My Friend Kim Jong Un

"A sensitive chronicler of Korean history and life [explores] how individuals on both sides of the DMZ have thought about and demonized the other."—Robert Ito, The New York Times

The award-winning cartoonist behind Grass and The Waiting explores North Korea's long shadow around the world

North Korea is visible from cartoonist Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s home and studio. The specter of the infamous dictatorship and nuclear power looms over the daily life of everyone in its path. Artillery fire, helicopters, and sirens from a nearby military base paint the acoustic landscape.

To confront her anxiety stemming from the eerie proximity of an unchecked power, Gendry-Kim searches for the humane and explores the life of the supreme leader through interviews with former politicians, researchers, and journalists, interspersed with more personal accounts from defectors and friends of assassinated victims. What emerges is a chilling and timely cautionary tale about the danger of absolute power. Translated by Janet Hong.