Yerimdang Educational Comics ‘Why?’ Series... Why Are They Selling Well in the Middle East?

"Not Many Educational Comics in the Middle East... Korean Books Popular for Their Fun"
Children's Books on the Korean War Also Gain Attention
"Touching to See Dreams Kept Alive Despite Difficult Circumstances"

"In the Middle East, there are not many books that convey information in an entertaining, comic-style format. Korean books are very popular."

At the 2023 Sharjah International Book Fair, Abdur Haman spoke about Yerimdang's children's book series 'Why?'. The 'Why?' series, first published in 2001, has sold over 86 million copies to date and is a bestseller. It is characterized by explaining science, history, figures, coding, and more at a child's level. It has been exported to more than 50 countries so far.

Abdru Rahman, manager of the Jordanian publishing house Dal Al Manhal (meaning 'from generosity'), is explaining the Arabic 'Why?' series.
[Photo by Seo Mideum]

Abdur Haman, manager of Jordan's Dal Al Manhal (meaning 'from generosity') publishing house, first encountered the 'Why?' series at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany. He said, "We started selling it five years ago and have sold over 10,000 sets in Jordan alone. Usually, after buying one book, customers come back to purchase the entire series." He added, "At the Children's Book Fair held in Saudi Arabia last month, 600 sets were sold over nine days."

The Arabic "Why?" series is displayed at the Jordan booth at the 2023 Sharjah International Book Fair.
[Photo by Seo Mideum]

He continued, "Although it is more than twice as expensive as other local children's books, it still sells well." He also said, "We plan to translate and sell the series sequentially. We are also looking for other Korean books to import additionally."

At the booth of the UAE publishing company Al Fulk, Jo Ara's book 'Rocket Boy' (Hansol Soobook) was on display. The book tells the story of a boy who nurtures his dreams amid war. It is composed entirely of pictures without any text.

Alyazia Khalifa, manager at Al Fulk, who learned about the book around 2015 through an agency, said, "The story of continuing education even during war was deeply moving." She explained, "Although I have not experienced war firsthand, I was touched by the spirit of not giving up and dreaming of going to the moon even in such difficult circumstances."

At the booth of the UAE publisher 'Al Fulk,' manager Alyazia Khalifa (right) is explaining Joara's 'Rocket Boy,' translated into Arabic.
[Photo by Seomideum]

Alyazia Khalifa said that the next planned publication is 'Bonjour Tour' (Munhakdongne). This work, which won the grand prize at the 11th Munhakdongne Children's Literature Awards, depicts the process of a Korean boy named Bongju discovering the reality of the division between North and South Korea in Tours, France. She said, "I first learned about it at the Children's Book Fair in Stockholm in 2019. Since Korea was invited as the guest of honor this time, I visited the guest country pavilion, but unfortunately, the book was not there." She added, "I received the publisher's contact information and plan to request publication soon."

Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates is well known as a hub for children's and educational content in the Middle East. The Children's Book Fair held every April attracts young readers from across the Middle East. A representative from the Korean Consulate General in Dubai explained, "The Children's Book Fair exhibition hall resembles a huge playground. It is full of attractions for children, drawing visitors from all over the Middle East." He added, "Sharjah plays a hub role in spreading children's content throughout the Middle East. In particular, there is interest in traditional Korean folktales."