I am so excited to share my interview here today with Dayeon Auh, author and illustrator of The Three-Year Tumble: Based on a Korean Folktale, translated by Tim Mohr. The story is much more than it seems and it was fun to unravel this tale with Dayeon over the course of the interview. Read on!
About the book:
Legend says that anyone who falls down Misfortune Mountain has three years left to live. Grandfather must travel over the treacherous mountain to get to the market, but one day catastrophe happens and he tumbles down! The doctor says he is perfectly healthy, but Grandfather feels the end is near . . . until his granddaughter comes to visit and makes a different calculation about his fate.
Check out the endpapers:
Check out the endpapers:
Let's talk Dayeon Auh!
DA: The idea first came to me during my semester at school. I decided to work on a free project and create a picture book. That book was called Mr. Quiet Eagle, and I submitted it to an unpublished picture book contest.
This contest is an amazing opportunity for new artists—you submit a picture book dummy, and publishers from all over the world get to see it. If at least five publishers vote for your project, you’re invited to present it at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
Luckily, my project got enough votes, and I had the chance to attend the fair. It was an incredible, intense four-day experience. I was surrounded by beautiful art, inspiring books, and passionate people who create children’s books. I was completely amazed.
On my 15-hour train ride home to Leipzig, Germany, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I decided that I wanted to illustrate an existing story, something old, something passed down through generations. I started researching folk tales, and that’s when I stumbled upon the story of The Three-Year Tumble.
The original title was actually The Three-Year Mountain Path, and as soon as I read it, I felt an immediate connection.It was funny, full of energy, and something I knew I had to illustrate. And that’s how it all began.
LTPB: What did you find most difficult in creating this book? What did you find most rewarding?
DA: I think, as always, the hardest part was starting the sketches. Researching was fun and exciting—I got to explore different nature scenes, notice small details, and immerse myself in the world of the book. But before I could even begin researching, I had to start sketching, and that was the most challenging part. I’d say it took up about 70% of the total time I spent on the book project.
One of the most difficult pages for me was the scene where the grandfather realizes that he can fall and tumble down the mountain over and over again. After hearing this from his grandchild, he rushes to the mountain. There’s this double-page spread with a dark background where only the grandfather and a goose are visible. That page was really difficult for me because I usually like to draw in one go—I want my lines to be loose, funky, and natural, not too strict or overly perfect. I don’t like re-drawing the same image multiple times because I feel it loses spontaneity and authenticity. But for this page, I had to redraw it several times, which was tough for me since it’s not how I usually work.
As for the most rewarding part—there’s a page where the grandfather is rolling down the mountain and you see him tumbling three times on the same page. That’s my favorite scene. I love how happy, healthy, and energetic he looks because we often see grandfathers portrayed as slow, fragile, or going to bed early. But in this image, he’s full of life, and that brings me so much joy.
Another incredibly rewarding moment was receiving an email from a reader. They told me that the book reminded them of their own grandfather, who had been very sick. Seeing my illustration of a happy, energetic grandfather made them feel like their own grandfather was healthy again. That message truly warmed my heart. It reminded me why I create books in the first place—to share joy and create heartwarming moments.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium? How does your process change from book to book?
DA: For this project, I worked mostly with acrylic paint. At the time—about three or four years ago—I loved strong brushstrokes and the bold textures that acrylics create. I combined this with pencil and colored pencil drawings on top of the acrylic layers.
DA: I think, as always, the hardest part was starting the sketches. Researching was fun and exciting—I got to explore different nature scenes, notice small details, and immerse myself in the world of the book. But before I could even begin researching, I had to start sketching, and that was the most challenging part. I’d say it took up about 70% of the total time I spent on the book project.
One of the most difficult pages for me was the scene where the grandfather realizes that he can fall and tumble down the mountain over and over again. After hearing this from his grandchild, he rushes to the mountain. There’s this double-page spread with a dark background where only the grandfather and a goose are visible. That page was really difficult for me because I usually like to draw in one go—I want my lines to be loose, funky, and natural, not too strict or overly perfect. I don’t like re-drawing the same image multiple times because I feel it loses spontaneity and authenticity. But for this page, I had to redraw it several times, which was tough for me since it’s not how I usually work.
As for the most rewarding part—there’s a page where the grandfather is rolling down the mountain and you see him tumbling three times on the same page. That’s my favorite scene. I love how happy, healthy, and energetic he looks because we often see grandfathers portrayed as slow, fragile, or going to bed early. But in this image, he’s full of life, and that brings me so much joy.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium? How does your process change from book to book?
DA: For this project, I worked mostly with acrylic paint. At the time—about three or four years ago—I loved strong brushstrokes and the bold textures that acrylics create. I combined this with pencil and colored pencil drawings on top of the acrylic layers.
I still work with mixed media, but these days, I use more dry mediums like colored pencils, pastels, and graphite. My most recent project was almost entirely done with dry media.
Now, I feel drawn to blending these two approaches. I love the bold energy of acrylic painting, but I also appreciate the delicate, sensitive lines of pencils. I want to bring these elements together and find a balance between them.
In terms of my creative process, I usually start with a theme and then create a storyboard with sketches before moving on to painting. But recently, I’ve been observing my own sketchbooks more often. Sometimes, I’ll notice a recurring theme in my sketches— something I’ve been drawing over and over again—and I realize, "Oh, maybe this should be my next book project."
For example, my latest book project was about playing. I didn’t plan it that way at first, but one day, I noticed that I had been sketching playground equipment again and again. That’s when I thought, "Maybe I should make a book about play." That idea turned into a 350- page book all about playing.
So nowadays, I’m more focused on observing what naturally draws my interest and analyzing what I want to talk about.
LTPB: What are you working on right now? Anything you can show us?
DA: Yes! I just finished my latest project—literally yesterday. It was my graduation project, my master’s thesis, and I just presented it.
The project is about 28 traditional children’s games that we used to play when I was a child in Korea. I wanted to remind people, especially adults, of these games because they brought us so much joy, connection, and healing—both emotionally and physically.
Back then, we looked into each other’s eyes, we tagged and touched each other, we ran outside. We weren’t just sitting for hours, playing board games, staring at screens, or being absorbed in our phones. These were quick, spontaneous games—you didn’t need hours of planning, special equipment, or even a full afternoon. We could just play anytime, anywhere.And I wanted to bring that feeling back.
The book is divided into two parts:
1 A personal letter explaining how I came up with this idea.
2 Illustrations of 28 different children's games.
The idea for this book actually came from a very personal experience. I had a dear friend who was suffering from severe depression. She often talked about wanting to take her own life, and at one point, it became overwhelming for me. I felt powerless and afraid. What if I talked to her today, and tomorrow she was gone? It was too much for me to handle emotionally, so I made the difficult decision to step back and focus on my own life.
Later, I realized that it wasn’t my job to save her. That’s something only a therapist—and she herself—could do. But that feeling of helplessness stayed with me. I kept thinking:
What if, instead of trying to “fix” her pain, I had simply given her small moments of
😊
So that’s where this book really began. It started as a way to bring a little bit of joy to my friend, and then it grew into a universal invitation to all adults:
Hey, let’s play again.
And yes, I’d love to show you some photos!
joy?
What if I had just played a short, silly game with her every day—something to make her smile, even if just for a moment? Maybe that’s what I should have done.
LTPB: What are you working on right now? Anything you can show us?
DA: Yes! I just finished my latest project—literally yesterday. It was my graduation project, my master’s thesis, and I just presented it.
The book is divided into two parts:
1 A personal letter explaining how I came up with this idea.
2 Illustrations of 28 different children's games.
The idea for this book actually came from a very personal experience. I had a dear friend who was suffering from severe depression. She often talked about wanting to take her own life, and at one point, it became overwhelming for me. I felt powerless and afraid. What if I talked to her today, and tomorrow she was gone? It was too much for me to handle emotionally, so I made the difficult decision to step back and focus on my own life.
What if, instead of trying to “fix” her pain, I had simply given her small moments of
😊
So that’s where this book really began. It started as a way to bring a little bit of joy to my friend, and then it grew into a universal invitation to all adults:
Hey, let’s play again.
And yes, I’d love to show you some photos!
joy?
What if I had just played a short, silly game with her every day—something to make her smile, even if just for a moment? Maybe that’s what I should have done.
LTPB: If you could write your own picture book autobiography, who would you want to illustrate it and why?
DA: I think I would want it to be Philipp Weisbecker.
He’s a French artist, and his drawings are very geometric, precise, and analog. He mostly works with pencil, and he often includes writing within his drawings. His work may seem simple at first glance, but the more you look, the more you realize how detailed and intentional it is.
What I love most is that he usually places just one element on a cream-colored background—a minimal but strong composition. Every time I see one of his drawings, I can feel the time and care that went into it. I find his work absolutely fascinating.
I would love to research more about him, learn about how he developed his style, and understand his thoughts behind his art. If I ever got the chance to create a book about him, maybe I could even visit his studio in France. It’s not too far, so who knows—maybe one day!
Right now, I’m collecting all of his books and learning as much as I can about his work. I think he’s an amazing artist, and I would love to dive deeper into his world.
DA: I think I would want it to be Philipp Weisbecker.
He’s a French artist, and his drawings are very geometric, precise, and analog. He mostly works with pencil, and he often includes writing within his drawings. His work may seem simple at first glance, but the more you look, the more you realize how detailed and intentional it is.
What I love most is that he usually places just one element on a cream-colored background—a minimal but strong composition. Every time I see one of his drawings, I can feel the time and care that went into it. I find his work absolutely fascinating.
I would love to research more about him, learn about how he developed his style, and understand his thoughts behind his art. If I ever got the chance to create a book about him, maybe I could even visit his studio in France. It’s not too far, so who knows—maybe one day!
Right now, I’m collecting all of his books and learning as much as I can about his work. I think he’s an amazing artist, and I would love to dive deeper into his world.
A three-year thank you to Dayeon for taking time to chat! The Three-Year Tumble: Based on a Korean Folktale publishes today from NorthSouth Books!
Special thanks to Dayeon and NorthSouth for use of these images!
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What an intriguing interview! I was in a hurry and didn't really have time to read it, but was compelled to!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, very compelling and a gorgeous book!! Thanks for reading, Judy!
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