In early October, the death of South Korean illustrator Kim Jung Gi made headlines and shattered the art world. Kim’s US agent stated that prior to Kim’s death, the artist had experienced chest pains in France while boarding a plane to New York. He died from a heart attack soon after being transported to a hospital.
The acclaimed illustrator excelled in detailed landscapes, characters and environments. His website states that his most “significant asset” was his memory, which helped him create complex scenes without the use of any reference. His confidence and connection with his physical surroundings easily reflected onto his drawings: he followed no concrete methodology, but rather his gut.
Prior to becoming an artist, Kim served in the Republic of Korea Army. The illustrator credits his service time as the force that contributed to his photographic memory: during this period, he spent time memorizing the array of weapons and vehicles. In 2011, he arrived at his booth in the Bucheon International Comics Festival (BICOF) with blank pieces of paper and drew on the spot. This skill Kim picked up during his service time helped propel his artistic career and paved the way for his future collaborations and commercial projects, most notably with Marvel and DC comics. He continued to draw and narrate his process in his solo exhibition, “Kim Jung Gi, The Other Side”.
“It is important to draw a lot, but I believe understanding what you’re drawing is more important. Once you understand the [subject’s] matter, you’ll be able to remember it longer, manipulate it and apply your own design.”
– Kim Jung Gi on his drawing process
Kim spent lots of time getting to understand the subjects he’d be drawing in order to avoid the constraints of an image and let his imagination run wild. He classified his mind as a “memory library” that had to be updated constantly in order for him to strengthen his ability to recall structure and spatial relationships.
Despite his life being cut short at age 47, Kim left his print in the world of comics and illustrations. Kim taught us that art is a self fulfilling prophecy: his hard work ultimately shaped him as a dynamic, confident artist with an original perspective. It’s one thing to have a strong visual memory, it’s another thing to put it into use in a way that many wouldn’t even dream of doing. His work remains widely accessible, and hopefully, many will honor his legacy by continuing to enjoy his whimsical creations and following his footsteps.
“I would love to draw with my hand until the moment I die. From the tingling sensation I get when my skin brushes past the paper’s surface and is smeared with ink, to the rush of pleasure I feel when I watch my brushstroke taking an unexpected turn, I love everything about it.” – Kim Jung Gi
Watch Kim Jung Gi make a Civil War II battle scene here.
Bibliography:
“About.” Kim Jung Gi Us. 2022.
https://www.kimjunggius.com/pages/about-artist.
Carter, Justin. “Artist Kim Jung Gi Passes Away at 47, Honored at New York Comic-Con.” Gizmodo. 09 October 2022.
https://gizmodo.com/kim-jung-gi-memorial-new-york-comic-con-1849636185.
Han-sol, Park. “[INTERVIEW] Creative spontaneity realized through memory in Kim Jung-gi’s live drawings.” The Korea Times. 14 May 2021.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/06/690_308723.html.
“How to Draw like Kim Jung Gi.” YouTube, Proko, 16 December 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmqFbgKWoao&t=140s.
Jina, Park. “Artist of All Trades.” KOCIS. July 2019.
https://www.kocis.go.kr/eng/webzine/201907/sub06.html.
““Who was Kim Jung Gi? Guinness World Records holder passed away due to heart attack.” The Economic Times. 05 October 2022.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/who-was-kim-jung-gi-guinness-world-records-holder-passed-away-due-to-heart-attack/articleshow/94667033.cms.
Young, Matt. “Renowned Artist Dies at Airport as He’s About to Board a Plane.” Daily Beast. 05 October 2022.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/renowned-artist-kim-jung-gi-dies-at-airport-as-hes-about-to-board-pla
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