Bestseller Trends in the Four Biggest Online Bookstores in Korea

2nd Week, April 2021

Various genres of literature have been greatly beloved by readers in Korea entering the second week of a warm April. The hottest topic among all was the Young Writer Awards Collection published by Munhakdongne. The ‘Young Writer Award’ is a representative literary award in Korea that connects Korean literature and readers, while encouraging authors who have been writing for under ten years since his/her debut. Seven writers and their works have been introduced in The 12th Young Writer Awards Collection. It has ranked high on the bestsellers’ list as readers highly anticipate the new wind young writers will bring to the publishing field.

New books have joined the bestsellers as well, especially heartwarming essays. For example, One Day, Death Spoke to Life is a book written by Keam Bhum-Suk, an oncologist at Seoul National University Hospital, where he describes his feelings as he met numerous cancer patients. It has been drawing sympathy from readers, asking ‘what is the thing that makes our remaining life meaningful?’ to everyone living in the middle of life and death. Also, I Am A Little, Shining Star by Soyoon is an essay filled with caring words. The writer pats readers on the back who have lost their light in their tough life with short but heartwarming sentences, awakening the glory hidden inside themselves.
Meanwhile, books written by famous figures among the top 5 history books catch readers’ eyes. Rhyu Si-Min, a former politician, has settled as a steady-seller writer for history and liberal arts. The revised and enlarged edition of his My Contemporary Korean History 1959-2020 has been published 6 years after its original release, with additional stories from those years. Also, Use of History by popular history instructor Choi Tae-Sung is a book with a sub-title of ‘22 insights to living a free, square life.’ It has been receiving positive reviews from readers as it kindly guides them to find clues for challenges in their life from historical incidents.

* The rank of bestsellers below was organized after integrating domestic best sellers in the second week of April from the four biggest online bookstores in Korea – Kyobo Bookstore, Aladdin, Yes 24, and Interpark.