Novels Dominate Bestseller Lists... Spotlight on Books Reflecting 'Life'

Han Kang’s Novels Remain Popular
Rising Interest in Books for Inner Reflection
Self-Development and Economics Titles Also in Demand

Novels that have ranked high on the bestseller lists are drawing attention. For the first week of February, Kyobo Bookstore’s bestseller list was topped by Han Kang’s “Human Acts,” with Han Kang’s “The Vegetarian” in third place, “No Goodbye” by Han Kang in fourth, “Contradictions” by Yang Gui-ja in fifth, and “Rapids” by Jung Dae-geon in sixth. On the YES24 bestseller list, “Human Acts” ranked third, “The Vegetarian” ninth, and “No Goodbye” tenth.

“The Buddha’s Words: Super Translation,” which became a hot topic after being recommended by Jang Wonyoung, ranked second overall at both bookstores.

“No Excuses: The Power of Self-Discipline” by global mentor Brian Tracy climbed two spots to rank seventh at Kyobo Bookstore. The same book ranked fourth on YES24. As the new year begins, self-development and motivational books are attracting attention as people set their resolutions.

On YES24, “STOP THE STEAL: The Supreme Court’s Record of Concealing Election Fraud,” written by four lawyers, took the top spot. “History for Progressives” by Hwang Hyunpil, director of the History Correction Research Institute, entered the YES24 overall chart at seventh place with its pre-sale. The original novel “Such Trivial Things,” which was adapted into a film released in December, ranked twentieth.

“Why Only They Become Rich,” which ranked eleventh on the YES24 overall bestseller list, is a revised edition released ten years after its original publication in Korea in 2015. The revised edition was published in January and held the top spot in the business and economics category for two consecutive weeks. Interest in the rapidly changing global economy has driven a 92.6% increase in sales compared to the previous week (January 23-29). The book has gained balanced popularity among readers in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

“Why Only They Become Rich” is an international bestseller highly praised by renowned investors and economists, including Marc Faber. The two authors, representing the Austrian School of Economics and holding a doctorate in economics from Germany, point out in this book that the root cause of economic problems lies in the “monetary system.”