For the Halloween season, we have a beautiful, enticing review of the South Korean manhwa-turned-graphic novel, Delusion. Delusion is a great story for anyone who enjoys stunning illustrations, mystery, and a dangerous woman with a sharp, bloody secret. As Inklore’s first plunge into the horror genre, this story is often described as a mashup of Portrait of Dorian Gray and Interview with the Vampire. Written and illustrated by webtoon author Hongjacga (Dr. Brian), Delusion has become a major Webtoon hit since its 2019 release.
Delusion, Volume 1 of 2, is a gothic horror story wrapped in slow-building mystery with stunning illustrations. The story follows Yun Iho, a struggling painter in 1935 Seoul, Korea, who is tasked with painting a portrait for an older woman named Madam Song Jeonghwa. He agrees to a contract to paint her ‘twenty years older’ than the last portrait, but Madam Song shows little aging or wrinkling. She is a strikingly beautiful, young woman who asks Yun Iho to paint her as if she were eighty years old.
“You must stay here in this hotel for the duration … and once you’re done, you must forget everything you saw here.” – Delusion
The mystery and tension build steadily in the first few pages and continue as Yun Iho begins the portrait in the previous artist’s room, where he discovers a note within the painting supplies that reads, “Do not finish the portrait.” Questions arise as Yun Iho wakes to knocking and blood trails in the night. No artist has left the hotel alive, so what is happening?
Image credit is courtesy of Inklore
Madam Song’s secret is revealed early on, and when Yun Iho questions her, she recounts her life to spark inspiration for the painting. Her story is a tangle of unsolved murders and terror in Shanghai, long before our main character was born. But the suspense never lets up as the mystery of her vampiric origin lingers.
“There’s a miasma of doom hanging over this house. I felt it from the very beginning.”
The comic is a fun, spooky read with enjoyable characters and stunning illustrations. Much of the story is told in muted colors, but when Yun Iho studies the paintings or blood appears, the detail is beautiful, and a flourish of color emerges.
As we wait for Volume 2, set for spring 2027, the K-drama adaptation starring Bae Suzy (Doona!, Dream High), formerly of the K-pop group Miss A, is expected this winter as a Disney+ original series.
You can buy Delusion, Volume 1 as an eBook or paperback wherever books are sold. Volume 2 is available for preorder.
Thank you, Inklore, for providing Delusion, Volume 1 for this review!
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