A fantasy adventure for a new generation

Author Kang Kyung-soo, who created the spy fantasy series [Codename], returns with [Droz Kingdom Expedition], a fantasy adventure filled with swords, magic, dragons, and monsters! For most children, who are confined to the daily grind of home, school, and academy, [Droz Kingdom Expedition] invites readers to a world that extends beyond the everyday.
The main character, Prince Loki, is a character who grew up only in the palace like a greenhouse flower, and because he has limited experience and has never dealt with a variety of people, he acts recklessly.
But when winter lingers in the kingdom and even the king goes missing, Prince Loki leaves his cozy palace and embarks on a perilous journey.
Like Prince Loki, who sets out to find a new path when the sun rises despite failure and frustration, children develop self-direction and a sense of adventure through vicarious experiences.


『Droz Kingdom Expedition ① Never-ending Winter』 introduces the Kingdom of Droz, which holds panties sacred, and shows how young Prince Loki overcomes the crisis facing the Kingdom of Droz.
As he bonds with various beings, Prince Loki learns new feelings of friendship and camaraderie.
The way Prince Loki, who was once self-centered, connects with others and even considers their perspectives resonates deeply with readers.
Of course, this adventure did not completely transform the reckless Prince Loki into a new person.
『The Expedition of the Kingdom of Droz ① The Never-ending Winter』 shows Prince Loki solving the problems facing the kingdom and growing up, and while it is complete as a story, it also lays the foundation as the first story of the series by laying the groundwork for the next volume and hinting at the next one.


Characters and illustrations brimming with personality

As the [Dross Kingdom Expedition] series is an adventure fantasy genre, characters of various species and sizes appear, including humans, animals, elves, spirits, witches, and rock people.
Prince Loki, who grew up only in the palace and is careless and immature; Hotdog, the servant who sometimes clumsily helps the prince with solid advice; Kun, a rock who believes that all actions are due to the will of the gods; Igni, the fire spirit who becomes an old man when he runs out of firewood and a child when he eats his fill; and Vanya, the arrogant and prickly high elf.
In addition, various characters capture readers' attention with their colorful personalities and charms.


Moreover, the author helps readers imagine the fantasy world by allowing them to intuitively see and enjoy these character traits through rich illustrations.
You can easily immerse yourself in the story by checking the characters' external characteristics through illustrations, such as Prince Loki wearing three layers of underwear, the giant-sized Winter Witch, and Captain Hornet with a round body and a hook in one hand.
In addition to the silk characters, the book also includes a map of the 'Poppo Continent', the setting of the story, on the cover page, allowing readers to learn about the terrain of the Droze Kingdom and beyond, and imagine what lies ahead for the Droze Expedition.


If the previous [Codename] series expressed the rough feeling of spy action with thin lines, the illustrations of [Dross Kingdom Expedition] use relatively thick lines to give a smooth and rounded impression.
The soft description eliminates any aversion to fantasy characters, and the smooth lines maximize the characters' features so that readers can easily picture their appearance.
In this way, readers can easily access the new worldview that the author unfolds.


A deep sense of theme expressed in a humorous style

Although author Kang Kyung-soo's unique sense of humor, including witty dialogue and absurd situations, allows for a light-hearted approach to the work, a clear thematic consciousness can also be glimpsed within it.
『Dross Kingdom Expedition ① The Never-ending Winter』 contains images of cycles throughout.
Prince Loki develops friendships with the helpers he meets along his journey, while also experiencing the process of separation and understanding the cycle of the world.
The theme of winter passing and spring coming, and the passage of time and the fact that we will meet again someday, is repeated in various ways through dialogue, events, and images, deepening the work.
Another way to enrich the theme is to create non-human helpers such as puppies, rock people, and fire spirits, and show them growing together through interactions with animals and nature.
Thus, it provides readers with a broader reading experience beyond simple entertainment.


The [Dross Kingdom Expedition] series is a fantasy adventure genre and also a story about a child's growth.
In his 'Author's Note,' author Kang Kyung-soo says he wanted to tell a story about learning communication and solidarity through adventure and growing.
The Dross expedition team members sacrifice themselves for each other in times of imminent crisis.
Because of this, Prince Loki sheds tears, and at the same time, they experience the joy of working together to achieve their goal.
At first, Prince Loki was reluctant to have a group of friends, but after completing the journey, he felt regret and sorrow as each person parted ways with the group.
But overcoming regret is also a form of growth, and only through separation can we hope for a future meeting.
It is also the 'circle of the world' that runs through the book.
Because there is a lingering feeling of longing, I look forward even more to what new encounters and adventures will unfold in the next volume.


Next story

With Prince Loki's efforts, everything seems to be back on track, and peace seems to be returning to the Kingdom of Droz.
But Prince Loki discovers that the High Elf Vanya has hidden inside his cloak due to the dark magic of the Dark Elves, and he sets out to find the Forest Witch to break this uncomfortable spell that binds him and Vanya by the thread of fate… … .
Goblins! Machine demons! Dragons! With powerful enemies standing in Prince Loki's way, will he achieve his goal and return to his kingdom in his second adventure? (To be continued in Volume 2)