Kyobo Bookstore: "Trend Korea 2026" Tops the Chart
Yes24: "The Minimum Romance of the Three Kingdoms" Claims First Place
At Kyobo Bookstore, "Trend Korea 2026" has maintained the overall number one spot for ten consecutive weeks, while "Money Trend 2026" continues to draw steady interest. "The Art of War" ranked fourth overall, and Choi Taesung's "The Minimum Romance of the Three Kingdoms" secured the twentieth spot. Humanities books that explain classics in an accessible way and offer wisdom for life are attracting attention.
Seong Haena's "Honmono" climbed five spots to reach eighth place overall. Additionally, Park Min-gyu's "Pavane for a Dead Princess" has gained recognition as a recommended book, ranking fifteenth in the Korean fiction category, while Kim Geum-hee's "First Summer, Wanju," published by Mujepublishing, reached sixteenth in the same category. The ongoing popularity is fueled by text-hip trends and the influence of fandom culture.
As the year draws to a close, it appears that more readers are turning to literature. "Grapefruit Apricot Club" by Han Roro, selected by Kyobo Bookstore as this year's content, rose five spots to ninth place overall, while Jung Daegun's "Rapids," a favorite among readers in their twenties, soared nineteen places to twenty-first overall.
Interest is not limited to Korean fiction; foreign novels are also gaining attention. The long-running bestseller "Stoner" ranked eighteenth overall, and "Goethe Said Everything" by Suzuki Yui, recommended by critic Lee Dongjin, jumped fifty-six places to thirty-second overall. Andy Weir's "Project Hail Mary" continues to attract interest, buoyed by anticipation for its upcoming film adaptation.
In the first week of December, Yes24's overall bestseller chart saw Choi Taesung's "The Minimum Romance of the Three Kingdoms" debut at number one. "Trend Korea 2026" took second place, and essayist Taesoo's new book "The Happiness of Adults Is Quiet" climbed two spots from last week to third. "Park Gomhee's Pension Wealth Class" from "Park Gomhee TV" ranked fourth, while "Ubermensch," a modern reinterpretation of Nietzsche's philosophy of the superman, placed fifth.
Suzuki Yui's first full-length novel, "Goethe Said Everything," ranked eighth overall and third in the fiction/poetry/drama category. The book has become a hot topic by combining the depth of classic literature with the freshness of a new author. After being recommended by critic Lee Dongjin as November's Book of the Month, its sales increased by 99.7% compared to the previous week. "To Nana Olive," a new children's book by Ruri, author of "Long Night," debuted at fourteenth overall and immediately claimed the top spot in the children's category.
Nataeju's "Live Cherishing You" (twelfth overall), which has shown rising sales for three consecutive weeks and is now second in the essay category, Kim Yeonkyung's new essay "Things I Need to Do for Myself Now" (sixteenth), "Jeolchang" (sixth), "Honmono" (seventh), "Contradiction" (eleventh), and "Grapefruit Apricot Club" (twentieth) are among the diverse Korean literature titles maintaining their popularity. Meanwhile, "Strange Science Book" (thirteenth) by science YouTuber Kim Jinwoo of "Eungeun Japdahan Jisik" saw sales jump by 43.1% compared to the previous week, thanks to a recommendation from Professor Choi Jaecheon.
The new comic "The Ruler of the Land 94" ranked seventeenth overall, receiving enthusiastic support from male readers in their forties who have been eagerly awaiting the latest installment. Yes24 is also hosting "Comics Week," offering special gifts to customers who purchase comics worth over 20,000 won.
Choi Taesung, an instructor with a cumulative 7 million students, has returned with "The Minimum Romance of the Three Kingdoms." In its second week since publication, sales increased by approximately 2.5 times compared to the previous week, propelling it to the top of the overall chart. The book is especially popular among readers in their forties, and its strength lies in storytelling that avoids unfamiliar Chinese characters, making it accessible to everyone.
"The Minimum Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is an introductory book that condenses the Eastern classic "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" into a single volume. It structures the narrative around the three major wars of the original, allowing readers to become deeply engaged in the story.
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