Yes24 October Statistics... Male Readers Opened Novels

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] Yes24 analyzed the purchase share by book category among male readers in October (about 3 weeks) and found that the ranking of 'Novels, Poetry, and Plays' surpassed 'Comics and Light Novels' to take 3rd place. Except for those in their 30s, the 'Novels, Poetry, and Plays' category ranked within the top 5 across all age groups, and among men in their 50s and 60s and older, it held the highest position at 2nd place. For men in their 40s, it ranked 3rd, and for those in their 20s, it ranked 5th.

Especially this fall, historical novels such as "A Father's Liberation Diary" and "Haerbin" have been receiving much love from middle-aged and older male readers.

Published at the beginning of September, marking the start of autumn, "A Father's Liberation Diary" recalls the author’s father after his death and expresses 70 years of modern history since liberation with a bold narrative, drawing significant interest from middle-aged and older male readers. Analysis of the overall purchaser gender and age ratio showed that men in their 40s accounted for 14.6% and men in their 50s for 16.0%, representing the highest purchase rates among male buyers. These figures were even higher than the same gender and age ratios for the entire 'Novels, Poetry, and Plays' category (40s men 10.7%, 50s men 7.4%).

"Haerbin," which has consistently held top bestseller positions since its release, is also beloved by male readers this fall. The book, centered on history and written in a distinctive bold style, has attracted attention particularly among the solid male reader fandom of author Kim Hoon, who has long enjoyed male support. From the first to the third week of October, the gender ratio of buyers for "Haerbin" was 51.2% male and 48.8% female, an unusual higher proportion of male readers, with men in their 40s and 50s exceeding 35%.

While middle-aged and older men focused on novels, younger men are showing interest in self-development books. In particular, "Yeokhaengja" (The Backward Walker) is gaining popularity as a success guide for young adults. Typically, women in the same age group have higher purchase rates, but for "Yeokhaengja," men in their 20s accounted for 7.4% and men in their 30s for 16.9%, surpassing women of the same ages (20s women 4.5%, 30s women 15.0%).

In the top 10 overall bestsellers among male readers in October, the 'Novels, Poetry, and Plays' category also showed strong performance. Analysis of the comprehensive bestseller books purchased by men from the first to the third week of October revealed that four titles in the 'Novels, Poetry, and Plays' category ranked within the top 10, receiving the second most attention after economic and business books.

Among novels, "A Father's Liberation Diary" and "Haerbin" ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively, receiving the most love from male readers in October, followed by "Uncomfortable Convenience Store 2" and "Beasts of a Small Land," which also attracted male readers' interest. Additionally, "Yeokhaengja" ranked 3rd, and numerous economic and business books including "Trend Korea 2023," "Quant Investment Follow-Along," and "Just. Keep. Buying." drew attention from male readers in October.