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National Registered Cultural Heritage

Tokkiwa wonsungi (A Rabbit and a Monkey)

토끼와 원숭이 

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Classification National Registered Cultural Heritage
Name of Cultural Properties Tokkiwa wonsungi (A Rabbit and a Monkey)
Quantity 34 pages
Designated Date 2013.02.21
Age 1946
Address 1, Gilju-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do

Tokkiwa wonsungi (A Rabbit and a Monkey) was drawn by Kim Yong-hwan based on an original story by Ma Hae-song, a Korean writer of novels for children. The 34-page cartoon was published on 1 May 1946 by the Joseon Children's Culture Association. It shows superior quality in terms of its publication and paper, and has been preserved in good condition as well. One of the earliest cartoons published as a book, it was purchased by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency at an auction in May 2012. The cartoon uses a rabbit and a monkey to figuratively depict Korea’s political situation right after its liberation in 1945, and criticizes Japan’s illegal invasion of Korea and its harsh colonial rule. As both Korea’s oldest surviving cartoon book and the first cartoon to have successfully used animals as the main characters, it is a valuable material that helps understand Korean cartoon history and life in Korea after national liberation.