomed the author, Mr. Choi Gyu-seok, and concluded by thanking the audience for their support of Korean culture.
Following that, the host of the ceremony invited the writer Mr. Choi to the stage. We welcomed him with warm applause, and he expressed his delight at being in Egypt for the very first time. He spoke with admiration about Egypt’s rich history and its legacy of renowned writers and storytellers.
During the Q&A session, when he was asked about his message through "Hellbound", Mr. Choi noted that there's not always a need to convey a fixed idea or moral—he simply enjoys the creative process of writing and illustrating characters.
The final question from the audience asked about the inspiration for the webtoon "Hellbound." Mr. Choi shared that director Yeon Sang-ho watched around 15 minutes of an animated short film nearly 20 years ago, which left such a strong impression that it gave him a nightmare that night.
As time went by, both Mr. Yeon and Mr. Choi each one of them has got married and raised families, but they later reconnected and found a shared desire to create something new. It was then that Yeon remembered the short film and used it as inspiration for "Hellbound."
The first part of the opening ceremony came to a close with group photos featuring Mr. Choi, alongside prominent figures from the Faculty of Fine Arts and several distinguished visual artists.
Afterward, we were divided into two groups to enter Aram Hall, located in the KCC in Egypt. Honestly, I could hardly believe my eyes when I stepped inside. The hall had been spectacularly transformed into a full webtoon-themed gallery. Bathed in shades of red and black, with illustrations and scenes from the webtoon adorning every corner, the space radiated a chilling yet captivating atmosphere. It truly felt as though I had been transported into the world of the webtoon itself.
The event featured a free-roaming tour of the exhibition. My friends and I took plenty of photos and were excited to collect photo cards of the main characters from the webtoon. There were also themed stamps and shelves filled with many copies of the webtoon "Hellbound" for viewing.
A standout moment was the corner containing a model of the main character surrounded by figures of the messengers of Hell. This setup served as a photo booth, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the dark, dramatic world of the story.
At the far end of the hall, there was a charming corner for webtoon coloring sheets, where visitors could color illustrations either on-site or take them home. The area was well-equipped with coloring pencils especially for families with children, who were happily taking pictures and enjoying the activity.
My friends and I chose a few artwork sheets from the webtoon to color later. There was also a station for stamping or writing personalized messages on decorative sheets, which the staff transformed into custom buttons for us to wear as souvenirs.
At the end of the event, there was a survey designed to gather feedback about the exhibition. It aimed to find out what visitors enjoyed, what they would like to see in future editions, and any suggestions they might have for improving the experience.
My friends and I gladly completed the questionnaire, and as a token of appreciation, we received an adorable medal as a gift. It was the perfect conclusion to a day filled with art, culture, and unforgettable moments.
Keywords:
K-Comics World Exhibition, Korean Webtoon, Korean Cultural Center in Egypt, Sejong Institute, Hellbound, Choi Gyu-seok, Yeon Sang-ho, Korean Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Korean Culture, Republic of Korea, Koreanet.
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