Moon Hyungbae's "On Kindness" Tops Bestseller List for Second Consecutive Week

Moon Hyungbae's "On Kindness" Tops Kyobo and Yes24 Bestseller Lists
Holds Number One Spot for Two Consecutive Weeks

In the second week of September, the overall bestseller list on Yes24 saw former Constitutional Court Justice Moon Hyungbae's new essay, "On Kindness," claim the top spot for the second consecutive week. Motivational expert Mel Robbins' "The Let Them Theory" held steady at number two, while "Honmono" by Seong Haena took third place. The newly released "2026 Sunny Administrative Law General Principles Practice Book" ranked fourth, and popular finance YouTuber Park Gomhee's "Park Gomhee's Class on Becoming a Pension Millionaire" secured fifth place.

This week, books recommended by celebrities captured the hearts of many readers. "Factfulness" and "How the World Really Works," both recommended by Bill Gates during his appearance on the variety show "You Quiz on the Block," ranked seventh and thirteenth, respectively, remaining within the top 20 overall for the second consecutive week. In addition, "The Invasion of Comfort," recommended by critic Lee Dongjin as the "Best Book of July," saw sales in August increase 3.2 times compared to the previous month, maintaining its spot in the top 20 for six consecutive weeks and ranking fourteenth this week.

Newly released Korean novels are also gaining popularity immediately upon publication. Kim Choyeop's new work, "The Two Sides of a Seashell," which ranked eleventh, saw a 12.6% increase in sales compared to the previous week, marking a two-week upward trend since its release. Koo Byungmo's new book, "Jeolch'ang 切創," took twelfth place. Meanwhile, the screenplay book for the film "Pagwa," which allows readers to relive the resonance of the movie, was published on September 5 and reached eighteenth place within just one week. This book was especially popular among female readers in their 20s and 30s, who accounted for 61.3% of its readership.

Koo Byungmo's new full-length novel "Jeolch'ang 切創" began pre-orders on September 8 and, within just three days, ranked twelfth overall and third in the fiction/poetry/drama category. The proportion of purchases by her core fanbase-female readers in their 20s and 30s, built through previous works such as "Pagwa," "Your Neighbor's Table," and "Through the Ivory Gate"-reached an impressive 70%.

"Jeolch'ang" means "a cut wound" and tells the story of a woman who can read others' hearts by touching their wounds. Koo Byungmo's new release "Jeolch'ang 切創" is a work that will satisfy any reader who appreciates the author’s vast literary landscape.

At Kyobo Bookstore, former Justice Moon Hyungbae's essay "On Kindness" also attracted attention by topping the overall bestseller list for the second consecutive week. Mel Robbins' self-help book "The Let Them Theory" followed at number two, just as it did last week. Hans-Georg H?usel's "Life Code" debuted at number three overall upon release, drawing attention for its high achievement rate in pre-publication reader crowdfunding. Purchases by male readers accounted for 57.3%, with men in their 30s making up the largest share at 20.1%. The book gained further interest for its accessible discussion of neuroscience and human nature, as well as a recommendation from influencer Jacheong.

Among the three life-changing books personally recommended by Bill Gates, which were in short supply last week, Vaclav Smil's "How the World Really Works" jumped 29 spots to rank eighth overall. Gates' surprise appearance on a domestic variety show and his book recommendations as an avid reader drew significant attention from readers. The primary readership was people in their 40s and older, with a slightly higher proportion of female buyers. In addition, Hans Rosling's "Factfulness" and Steven Pinker's "The Better Angels of Our Nature" have also emerged as bestsellers once again, enjoying renewed popularity.