Interview with Author Pharmacy of <Unlucky Mansion> & <Audacious Hustle Play>
Meet the Trending Author
vol. 245
[<Unlucky Mansion>][<Audacious Hustle Play>]
Author Pharmacy | NAVER WEBTOON, RIDI
Delicate stories drawn with a pen
Characters like myself, whom I wish will find happiness in the end,
even if they get hurt and broken.
Filled with long-standing observation and affection for the world and youth,
An interview with Author Pharmacy of <Unlucky Mansion> and <Audacious Hustle Play>,
starts right now!
[INTRO]
Q. Hello, Author Pharmacy! Thank you for accepting this interview! Before we begin, could you briefly introduce yourself?
A. Hello, I am Pharmacy, working as a comic artist and illustrator.
I draw comics in various genres, mostly black-and-white, and I've also worked on cover and spot illustrations for genre novels.
△ The author's alter ego! 'Taro' 😽
[About Pharmacy]
Q. I'm curious how your unique pen name 'Pharmacy (Yak-guk)' came to be!
A. Actually, it has no deep meaning; I just saw a pharmacy sign outside my window and came up with it on the spot.
Sometimes readers attach good meanings to it, (like saying it feels like my works heal their hearts,)
and I'm glad they find so many various meanings that I hadn't even thought of.
On a side note, because of my pen name, I sometimes receive DMs from people looking for drugs through illegal routes, or viral messages targeting pharmacists.
Q. Could you tell us if there was a special motivation that led you to become a webtoon author, or any episodes from before your debut?
A. Ever since I was very young, my dream was to become a comic artist.
Even though it was my dream, the path to debut seemed vague, so I studied other things while doing doujin (indie creator) activities on the side,
and I naturally became an author through those doujin activities.
In a way, you could say my hobby became my profession.
I started with amateur doujin works, but looking back, those activities laid a great foundation for my life as an author.
My short story collection <Seoha> is a compilation of the short stories I drew during my doujin days, published as an e-book.
In particular, many of them were drawn when I was a university student. I remember locking myself in my room every vacation just to draw comics.
I met a lot of people back then while selling doujinshi, and as time passed, we met again as fellow authors, or as editors and authors.
It was a fascinating and grateful experience.
△ <Seoha> Cover
Q. Looking at your works, the subjects feel very fresh. Where do you usually get your inspiration?
A. I try to get inspiration from various places by seeing as many things as possible.
I like comics, fiction, non-fiction, movies, and dramas, and I also enjoy discovering and listening to good music.
Among the books I read recently, <Ghost Town> by Kevin Chen was really good, and as for dramas, <Mindhunter> and <Better Call Saul> were excellent.
Lately, I've been enjoying songs by Butter Bath.
I even unblocked a stuck script storyboard by listening to their song ‘Kurrajong Hotel’ on repeat like crazy.
Q. The characters in your works are all so lively and charming.
Is there a particular aspect you consider most important or a special know-how when creating characters?
A. I usually set up the background first—like personality, hobbies, occupation, and family relationships—and then create the design later.
I often play around with social norms and stereotypes.
If the character's job is a doctor but they have a free-spirited personality,
I might design them wearing their coat sloppily, having piercings, and sporting brightly colored hair.
Conversely, if they are a quiet and gentle doctor, I'd go with a textbook doctor design(like looking calm and neat, wearing glasses).
Early in my career, I didn't think too deeply about characters, but lately, I pay quite a bit of attention to these designs and details.
Q. I think the charm of your works is that characters who seem incredibly lighthearted actually possess a deep and dense inner world,
and that this aspect is delicately unraveled through the story.
What do you consider the most important part of this delicate storytelling method?
A. I try not to draw a clear line between the good and the bad guys.
I want to show that everyone stands on the boundary of good and evil.
These elements make the characters and the story much more multi-dimensional.
△ From <The Eve>
Q. <Audacious Hustle Play> is serialized in an E-book format, while <Unlucky Mansion> was a scroll webtoon.
How did this difference in serialization formats affect your drawing style or storytelling,
or did you discover anything new during the work process?
A. Actually, I worked on both in a publication format (page format), so I didn't feel much difference in storyboarding or directing.
<Unlucky Mansion> was also originally drawn in a page format and then edited to be chopped into a scroll layout.
I haven't worked with only a scroll format in mind, except for the short NCT universe comic (NCT: Dream Contact),
so page directing is the most familiar form of work for me too.
Q. Since the two works have different serialization formats, there must have been a difference in how you communicated with readers or received feedback.
What was different, and did you have any unique experiences from each format?
A. I don't think there's a big difference in the formats. I just feel the difference in the target audience coming from the different genres.
If I had kept serializing in the same genre, the reader base would have overlapped a lot, but since I'm doing completely different genres, they hardly overlap.
Among those who loved <Unlucky Mansion>, many think I'm not working on any next project.
I sometimes get messages from people saying they miss me. It feels a bit awkward to explain it all, so I haven't replied much, but…
I'm doing well somewhere else.😅
<Unlucky Mansion> definitely received a lot of love while it was being serialized, but
it received tremendous love when it started being released on platforms non-exclusively after its completion.
Thanks to that, many people binge-read it all at once, so there were fewer comments in the middle, and many left long comments on the final episode.
Everyone deeply empathized with Eon-ju and Woo-jin and found strength through them.
It's been quite a while since it ended, so when I look back at it now, I see many shortcomings,
but at the time, it was a work where I freely spoke the words I needed to hear myself, borrowing the characters' mouths.
So I was very happy that many people resonated with it and gained strength.
△ <Unlucky Mansion> Draft_Provided by Author
Because <Audacious Hustle Play> is serialized irregularly and has a slow pace, I personally pay a lot of attention to continuity with previous episodes,
and it makes me so happy when readers remember the foreshadowing I worried they might have forgotten, and mention it in the comments.
Even though I'm a slowpoke who updates about once a month, I'm just so grateful to those who are running alongside me through the serialization. (I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you♥)
△ <Audacious Hustle Play> Draft_Provided by Author
Q. How did you start the delicate and warm ballpoint pen drawings that could be considered the signature of your illustrations,
and what led you to establish this style? Could you share a little know-how on expressing your 'own world' with just a single pen?
A. I lived in the remote countryside when I was young, so it was quite difficult to get professional tools.
Even if I got them, they were so precious that I spared them and often used ballpoint pens instead.
As I used them frequently, my hands got used to them, and because they were convenient, I kept using them and ended up here.
△ Author's work tools ✒️
In times like today, where all content rises and falls in popularity quickly, traditional manual work has quite a few disadvantages.
So industry professionals carefully suggest I switch to digital work,
but the unique flavor and tone provided by pen drawings are so good, and the joy of building each space within the artwork piece by piece makes it hard to give up.
To use a movie analogy, there's a joy in building the filming sets and props specifically for my work, one by one.
It also makes me happy when readers recognize that sense of 'something is different' coming from a painstakingly crafted work, even if they don't look closely.
Actually, I did practice digital drawing for the sake of my wrist health,
but ironically, I ended up getting a cyst on my left pinky finger from using ctrl+z too much, got frustrated, and went back to pen drawing.
△ Holiday Film Collage Pen Drawing_ Provided by Author
Recently, many people seem to be trying ballpoint pen drawings, treating it like a sort of retro hip trend.
If I were to give a tip, the best way to rapidly improve your drawing skills is, indeed, croquis.
Try sketching with a mechanical pencil on paper, and once you're comfortable, consistently practice one-pen croquis using only a ballpoint pen.
Drawing boldly with a pen without sketching beforehand is quite helpful for improving your skills.
More than trying to rush, what's most important is to observe sufficiently with your eyes.
△ Croquis_ Provided by Author
Q. You are juggling your activities as a webtoon author and an illustrator. I'm curious about the differences in work styles or inspiration between these two roles!
A. Comics have a large text portion in their scenarios while also being a medium where visual elements are critical,
so I approach them thinking they're similar to movies or dramas,
whereas illustrations require complete immersion in visual elements, so I approach them thinking it's the realm of design.
Therefore, for comics, I put a lot of care into the plot, treatment, and storyboards, and for illustrations, I focus heavily on the drafts.
△ During the work for Onstage 'Thanks To' Illustration
Q. The studio containing your creative essence! I'm curious, could you give us a small tour?
A. It's a cluttered space where traditional tools and digital tools are all mixed together.
For a long time, I used a small desk that was about 70cm wide, but I recently switched to a wide desk, and it's so comfortable and nice.
△ Studio View ✨
[About <Unlucky Mansion>]
Q. The title is <Unlucky Mansion>, but the story itself is about youths overcoming their misfortune to find hope and happiness.
Is there a special reason why you chose this ironic title?
A. I think you can find the reason in Eon-ju and Woo-jin's first encounter.
From Eon-ju's perspective, it wasn't exactly a 'lucky' beginning, so you could call it 'unlucky'.
△ Unlucky? Lucky?!
Q. Beyond being just a residential space, what meaning do you think the 'Mansion' holds for the characters in the story?
How did setting the story in this limited space affect the narrative?
A. If limited to the character Woo-jin, Lucky Mansion would be 'the ideal house he always dreamed of',
and to the friends living in the mansion, it would be 'a place where friends who are like family are'.
In the final episode, I wrote a line saying, 'If love had a shape, wouldn't it look like a house?',
and I think this line is what condenses <Unlucky Mansion> most perfectly.
Q. What kind of meaning does <Unlucky Mansion> hold for you, Author Pharmacy?
I'm curious what kind of growth you experienced personally or as an author through this work.
A. Personally, I drew this work during a very difficult time with the thought, 'I wish someone would tell me a story like this,'
and I was extremely happy to receive many messages saying people related to it and were comforted.
Thanks to that, I also passed through my hard times safely.
Looking back at <Unlucky Mansion> as an author, I see childish parts and many loose ends, which makes me embarrassed,
but I keep it public because I think someone out there might still need this work.
For those who remember it fondly saying, 'That comic was really good,' I hope they no longer need this story,
and for those who are looking into this work anew, I hope <Unlucky Mansion> will someday remain a memory of good times.
[About <Audacious Hustle Play>]
Q. The space 'Splitter' run by Jeong Han-lim is an important place where the two's relationship begins and develops.
What symbolic meaning do you think this bar holds in the work?
A. 'Splitter' is one of the pitch types in baseball,
and it's a breaking ball very similar to a 'forkball,' which is named because the fingers resemble a fork shape.
The two are so similar that even commentators often confuse whether it's a 'fork' or a 'splitter'.
When I was pondering over what to name the bar, I chose 'Splitter' because it had a better ring to it and sounded cooler between the two.
Actually, I think a young Han-lim would have chosen 'Splitter' as his winning pitch for the exact same reason.
Since it's a space named after his winning pitch, you can think of it as a place containing Han-lim's lingering attachments.
It's a lingering attachment to baseball, and also to people.
△ Han-lim's choices and lingering attachments
Q. The title 'Hustle Play' and baseball terms are mentioned from time to time.
Do you feel that sports elements act as a metaphorical or direct meaning to the BL genre or the characters' relationships?
A. I conceptualized the scenario while being highly conscious of the direct characteristics and relationships of positions like catcher and pitcher, team member and captain, senior and junior.
The sports club is a unique society with a very firm vertical hierarchy and strict discipline, so I reflected these aspects heavily in their relationship.
Especially in baseball, the relationship between the catcher and pitcher is so important that they are called a 'battery'.
This strong bond of the battery was fun, so I think I was quite conscious of it during the scriptwriting process.
Usually, pitchers are said to be very sensitive.
There's a myth that if they don't pitch according to their set routine, their flow breaks and they miss pitches, or that their condition varies depending on the weather or the stadium.
So I reflected this trait heavily in Han-lim's personality as well.
I add subtitles roughly every 2 episodes, and actually, most of these subtitles are also borrowed from baseball terms.
They are deeply connected to the story, so it will be fun to read while finding the meaning of the subtitles like Easter eggs.
To give a small spoiler about the upcoming story, an episode titled 'YIPS' is starting soon.
Q. Since it's an ongoing work, the deadlines never stop.
It must not be easy to maintain the tension of each episode over a long narrative.
What is your personal know-how for pacing yourself, or what do you find most challenging during serialization?
A. In my early debut days, I was the type to jump in blindly and suffer later, but as I gained experience, I now do my text work very meticulously.
I carefully prepare the groundwork in the order of Plot - Logline - Treatment - Script - Storyboard.
This is a great secret to not losing my way in the middle.
However, since I'm a bit forgetful, there are times when I forget a foreshadowing I threw in spontaneously or a setting I hastily changed without making a separate note of it.
So I regularly go through the process of re-reading everything from the beginning. It's a bit ridiculous even to myself, but this is the biggest struggle.
Still, I haven't made any huge mistakes so far, which is a huge relief.
△ <Audacious Hustle Play> Draft to Final_ Provided by Author
Q. Since the work is not yet finished, you must have a big framework in mind.
Is there a message or emotional line that you are treating most importantly in the currently serialized parts, or something you hope readers won't miss?
A. Because I basically aim for coming-of-age stories,
it would be great if you see me as an author drawing stories of inner growth, even if the tones are all different.
<Audacious~> is also a story about personal growth.
Both Han-lim and Ye-sol will eventually grow up as the story wraps up.
However, for a human to grow one step further, there has to be a time where they take a painful beating...
We are currently in a section where they are taking quite a beating, so it might be a bit hard to watch,
but since all these events will eventually serve as stepping stones for growth, I would appreciate it if you keep watching with a patient heart.
[Outro]
Q. Was there any part you thought about in a new light through today's interview, or any question that stood out in your memory?
A. I don't often talk much about my works on channels like SNS or Q&As, so an opportunity like this is truly precious and I am very thankful.
Especially since <Unlucky Mansion> is a work from quite a long time ago, I often forget about it,
but while preparing for the interview, looking into old manuscripts and photo albums made me sentimental and gave me a chance to rediscover my original intentions, so I am deeply moved.
△ <Unlucky Mansion> Cover
Q. What do you consider to be the biggest driving force that has supported your active creative pursuits so far?
A. I am doing the work I love, and because I have the desire to do it harder and better, I keep pushing forward.
It's also an immense blessing that after doing what I love and putting it out into the world, there are many people who say, 'I like this too.'
I am endlessly thankful to those who always read with enjoyment.
Since I still have many stories I want to draw, I will continue to work hard to show you good works.
Q. Is there any story you couldn't fully share through your works or SNS, or a message you definitely want to convey to your readers?
We'd appreciate it if you could share it through this opportunity!
A. While looking for a sustainable serialization method that allows me to produce the best quality while maintaining a healthy daily life, the conclusion I came to was irregular serialization.
As an individual author, I am very satisfied with it, but I know it must be really hard for the readers to wait.
I am just incredibly, truly grateful to everyone who follows along with this reckless serialization schedule.
And I'd like to take this space to send a thank-you message to my PDs who work day and night with me.
Please take good care of me until the very end, everyone♥
△ Please take good care of me ❤️
Q. Lastly, as we wrap up the interview, please feel free to share anything you'd like to say! Thank you so much for sharing your precious words over such a long time.
A. Thank you for creating a space like this!
While preparing for this interview, I also read many interviews of other authors, and it was really fun to see the hidden stories of various works.
I was glad to have this chance to freely spill the beans about hidden settings and metaphors too.
I hope the readers enjoyed reading it as well! Thank you, always♥
Growing pains, love-hate, or affection drawn with a pen... ✒️❣️
Thank you for staying with us through this long interview. 😆