A South Korean graphic novel blending themes of memory, grief, and the afterlife has garnered international recognition, becoming the first Korean work to win an Eisner Award in the category for best U.S. edition of material from Asia. The three-volume series, titled *Purgatory Funeral Cakes*, was created by artist and writer Sanho and explores the unique intersection of food, memory, and mourning.
*Purgatory Funeral Cakes* centers on Margot, a baker who, together with her ghostly assistant Miro, crafts personalized cakes for the deceased. Each cake incorporates elements inspired by the memories shared by the living relatives of the departed, creating a symbolic and sensory send-off for souls as they undertake their journey through purgatory. One notable example is Margot’s Mystery Novel Crepe Cake, designed for a character named Irae, which layers strawberries and cream between thin cake pages inscribed with the end of a mystery novel Irae had loved but never finished. The fictional cake even metaphorically infuses memories through a "cakessette" player, combining narrative and flavor as a final tribute.
The concept draws heavily on South Korean customs related to honoring the dead, although the idea of cakes as offerings is unconventional in that cultural context. Sanho credits a childhood memory for inspiring the premise: she recalls leaving a piece of birthday cake on an unmarked grave near her home in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, when her family was preparing to move. This act of remembrance and connection to the unseen shaped the emotional core of the story, which portrays mourning as a process of revisiting cherished memories rather than dwelling solely on loss.
In South Korea’s graphic novel landscape, the dominance of digital webtoons contrasts with the relatively smaller market for traditional printed comics. Despite this, Sanho intentionally chose the printed format for *Purgatory Funeral Cakes*, citing the physicality of a book and the expansive possibilities of two-page spreads as better suited to her storytelling style. The tactile experience of turning pages allows readers to engage with the narrative in a way she believes amplifies the emotional resonance.
The series, originally an independent project launched in 2019, was later published by Munhakdongne Publishing and has since been translated into nine countries and territories, including the United States and France. Sanho expressed gratitude for the work’s international reception and said she looks forward to readers continuing to follow her stories.
Describing her creative focus, Sanho noted a recurring theme in her work: characters who feel like outsiders struggling to fit into societal norms. This sensibility is mirrored in the unusual protagonists of *Purgatory Funeral Cakes*, such as a cat aspiring to be an astronaut and a vampire mother who drives a truck at night.
Currently, Sanho is developing two new narratives—one about a terminally ill man preparing his own grave, and another about a woman who must consume forbidden food to survive—continuing her exploration of life, death, and the complexities in between.