On The World Stage: Promoting Southeast Asian and Asian Stories
Panel Jessica Leman, Johanes Park, June CL Tan, Xi Zuq
In this session, our speakers will come together to discuss how they have sought to push and promote content from Southeast Asia and Asia to the international scene. From looking at the creative processes of content production, to implementation of targeted marketing strategies, this panel will explore the rich tapestry of SEA and Asian stories and the efforts in bringing them to wider shores and audiences beyond the borders of the continent.
Jessica Leman (Indonesia)
Jessica Leman is a writer and storyboard artist based in Jakarta, Indonesia and the co-creator of Magical Sweet Gula. She is currently pursuing digital marketing in creative industries. She met Johanes Park while studying animation at Kyungsung University in South Korea. The duo remain passionate about pop culture and comics as a medium to communicate meaningful stories with universal appeal, and participate actively in efforts to bring Indonesian creators’ works to global audiences.
Johanes Park (Indonesia)
Johanes Park is a comic artist and university lecturer based in Jakarta, Indonesia. He met Jessica Leman while they studied animation at Kyungsung University in South Korea. Inspired by Johanes’ childhood experiences growing up with both Korean and Indonesian identities, the duo first created Magical Sweet Gula together in 2015, to share a story of acceptance and friendship with young people who feel “different”.
June CL Tan (Singapore/USA)
June CL Tan is the author of the internationally bestselling Jade Fire Gold and the Darker By Four duology. Her books have garnered multiple starred reviews from Kirkus and BCCB, and are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections. In 2021, she was also chosen as one of Publishers Weekly’s Flying Starts. A Singaporean raised on a diet of teh tarik, classic books, and wuxia movies, she now resides in New York City.
Xi Zuq (Philippines)
Xi Zuq is a writer and reading advocate from Southern Mindanao. He is also a publishing personnel of Aklat Alamid, an independent publishing house for children’s books.
Programme dates and times are subject to change.