THE AWL, Korean Manha of labor trouble like we're having

THE AWL Vol. 1
CHOI GYU-SEOK (tr. Lynn Eskow)
Ablaze Publishing (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$14.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 3.75* of five

The Publisher Says: The Awl is a story of ordinary folks struggling to be treated as humans.

Set in the latter half of the 2000s, against the backdrop of “Pureumi”, a fictional superstore chain in South Korea, the work unfolds with a focus on two protagonists: Yi Su-in, who has been instructed by the corporation to dismiss workers unjustly; and Gu Go-sin, a labor activist.

A man of principles, Su-in is someone who cannot restrain outspoken criticism and is constantly at odds with the world. Though he has quit a career in the armed forces to live quietly and chosen an ordinary job, he once again clashes against the world because the company has ordered him to drive out employees by force.

Aiding Su-in is Go-sin, a cool-headed and deft labor activist who runs a labor counseling center near the Pureumi chain. Unlike Su-in, who has difficulty getting along with people and sternly sticks to rules, he approaches others without hesitation and even resorts to extreme measures at times to accomplish goals.

Together, Su-in and Go-sin will oppose the manipulation and moral harassment to which the employees are cynically subjected. The process through which these two figures remind ordinary, diligent workers of their rights and bring change together will fire up readers.

Remarkable in mastery and brilliance, author Choi Gyu-seok (The Hellbound) depicts with finesse all the adventures of this shock of two worlds, and at the same time offers an amazing portrait of a complex Korean society, crossed by multiple tensions.

Proof that popular works can also be created based on social topics, The Awl has left an indelible mark on South Korean comics. Entertaining and moving at the same time, The Awl remains a monumental work in the nation’s comics, consummate in its artistry, while conveying an important social message.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I'm the target audience for this story. I had a hard time following it because my sequential-art skills are pretty poor. I'm working to get myself past that barrier, but this story challenged my determination hard. I can't get to a full four stars because if I, fully on the side of these union guys, can't keep focused, what's the less-convinced reader going to do?

It seems odd to provide the US-market reviewers with Korean language artwork.

Nonetheless, I found the story of a man in corporate slavery, I mean work, with a functional conscience and a powerful moral compass, refreshing; I appreciated the PoV of the street-tough union organizer being humanized, as well.

It's not for everyone, but the ones it's for should know it exists.