This article continues from the previous one titled “The Outlier Manga That Shook the Great Webtoon Era” HELLPER Theory Part 1 - Road to Webtoon #4.
Is there anyone reading this text who is reading Korean Webtoons in their original language?
If so, you might have noticed a certain “characteristic” that appears in the comments section.
(It tends to be seen in popular works) Regardless of the genre or the work being read, the following comment always appears.
“Isn’t today’s installment a bit short?”
The author has always questioned this comment.
Strangely enough, what they refer to as “installment” has no relation to the actual number of panels.
In fact, despite having more panels than usual, comments complaining that “it feels short today” always appear. While I want to understand it as a matter of personal perception, I can’t help but suspect that there exists a “gap that cannot be bridged between readers and creators”.
While it’s not always the case, a disconnect often arises between those who create and those who consume (read) the content. Beyond simply the author’s intentions not reaching the readers, differences in perception of quantity like this frequently occur.
And I believe today’s discussion is quite close to this issue.
Following #4, the series 'HELLPER' has continued to be serialized in seasons, attempting various changes including its art style. The sudden shift to an 18+ rating in Season 2 can also be seen as part of that change. However, this shift has generated polarized reactions among fans, and the comments section has increasingly become a battleground of opinions.
What kind of results did the minor discrepancies between readers and creators bring about? Today, I would like to discuss that.
Rising Voices of Discontent: A Creator Who Laughs at Critics
Compared to Season 1, which maintained an average rating of 9.9, Season 2 has dropped to a minimum of 2.0.
It may be a bit late to mention this, but let me add some context about the seasons of HELLPER.
With a serialization history of 13 years, HELLPER ended its first season “MADMAN,” which ran for four years starting in 2011, and then serialized its second season “KILLBEROS” for about eight years starting in 2016. While it’s the same work, I want to draw attention to the significant difference in evaluation between Season 1 and Season 2.
The content explained in the previous part of this series is, of course, limited to the well-received Season 1 “MADMAN.”
Season 2 "KILLBEROS" was initially well-received when it first started serialization, but two years later, in 2018, the number of critical comments pointing out issues with the work began to increase. Issues such as excessive violent expressions (despite being rated 18+), too many cameo characters and brand advertisements, and an overabundance of current social issues being addressed were frequently raised among fans who had joined during Season 1.
The reason I didn't read the comments was not because I didn't want to communicate, but because I was worried that I wouldn't be able to show the manga as I intended due to the influence of the comments. (Author's translation)
-SAKK, announcement of hiatus (20.10.20)
Throughout that time, SAKK consistently stated that he did not read the comments because he wanted to maintain his original intent for the project. However, this was merely a surface-level explanation, as scenes depicting characters who voiced anti-comments being beaten up were also illustrated in the manga. While this may seem like a somewhat immature response, it can be interpreted as the author indirectly denying the opinions of the critics.
Naturally, there are probably not many critics who can enjoy watching the author's actions without reservation. Some readers who were outraged at being ridiculed in the manga, rather than having their opinions reflected, began to voice their opposition more and more.
Episode 247 that Shook the Webtoon World: The Start of the Out-of-Bounds Brawl
They are using the hashtag #Stop_Misogyny_in_Webtoons.
In the Dcinside HELLPER minor gallery, a reader sharply criticized, "For the depiction of crime to be justified through freedom of expression, the cruelty of the crime should be made known. I don't really understand what the current author is trying to say."
This can be interpreted as a suggestion that the depictions of crimes against women and socially vulnerable individuals, as well as sexual expressions, have exceeded acceptable limits.
This suspicion spread like wildfire after the release of Episode 247 of 'HELLPER' on the 8th of this month.
In the serialized content at that time, there was a depiction of an elderly woman named "Pibada" being tortured, having all her hair pulled out, bound naked, and injected with drugs.- "Torture Scene," will it be removed from the free serialized content... 'HELLPER' has become a public enemy. Eat Today. September 14, 2020
Ultimately, the issue exploded when Episode 247 of Season 2 was released.
Due to the shocking content that left every reader of HELLPER stunned, not only the existing critics but even fans who had defended the work and the author turned their backs.
Comment section of Episode 247.
Comments criticizing it include, "Seems like there's a problem with their mental state" and "Are they on drugs?"
For those who are unaware of the problematic content, let me explain. As mentioned in the article above, there was indeed a scene in Episode 247 depicting "torturing a grandmother character with drugs."
Setting aside the discussion of how much Korean society values its elderly, it is important to note that the character "Pibada," who is the protagonist of that scene, was the most popular character throughout the entire work. In other words, readers were outraged that the main character, who had been the most popular for over ten years of serialization, was suddenly retired in such an unbelievable manner. I argue that the beginning of this incident was merely such a commotion.
However, the real issue arose next.
Members of the HELLPER Minor Gallery, unable to bear the author's misconduct, took it upon themselves to share the misogynistic elements of HELLPER on Twitter and with the media, bringing the issue to public attention. Members of DC Inside, contrary to their usual tendencies, supported feminists and even actively provided materials to assist in the cause. (Translated by the author)
- A description created by users of the gallery regarding the incident at the time
Shortly after the release of episode 247, a public discourse initiated by some factions who had previously raised issues with the work, the "HELLPER Minor Gallery" users began to emerge.
Users who had previously pointed out elements of the work named them "the author's misconduct," and, spurred by the attention garnered from episode 247, appealed to feminist organizations, claiming that the author depicted misogyny. They compiled evidence, including the scene of elderly torture in episode 247, as well as sexual and rape depictions within the work, and spread this information online to foster public discourse.
What is noteworthy here is a statement that reflects their tendencies. As they themselves stated, despite not usually supporting feminism, they "declared solidarity with feminist organizations to seek change in the work."
Regardless of their intentions, the outcome undoubtedly had a significant impact. This marks the beginning of what can be called an external brawl.
The media outlet 'Women’s Newspaper,' which often addresses themes of gender discrimination and feminism, published a critical article asking, "Is it acceptable to express sexual exploitation and rape just because it’s rated 18+?" Feminist forces on social media, agreeing with this critique, began to spread discussions using hashtags like #Stop_Misogyny_in_Webtoon.
As the outrage deepened, critical voices reached NAVER WEBTOON, the platform hosting the series.
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, NAVER WEBTOON stated, "We communicate revision suggestions to the author during the editing phase regarding intense expressions," while also announcing their intention to "refine the guidelines more delicately moving forward."
The Outrage Reaches the Management: Leading to Stricter Censorship
The statements from NAVER WEBTOON mentioned above were indeed significant.
Of course, there have been instances in the past where NAVER WEBTOON declared they would "strengthen the guidelines" in response to incidents, but this is the first case where censorship has been significantly intensified and applied.
Starting its serialization in 2014, 'Return to School King' became a topic of national petition for depicting misogyny. Even 'Fishing God' which began serialization in 2015 and moved platforms due to bloodshed depictions, did not have the same impact as HELLPER.
Google search results for "NAVER WEBTOON censorship."
Panels with mosaics are lined up.
In other words, it is necessary to clarify the context surrounding the censorship conducted by NAVER WEBTOON after the year 2020. The point at which censorship was intensified was after the outrage incident involving the Webtoon 'HELLPER' was covered by the media. (Translated by the author)
- Namuwiki, quoted from the description on the "NAVER Censorship Discussion" page
Unlike previous incidents, the outrage surrounding HELLPER brought about a clear change with the introduction of "mosaic censorship."
The previous flow of "a certain work or scene being scrutinized → deleted or modified" has shifted to a stance of "preemptively applying mosaics to scenes that might become problematic." Of course, there are cases where mosaics are applied later to scenes that were not previously scrutinized.
Therefore, it is perhaps natural that this series of events sparked renewed debate. Particularly, the HELLPER Minor Gallery, which brought this issue to the forefront, faced harsh criticism. Since their public discourse originated from a community that does not typically support feminism, there were also accusations that they "merely exploited the feminist movement for the sake of outrage."
In any case, HELLPER will be referred to as "the work that brought about the largest censorship in Webtoon history." And the debates surrounding censorship that began with this work continue to shape the landscape of Webtoons in South Korea.
For the author, HELLPER is one of the works that has accompanied me since my student days and into adulthood. In fact, I was aware of its existence even before it officially began serialization, so the way it has been perceived is almost "dishonorable."
I understand the sadness of the Minor Gallery users as their beloved work changes in an unwanted direction. However, I find it difficult to comprehend the act of wielding outrage as a weapon to impose readers' standards on the author. Moreover, utilizing the feminist movement, which they openly state is "different from their usual way of thinking," merely as a means to incite outrage raises further doubts about their legitimacy.
Ultimately, what was the "author's misconduct" they pointed out? And what was the purpose of raising such critical voices? Looking at HELLPER, which just concluded its Season 2 two months ago (August 2024), I find myself more worried about the future than excited for the next installment. When will I be able to see Season 3? I continue to worry that the series might end as it is. Despite this, I still want to recommend this work...
Life is Verry.
- Jan Gwan-nam
