Moving: Kang Full Moves us with the Superpower of Love

The well-known web-toon artist Kang Full literally causes sensation around the globe with his supernatural drama Moving.

Unlike Kang Full’s previous adapted work, the K-drama Moving boasts the webtoon creator as the screenwriter, a debut in Kang’s career. Hidden, the followed-up series of Moving is thus postponed by nearly four years.

The superheroes in Moving are not that super. The protagonists appear to be typical high school students, but their abilities set them apart. Kim Bong-seok floats uncontrollably when he's happy, while Jang Hee-soo possesses instant healing powers and once bravely faced a gang of 17 bullies alone. Despite these extraordinary abilities, the two find it challenging to lead normal lives due to the difficulties arising from their differences. The storyline of Moving starts from the sweet school life of the super-powered children to their spy parents’ past lives trapped in the political conspiracies during the Cold War and Korea’s nuclear crisis. What sets Moving apart from the other supernatural stories is that the leads though super-powered, feel cursed and isolated, and they can only seek solace in each other, unlike the typical heroes who are worshipped and much sought-after.

The twenty episodes can be divided into three parts: the children's school life, the parents' romantic journey back in the 1990s, and the unity of the families against evil forces. In the initial part, the parents have minimal presence, focusing on typical school life and youthful romance. However, as the narrative delves into the parents' pasts, featuring internationally recognized actors like Jo In-sung, Han Hyo-joo, and Ryu Seung-ryong, the plot deepens with themes of friendship, extraordinary love tales, and complex national conflicts.

The drama enriches the original webtoon by adding intricate details. It explores how Kim Doo-shik (Bong-seok's father) willingly fell into the love trap set by Lee Mi-hyeon (Bong-seok's mother), and how Jang Joo-won (Hee-soo's father) transformed from a street brawler to a covert national spy. Moreover, the meticulously crafted settings authentically recreate the 1990s, providing the audience with an immersive experience, bringing the past to life.

Kang Full's works are characterized by themes of love for friends, family, and life, with Moving serving as a perfect epitome. In the story, these superheroes resemble love-struck individuals, their abilities employed to express their romantic feelings. Bong-seok's secret crush on Hee-soo was inadvertently revealed when he thought about her and floated involuntarily. Hee-soo leaped from a height to catch Bong-seok when he floated, disregarding the potential harm to herself (though she remained unscathed). To ensure Mi-hyeon relished the warm and delicious Nanshan fried pork chop, Doo-shik flew directly to her office window, causing Mi-hyeon to sense his accelerated heartbeat with her enhanced senses. He would take her to enjoy the city's night view during snowfall and unconsciously formed a heart shape with bullets during shooting training when he thought of her.

The series about Hee-soo’s parents are especially touching. Every time Joo-won put on shoes before going out, Jihee (his wife), seeing him off, would wave hand at the doorstep to make the sensor light turn on. When Hee-soo grew up, she did the same thing as her mother had done. The scene repeated for several times, setting the stage for emotional outburst. Jihee died in a car accident when Joo-won was out for a mission. When changing mourning apparel in a narrow room, Joo-won broke down in tears when taking off shoes, for he knew, if he took off shoes, there would be no one turning the light on for him the next time he put on them. Without Jihee, Joo-won, though a big tough guy as he was, was a lost boy, crying for not finding the way back home. The warmth and connection among people, forged through their shared superpowers, resonate deeply throughout the plots. Amidst political conspiracies and spy killings, the humanity and warmth portrayed in the story reach far and wide, illuminating the depths of human connection even in the face of extraordinary challenges.

The persona of Kang Full’s heroes in Moving, is not about life-saving, but about loving and cherishing the ordinary things. Since no matter how capable they are, heroes have to do office work and attend meetings. Unlike Timing’s protagonists who struggle to make the world a better place with their abilities, Moving’s heroes simply do not want their superpowers. All they want is to live an ordinary life with their loved ones. Also they know once their abilities are discovered, they will be recruited and tasked with dubious missions, and separated from their family who could also be controlled by the people in power.

The parents had endured immense suffering due to their abilities, which is why they never trained their children to use their powers. During the Korea crisis in 1994, the malicious government department weaponized them, only to abandon them after Korea and America agreed on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the death of Kim Il-sung. Engaged in the political confrontations between North Korea, South Korea, and America, the spy-parents possessed crucial information, making all three sides want to eliminate them. Constantly hunted, they kept running away and hiding to stay safe.

Only when they discovered that their children's school was actually a cover for training a second generation of superhumans did the parents reclaim the "monsters" they once were. Faced with super-powered killers from North Korea, the parents did everything in their power, revealing their hidden ferocity. By the end of this season, the children awakened to their own abilities and stepped up to protect their parents instead.

Kang Full is dedicated to portraying warmth in a post-apocalyptic universe, aiming to provide solace to readers who are emotionally worn out by their daily lives. Despite his simple and occasionally rough sketches, his adept use of storyboards and well-composed shots effectively heightens readers' emotions along the storyline. Kang also makes the most out of the scrolling of the scroll comics to expand space, create the sense of time passing and advance the plots with staggered frames. His story-telling and character shaping actually outperform his drawing. One can sense the touch of warmth in his group images featuring the growing persona constantly making breakthroughs. This is why he reserves the characters' final touches for the end of the story. By unveiling their true emotions in their last moments, he ensures that the warmth in life-threatening situations resonates deeply with readers.

In Every Moment of Your Life, zombies who have lost consciousness insist on love. In Lighting Store, lonely souls wandering between life and death strive to maintain emotions. In I Love You, the romance grows among four elderly people whose body functions are declining fast. In Timing and Witch, emotions flow in the approaching crisis and the heart-wrenching unveiling of the crime suspense. Plot twists often welcomes heart-warming endings. In Kang Full’s works, no matter how severe the situation is, the way out always lies in sincerity and warmth. The gloomy atmosphere laid ahead paves the way for the tender resolution in the last moment. In Moving, transnational conspiracies and invincible abilities are just the background highlighting the sincere connection between people. After all, “empathy is the true superpower”, said Mi-hyeon.

In Kang Full’s universe, plots feature warmth, understanding and tolerance may not be insightful, but they can always bring comfort. That’s how Moving moves us.