Fandom Books Stimulating Devotion in 2023 Attracted Attention

Self-development books and comics attracted attention this year. Fandom keywords such as Slam Dunk, BTS, Haruki, and Pubao stimulated otaku enthusiasm.

The representative cultural keyword in the first quarter was 'Slam Dunk.' Riding on the popularity of the animated film 'The First Slam Dunk,' which was released in theaters in early January, sales of the original comic greatly increased. Within the top 50 comprehensive bestsellers of Yes24 in the first quarter, 22 Slam Dunk-related books, including the 'Slam Dunk Shinjang Edition,' secured their spots, and in the 2023 annual comprehensive bestseller list, a total of 21 Slam Dunk-related books ranked within the top 100. Sales in the comic/light novel category increased by 44.4% in January compared to the previous month, and for the entire year of 2023, it recorded a growth rate of 5.9% compared to the previous year. The market share of comics also rose to 9.7% at Kyobo Bookstore in 2023.

In the second quarter, fandom purchases continued with BTS and Lim Young-woong. In June, when the first official book commemorating BTS's 10th debut anniversary, 'Beyond the Story BEYOND THE STORY,' was published, sales in the arts category at Yes24 increased by 34.4% compared to the previous month. The first domestic music criticism book about singer Lim Young-woong, 'Why Do We Love Lim Young-woong,' also ranked second in the arts category bestseller list in the second quarter and was well received. Among all buyers, the proportion of those who purchased both books was approximately 7% and 10%, respectively.

In the third quarter, sales of books related to Haruki and Pubao increased significantly. Haruki Murakami's first new work in six years, 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls,' ranked 8th in this year's comprehensive bestseller list. Buyers in their 30s and 40s accounted for 67.7%, demonstrating the enduring strength of the existing fandom. 'Baby Panda Pubao,' which captures the daily life of Korea's first-born panda Pubao, ranked first in the essay category, and the photo essay of Pubao's family life, 'The Omniscient Pubao Perspective,' ranked third.

In the fourth quarter, self-development book sales were active, riding the year-end atmosphere. 'Real estate/auction' and 'stocks/securities' sales decreased by 48.2% and 11.2%, respectively, but conversely, 'national economy/economic history/outlook' and 'success studies/career management' increased by 23.0% and 46.9%, respectively. In the economy/management category, Chairman Kim Seung-ho's books 'Introduction to CEO Studies' and the 300th print re-cover edition of 'The Nature of Money' ranked second and third, respectively, and other titles such as 'K Battery Revolution' and 'The Power to Read the 1%' that help develop macro investment perspectives and industry insights also ranked at the top.