'Trend Korea 2026' Tops Kyobo Bookstore Charts
'The Minimum Three Kingdoms' Leads Yes24 Rankings
'Trend Korea 2026' has ranked first overall at Kyobo Bookstore for 12 consecutive weeks. This marks the longest period the 'Trend Korea' series has held the top spot since its initial publication. This trend reflects readers' efforts to find solutions for an uncertain future. 'The Minimum Three Kingdoms' by Choi Taesung also revived interest in the Three Kingdoms and followed in second place overall.
Hwang Sok-yong's new book 'Halmae' entered the charts at fifth place overall, receiving widespread love from both male and female readers. As a long-standing bestselling author, the age demographics of his main readership differed from those of other bestselling novels. Examining the purchase ratio, readers in their 50s accounted for the highest proportion at 31.4%, and male readers aged 60 and above stood out at 18.3%.
This week, the strength of the fiction category is particularly notable. As the year draws to a close, readers have shown interest in bestselling and recommended books. 'Goethe Said Everything' by Suzuki Yui, recommended by critic Lee Dongjin, climbed seven spots to reach sixth place overall, while Kim Aeran’s 'I Said Goodbye,' which was selected as the top novel in Kyobo Bookstore’s 10th annual 'Novelists’ Choice: Novel of the Year,' jumped 55 places to rank 23rd. In addition, Han Kang's 'The Boy Is Coming,' which topped the annual bestseller list again this year following last year, also saw a resurgence in sales, rising to 17th place overall. As the year ends, readers are returning to books that were beloved throughout the year.
In the second week of December, Yes24’s overall bestseller list saw 'The Minimum Three Kingdoms' by Korea’s leading knowledge storyteller Choi Taesung claim the top spot for the second consecutive week. 'Trend Korea 2026,' which forecasts consumer trends for 2026, and essayist Taesoo's new book 'The Happiness of Adulthood Is Quiet' maintained their positions at second and third, respectively, just as they did last week. Seong Haena’s 'Honmono,' selected by Yes24 as the number one 'Young Writer Shaping the Future of Korean Literature in 2024,' ranked fourth, while Suzuki Yui’s first full-length novel 'Goethe Said Everything' climbed three spots from last week to take fifth place.
'The Minimum Three Kingdoms,' which took first place overall, saw its sales surge by 1.5 times compared to the previous week, continuing its upward trend. Both new and steady-selling fiction and essay titles remained popular, reflecting sustained reader interest in 'literature.' The new novel 'Goethe Said Everything' saw sales increase for the third consecutive week, and Hwang Sok-yong's new release 'Halmae' entered the top 10 overall just two days after its release.
'The Happiness of Adulthood Is Quiet,' now in its 15th month since publication, and 'Honmono,' reaching its 10th month, both enjoyed steady popularity, with sales increasing by 103.9% and 98.5% respectively compared to the same period last month (November 1-10). Additionally, a total of eight fiction and essay books ranked within the top 20 overall, including 'Live Cherishing You' by Na Taejoo, 'Jeolchang' by Koo Byungmo, 'Contradiction' by Yang Gwija, and 'Grapefruit Apricot Club' by singer-songwriter Han Roro.
In December, as the year-end approaches, books on economics and business are also gaining popularity. Notable titles include 'Trend Korea 2026,' which ranked second, 'Park Gomhee’s Pension Wealth Class (Special Edition to Celebrate 100,000 Copies Sold),' which features the commemorative 'Pension Wealth Journal,' and the newly released investment book 'Insider Insight,' which entered at 11th place. In particular, 'Insider Insight' received strong support from male readers in their 30s and 40s interested in personal finance, accounting for 57.3% of its readership.
Meanwhile, 'Face: The Screenplay,' containing the full script of the film 'Face' starring Park Jungmin, has gained popularity, ranking 10th in the arts category since its pre-sale began on December 8, 2025.
Hwang Sok-yong, who has been honored with the Manhae Literary Award, Daesan Literary Award, and the Emile Guimet Asian Literature Prize, has reunited with readers through his new full-length novel 'Halmae.' Just two days after its release on December 8, 2025, 'Halmae' ranked 10th overall and third in the fiction, poetry, and drama category. Notably, readers in their 40s and 60s accounted for a combined 95.4% of purchases, driving its strong sales.
'Halmae,' Hwang Sok-yong's first novel in five years since 'Three Generations of Railway Workers,' begins with the death of a bird and unfolds the grand narrative of Korea’s painful history and the lives of its people through the 600-year-old hackberry tree named 'Halmae.' Hwang’s powerful writing and overwhelming storytelling draw readers into the turbulent historical scenes that transcend time and space.
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