<Duchess in Ruins> Interview with Authors Saedle & Candlebambi
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vol. 251
[Duchess in Ruins]
Authors Saedle & Candlebambi | NAVER WEBTOON
Breathtaking visuals brought to life with enchanting art๐ธโจ and a flawless narrative that surpasses the original! โ๏ธโจ
Bound together as the spoils of war๐, Laslo and Edele's๐
thrilling workplace romance! โจ๐ฅ๐
The visual masterpiece of NAVER's Tuesday Webtoons!
An interview with the dream team behind <Duchess in Ruins>, Authors Saedle & Candlebambi.
Let's dive right in!
[INTRO]
Q. Author Saedle! Author Candlebambi! It's an absolute honor to have you for this interview! Before we begin, could you briefly introduce yourselves?
A. Saedle - Hello! I'm webtoon author Saedle. I am currently in charge of the adaptation and storyboard for NAVER's Tuesday webtoon, <Duchess in Ruins>.
Candlebambi - Hello, I'm Candlebambi, in charge of the art for <Duchess in Ruins>, serialized every Tuesday on NAVER WEBTOON!
It's so nice to meet you all.
โณ Nice to meet you ๐ธ
[About Saedle & Candlebambi]
Q. I'm curious about how you chose your pen names!
A. Saedle - I had a few pen name ideas come to mind, so I shared them with my friends and chose the one that got the best reaction.
And yes, the meaning is indeed 'birds' (sae-deul)๐
Candlebambi - This is a pen name I've been using since I was a student.
There's no special backstory; it just naturally came to me while thinking of word combinations with a pretty ring to them.
In English, I write it as Candlebambi!
Q. Was there a specific moment that made you decide to become a webtoon author?
A. Saedle - I didn't intend to make drawing my career from the beginning.
I had been drawing as a hobby since I was young, but I thought, 'With my skills, I could never become a commercial author.'
However, after my friend Haeyoon suggested we collaborate, I serialized my debut work <Crossing Code>, and
I gradually began to think, 'I can actually draw comics too.'
Afterward, I studied how to storyboard on my own, which led to my next project.
Candlebambi - It might sound clichรฉ, but I've loved comics since I was very young, so I was always drawing.
Right after graduating from college, I received an offer to serialize a webtoon, but I lacked confidence in myself back then.
I had been drawing constantly, but I didn't know anything about the industry.
Regretfully, I declined the offer at the time and got a job at a webtoon studio.
I learned a lot while working on various projects at the company for a few years, and
after resigning, I've been working hard as the artist for <Duchess in Ruins>.
I sometimes wondered if I should look for a different path, but looking back, I think comics (webtoons) and I were inseparable after all!
Q. Do you have any minor habits or routines that readers don't know about? Could you share one?
A. Saedle - The first fixed routine that comes to mind is opening three or four of the previous episode's storyboards right before starting a new drawing storyboard.
Then I briefly reflect on how I arranged things, why I divided the panels that way...
so that the same patterns don't repeat in the next episode.
Candlebambi - I really love the horror genre, like scary stories or horror movies.
So I always listen to horror radio shows or related content while working.
(I can't work while watching videos, so I just leave it on like a radio and listen to the audio.)
Sometimes I get sleepy while working, and hearing a scream occasionally wakes me up.
I also really enjoy working on scenes in the manuscript that express a spooky atmosphere.
Q. I'm curious about your workspace, could you introduce it to us?
A. Saedle - I used to have a separate studio, but right now I use one of the rooms at my parents' house as my workspace.
I'm a bit shy, so I'll introduce it with a simple drawing instead of a photo!
Candlebambi - It's not grand enough to be called a studio, but here is my workspace!
I use a pen display(Cintiq Pro 24, non-touch model) attached to a monitor arm,
but while working, the sub-monitor is mostly covered, so I mainly use it just for messengers.
I love books, so I have a habit of stacking them on my desk even if I can't read them right away.
Since my wrist hurts a lot from working for long hours, a vertical mouse has become essential.
A cute work buddy(a plushie) I received as a gift is always keeping me company!
[About Saedle]
Q. There were many praises for your excellent ability to softly and flexibly adapt the original work in your previous project, 'Queen Cecia's Shorts'.
How did your working methods or experiences from that time influence your adaptation this time?
A. <Queen Cecia's Shorts> was a work where the protagonist Yuri openly revealed her desires.
I set up a major adaptation plan for each season and followed the story, arranging it so that this aspect would be reminded every 10-12 episodes.
Thanks to that, there weren't major difficulties, but...
This current work, <Duchess in Ruins>, is a bit different.
The freedom of our protagonist, Edele, feels trapped, clashing with the desires of numerous characters.
To ensure that what Edele wishes for doesn't get obscured amidst the chaos, I tried to easily reveal it by setting up a few items. (ex: an apple, a ring, etc.)
Whether the direction I arranged in that way is effectively conveyed is always a worry for me.
Still, the mindset of 'I just have to keep going!' is the biggest help my past experiences have given me๐
Q. How do you feel your personal identity or working philosophy is revealed while handling the adaptation and storyboards?
A. This is actually something I want to grab other people and ask them about.
Are my personal characteristics showing? Or are they hiding behind the story, unseen?
Before being webtoon authors, we were individual readers, so I believe everyone's impressions will differ.
The parts I want to convey as an author will sometimes be the same, and sometimes different.
If possible, I'm taking care to ensure my own stubbornness or perspective doesn't monopolize the work... but!
I'm not sure what will happen in the future๐
Q. Could you specifically share how you manage your schedule and maintain your creative energy during serialization?
A. I think periodic ventilation, changing the work environment, and managing a daily routine through a commute system are the only right answers.
During <Queen Cecia's Shorts> I kept it up, but since the early stages of <Duchess in Ruins>,
due to personal circumstances, this hasn't been strictly followed, so I feel it even more keenly.
Creative energy is often replenished through activities completely unrelated to comics(shopping, taking walks, etc.), but
it gets the biggest recharge when one imagination leads to another.
When I imagine, 'What kind of face will our protagonist Edele have 5 or 10 episodes from now? What reactions will she draw out?'
it makes me want to hurry up and get to that point.
[About Candlebambi]
Q. When you actually draw a scene passed down from the storyboard (or adaptation), what is the first part you check or modify?
A. When I receive a storyboard, the first thing I do is read it from start to finish from a reader's perspective.
After that, I list up what backgrounds to use for each scene depicted in the storyboard, take reference shots, and
plan out detailed adjustments that need to be made according to my art style, such as refining the storyboard's angles to be prettier, or changing character placement, size, posture, and expressions.
I think this is when I decide how to express the direction artistically.
Q. What references or drawing techniques do you consult the most when directing character expressions?
A. I think I just remember how expressions or directing are portrayed whenever I watch any creative media in my daily life.
For impressive scenes in movies, animations, webtoons, comics, or dramas, I tend to scrapbook them as references or replay them multiple times to reflect on them.
Q. If there are moments when you draw inspiration or find comfort in fan art or fan messages, could you share one memorable episode?
A. I received so much comfort from the comments I got during the hiatus of Season 1 and when I returned.๐
I felt incredibly sorry when Season 1 had to end early due to health issues, but
the readers left such warm words of encouragement, and when I came back, they welcomed me so much that it really gave me a lot of strength.
[About <Duchess in Ruins>]
Q. Could you tell us how you ended up working together on this project and about your first meeting?
A. Saedle - I believe I received the project offer first.โบ๏ธ
Not many weeks after I produced the storyboards for episodes 1 and 2, I received a beautiful manuscript sample,
and it was the truly dazzling and elegant art of Candlebambi.
Mstoryhub connected us!
โณ The art that Author 'Saedle' fell in love with at first sight ๐จ
Candlebambi - While I was taking a break after resigning from my company, the PD in charge of <Duchess in Ruins> at the time
contacted me first with a serialization offer after seeing my personal SNS.
During a period when I was worrying a lot about my future plans, finding out that the author of a work I thoroughly enjoyed was handling the storyboards
was so amazing and an honor.
Meeting this project felt like destiny.
Q. What do you consider the most important responsibility in your respective roles (Adaptation & Storyboard / Art), and what do you expect from each other?
A. Saedle - Our roles are divided into storyboard and art, but since we are creating one work together, I feel they aren't completely separate.
Since I pass on the process in the form of a storyboard, I try to convey 'why this situation was presented' as much as possible.
Her accepting that well is my joy and what I look forward to!
Candlebambi - I believe that doing the art is the process of serving the adapted storyboard as a more fun and deliciously completed dish.
I'm always working while thinking about how I can convey Saedle's storyboards to the readers more specifically and in a way that truly resonates.
I want readers to be able to feel even the temperature of the air touching the characters' skin.
What I expect from Saedle is probably just that I want to see the next episode quickly?๐ฅฐ
Q. How did the collaboration process with Candlebambi, who is in charge of the art, go, and were there any surprising moments when you saw it rendered in art?
A. Saedle - During the early stages of preparing the project, we exchanged opinions on future work methods and interpretations.
I think I often asked her if she could definitely include certain things, or if it would be okay to lead characters in a specific direction.
There were surprising moments seeing it realized in art in every single episode, so I don't know what to pick!
I think Candlebambi's genius senses shone even brighter when I requested metaphors or abstract imagery.
โณ Panels from early episodes that captured Author 'Saedle's heart! ๐
Q. How did the collaboration process with Author Saedle, who is in charge of the adaptation and storyboards, go, and were there any memorable scenes in terms of direction?
A. Candlebambi - Around the time I received the offer to be the artist for <Duchess in Ruins>,
Author Saedle, our storyboard artist, had already received the offer first and had progressed a bit with the storyboards.
In the early stages of preparing the project, I had video meetings with Saedle and the PD in charge!
I could feel that our directions for interpreting the work aligned well and that I was working with people who love the project, so I have very fond memories of that time.
There are countless scenes that left an impression on me in terms of direction, but
I particularly remember actually bursting into tears while reading the storyboard for the final scene of episode 22.
The scene where Lynn's spirit pushes Edele's back, guiding her through her inner hesitation, was so beautiful yet sad and hopeful.
I put a lot of effort into expressing the storyboard's emotional lines through the art back then.
Q. During your collaboration, if there were any clashes regarding dialogue, expressions, or composition,
could you share a specific example and the resolution process on how you coordinated it?
A. Saedle - Up to now, there haven't really been any points of conflict.
Because it's a commercial work touched by many hands, if the feedback provided is reasonable, I accept it immediately!
Rather than the examples you mentioned, I think it's mostly cases where I suggest opinions on the direction of the adaptation and ask for her response.
Candlebambi - Usually, when she sends memos of her opinions on direction along with the adapted storyboard, if there are ambiguous parts in expressions or composition, or
if I have personal opinions, it proceeds in a format where I send my reply back.
If Author Saedle lays out the path with the adaptation, I complete it by adding details to it. So far,
there haven't been any parts where our opinions clashed.
Since it's a collaborative work, I am smoothly accepting and proceeding with the feedback given.
Q. Could you give an example of a scene where you paid special attention to the direction during the storyboard stage in this work, and tell us the reason for that decision and its expected effect?
A. Saedle - This is also quite a lot, so it's hard to choose. I try to include key point panels in every episode if possible.
They are usually wide and require a lot of effort, so I'm always grateful for the hard work on the art.๐ฅน
Separately, the flashback panels showing the Krissus siblings and the Edele and Lynn sisters are always sad and lovely, so
I hope you can feel the poignancy even without any elaborately added direction.
Q. When expressing the emotional lines of the protagonist and main characters through drawings, what details do you pay special attention to?
A. Candlebambi - I think I pay the most attention to lighting, colors, and expressions.
Once I finish conceptualizing expressions that fit the directionโlike sadness, fear, or joyโI think about how much light hits the character,
how the shadows of the background and the characters are cast, and what the color of the light source is. If necessary,
I also change the line art style.
Q. When you need to strike a balance between creative autonomy and readers' expectations, what is the judging criteria that you two prioritize the most?
A. Saedle - It's hard to apply to the work as a whole and choose, I think it varies by episode.
When transferring from the original medium of a 'novel' to 'images',
I pray for the flexibility to reduce and explain several lines of text into a single drawing panel,
and I just hope it can satisfy the readers' expectations.
Candlebambi - Since it's a webtoon adapted from an original novel, meaning the task of converting text into images, I think I pay a lot of attention to the 'power of visual expression.'
I have to take the skeleton of the original novel but show new entertainment so it can be felt as a separate creative work.
In that process, due to the nature of the romance fantasy genre, aesthetic aspects cannot be excluded, so
there are times when it differs slightly from the images the original readers had imagined.
Also, the direction to gradually convince new readers of the characters' narratives is quite a difficult part as well.
Rather than simply saying, 'I drew it like this because I wanted to!', I strive to adjust flexibly to draw readers' expectations and interest,
aligning with the characters' future steps and the overall flow of the story.
Q. When you need to compress or expand a scene, on what criteria did you prioritize?
A. Saedle - 'Is it an appropriate amount to express in drawings?'
I prioritize pacing it to the speed of development that needs to be shown in one webtoon episode.
Q. What is the most memorable scene while working, and could you honestly share your inner emotions and external worries when directing that scene?
A. Saedle - Edele usually works with a bright demeanor, but she's a protagonist who also carries a quiet sorrow inside.
Balancing her exterior and interior so it doesn't break is quite difficult. I frequently scrap and redo things starting from the text storyboard stage.
It's hard to describe since it's from an episode that hasn't been released yet at the time of writing this interview, but
all of Edele's upcoming anguish is virtually a challenge for me, so I would appreciate it if you could check it out in the main series๐
Q. Please tell us about the most challenging scene artistically in this project, and your feelings or what you learned when you completed it.
A. Candlebambi - Rather than a specific scene, it's about a setting, which is... the male lead (Laslo)'s... 'beard'!
I hadn't encountered many male characters with beards before taking on <Duchess in Ruins>,
so I think I agonized over it quite a bit during the character design stage.
Coordinating with the person in charge, I think I did my absolute best on the design so that readers wouldn't feel too burdened (?)
yet could still find him attractive.
In particular, Western readers really loved the bearded version of Laslo!
When he shaved it off, there were even readers who sent messages to my personal SNS asking me to bring Laslo's beard back.๐คฃ
โณ Which side are you on?
[Outro]
Q. Even if it's not your immediate next project, if you were invested with infinite time and capital, is there a genre or story you really want to draw?
A. Saedle - Surprisingly, it's child-rearing stories. When I tell some friends or PDs, they react by saying they never expected it.
To be precise, I should phrase it as wanting to draw 'a young protagonist's coming-of-age story.'
Because it's a child and not an adult, I want to ponder over the descriptions that can be created.
Candlebambi - I have so many favorite genres that it's really hard to choose.
For romance fantasy, I'd like to try a work with a cute and lively atmosphere, like a childcare story, an academy story, or an adventure story.
For completely different genres, school dramas or adventure fantasies featuring magic and diverse races would be great, and
since I personally love horror, I'd also like to draw a sweet but bloody genre combining horror and romance.
There are so many stories I want to draw and tell that it's a shame I only have one body.
Q. After wrapping up this serialization, if you want to take a short break, what is the thing you want to do the most during your rest period?
A. Saedle - Traveling here and there with only a sketchbook and a small tablet as my work tools, leaving behind light doodles, and after finishing the trip,
I want to daydream about stories that begin from there.
Candlebambi - First off, I'd like to sleep for 15 hours a day for about a week.๐ฅน (Is that too sad of a story?)
Once my fatigue is relieved that way, I want to read a book every day, meet friends I haven't been able to see, and travel around.
I have a fantasy about camping, which is like playing house for adults, so I want to go camping too!
Once I accumulate various experiences inside me like that, I'd like to dive into working on a project again.
Q. Lastly, if you have any words you'd like to say to the readers who loved <Duchess in Ruins>, please share them freely.
A. Saedle - Before we knew it, <Duchess in Ruins> has rushed toward the midpoint of the story!
From now on, it might come across as a story you know from reading the original work, but expressed slightly differently.
I will continue to work hard to make it enjoyable for both the readers who love the original work and the readers who met us through the webtoon.
Please continue to stay with us. We love you!
Candlebambi - It feels like episode 1 was uploaded not long ago, but we are already approaching the middle of the story.
Thank you to all the readers who laughed and cried with <Duchess in Ruins>!
We would appreciate it if you look forward to Edele and Laslo's story moving forward.
I will continue to work hard every week and greet you with entertaining stories.
Also, I would like to express my gratitude to Reporter Hong Cho-rong and the Webtoon Guide for providing this opportunity to communicate with our readers,
and I hope everyone has a warm and happy year this year!๐