Rhyu Si-min's "Reading for Youth" Tops Bestseller Lists at Kyobo and Yes24

Yes24 and Kyobo Book Centre Both See "Reading for Youth" by Rhyu Si-min Top the Bestseller List
New Releases by Lee Jaemyung and Han Kang Also Rank High

In the third week of May, Yes24's overall bestseller list was topped for the second consecutive week by "Reading for Youth" by Rhyu Si-min, an enduring "book of youth" that has stood the test of time.

Entering the rankings at number two was "Donggong's Pharmacist's Essential Pharmacy," a pharmaceutical guide proposed by a Seoul National University graduate pharmacist and health YouTuber with 270,000 subscribers. This book, which became a sensation by achieving a remarkable 3,189% in the Yes24 reader crowdfunding held from April 16 to May 11, officially launched on May 20 and immediately ranked second overall and first in the health and hobby category. The book received particularly strong support from readers in their 20s and 30s (70.2%) who sought to build practical knowledge about pharmaceuticals for everyday life.

Author Kim Youngha's first essay collection in six years, "A Life Only Once," ranked third. In fourth place was presidential candidate Lee Jaemyung's new book "In the End, the People Do It," and in fifth was Han Kang, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature winner, with her new essay collection "Light and Thread."

This week saw a spotlight on a variety of humanities books. "Schopenhauer's Life Lessons: Live This One Life Well (Recover Edition)," which compiles the insights of the great philosopher Schopenhauer, ranked ninth. "Super Translation: Words of Buddha," which climbed the charts after being recommended by popular idol Jang Wonyoung, placed fifteenth. "Ubermensch," which shares its title with G-Dragon's new album released in February, came in at sixteenth and has attracted significant attention since publication. This book, which explores Nietzsche's philosophical concept of the "Ubermensch," saw sales in May increase 1.5 times compared to the same period last month, marking two consecutive months of growth. "Nexus," the new humanities book by Yuval Harari, author of the global bestseller "Sapiens," ranked twentieth.

Korean literature also continues to be loved by readers. Five Korean novels made it into the top 20, including Han Kang's "Human Acts" at seventh, Yang Gwija's "Contradiction" at twelfth, Seong Haena's "Honmono," Jeong Daegun's "Rapids," and Kim Geumhee's new work "First Summer, Wanju."

At Kyobo Book Centre, "Reading for Youth" by Rhyu Si-min also reached number one overall, overtaking Lee Jaemyung's "In the End, the People Do It," which had held the top spot for two consecutive weeks. Rhyu's active participation in current affairs debate programs and YouTube appearances has expanded his readership beyond his existing fan base, resulting in increased sales. Amidst political and social issues, essays by bestselling authors such as Han Kang and Kim Youngha stood out, and novels consistently held high positions from seventh to eleventh place in the overall rankings.

Kim Taewan's "Book Gate" became a breakout bestseller in the history and culture category, entering the overall chart at nineteenth. The book summarizes how leaders and officials of the Joseon Dynasty posed questions and offered solutions regarding national policy. By including cases still relevant today, the book has gained word-of-mouth popularity ahead of the presidential election, leading to a rise in its ranking. The book has drawn particular interest from male readers, especially those in their 30s.

Additionally, John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty" climbed 86 spots to rank forty-sixth overall. Interest in politics, philosophy, and democracy is also influencing the popularity of classic philosophical works. There is a growing trend of seeking wisdom from history to solve contemporary problems.