Review: Shoplifter - the illustrations steal the show

Corinna Park is not a happy camper.

Pink, particularly that shade of bubblegum pink that pervades Michael Cho’s latest graphic novel Shoplifter, isn’t the first colour that comes to mind when one thinks of delicate moments of ennui. And yet, Cho somehow manages to use the hue to create not just panels that pulse with life, but also scenes that spill over with melancholy.

In fact, the book’s artwork – rendered in bold black strokes over splashes of pink on white – is its most outstanding characteristic. For the story, despite all its contemporary relevance, is one we’ve heard, read and watched over and over.