Home > National > Social Affairs

Ex-President Chun Doo Hwan's grandson ends first installment of AI-generated webtoon series

Published: 13 Jan. 2026, 20:39

This screen capture shows panels from an online AI-generated webtoon series by Chun Woo-won, the grandson of former President Chun Doo Hwan, posted on his Instagram account, depicting Chun Woo-won's account of his abusive childhood. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Chun Woo-won, the grandson of former President Chun Doo Hwan, updated his AI-generated webtoon series on his Instagram on Tuesday, revealing his reckoning with one of the darkest chapters in Korean history — and his own family’s role in it.

The recent episodes describe his shock and guilt after learning about the brutality of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, in which hundreds were killed during a military crackdown that took place under his grandfather's rule in 1980.

Chun Woo-won started the webtoon on Dec. 4, 2025. The series, drawn with the help of artificial intelligence, centers on a white sheep named “Monggeuli,” a stand-in for the creator himself. Members of Chun Doo Hwan’s family, including the former president and Chun Woo-won’s father, Chun Jae-yong, appear as sheep with black horns.

The series traces Chun Woo-won's childhood and early adulthood, including his struggles with depression and drug addiction. According to the story, he first used drugs in the United States while seeking treatment for his depression and later became addicted to them.

The webtoon also depicts his dawning realization regarding the extent of the violence in Gwangju. In one panel, Monggeuli reels in disbelief: “No way it could have been this brutal.” In another, his speech bubble reads, “I used to brush it off, thinking, ‘No way our family did this.’” A third asks, “If this is all true [...] how many people died? What are we, as a family?”

In one scene set inside a church, the protagonist confesses, “To be honest, I think my grandfather killed a lot of people in Gwangju. That’s why the ghosts seem to be chasing me.”

Chun Woo-won later apologized for the tragedy during a live stream, saying, “My grandfather was a mass murderer. A countless number of innocent people suffered. I am truly sorry.” He then made allegations about the Chun family's “black money” and confessed to his own drug use.

The first installment of the webtoon series concluded on Tuesday with Monggeuli returning to Korea and being arrested at Incheon International Airport.

Chun Woo-won has previously used the webtoon to share details of his childhood and his time studying in the United States. Some scenes appear to suggest he was abused by the Chun family, sparking controversy.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]