Subin Yu , home

Instatoon, 2024

Wall-E's House

2024

Original Instagram comic, six posts, 61 pages

Wall-E's House is an Instagram comic that Subin Yu (유수빈) wrote and drew in 2024 about living with a small rescue dog named Wall-E (월이). Six posts, sixty-one square pages, in the order they went up.

Small stories from walks

Ten pages about the people Wall-E meets on the daily walk, January 2024.

Panel 10

  1. Title page, a white sheet tilted on a yellow background with a small speech balloon reading puppy above the Korean title.

    01

  2. A woman with long dark hair in a beige coat walks a small dog in a green dinosaur coat down a sloped street while three office workers come the other way.

    02

  3. Low angle on three pairs of trousers and shoes while the dog lunges at one man with its tail up and the leash pulled tight.

    03

  4. Close-up of a smiling man in a white padded jacket with his eyes shut, two figures sketched in outline behind him.

    04

  5. The woman walks on with the dog trotting beside her, both smiling, the street drawn with a few lines.

    05

  6. An elderly man in a blue-grey jacket stands with a stern face and calls out while the woman flinches, sweating, eyes wide.

    06

  7. Close-up of the same old man grinning with his eyes closed, a hand-written grin sound beside his cheek.

    07

  8. An elderly neighbour in a purple beanie and glasses passes and greets them as the woman walks the dog past green hedges.

    08

  9. A pharmacist laughs behind a counter marked with a cross, holding out a treat packet with a dog printed on it.

    09

  10. Cafe staff in orange aprons lean over the counter towards the dog while the woman crouches holding her.

    10

Read all panels
  1. Title page, a white sheet tilted on a yellow background with a small speech balloon reading puppy above the Korean title.
    01. The title page promises small stories from walks, the sweet kind, for restoring your faith in people.
  2. A woman with long dark hair in a beige coat walks a small dog in a green dinosaur coat down a sloped street while three office workers come the other way.
    02. Winter walks happen while the sun is up, which drops them into the office lunch hour.
  3. Low angle on three pairs of trousers and shoes while the dog lunges at one man with its tail up and the leash pulled tight.
    03. Wall-E usually threads between people, then lunges at one man, and the owner blurts out an apology.
  4. Close-up of a smiling man in a white padded jacket with his eyes shut, two figures sketched in outline behind him.
    04. He laughs and says dogs can tell when someone has good energy.
  5. The woman walks on with the dog trotting beside her, both smiling, the street drawn with a few lines.
    05. She walks off thinking that was a quick-witted thing to say, while Wall-E is already on to dinner.
  6. An elderly man in a blue-grey jacket stands with a stern face and calls out while the woman flinches, sweating, eyes wide.
    06. Another day an old man shouts that the dog is having a fine time, and she answers twice, braced for a telling-off.
  7. Close-up of the same old man grinning with his eyes closed, a hand-written grin sound beside his cheek.
    07. He only meant that the dog looked happy, and the loud voice was just his voice.
  8. An elderly neighbour in a purple beanie and glasses passes and greets them as the woman walks the dog past green hedges.
    08. Walking Wall-E, she starts seeing the smiles of neighbours who used to pass with no expression at all.
  9. A pharmacist laughs behind a counter marked with a cross, holding out a treat packet with a dog printed on it.
    09. The pharmacist says she keeps three poodles and pushes a treat across the counter.
  10. Cafe staff in orange aprons lean over the counter towards the dog while the woman crouches holding her.
    10. At the cafe they call Wall-E by name and pretend to hand over a treat, and she tells Wall-E thank you.

Wall-E Comes Home, part 1

A taxi from Gwangju Songjeong station, with the driver asking where the dog is.

Panel 10

  1. Ink drawing of Gwangju Songjeong station with taxis at the kerb, washed with pale mint.

    01

  2. A woman in a green jacket leans into an open taxi window with a dark folded carrier in her arms.

    02

  3. A grey-haired driver at the wheel seen from the passenger side, looking straight ahead.

    03

  4. Inside the moving taxi, the driver large in the foreground and the woman small in the back seat.

    04

  5. Two hands hold a phone with a yellow navigation screen, typing a Korean address.

    05

  6. View from the back seat, the driver holding the phone up near the dashboard and the woman's hair in the foreground.

    06

  7. Extreme close-up of the driver's eye framed in the rear-view mirror.

    07

  8. The woman turned in the back seat, smiling with her brows raised, the seats drawn in loose outline.

    08

  9. The driver's eye in close-up again, with five speech balloons stacked down the right side of the page.

    09

  10. Full figure of the woman sitting with the empty carrier on her lap, speaking with a small tight smile.

    10

Read all panels
  1. Ink drawing of Gwangju Songjeong station with taxis at the kerb, washed with pale mint.
    01. At the station she asks a driver whether he can go there and back to Naju station.
  2. A woman in a green jacket leans into an open taxi window with a dark folded carrier in her arms.
    02. Then she adds the other question, whether a dog is allowed to ride.
  3. A grey-haired driver at the wheel seen from the passenger side, looking straight ahead.
    03. He pauses, says all right then, and she thanks him.
  4. Inside the moving taxi, the driver large in the foreground and the woman small in the back seat.
    04. He asks whether the dog is inside the bag, and she says she is on her way to pick her up.
  5. Two hands hold a phone with a yellow navigation screen, typing a Korean address.
    05. She offers to type the address in herself.
  6. View from the back seat, the driver holding the phone up near the dashboard and the woman's hair in the foreground.
    06. He asks if she is buying the dog or collecting it from another house, and she says she is going to a shelter for a stray.
  7. Extreme close-up of the driver's eye framed in the rear-view mirror.
    07. He asks whether she will take the dog onto the train at Naju, and she says yes.
  8. The woman turned in the back seat, smiling with her brows raised, the seats drawn in loose outline.
    08. He asks how far she is going, and Seoul takes him by surprise.
  9. The driver's eye in close-up again, with five speech balloons stacked down the right side of the page.
    09. He wants to know if Seoul has no shelters of its own, and whether this is an expensive breed.
  10. Full figure of the woman sitting with the empty carrier on her lap, speaking with a small tight smile.
    10. She says the dog is a mixed breed and that she is very pretty, and the sentence trails off.

Wall-E Comes Home, part 2

The address lands in a field with no road, and then a sign for the shelter turns up.

Panel 10

  1. Back view of the woman and the driver's headrest inside the taxi, with a single balloon of dots above them.

    01

  2. Bird's eye view of a white taxi on a two-lane road cutting through bare brown fields.

    02

  3. A navigation screen on green, showing a lane called Naegi 3-gil, a red destination pin and an address box.

    03

  4. The woman in profile looking out of the car window at a blue shipping container standing in a brown field.

    04

  5. A white roadside sign on the verge reading Naju city shelter for abandoned animals, with a red arrow across it.

    05

  6. Back view of the two of them in the car, the driver's head just showing above the headrest.

    06

  7. The woman leans forward from the seat with her mouth open, a grey blur beside her and an engine sound written in.

    07

  8. A white taxi parked on bare dirt with the rear door open and the woman standing beside it.

    08

  9. The woman walking alone with a bag strap across her chest, footstep sounds written around her.

    09

  10. A man in a cap and brown jacket stands on the bed of a blue truck handling a wire crate while the woman walks up behind him.

    10

Read all panels
  1. Back view of the woman and the driver's headrest inside the taxi, with a single balloon of dots above them.
    01. The conversation runs out.
  2. Bird's eye view of a white taxi on a two-lane road cutting through bare brown fields.
    02. The road empties out into fields.
  3. A navigation screen on green, showing a lane called Naegi 3-gil, a red destination pin and an address box.
    03. The driver says this cannot be the address because there is no road to it, and she asks for a moment.
  4. The woman in profile looking out of the car window at a blue shipping container standing in a brown field.
    04. She spots the container and guesses that must be it.
  5. A white roadside sign on the verge reading Naju city shelter for abandoned animals, with a red arrow across it.
    05. She points at the sign and says to turn in down that track.
  6. Back view of the two of them in the car, the driver's head just showing above the headrest.
    06. He says he has never driven a road like this in his life, and she apologises.
  7. The woman leans forward from the seat with her mouth open, a grey blur beside her and an engine sound written in.
    07. She says she will run the rest of the way and asks to be let out here.
  8. A white taxi parked on bare dirt with the rear door open and the woman standing beside it.
    08. She thanks him and says she will be back with the dog in a minute.
  9. The woman walking alone with a bag strap across her chest, footstep sounds written around her.
    09. She is nervous and wants to meet the dog already.
  10. A man in a cap and brown jacket stands on the bed of a blue truck handling a wire crate while the woman walks up behind him.
    10. She says hello and that she is the one who phoned.

Wall-E Comes Home, part 3

Inside the container, the kennels and the first time she holds Wall-E.

Panel 11

  1. Side view of the shelter worker in a cap, mouth open as he calls out.

    01

  2. A dark blue container building with a black doorway, a man in a grey hoodie standing outside it.

    02

  3. In the dark, a small mint-green wooden chair with a heart cut into the back and grass laid on the seat.

    03

  4. A dog behind bars in the dark, mouth open mid-bark, with bark sounds in jagged balloons.

    04

  5. A grey row of kennel doors seen at an angle with barks written across them.

    05

  6. From inside a kennel, the woman appears in a gap between bars, beyond the dark back of another dog.

    06

  7. Drawn all in grey, a man bends down and holds a small pale dog up by the scruff while it hangs limp.

    07

  8. Seen from above, two hands in green sleeves reach out to take the dog from a pair of grey arms.

    08

  9. The woman crouches with the dog tucked into the carrier on her chest, one hand over its back.

    09

  10. The woman looks down at the dog in her arms, her face close to its head.

    10

  11. Top-down view of the dog's shaggy head held between two dark gloves.

    11

Read all panels
  1. Side view of the shelter worker in a cap, mouth open as he calls out.
    01. He shouts for someone inside to come out.
  2. A dark blue container building with a black doorway, a man in a grey hoodie standing outside it.
    02. The second man comes out and tells her to come in.
  3. In the dark, a small mint-green wooden chair with a heart cut into the back and grass laid on the seat.
    03. She recognises the chair from the listing photo and works out that is where the dog was sat for it.
  4. A dog behind bars in the dark, mouth open mid-bark, with bark sounds in jagged balloons.
    04. The kennels start up the moment she walks in.
  5. A grey row of kennel doors seen at an angle with barks written across them.
    05. The barking carries all the way down the row.
  6. From inside a kennel, the woman appears in a gap between bars, beyond the dark back of another dog.
    06. One of the men says, here she is.
  7. Drawn all in grey, a man bends down and holds a small pale dog up by the scruff while it hangs limp.
    07. He holds the dog up and asks if this is the one.
  8. Seen from above, two hands in green sleeves reach out to take the dog from a pair of grey arms.
    08. She says yes, that is her.
  9. The woman crouches with the dog tucked into the carrier on her chest, one hand over its back.
    09. The dog does not bark, she just stays still in her arms.
  10. The woman looks down at the dog in her arms, her face close to its head.
    10. She says, Wall-E, come home with me.
  11. Top-down view of the dog's shaggy head held between two dark gloves.
    11. Let's go to Wall-E's house.

Wall-E Comes Home, part 4

Paperwork at the shelter and the ride back to the station.

Panel 10

  1. Two adoption forms on a brown surface with a grey hand spread flat over one of them.

    01

  2. The woman writes with a pen, the dog in the carrier on her chest, barking written all around her.

    02

  3. A wide view of the woman walking down a dirt track from the blue container past a parked truck, the taxi bonnet in the foreground.

    03

  4. Back view inside the taxi with the driver's eye visible in the rear-view mirror.

    04

  5. Close-up of the driver's eye in the mirror with a small balloon of dots below it.

    05

  6. The woman sits between the headrests smiling, the dog's face poking out of the carrier.

    06

  7. Close-up of the dog's head resting on the edge of the carrier, looking off to one side.

    07

  8. The woman looks out of the window with the dog's nose at the glass and the landscape streaking past.

    08

  9. The woman holding the dog with a faint smile and a small balloon of dots beside her.

    09

  10. Back view of the woman standing on white with the carrier strapped across her shoulders.

    10

Read all panels
  1. Two adoption forms on a brown surface with a grey hand spread flat over one of them.
    01. He tells her to sign, write the address exactly, and register the dog at a vet straight away.
  2. The woman writes with a pen, the dog in the carrier on her chest, barking written all around her.
    02. With the barking going she cannot concentrate and loses her own address halfway through.
  3. A wide view of the woman walking down a dirt track from the blue container past a parked truck, the taxi bonnet in the foreground.
    03. She walks back to the taxi with the dog on her chest.
  4. Back view inside the taxi with the driver's eye visible in the rear-view mirror.
    04. He asks whether that is the dog.
  5. Close-up of the driver's eye in the mirror with a small balloon of dots below it.
    05. He looks for a moment and says nothing.
  6. The woman sits between the headrests smiling, the dog's face poking out of the carrier.
    06. He admits the dog is pretty, and she thanks him.
  7. Close-up of the dog's head resting on the edge of the carrier, looking off to one side.
    07. He tells the dog she has come up in the world, a good owner and a trip to Seoul.
  8. The woman looks out of the window with the dog's nose at the glass and the landscape streaking past.
    08. You are a lucky dog, he says.
  9. The woman holding the dog with a faint smile and a small balloon of dots beside her.
    09. She does not answer straight away.
  10. Back view of the woman standing on white with the carrier strapped across her shoulders.
    10. She thinks, I am the lucky one.

Wall-E Comes Home, part 5

The epilogue, drawn in pen on white, about the fare, the vet and how Wall-E smelled.

Panel 10

  1. Pen drawing on white of a woman and a driver in simple outline, with the word epilogue written across the top.

    01

  2. Line drawing of the shelter man looking back at the woman, who holds the dog with both arms.

    02

  3. Line drawing inside the taxi, the woman holding the dog while the driver turns his head.

    03

  4. Two large speech balloons over a roughly drawn head seen from behind, an engine sound written below.

    04

  5. Line drawing of the woman in the back seat with the dog and the driver at the wheel, a sparkle beside his head.

    05

  6. Line drawing of the woman handing a banknote to the smiling driver.

    06

  7. A shaggy dog's face drawn in pen with three thought balloons around it.

    07

  8. Line drawing of the woman holding the dog up to her face with her eyes wide.

    08

  9. A huge jagged scream balloon over a syringe labelled microchip, the woman's hair blown back beside it.

    09

  10. Line drawing of the woman holding the dog on her lap with sniffing sounds written over its back.

    10

Read all panels
  1. Pen drawing on white of a woman and a driver in simple outline, with the word epilogue written across the top.
    01. The fare went up by thirty percent because the shelter is in Naju and the station is in Gwangju.
  2. Line drawing of the shelter man looking back at the woman, who holds the dog with both arms.
    02. She could not get Wall-E into the carrier by herself, so the shelter manager helped.
  3. Line drawing inside the taxi, the woman holding the dog while the driver turns his head.
    03. She tells him she has to go to a vet right now, and he asks how long it will take.
  4. Two large speech balloons over a roughly drawn head seen from behind, an engine sound written below.
    04. She offers to get out and hail another taxi, and he says he will wait because taxis are scarce out there.
  5. Line drawing of the woman in the back seat with the dog and the driver at the wheel, a sparkle beside his head.
    05. He asks where else they should stop, and she says Naju station is fine now.
  6. Line drawing of the woman handing a banknote to the smiling driver.
    06. She tells him to keep the change, and he says the dog really has found a good owner.
  7. A shaggy dog's face drawn in pen with three thought balloons around it.
    07. First impressions, bigger than expected, and a face unlike the listing photo with the same markings.
  8. Line drawing of the woman holding the dog up to her face with her eyes wide.
    08. Wall-E smelled of urine and of dog, about a hundred times over.
  9. A huge jagged scream balloon over a syringe labelled microchip, the woman's hair blown back beside it.
    09. The microchip goes in at the vet and Wall-E screams, which is how she learns the dog could bark all along.
  10. Line drawing of the woman holding the dog on her lap with sniffing sounds written over its back.
    10. On the train back Wall-E sniffed quietly and watched out of the window.

Wall-E is a real dog and the walks are real walks. The first post gathers small things that happened on the street near home. Wall-E bolts at a stranger during the office lunch hour and he turns out to be someone who likes dogs. An old man shouts across the road that the dog is having a good time. Neighbours who used to pass without looking up now stop to talk, and so do the people behind the pharmacy counter.

The five-part story is about the day Wall-E came home. Most of it happens inside a taxi between Gwangju Songjeong station and a shelter in a shipping container outside Naju, so the drawing stays with what can be seen from a back seat. A driver's eye in the mirror. A phone screen with the address half typed. A row of kennels in the dark. The conversation carries the rest, and it is the driver who keeps asking the questions.

The pages are drawn loose and coloured only where the colour is doing something. The walk post is flat and bright. The adoption story runs mostly on grey and ink, with one green coat and one blue container. The epilogue is pen on white paper, the part told afterwards, down to what the fare came to.

Watch the finished piece