For acclaimed graphic novelist, storytelling is 'a process of restoring love' French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux (left) and graphic novelist Keum Suk Gendry-Kim are seen during a ceremony at the French Embassy in Seoul on Thursday. (Hwang Dong-hee/The Korea Herald) The Jeju 4.3 Massacre in "Jiseul," wartime sexual slavery under the Japanese military in "Grass," families separated by the Korean War in "Waiting," and North Korea in "My Friend Kim Jong Un" — graphic novelist Keum Suk Gendry-Kim has spent years bringing the wounds, pain and resilience of Korea's turbulent modern history to light through deeply human stories.On Thursday, Gendry-Kim became the first Korean comics or graphic novel artist to receive France's Order of Arts and Letters at the rank of Chevalier.The French Order of Arts and Letters, established in 1957, is awarded to artists and cultural figures around the world who have made distinguished contributions to the arts or to French culture. The honor is conferred in three ranks: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer) and Commandeur (Commander).Gendry-Kim is one of the most internationally acclaimed Korean graphic novelists. She became the first Korean creator to win the prestigious Harvey Award for Best International Book in 2020, and her books have been widely translated and read across the world.At the award ceremony held Thursday at the French Embassy in Seoul, French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux described Kim as "a creator who has built an original artistic world that transcends both artistic disciplines and language itself.""She gives voice to those who have been forgotten or left in the shadows of history society would rather turn away from," he said.He added that Kim's books move beyond simple testimony, transforming intimate personal stories and collective histories into something profoundly universal, which has resonated strongly with readers in France and around the world."Through her graphic novels, she revives collective memories that had long been buried in silence. Her works are deeply moving, but they are also universal. Works that humanity must confront and reflect upon."Gendry-Kim, who studied fine arts in France and originally worked as an installation artist, reflected on her years in France and her artistic journey."Studying in France 32 years ago taught me how free art could be," she said. "And within that freedom, I found myself looking again at both Korea and my own identity."It was also in France, she said, that she first encountered graphic novels, which she described as "a completely different language from the comics" she had known."For a long time, I have stood before the question of what it means to be human," Gendry-Kim said. "For me, writing and drawing have been about meeting the inner lives of others and narrowing the distance between one person and another. In the end, it became a form of healing, a process of restoring love."She said she hopes such healing and love ultimately lead readers toward deeper reflection on humanity."I want to continue documenting the world and the people around me. And I believe that, in the end, this is my own small act of resistance against violence."