Lee Young-Do

Many readers begin with the Dragon Raja series, which was the author's debut and is widely credited with popularizing the fantasy genre in South Korea during the late 1990s.

This four-volume epic fantasy series is noted for its original world-building that incorporates unique Korean cultural elements, such as traditional board games and folklore-inspired races, distinguishing it from more Western-centric fantasy tropes.

The author initially built a significant following by serializing his novels on early Korean internet forums, specifically the Hitel platform, before his work was adapted into printed books.

His writing has been translated into numerous languages, and his series The Bird That Drinks Tears has earned nominations for prestigious international speculative fiction awards, such as the Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire in France.