Five Korean Novels in July's Top 10 Bestsellers
Seong Haena's "Honmono" Tops Both Overall and Fiction Charts
Four Poetry Collections Enter the Top 20, Driven by Readers in Their 20s
Book sales in the categories of novels, poetry, and plays have seen a significant increase this year. According to data from Yes24 in July, sales in these categories surged by 47.8% compared to the same period last year.
In particular, the prominence of "Korean literature" stood out. In July, the year-on-year sales growth rate was 83.2% for "Korean novels" and 34.3% for "Korean poetry." A Yes24 representative explained, "This appears to reflect the heightened interest in Korean literature following author Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature last year," adding, "The publication of new works by young writers such as Seong Haena, Kim Aeran, and Kim Geumhee, as well as literary giants, since the beginning of this year, seems to have revitalized the literary scene."
Five 'Korean Novels' in the Top 10 Overall Bestsellers for July
Korean novels accounted for 50% of the top 10 overall bestsellers on Yes24 in July. The number one spot went to "Honmono" by Seong Haena, who was also voted the top "Young Writer Shaping the Future of Korean Literature 2024" in a Yes24 poll. "Mosu," a novel by Yang Gwija that has regained attention through a resurgence in popularity, ranked third. "Annyeongira Geuraesseo," a short story collection by Kim Aeran released after eight years, placed fifth. Kim Geumhee's new work "Cheotyeoreum, Wanju" ranked ninth, and Han Kang's bestseller "The Boy Is Coming" came in tenth.
These five works also held the top five spots in the "Novels/Poetry/Plays" bestseller rankings for July, demonstrating the prominence of Korean literature. Notably, "Honmono," which claimed the top spot, has seen its sales increase for four consecutive months (April to July) since its release in March, and has held the overall number one position for seven consecutive weeks (from the third week of June to the fifth week of July).
"Honmono" is Seong Haena's second short story collection and has received widespread acclaim. Actor Park Jungmin created a buzz with his bold endorsement, saying, "This short story collection is a party of immersion," and "Why watch Netflix when you can read Seong Haena's book?"
"Mosu" by Yang Gwija, originally published in 1998 and ranked second, has seen its sales increase for three consecutive months, with a particularly sharp 84.2% rise in July compared to the previous month. The book has remained within the overall top 10 for five consecutive weeks (from the third week of June to the third week of July), maintaining steady popularity.
Additionally, the new releases "Annyeongira Geuraesseo" by Kim Aeran and "Cheotyeoreum, Wanju" by Kim Geumhee have also remained in the overall top 10 for five weeks (from the third week of June to the third week of July) and four weeks (from the third week of June to the second week of July), respectively, this summer.
20-Something Readers Turning to Poetry, Spotlight on 'Korean Poetry'
In July, "Korean poetry" themed around summer drew significant attention. Four works of "Korean poetry" made it into the overall top 20: "Machimnae Myeolmanghaneun Yeoreum" by Jeong Eui (6th), "Yeoreum Peach Sparkling" by Cha Jeongeun (8th), "Yeoreum Eondeogeseo Baeun Geot" by Ahn Heeyeon (16th), and "Geudaeneun Naui Yeoreumi Doeseyo" by Seo Deokjun (18th).
The popularity of these works is partly attributed to their cool and striking cover designs that evoke the feeling of summer. A Yes24 representative analyzed, "The unique summer sensibility and stylish cover designs have appealed to the tastes of readers in their 20s, who are driving the 'Text Hip' trend." By age group, readers in their 20s accounted for the largest share of purchases at 30% for these poetry collections, which explore emotions such as love, separation, and youth.
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