[Chungmuro Book Cafe] The Advance of Manhwa

Japan's 'Gumyeol-ui Kalnal' and 'Jusulhoijeon' Rank 1st and 3rd
Comics Achieve First No.1 Since 2014's 'Misaeng'
Domestic Children's History and Educational Comics Also in Top 10

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dong-hyun] Since August last year, books in the economics/business and novel categories that had consistently held the number one spot have stepped down from the throne after 10 months. In their place, a recently trending comic book has taken over. Several children's books in comic form that make history and science easy to learn also appeared in the top 10. Thanks to the warm weather and favorable conditions for outings, lighter and easier-to-read books seem to be gaining high popularity over longer, more in-depth reads.

Asia Economy selected the bestsellers based on book sales from the 27th of last month to the 3rd of this month. The rankings were compiled by referencing sales rankings from major online and offline bookstores such as Kyobo Bookstore, Interpark, and Yes24, combined with ratings from Asia Economy reporters for a comprehensive ranking.

The number one spot was taken by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 23. This is the final volume of the series. It is a period fantasy battle manga serialized in the Japanese manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. The Japanese animation based on the series, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba ? Mugen Train Arc, released in January, gained explosive popularity, which has transferred that enthusiasm to the manga. The movie even surpassed the record of the world-renowned animation master Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away (2011) to become the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. A Kyobo Bookstore official explained, "This is the first time since 2014’s Misaeng that a comic book has taken the overall number one spot in Korea."

The third place was also taken by a traditional Japanese manga, Jujutsu Kaisen 15. The pen name Akutami Gege, born in 1992, has been serializing this science fiction (SF) fantasy work in Weekly Shonen Jump since 2018. It is gaining attention as the next-generation work following the completed Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. The popularity of the original manga has been steadily rising alongside the airing of the Jujutsu Kaisen animation, which started in the fourth quarter of last year.

Among this bestseller top 10, many children’s books that simplify history and science through comics appeared. The surge in popularity seems to be driven by increased demand from parents preparing gifts for Children’s Day.

Ranked ninth, Seol Min-seok’s Korean History Adventure 16 is a history comic aimed at elementary school students. It highlights Dokdo through three episodes, from General Isabu of Silla’s conquest of Usan-guk (Ulleungdo), to Joseon-era fisherman An Yong-bok’s efforts to protect Dokdo, and fishermen during the Japanese colonial period. Seol Min-seok, who left the broadcasting industry last year amid a master’s thesis plagiarism controversy, has been publishing this series since 2017.

Ranked tenth, Jung Jae-seung’s Human Exploration Report 6 is a children’s educational comic for elementary students. It was planned by KAIST professor Jung Jae-seung and co-written by writers Jung Jae-eun and Lee Go-eun. The subtitle is “How Sex Makes Us Different.” It approaches how males and females have evolved from a neuroscientific perspective to spark interest.

Ranked eighth, Heunhan Nammae 7 is a comic book by the popular creator “Heunhan Nammae,” who has over 2.17 million YouTube subscribers and more than 1.4 billion cumulative views.

Ranked fifth, Though a Small Star, It Shines was the only title in the poetry and essay category to make the rankings this time. Written by author So Yoon, it is a healing book that offers comforting words on themes such as life, relationships with others, and growing pains.