Sadam - I chose this pen name because I liked how it sounded while chatting with an acquaintance.
         It didn't really have a deep meaning originally, but during my previous work, I had to write my pen name in Hanja.
         After some thought, I decided to use it with the meaning of 'Private Talk (私談)',
         and since it seems to suit a writer/artist well, I've been using it ever since.

Q. What was the decisive reason that made you choose the career of a webtoon artist?

A. Mogin - I became an artist through a contest hosted by Daum Webtoon (now Kakao Webtoon) right around the time I graduated as a student.
         Back then, my understanding of webtoons was a bit lacking, so I created and submitted an original comic in a black-and-white print manga format, but I got lucky.
         I am always grateful to those who gave me that opportunity.

   Sadam - There wasn't a huge turning point. I got a chance to serialize a work by coincidence, which naturally led me to continue working as a webtoon artist.
         After working in this field for a long time, I realized it's a profession that suits me perfectly. I'm really glad.

Q. You are currently taking a break after concluding a long serialization. How have you been spending your time?

A. Mogin - I am currently producing multiple works, so I've been working hard as usual.
         Actually, even though <Little Rabbit and the Big Bad Leopard> has ended, I feel like I'm even busier.... 

   Sadam - I've been living a normal daily life—eating well, sleeping well, and working out.
         Except for the fact that I'm not currently serializing, nothing much has changed.
         The time I spend with my family and friends has increased a bit, so I go out slightly more often.

Q. When is the most rewarding moment during your creative activities, and conversely, when is the hardest moment?

A. Mogin - Naturally, I feel the most fulfilled when the readers love the work.
         As for the hard times... it gets a bit distressing when my physical condition drops and I can't focus on my work.

   Sadam - Like all artists, I think the most rewarding moment is when I receive good feedback on my work.
         Hearing positive feedback inevitably gives me energy, knowing there are people who cherish my creations.
         On the flip side, the hardest moment is when my drawing doesn't turn out the way I envisioned.
         It feels quite frustrating, and if this happens when a deadline is tight, I suffer tremendously.🥲

Q. We are curious about your workspaces! Please introduce them!

A. 

△ Artist Mogin's workspace (Left) & Artist Sadam's workspace (Right)

[About <Mogin>]

Q. You left a deep impression on readers with excellent original works like <Poem of the Sun>.
   What is the biggest difference in your approach when creating an original story yourself versus adapting an existing original work into a webtoon (storyboarding)?

A. Unless there are specific internal opinions, I focus on following the original work's story while showcasing its charm to the fullest.
   Since I took on the project, I prefer to keep my unique directing style as an artist, but avoid inserting completely new creative elements.
   I concentrate on making a fun and easy-to-read work suitable for the webtoon format by redistributing, expanding, or condensing the original scenes.

△ (Whisper whisper) Hurry and head over to Kakao Webtoon & Page now.. a sun-like masterpiece is waiting for you☀️

 

Q. Do you have any favorite media or fields you turn to for inspiration when conceptualizing stories? 

A. I play games a lot during my free time, so I naturally tend to get inspiration from games.
   Other than that, I also like getting materials from my dreams.
   In my dreams, the things I usually like are often well-blended and presented to me.

Q. Since you are still putting a lot of effort into your original works,
   could you give us a slight hint about what color your next unique story might take? 

A. As always, I am preparing a story about people's lives—a story where healing comes after some 'killing' (hardship). 

[About Sadam] 

Q. Do you have any personal tips regarding digital tools, brushes, or materials to achieve your signature clear and delicate line art? 

A. I use the default brush called 'Real G-Pen' in Clip Studio. Rather than adjusting the brush size or pen pressure,
   I do my line art while zooming in and rotating the canvas.
   I also frequently use the horizontal flip feature, which is very useful for checking the overall proportions.
   It feels like the best deadline-saving feature that can only be enjoyed while working on a PC.

Q. Your deadline schedule must be very tight. Do you have a personal routine to maintain a consistent art quality?

A. I start drawing the panels that draw the most attention and that I consider the most important.
   The beginning is when I have the most energy left and still have some mental breathing room before the deadline, so I can draw them the most beautifully.
   After that, I work on the panels in order, and at the very end, I brew a cup of coffee(Important!)
   and fine-tune everything with a clear mind to make sure there's no glaringly inconsistent art!

△ ...Artist? Is your energy perhaps infinite?🌋 The art is always so pretty, what's your secret?

Q. Besides your current elegant and gorgeous style, if you get a chance later, is there an artistic challenge or genre
   you would like to try by completely changing your line art texture or directing style? 

A. There are so many things I want to try that it's hard to choose. If I had to pick, an Eastern historical fantasy or a mixed fantasy genre sounds fun!

[About <Little Rabbit and the Big Bad Leopard>] 

Q. When you first encountered the original novel, what aspect did each of you find the most charming?

A. Mogin - The concise sentences and the entertaining progression of events caught my eye first. I was confident it would be fun to turn it into a webtoon.

   Sadam - The characters' personalities were incredibly appealing.
         Vivi, who is timid yet spirited, was cute; Ahin, who spits out shocking lines; Evelyn, who freshens up the mood in between...
         If I write them all down one by one, it would become incredibly long.
         They are characters with strong personalities, but putting any of them together created great chemistry.
         And since most of the main and supporting cast were warmhearted, I thought of it as a very warm story.

△ The strongest, invincible rabbit who outsmarts the wicked beasts!!🐰🐾

Q. Given that it's a world of beast-kin where various species live together, what did you ponder the most when visually adapting the character designs or the story's unique settings for the webtoon?

A. Mogin - Since there are many beast-kin based on different animal species, Artist Sadam put a lot of effort into categorizing them visually.
         I remember focusing on how to depict 'pheromones', which is a unique setting in this work.

Q. The chemistry between Vivi and Ahin is the core of this work. How would you define the relationship between these two characters?

A. Mogin - A black leopard looking quite content under the front paws of a scaredy-cat rabbit.

   Sadam - The prey who put a leash on the predator. Mutual salvation.

△ Honey is dripping from our eyes just watching them🍯

Q. When converting the long sentences of the original novel into 'panel distribution' for the webtoon storyboard, what was the most important point you considered?

A. Mogin - Above all, it has to be easy to read, and the eye flow must be comfortable.
         Because the readers must understand the dialogue seen in a brief moment, I sometimes alter them into concise and intuitive sentences.
         Fortunately, <Little Rabbit and the Big Bad Leopard> has rather concise sentences, so I had almost no difficulty doing this work.

Q. Out of the vast descriptions in the original work, is there a setting you boldly omitted or conversely emphasized more to fit the webtoon medium?

A. Mogin - If we followed all the descriptions from the novel, the webtoon's pacing would become extremely slow.
         Therefore, I omit descriptions or devices that are difficult to visualize, and on the contrary, I emphasize scenes that deliver a great emotional impact when shown visually.
         For instance, if there is a scene where Vivi is sad, in a webtoon, rather than a few lines describing her sad emotions,
         having Vivi quietly shed a single teardrop can have a much greater effect.

△ Is this work in 4D by any chance? What is this flowing from my eyes? 🥲

Q. Is there any device you place during the storyboard stage to control the pacing between comedic directing and serious romance? 

A. Mogin - First of all, the distinction between light-hearted scenes and serious scenes must be clear.
         We need to be careful so they don't ruin each other's mood. It should be funny when it's funny, and serious when it's serious.
         If a segment starts with a funny scene, before transitioning to a serious scene later, I ensure there's enough breathing room and mood adjustment so that
         when reading it, readers don't feel like it's 'out of nowhere.'

Q. The first scene where Vivi appeared transformed into a human was highly impressive.
   Are there any intended points in Vivi's human form design to preserve that 'rabbit-like mystique'? 

A. Sadam - The gentle image and her eye shape were the key points.
         Since I had to carry over some of her baby rabbit image, I focused on making her look round and harmless.
         Perhaps because of that, among the other characters, Vivi's eyes are uniquely round and wide-open!
         And to give her hair a fluffy and mystical feel, I designed it as a pinkish-white color.

△ No, Your Honor. This rabbit is harmful.. to my heart.💓

Q. Ahin's gaze alternates between a 'wild beast' and a 'lover.' How do you subtly adjust the depiction of Ahin's eyes or pupils depending on the situation? 

A. Sadam - Did you notice the slight differences depending on the situation? If so, I'm really happy.
         First of all, since Ahin is a wild beast, giving him sharp eyes is the baseline,
         but I draw subtle differences through line thickness or pupil shape depending on the situation.
         When he is acting like a beast, I use vertical pupils + rough and thick lines. When he's looking at Vivi, I try to draw his eyes with a moist(?) and slyly curving eye smile.
         I often tried to draw that kind of eye smile.

△ Here is a panel mixed with the editor's personal bias.😎

Q. While working and checking each other's outcomes, when was the moment you felt, "Ah, this scene is truly beyond my imagination"?

A. Mogin - I felt that way every time I saw the edited version of each episode ^^.
         I just can't easily get used to the emotion of seeing the storyboard I drew come back as a stunning finished piece.

   Sadam - Every now and then, there are panels where rabbit Vivi dances or does something comedic.
         This is the rom-com charm of <Little Rabbit and the Big Bad Leopard>, and Artist Mogin directs those scenes to be cutely ruined(?) really well.
         Every time that happened, I used to laugh with our editor about how cute it was while working.

Q. Besides Ahin, there are many supporting characters overflowing with personality. Who is your personal 'favorite' character that you are most attached to?

A. Mogin - When I read the novel, my heart went out to Rune a lot, but the Quinn drawn by Artist Sadam is also incredibly handsome,
         so at some point, I started looking forward to the episodes where Quinn's human form appears.

   Sadam - At this point in time, Ahin's father, Idis, is my favorite.
         He is an officially recognized beauty in the universe, but he has a backstory, so I couldn't help but keep my eyes on him.
         In the episodes where Idis appeared even a little, many people besides myself would write their thoughts about him, and I agreed with every single one.
         You have no idea how relieved I was to be able to draw Idis a lot in the side stories.

△ (Provided by Artist 'Sadam') Anyone want to let 'Quinn' know that tying his hair like that is foul play?🖐️

Q. Out of all the serialized webtoon episodes, what is the TOP 1 'best masterpiece scene' chosen by the two artists?

A. Mogin - Would it have to be the wedding.... The scene where Vivi and Ahin decided to tie the knot holds a unique resonance.

   Sadam - Ahin and Vivi's wedding. It's a favorite scene of mine, and I remember thinking hard and drawing it carefully because I wanted to dress them in something pretty.
         Everyone loved it, cheering "Finally!!"

△ 💐👏🎉🎊🥂🥳

Q. Aside from the milestone of 100 million views, was there a personal goal you wanted to achieve as an artist that was fulfilled through this work?

A. Mogin - <Little Rabbit and the Big Bad Leopard> is my very first adaptation work.
         The sheer fact that this work received so much love is incredibly meaningful to me.

   Sadam - Publishing a physical paper volume and completing a long-term serialized work were my personal goals.
         I'm happy that I fully achieved my goals.

[Outro] 

Q. We're curious about your honest feelings the moment you wrote the word 'The End' on the final episode.

A. Mogin - Even as I thought 'Finally!', on the other hand, it felt bittersweet.
         It's hard to express in words, but the final episode brings a unique emotion that you can't feel in other works.
         In a way, that charm becomes the driving force for my next creation.

   Sadam - At first, it didn't feel real.
         When the main story ended, there were long side stories coming, so it felt like it would never end...
         I denied reality, thinking, 'Really? Truly the end?' and then felt so empty that I languished for a while.
         Since I had been with Ahin & Vivi for over 5 years, it really felt like I had raised my own children and even married them off,
         so my acquaintances asked if I had empty nest syndrome.

Q. What is the most memorable reader reaction or comment during the serialization?

A. Mogin - The adaptation artist usually isn't the most visible role, but sometimes there are readers who specifically point out and praise the adaptation and direction.
         I'm always thankful to those people.

   Sadam - I can't quite remember if it was a comment, but I once received feedback from a mother saying she was reading it together with her daughter.
         That somehow made me choke up. The fact that such a diverse range of people have been reading my work for a long time is always amazing and I'm grateful for it.

Q. There are many fans anticipating your next moves. Do you have any new goals or dreams you'd like to challenge yourself with in the future?

A. Mogin - Nothing is set in stone yet, but we are continuing to discuss it. Please give us a lot of support ^^~

   Sadam - I don't have anything major planned out yet; my dream is just to have a long career as an artist. I want to keep seeing the readers for a long time! 

Q. Finally, if there is anything you'd like to say to the readers who loved <Little Rabbit and the Big Bad Leopard>, please feel free to share.

A. Mogin - To the readers who poured your emotions into the story of Vivi and Ahin, thank you very much.
         I hope this work has been a small joy in your world.

   Sadam - Thank you always to those who loved <Little Rabbit and the Big Bad Leopard>.
         I'll make sure to greet you with a new work in the near future!
         I hope you have a wonderful New Year! 

Thank you for staying with us through this long interview.🥰