Manbok, a foul-mouthed, grumpy, and fighter
A warm and sweet story of growth that unfolds after encountering a mysterious rice cake shop.

Kim Li-ri, a children's book author who uses wit and rich imagination to portray children's daily lives, has published a new book, "Manbok's Rice Cake Shop," by Biryongso.
This fairy tale contains the warm and exciting changes that Manbok, who grew up in a comfortable home but unknowingly blurts out bad words and actions, experiences when he encounters a mysterious rice cake shop.
Kim Li-ri has already demonstrated her talent for expressing “familiar concerns” in a “fresh” way by blending children’s daily lives with fantasy through works such as “Rat Poop Gift” and “The Toad Living in the Bathroom.”
『Manbok's Rice Cake Shop』 also depicts the process of Manbok, a foul-mouthed, ill-tempered, and fighter, gradually changing as he eats each magical rice cake, using a delicious writing style.
By adding fantasy elements to our country's traditional food, rice cake, you can feel the unique fun and chewy texture of reading a traditional fairy tale.
Also, Seunghyun Lee, who won the Korean Children's Book Award in the illustration category for "Ssireum," richly captured Manbok's expressions and changes with his unique drawings.


Manbok's magical transformation through chewy texture

“When you eat glutinous rice cake, your mouth gets sticky,
“They say that if you eat honey rice cakes, sweet words will come out smoothly?”

Manbok always says and does bad things against his will.
Naturally, school friends tend to avoid Manbok like that.
Then one day, Manbok discovers a strange rice cake shop on his way home.
It's 'Manbok's Rice Cake Shop'.
Manbok is amazed by the name he has, and is drawn into the rice cake shop by the sweet and savory smell.
But each rice cake has a strange price tag attached to it! To eat a wind rice cake, you need to do two good deeds, and to eat a mugwort rice cake, you need forty-two children's smiles.
Manbok, who has never done anything good, thinks he will have no owner anyway and sneaks a bite of rice cake, but the rice cake disappears before his eyes.


Manbok begins to do good deeds in order to eat rice cakes.
After eating the glutinous rice cake and his mouth sticking to it, Manbok stops saying bad things, and after doing two good deeds by silently helping his friends, he is able to eat the wind rice cake that makes him smile.
The magical powers gained from eating rice cakes like this become a catalyst for Manbok to do other good deeds.
What is also important is that it is ultimately Manbok's own will that creates the change.
Although we start doing good deeds with the intention of paying for the rice cake and eating the rice cake we want, in reality the rice cake is just an excuse.
Manbok is upset by his words and actions that are different from his true feelings, and eventually shows himself gradually creating soft and warm changes like rice cakes.


Savory lines and colors that give off the scent of rice cakes

The story of Manbok, who acts badly despite his feelings, gradually changing into a more positive person is depicted in a humorous and unique way.
I used colors that felt warm and cozy, and added a fantasy feel to the background to bring to life the changes and emotions that appear as Manbok eats each rice cake.
Manbok's facial expressions change depending on the situation, and I can't help but laugh.