Speakers

Gordon Lo is a veteran art professional with a keen eye for curating, whom has over 20 years of experience in the art programme and exhibition field.

As a huge devotee of comics arts, he has implemented numerous local and overseas comics arts projects since 2005, promoting Hong Kong comics artists’ works through exhibitions and showcases extensively in international festivals including Angouleme BD festival, Brussels BD comics Strip festival and Helsinki Comics Festival and so on.

He’s also taking the helm to curate & organize programmes in the “Comix Home Base” – the 1st art community revitalized from a historic architecture building clusters in Wan Chai which focuses in preserving and promoting comics and animation arts and culture in Hong Kong (2013-2018).

He is also one of the vetting members of the Hong Kong Comics Support programme since 2021.

Pierre Paquet embodies the self-made publisher, who began a spontaneous project at age 22 and built a multidisciplinary, innovative, and youth-focused publishing house. Through his autobiographical works, he has also revealed himself as a courageous and sincere author. His career blends artistic passion, strategic management, cultural openness, and emotional commitment. He remains a 100% independent, essential, and inspiring figure in the French-speaking comic book world.

Davide Castellazzi was born in Milan (Italy) on December 15, 1966, but lives in the hills of Parma and spends a good part of his time in Asia, always looking for new comics. Always passionate about comics of any nationality, since the early nineties he has been involved in manga at a professional level, first as an article writer then as a consultant, magazine director, “designer” of entire series and editorial lines. He has written thousands of articles and some books on the subject.He is currently the editorial director of Toshokan (a publishing house specialized in Asian comics) and a collaborator of the publishing house Sprea, for which he directs some magazines such as “Disegnare Manga”(“Drawing Manga”) and “Japan Illustrated”.

Meritxell Puig is the General Director of FICOMIC, a non-profit organization that organizes COMIC BARCELONA and MANGA BARCELONA. The main objective of the organization is to promote and disseminate the culture of comics and manga. Puig, who since 2017 has directed these cultural events, has extensive experience in the cultural fair sector and in business development positions abroad.

Kurata Yoshimi, born in 1954 in Akita City. After graduating from high school, she became an assistant to manga artist Tetsuya Chiba. Her work “萌萌え出づる…” was selected for the 4th Shogakukan Newcomer Manga Award in the shonen manga category. In collaboration with original author あべ 善太, “My First Big SPECIAL” began serialization in the supplement of “Big Comic Original” in 1984.

In 1987, it started serialization in the newly launched “Big Comic Original”, and in 1999, it won the 44th Shogakukan Manga Award in the youth/general category. The series continues to be serialized in the same magazine.

He serves as a director of the Japan Cartoonists Association and is a member of Manga Japan.

Kim Donghwa, Born in Seoul in 1950, he debuted in 1975 with 「My Sky」.

He has received multiple awards, including the Grand Prize for Creativity at the 1999 Asia Comic Conference (Taipei), the Prime Minister’s Award of Korea, and the SICAF Award.

He served as President of the Korea Cartoonists Association and Chairman of the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency.

Among his representative works are 「The Story of Yellow Earth」 and 「The Red Bicycle」, published in nine countries including France and the U.S.

Sun Li Jun, pen name is Fan Beilu, is an associate professor, contemporary artist, and cartoonist. He is a doctoral supervisor and the former vice president of Beijing Film Academy. He is also a council member of the China Artists Association and the China Film Association. His published works include Ink Traces, Ink Images, Ink Journey, and AI Painting.

He has participated in numerous international art exhibitions, including the “Leonardo da Vinci International Art Festival” in Italy, the 18th International Comic Conference – Kitakyushu Conference Exhibition, the Maz International Art Gallery, and the The Long Journey: China-Korea Comic Art Exhibition. Additionally, he held a solo exhibition titled “Fan Beilu’s Artwork Exhibition” in New York.

His works primarily focus on comics and animation art, often combining open-ended creative stories. He employs traditional Chinese brushwork while also innovatively expressing Western artistic forms. Through the application of cross-media technology and innovative artistic concepts, he has developed a unique new style of painting that fully embodies the essence of modern ink art.

Chou Wen Peng has served as the deputy editor of a digital platform, the head of a creative studio, and the director of a university industry talent development center.

He is passionate about images and writing, exploring visual storytelling and cultural content analysis, and researching narrative and reception issues across diverse media.

Chris Yew has been involved in Malaysia’s creative scene since 1993. With a passion for storytelling and innovation, he’s played a huge role in growing the local comic and graphic novel industry.

As CEO of Kadokawa Gempak Starz, Chris has helped the company expand into a wide range of areas; from comic publishing and animation to game creation, erchandising, advertising, and international exhibitions.

One of his biggest milestones was teaming up with Japan’s Kadokawa Corporation to form Kadokawa Gempak Starz. This partnership opened the door to global opportunities, bringing Malaysian content to a wider

An animation director and producer, as well as a researcher and commentator in anime, manga, and pop culture. Began creating independent animation as early as 1977, later joining the Television Division of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) as an animator, and also produced animation special effects for several commercial films. In recent years, has been teaching animation at various universities and actively participating in animation projects and exhibitions, with a focus on promoting the animation industry in Hong Kong. To date, has published ten books on anime and manga, and eleven animation works have been acquired by the M+ Museum in Hong Kong as part of its permanent collection.

Chi Kit Kwong was born in Hong Kong and received his early education in the United States. After graduating, he remained in the U.S. to work in advertising, where he received numerous accolades. In 2008, he returned to Hong Kong to pursue a career in education, teaching at both Shantou University and the Savannah College of Art and Design Hong Kong for a decade.

In 2020, he re-entered the comic industry and co-authored “The Saga of Kunlun Mountain” with Wai-cheong Luk and Tin-kit Mark which received critical acclaim. His first solo work, “The Architect’s Epiphany,” won a Silver Award and a Character Design Award of HK Comics Support Programme. His science fiction work, “Indigo,” won a Gold Award at the second HK Comics Support Programme.

Kwong’s two award-winning works have been successfully licensed for French, English, and Malay editions. He is currently adapting Wong Yi’s renowned martial arts novel “Lethal Weapons Of Love And Passion” into a comic, with the first season already completed.

Pen So’s works include “See You in Memories” and “Dali Libreria.” He has received numerous prestigious awards, such as the Best Story and Gold Award at HK Comics Support Programme, the award of The Hong Kong Publishing Biennial Awards, the Silver Award at the Japan International Manga Awards, the New Horizons Award at The BolognaRagazzi Awards in Italy, the Silver Award for Best Narrative Comic Award at China Animation & Comic Competition Golden Dragon Award, and the Selection Award at 3×3 International Illustration Show. His works have been exhibited in Belgium, Germany, Japan, France, and Italy.

Man Tsang, born in Hong Kong, was a restless, energetic child. As an adult, his passion for painting led to sleepless, meal-less days immersed in art. Time has changed him, but his love for painting remains undimmed.

Tsang specializes in ink and digital art, with deep insight into the industry from his extensive experience in Hong Kong comic production. His notable works include NUMBER 10, 0課特工, and the Thrawn comic adaptation, which is based on a Star Wars novel and has yet to be published.