Along with the Gods | |
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신과함께 Singwahamkke | |
Genre | Fantasy, Drama |
Author | Joo Ho-min |
Illustrator | Joo Ho-min |
Publisher | Anibooks |
Webtoon service | Naver Webtoon |
Original run | 2010–2012 |
Volumes | 3 |
Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds |
Along with the Gods (Korean: 신과함께; Hanja: 神과함께; RR: Singwahamkke) is a South Korean manhwa series written and illustrated by Joo Ho-min. The webtoon has been released on the webcomic site Naver Webtoon since 2010, and the first volume in print was published on December 27, 2010.[1] It was inspired by the Korean Joseon dynasty Buddhist paintings and early Buddhist texts of the Ten Kings of Hell.[2][3][4][5][6][7] A manga adaptation was serialized in Young Gangan (Square Enix) from 2012 to 2014 and was illustrated by Yoshiyuki Miwa; some scenes were changed due to the cultural differences between Japan and Korea.[citation needed] A staged musical adaptation has been hosted by the Seoul Performing Arts Company since 2015.[8][9] A film adaptation, Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, was released on December 20, 2017, with a sequel, Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days, released on August 1, 2018. Two additional sequels are in active development as of September 2022,[10] as well as a television series spin-off as of April 2022.[11]
The big-budget blockbuster is based on Joo Ho Min's hugely popular same-titled three-episode web comic, which is inspired by the Joseon dynasty Buddhist painting Ten Kings of Hell
This is a Buddhist painting depicting the seventh of the ten kings of hell. On the 49th day after death, the soul of the deceased comes before the seventh king and may be reborn, depending on his or her actions in this world. This painting portrays the dead being squeezed into a punishment device designed to inflict great pain.
In the Buddhist world, the Ten Kings of Hell serve as judges of the deceased to determine their fate, including the type and severity of punishment and the course of their cycle of rebirth