Moon Hyungbae's New Book "On Kindness" Tops Bestseller List

"On Kindness" Tops Bestseller Lists at Both Yes24 and Kyobo Book Centre

In the first week of September, the overall bestseller list at Yes24 saw former Constitutional Court Justice Moon Hyungbae's new essay collection, "On Kindness," rise to the top spot. "On Kindness" is a book that compiles 120 selected essays written by Moon Hyungbae over the years. Since its release on August 25, it claimed the number one spot within just ten days, receiving particularly strong support from middle-aged readers in their 40s and 50s (73.6%).

"The Let Them Theory" by motivational expert Mel Robbins ranked second. "The Let Them Theory" has become popular among readers in their 30s and 40s (66.6%) who are looking to regain control over their lives in the workplace, relationships, and daily life. The author argues that if you remember the technique of "Let Them"-the art of letting go of things that do not matter-you can reclaim agency over your life. Since its release on August 7, the book has shown rising sales for two consecutive weeks. This week, a domestic exclusive interview between Mel Robbins and Miki Kim, a former Google director, was released on Miki Kim's YouTube channel "Mikipedia," resulting in a 257.8% increase in sales compared to the previous week.

The global bestseller "Factfulness" took third place. In fourth was "How the World Really Works" by world-renowned environmental scientist Vaclav Smil, and in fifth was "Honmono" by Seong Haena, who was named Yes24's "2024 Top Young Author."

Three books recommended by Bill Gates, who appeared on the variety show "You Quiz on the Block" on August 27, saw a dramatic resurgence in sales. "Factfulness" experienced a 548.4% increase compared to the previous week, and "How the World Really Works" saw a 488.2% surge, earning them the third and fourth spots overall. "The Better Angels of Our Nature" also saw its sales soar by 392.6%. Yes24 also launched a bundled set of the three books recommended by Bill Gates.

New releases by popular authors that readers had been eagerly awaiting also entered the rankings. "Korean History in One Book" by Seo Kyungseok, a leading intellectual in South Korea, ranked 18th, while "On a Night I Wasn't There," the new book by million-seller author Lee Kkotnim, ranked 20th. These books took the top spots in the history and young adult categories, respectively, demonstrating their influence. "The Bivalve Shell of Two Sides" by Kim Choyeop, a leading Korean science fiction writer, ranked third in the fiction/poetry/drama category. While 40% of purchases came from readers in their 40s, the novel also saw 25.1% of purchases from readers in their 20s and 23.2% from those in their 30s, showing the author's broad appeal across generations.

Three Life-Changing Books Recommended by Bill Gates, Who Appeared on a Domestic Variety Show.

At Kyobo Book Centre, "On Kindness," the first essay collection by former Constitutional Court Justice Moon Hyungbae, also claimed the top spot on the overall bestseller list. After delivering a verdict in a trial that garnered nationwide attention in the first half of the year, his activities post-retirement have become a hot topic. He appeared on a current affairs interview program, sharing stories from his life and drawing explosive interest. As interest in the book continued, sales soared compared to the previous week, with its ranking jumping 37 places. Purchases were particularly notable among readers in their 40s and older, as well as among female readers.

The influence of Bill Gates, who appeared on a domestic variety show, was also evident at Kyobo Book Centre. Sales of the three books he recommended increased 75-fold during the eight days following the broadcast (August 27 to September 3) compared to the same period previously, with each book entering the overall bestseller list. Among them, "Factfulness" by Hans Rosling saw the greatest popularity, with sales rising 37.4 times, landing it in eighth place overall. "How the World Really Works" by Vaclav Smil ranked seventh in the humanities category, and "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Steven Pinker took the top spot in the science category.

Although newly released books such as "Honmono," "Grapefruit Apricot Club," and "The Fabricated Criminal" by Keigo Higashino, which had held the top spot for five consecutive weeks, saw their rankings drop amid the influx of new titles, their popularity continued. Riding the wave of literary success, Kim Choyeop's short story collection "The Bivalve Shell of Two Sides" entered the overall ranking at seventh place upon release. The book's appeal among young readers was particularly notable, with 42.7% of purchases coming from those in their 20s. Furthermore, purchases by female readers accounted for 82.5%, highlighting the formation of a devoted readership centered on women in their 20s and 30s.