Kyobo Bookstore & Yes24 Bestsellers Sweep
Proceeding with Pre-Orders Due to Short Supply
Changbi "Nobel Prize Edition Not Feasible for Now"
On the 11th, the bookshelf of author Han Kang, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature, was empty at Kyobo Bookstore in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The Swedish Academy selected Korean novelist Han Kang as the Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Han Kang is the first Korean author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
The publishing industry beamed with joy at the news of novelist Han Kang winning the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The Swedish Academy announced on the 10th (local time) that Han Kang was selected as this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. They stated, "Han Kang’s works are powerful poetic prose that confront historical trauma and expose the fragility of human life." With this, Han Kang became the first Asian woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Following the announcement, bookstores were bustling with people eager to purchase Han Kang’s books from the morning of the 11th. At Kyobo Bookstore in Jongno-gu, Seoul, early arrivals lined up for the 'open run.' As business began, Han Kang’s books sold like hotcakes and quickly sold out. Around 10:20 a.m., restocked titles were also rapidly sold as soon as they were displayed. Kyobo Bookstore Jongno branch stated, "We will strive to secure more inventory" amid the 'Han Kang fever' sweeping the bookstore scene.
Han Kang’s works are also receiving a warm response at online bookstores. In less than half a day, combined sales at Kyobo Bookstore and Yes24 exceeded 130,000 copies. Currently, due to limited stock, most sales are proceeding as pre-orders, and it is expected to take a long time from order to receipt. That morning, Kyobo Bookstore’s real-time bestseller list was dominated by Han Kang’s works such as The Vegetarian, Human Acts, Never Let Me Go, White, and Greek Lessons, occupying ranks 1 through 9. At Yes24, five of Han Kang’s works ranked within the top 10 bestsellers.
The publishing industry, which had been in a long slump, appeared revitalized by Han Kang’s award news. Publishers like Munhakdongne and Minumsa posted videos on their official social media accounts showing their office reactions at the time of the announcement. In the videos, employees could be seen cheering loudly and unable to contain their joy when Han Kang’s name was called. Changbi, which published Han Kang’s representative works The Vegetarian and Human Acts, responded to rumors about preparing a Nobel Prize edition by saying, "For now, we need to release stock as soon as it is printed, so it will be difficult to change the cover and create a special edition." They added, "We expect an enormous surge in orders within the next one to two weeks. A press conference related to the award is planned."
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