Trend Forecast Books Dominate the Charts
"Trend Korea 2026" Tops Both Kyobo and Yes24
In the first week of October, the comprehensive bestseller list from Yes24 saw "Trend Korea 2026," Korea's leading trend forecast book, rise to the top spot. Author Gu Byeongmo's new novel "Jeolchang" jumped from fourth place last week to second, while former Constitutional Court Justice Moon Hyungbae's new release "On Kindness" ranked third. The latest comic book in the popular YouTuber Heunhannammae's series, "Heunhannammae 20," took fourth place, and Hanyang University Professor Oh Taemin's "There Is No Future Without Bitcoin," a book on Bitcoin currency philosophy, rounded out the top five.
"Trend Korea 2026," which claimed the overall number one spot, marked its fourth week since release with a dramatic 198.8% surge in sales compared to the previous week. Sales have increased for three consecutive weeks since its publication, once again reflecting readers' strong interest in new year trends. As the fourth quarter begins, closing out the year and preparing for the next, books in the economics and business management category have shown particular strength. In addition to "Trend Korea 2026" and "There Is No Future Without Bitcoin" ranking in the top five, "Park Gomhee's Pension Wealth Class," which saw a nearly 300% sales increase in September compared to the previous month, ranked sixth. "Forecast of the Times: The Birth of Lightweight Civilization" took ninth place, and "Everything About ETF Investment" ranked twelfth, making a total of five economics and business books in the top twenty overall.
Books on attitude toward life in the humanities and self-development categories also stood out. "Ubermensch," which discusses how to live authentically based on Nietzsche's philosophy of the "superman (Ubermensch)," ranked seventh. "Let Them Theory," which teaches how to take control of one's life through the art of letting go, came in eighth. "Dark Psychology," which ranked sixteenth, is the first book in Korea to cover psychological techniques based on dark psychology, garnering strong support from male readers in their 20s to 40s (37.1%).
The 2025 Newbery Medal winner, "Today Will Bring Tomorrow," climbed to fifteenth place with a 43.7% increase in sales compared to the previous week, thanks to word-of-mouth among readers. The god (g.o.d) lyrics transcription book, "Together Forever Like Now," which captured the hearts of female readers in their 30s (74.5%), entered the overall chart at nineteenth place just one week after pre-orders began.
"There Is No Future Without Bitcoin" was created based on intense debates between Professor Oh Taemin and students of Bitcoin currency philosophy. Since its sales began on September 11, the book has shown two consecutive weeks of rising sales, ranking fifth overall. Sales increased by 22.6% compared to the previous week, drawing significant attention from male readers in their 40s and 50s (38%) who are interested in investing.
"Trend Korea 2026" also topped the overall chart at Kyobo Bookstore immediately after its release, attracting considerable attention from readers even during the pre-order period. Looking at the buyers, the gender ratio was similar, but female readers in their 40s accounted for the highest proportion at 17.0%. Readers in their 30s and 40s formed the main demographic, suggesting that the book is greatly influenced by the work planning needs of office workers.
Interest in economics and trend forecast books continued throughout the week. "Money Trend 2026," an economic trend book authored by popular YouTubers, professors, and other professionals, entered the top five overall upon release. Mind Miner Song Kilyoung's "Forecast of the Times: The Birth of Lightweight Civilization" ranked seventh, further demonstrating readers' sustained interest. The publication of various trend books across different fields highlights readers' growing focus on preparing for the coming year.
In the economics and business management category, interest remains high in books related to cryptocurrencies, such as "There Is No Future Without Bitcoin" and "Stablecoin War: 2026 Economic Outlook." Real estate forecast books like "A New Guide to Korean Real Estate" and "Real Estate Trend 2026" are also attracting attention. Books on pensions, ETFs, and other financial topics are gaining popularity as readers look for ways to overcome economic downturns through financial strategies.
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