The Boy Who Fed on Nightmares is one of the books by Korean illustrator Jamsan that was used in the Korean drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Photo: Jamsan

After working as a concept artist for more than 20 years and experiencing the ups and downs of life, I realised that life isn't beautiful,” he said. “After going through a career slump, I found joy in drawing zombies and fairy tales with dark twists. However, the fact that I tell stories though images and symbols remains the same.” Jamsan is preparing a cruel fairy tale series titled Blood Apple for adults. The first book of the series, Self-inflicted Mermaid, which is set to hit the shelves in September, features a mermaid’s self-destructive behaviour after being unable to win a prince's heart. The artist said he is currently searching for a writer who can turn his synopsis into a well-developed story. I've always been interested in visualising emotions and expressing feelings through art,” he said. “I think good art is different from well-drawn art. Good art requires turning one's thoughts and feelings into art.”

Apart from the healing romance between Ko and Moon, the drama shows how three adults – traumatised by parental abuse and murder when they were children – learn to recover from their past traumas. It's Okay to Not Be Okay, which earned popularity overseas through streaming on Netflix, is recognised for its visual storytelling that includes concept artist Jamsan’s illustrations in Ko’s body of work. His dark, grotesque drawings entwined with screenwriter Jo Yong’s stories about family and love resonated with drama fans. I want to tell the story but in small steps. My goal is to arouse some smiles and emotions in readers so they will wait for the next story. I'd like to entertain and, at the same time, make them think about things,” he said. “However, I don't think a storybook should always have a message or a moral theme. I just want to share stories about empathy.”