A world-first interview with the creator of Finnish Nightmares, Finland’s funniest new cartoon series
Every country has national stereotypes. Brits adore tea. Americans love guns. Finns are no different. They have specific characteristics that set them apart. This means they also have specific dreams and nightmares.
Karoliina Korhonen, a digital media professional from Northern Finland, launched a cartoon series called Finnish Nightmares. The idea started as a brain fart to present awkward social situations a stereotypical Finn encounters. The results are accurate. Her Facebook page gained over 25,000 likes in 48 hours.
Ink Tank recognizes a viral phenomenon early. Korhonen had 287 followers when we first contacted her. This is the first interview with the creator of Matti, the protagonist of Finnish nightmares.
The accidental cartoonist
You published your cartoons this week and already have over 25,000 likes. How long have you been drawing and what inspired Finnish Nightmares?
I have always drawn with a pencil or brush but rarely proper cartoons. It was a tool to doodle funny scenes for friends. I am amazed by the attention. I did not plan this because I did not plan at all.
The idea arrived yesterday morning. It was a brain fart. I thought it would be fun to present awkward social situations for a stereotypical Finn. Plain text is boring so I doodled it. I made the Facebook page as a joke for a few friends. Then this happened.
Process and inspiration
Where do you get your ideas and how long do they take to create?
Ideas come from my life. I am an incarnation of the Finnish stereotype regarding social awkwardness. Some people send ideas via Facebook. Making the comic takes less than an hour once I have the idea.
The Finnish view on interaction
Your work showcases the fear of small talk and hugging. Why are Finns nervous about human interaction?
It is not fear. It is discomfort with the unfamiliar. Finnish culture respects personal space and privacy. Physical touching is reserved for people we care for deeply. When a stranger tries to hug you, it feels weird. Kisses are worse. Some Finns reserve kisses only for a significant other. It can be seen as flirtatious or worse when attempted by someone you just met.
In close relationships, touching is not feared. Regarding small talk, I had to use Google to find out what people say. We do not do this with strangers. We can answer with a word or two but if we are not genuinely interested, it feels forced and phony to pretend.
Small talk brings embarrassing situations. Someone asks how your day has been and you describe everything until you realize they did not ask literally. This has happened to me. Asking questions without a proper reason feels intrusive. It bothers the personal bubble of peace and silence. It is more common to respect that bubble than to break it for a chat.
These are stereotypes. Some Finns are comfortable with hugs and small talk. This is just my experience.
Three personal nightmares
What are your own three worst Finnish nightmares?
First is a situation where small talk is required. I cannot think of questions for people I have never met. I would introduce myself and then my mind would go blank.
Second is stumbling or slipping in public. It hurts the soul more than the body if someone sees it. Finns are afraid of what others think. Slipping in public is a personal catastrophe of embarrassment.
Third is meeting someone you have seen a few times but do not yet call an acquaintance. You meet on the street and wonder if you should greet them. If you greet them and they do not respond, it is a sign they want no contact. Or you both stare, too shy to move, and pass each other in embarrassment.
Not sure why these are so popular with Finns. As far as I can see it makes them look like a miserable bunch who can’t stand other human beings. Is that really the case?
We do have a sense of humour ;)
Efka: No we don’t!
Claudia: It is popular only because we have nothing else to read.
I totally get what you’re coming from! We do come off as antisocial, introverted and depressed, but obviously not all of us are. We usually tend to be a bit awkward around strangers, because obviously it’s really hard to find anything remotely interesting to say, and sometimes you’re not even sure how you should act. You could say we have this “protective barrier” around to the point when we feel comfortable enough when close to someone, and it let’s us properly open up. And if you first thought Finnish were quiet bunch, just wait until you make friends with one :)
Not at all! Finns tend to be wonderfully kind and hospitable. It’s just that we don’t enjoy the superficiality of “small talk” type interactions. We like to have relationships that feel real to us. That doesn’t mean we aren’t friendly. It is difficult to explain to a non-Finn, but it’s about the obligation to be kind to everyone…
Funny because they are true. Although they are maybe true also of all introvert people.
They need to change their environment and then they are completely different. It’s the Finnish way in Finland.