Author's Note

I vaguely had the idea of ​​drawing a cartoon about the labor movement, and over the years I have been doing sporadic research, going back and forth between making up my mind and giving up countless times.
The labor movement had unique stories that could only be found there, and that uniqueness was both a charm and a wall that drew me in.
Even though I had given up dozens of times because I was blocked by a wall, the determination and skepticism, optimism and pessimism, glory and hurt of the people I met during my reporting turned me around when I was leaning towards giving up.
I hope this comic will be a source of strength to the countless awls who have dragged me down to tell this story with confusion and despair.
― Choi Gyu-seok

To be treated as a human being
Stories of ordinary people!

The story is set in the late 2000s at the French supermarket 'Purmi' and centers around the protagonist Lee Su-in, who receives an unfair dismissal order, and labor activist Koo Go-shin.
Lee Su-in, who values ​​principles, is a person who doesn't know how to swallow his words and is constantly at odds with the world.
He quit his military career and found a normal job to live a quiet life, but he is thrown back into the world when the company orders its employees to be forcibly laid off.
Gugoshin, who helps this Lee Soo-in, is a cool-headed and skilled labor activist who runs a labor counseling center near Purmi.
Unlike Lee Soo-in, who has difficulty getting along with people and is a stickler for principles, he approaches people without hesitation and is not afraid to use unreasonable methods to achieve his goals.
The process of two people awakening the rights of 'ordinary and honest' employees and changing together ignites the hearts of readers.


The surrounding characters add realism and liveliness to the work.
Another charm of "Awl" is the multi-faceted characters created with the author's unique insight into humanity, such as Joo Kang-min, who becomes a reliable companion with his clear personality; Manager Jeong Min-cheol, who is jealous of Lee Su-in, who graduated from a prestigious university; Nam Dong-hyeop, who participates in the labor union more enthusiastically than anyone else but is at odds with Lee Su-in; and Yoo Jong-hak, the head of the main office, who is tired of long fights.


The best part of "Awl" is the lines that contain Choi Gyu-seok's sharp perception of reality, who calls himself a "no-nonsense person."
“People don’t listen to the right people,” a saying that has been repeated to countless readers.
Famous lines such as “Listen to good people”, “It is not about protecting the good weak from the evil strong, but about fighting the petty strong for the petty weak”, and “If you change where you stand, the scenery changes too” concisely convey the author’s sharp insight into human nature.

Korea's first labor comic, seriously fun!
The comics and labor world unanimously recommend this "life's work."

To illustrate the complexities of labor issues, the author conducted on-site reporting and interviews over a period of nearly ten years, starting in 2008.
Although the story is based on thorough reporting and presents a series of serious incidents, the author's signature humor and excellent storytelling shatter the stereotype that "labor issues are boring."
“Seriously entertaining” (Joo Ho-min) “Awl” was aired as a drama on JTBC in 2015 and contributed greatly to breaking down social prejudice against labor unions and making more people think of labor issues as something close to them.


While the first half of the work depicts labor-management conflict centered around the company's unfair dismissal order and the formation of a labor union, the second half depicts the company's increasingly powerful oppression and the internal rift within the labor union.
From the conflicts between union members, to the conflict between the union branch and the headquarters, to the internal conflict of the protagonist Lee Su-in, to the conflict between Lee Su-in and Gugoshin, 『Awl』 digs deeper into reality.
This universal story, which can be applied not only to labor issues but also to other social issues and human relationships, resonates even more deeply, as it expands to show that continuing a struggle is more difficult than starting one, that choices made for a cause can sometimes destroy an individual's inner self, and that those who fight to uphold the law are forced to break it.

The comics world and the labor world are showering each other with praise for this masterpiece that has both fun and depth.
For cartoonist and film director Yeon Sang-ho, "Awl" was "a monument to Korean comics," and for worker Yu Choi-an, "a story I want to tell everyone."
"Awl," which simultaneously features a compelling narrative, a strong sense of theme, and a delicate perspective, transcends class and era, leaving a unique meaning in the hearts of readers and is remembered as a "life's work."

A sharp message that pierces the stifling reality of labor.
We still need the 『Awl』!

The message of 『Awl』 is clear.
Working people have rights, and only when ordinary people join forces can they claim those rights and create a just society.
When 『Awl』 was serialized, the comments section became a 'labor consultation center' for readers of all ages and classes, with stories of people receiving unpaid wages and labor officials finding their original intentions.
It also played a role in reexamining the absurdities that everyone experiences in life and helping people find their lost rights.

Ten years have passed since the serialization of "Awl," which sounded the alarm in a society that despises labor and awakened workers' awareness of their rights, but the capitalist madness that is desperate to exploit workers to death still runs rampant.
The path to fundamental solutions to deep-rooted labor problems such as workplace bullying, industrial accidents, and unfair dismissals is blocked and frustrating.
This is why Korea's first labor comic, which sharply cuts to the heart of our society, needs to be put into the hands of more workers.