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Ha Seung-nam

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Ha Seung-nam

† 2026

“Korean martial arts cartoonist who created the Goltong series and reached readers in Japan and Taiwan.”

Portrait: cineplay.co.kr

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Ha Seung-nam was a South Korean cartoonist and one of the leading names in muhyeop manhwa, the Korean martial arts comics inspired by Chinese wuxia fiction. Best known for Shingeom Mageom and Goltong Chulsapyo, he died on 2 November 2026 at the age of 68, the Korea Cartoonists Association announced.…

Ha Seung-nam was a South Korean cartoonist and one of the leading names in muhyeop manhwa, the Korean martial arts comics inspired by Chinese wuxia fiction. Best known for Shingeom Mageom and Goltong Chulsapyo, he died on 2 November 2026 at the age of 68, the Korea Cartoonists Association announced.

Born Ha Gong-seok in Busan in 1958, he learned the trade as an apprentice to the cartoonist Heo Nam-gil and made his debut in 1980 with The Baseball King Without a Country. He first won serious attention with Moklimbang. During the 1980s boom in martial arts comics he helped build a mass production system for daily comics supplied to manhwabang rental shops, working alongside popular contemporaries such as Park Bong-seong and Lee Jae-hak.

His signature work, Goltong Chulsapyo, began running in the sports daily Sports Today in 2001. It followed Yoo Se-ok, a young man sent out into the martial world by his master, and its comic, chaotic adventures drew a large readership. The following year Ha founded Ha Seung-nam Productions and built a series of Goltong titles around the same hero, among them Baramui Goltong.

Ha also looked abroad at a time when few Korean cartoonists did. In 1994 he serialised Cheonhailji in the Taiwanese comics magazine Infinite Boys MAX, and he later published Sayaka in 2004 and Existence in 2005 in Japanese manga magazines. In 2007 he became the first Korean cartoonist accepted as a full member of the Japan Cartoonists Association. At home he served on the board of the Korea Cartoonists Association during its 16th, 18th and 21st to 24th terms, working to protect cartoonists' rights and develop the industry.

His wake was held at Incheon Yeonsu Funeral Hall, the funeral procession took place on 3 November and he was laid to rest at Incheon Family Park. No cause of death was made public.

Biography adapted from Yonhap News Agency, Seoul Shinmun and Cineplay reports.

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I don't really know what to say here. I'd never heard of Ha Seung-nam until this morning, but reading that he spent over forty years on those martial arts stories, since 1980, stopped me for a minute. Sixty eight. Rest well, sir, even from someone who came to your work far too late.

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8 people are remembering Ha here. Every candle here is someone saying they were glad Ha lived. No account needed; it takes a moment and it stays here.

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Tyrone Kirby🇺🇸20h ago
Goltong's Declaration of Departure changed how I read comics.
Brittany Bell🇺🇸1d ago
Ramon Hernandez🇺🇸1d ago
Mongnimbang got me through a rough winter in '98.
Akosua Okoro🇬🇧1d ago
Mongnimbang got me through my teens. Rest well, Ha Seung-nam.
Rhys Perry🇺🇸2d ago
Deborah Booth🇺🇸2d ago

Death

Ha Seung-nam died on 2 November 2026 at the age of 68. His death was announced by the Korea Cartoonists Association and reported by Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Shinmun and other outlets; no cause was given. His wake was held in a special room at Incheon Yeonsu Funeral Hall, the funeral procession left at 1 pm on 3 November,…

Ha Seung-nam died on 2 November 2026 at the age of 68. His death was announced by the Korea Cartoonists Association and reported by Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Shinmun and other outlets; no cause was given. His wake was held in a special room at Incheon Yeonsu Funeral Hall, the funeral procession left at 1 pm on 3 November, and he was buried at Incheon Family Park.

Early life and training

Ha Seung-nam was born Ha Gong-seok in Busan, South Korea, in 1958. He entered the comics world as an apprentice, or munhasaeng, to the cartoonist Heo Nam-gil, the usual route into the Korean comics trade of the time, before setting out on his own.

Ha Seung-nam was born Ha Gong-seok in Busan, South Korea, in 1958. He entered the comics world as an apprentice, or munhasaeng, to the cartoonist Heo Nam-gil, the usual route into the Korean comics trade of the time, before setting out on his own.

Career

Ha made his professional debut in 1980 with The Baseball King Without a Country (Gukjeok eomneun yagu wang). He began to attract real attention from readers and critics with Moklimbang and went on to specialise in martial arts comics. The 1980s were a golden age for Korean martial arts manhwa. To meet surging demand from comic rental shops, Ha took…

Ha made his professional debut in 1980 with The Baseball King Without a Country (Gukjeok eomneun yagu wang). He began to attract real attention from readers and critics with Moklimbang and went on to specialise in martial arts comics.

The 1980s were a golden age for Korean martial arts manhwa. To meet surging demand from comic rental shops, Ha took a lead in setting up a mass production system for daily comics, and he worked alongside the genre's biggest names, including Park Bong-seong and Lee Jae-hak. His sword epic Shingeom Mageom became one of his best known works.

In 2001 he began Goltong Chulsapyo in the sports newspaper Sports Today. The story of Yoo Se-ok, a brash young man sent into the martial world on his master's orders, proved hugely popular. In 2002 Ha founded Ha Seung-nam Productions and released a series of Goltong titles built around the character, including Baramui Goltong.

He also worked overseas. In 1994 he serialised Cheonhailji in the Taiwanese magazine Infinite Boys MAX, and he published Sayaka (2004) and Existence (2005) in Japanese manga magazines. In 2007 he became the first Korean cartoonist to be named a full member of the Japan Cartoonists Association.

Ha served on the board of the Korea Cartoonists Association in its 16th and 18th terms and from the 21st to the 24th, devoting himself to cartoonists' rights and the growth of the industry.

Legacy

Obituaries described Ha as a pioneer who helped bring martial arts comics to a mass Korean readership and as a master of the genre. His Goltong series, led by Goltong Chulsapyo, remains his signature creation, and his acceptance into the Japan Cartoonists Association in 2007 was widely cited as a first for Korean comics.

Obituaries described Ha as a pioneer who helped bring martial arts comics to a mass Korean readership and as a master of the genre. His Goltong series, led by Goltong Chulsapyo, remains his signature creation, and his acceptance into the Japan Cartoonists Association in 2007 was widely cited as a first for Korean comics.

Questions people ask about Ha

Who was Ha Seung-nam?
Ha Seung-nam was a South Korean cartoonist known for martial arts comics such as Shingeom Mageom and Goltong Chulsapyo. In 2007 he became the first Korean cartoonist to be a full member of the Japan Cartoonists Association.
When did Ha Seung-nam die?
He died on 2 November 2026 at the age of 68, according to the Korea Cartoonists Association.
How did Ha Seung-nam die?
No cause of death has been made public. The Korea Cartoonists Association announced his death without giving a cause.
What was Ha Seung-nam's real name?
His real name was Ha Gong-seok. He was born in Busan in 1958.
Where was Ha Seung-nam buried?
His funeral procession was held on 3 November 2026 and he was laid to rest at Incheon Family Park.

Written by People Forever from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) and the reporting cited. Updated . Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Timeline

  1. 1 January 1958
    Born Ha Gong-seok in Busan
  2. 1 January 1980
    Debuted with The Baseball King Without a Country
  3. 1 January 1994
    Serialised Cheonhailji in Taiwan's Infinite Boys MAX
  4. 1 January 2001
    Began Goltong Chulsapyo in Sports Today
  5. 1 January 2002
    Founded Ha Seung-nam Productions
  6. 1 January 2004
    Published Sayaka in Japan
  7. 1 January 2005
    Published Existence in Japan
  8. 1 January 2007
    First Korean full member of the Japan Cartoonists Association
  9. 2 November 2026
    Died aged 68
  10. 2 November 2026
    Died
  11. 3 November 2026
    Funeral, burial at Incheon Family Park
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