The Color Of Earth

Kim Dong Hwa was once known as a sunjing storyteller in Korea, catering to girls with light stories. In 2003, he took a chance with The Story of Life on the Golden Fields. This became a turning point in Kim’s career, as he found success with both male and female adult readers, as well as for Korean manhwa (the equivalent to Japan’s manga). Today, the first part of his trilogy has been translated and published as The Color Of Earth.

The story takes place in rural Namwon in the early 20th Century. Ehwa starts out as a seven-year-old girl who soon finds out the difference between the sexes. Over time, her “womanly eyes” open as she grows into adolescence. In particular, she finds herself infatuated by young monk Chung-Myung and the scholar Sunoo. Meanwhile, Ehwa’s widowed mother runs a tavern and copes with men who make fun of her, even as she smiles and shrugs it off. Her life changes when a traveling artist enters her life and reawakens her heart.

Ehwa’s journey into womanhood never gets tiring or cliche. Interspersed with floral references, the story rolls on with little lost in translation, though references are helpfully written out when needed. Humor is also found in the story, ranging from the running commentary between the tavern regulars to the somewhat unseemly ways Ehwa’s peers express their newfound sexuality. The awkward onset of puberty for both Ehwa and Chung-Myung are dealt with seriously with a dash of humor. For Chung-Myung, his dilemma has him wondering, “Why does Ehwa appear bigger than Buddha?” But the main focus is between Ehwa and her mother, as they share their lives and remain friends, even as the mother finds romance with the artist, who never stays around for too long.

Artistically, The Color Of Earth excels in making Namwon and the surrounding areas beautiful. Single and double-page spreads juxtapose detailed scenery with comic characters almost perfectly. Scenes with rain feel as soothing as a mild rainfall. Ehwa comes off as the most expressive character, her face constantly changing depending on her moods, from happy to scared to mischievous. The characters can be cartoonish in appearance and personality, but only when the story calls for it.

With The Color Of Water due out in June and The Color Of Heaven set to conclude Ehwa’s tale in September, The Color Of Earth not only starts the trilogy off right, but also stands alone as a nice tale by its own merits.

-Jason Borelli