K-Book Trends - South Korean bestsellers in November

South Korean bestsellers in November

Bestsellers at South Korea's biggest online bookstores, Kyobo Book Centre and Interpark

2019.12.09

The bestseller lists for the third week of November from South Korea's biggest online bookstores Kyobo Book Centre and Interpark were nearly identical, showing a clear trend in reader demand as the year-end wanes closer. In addition to Trend Korea 2020 which topped both lists last month, books like 8, The Longevity Paradox and Ji-young Kim, Born in '82 were popular at both bookstores, showing South Korean readers were into a number of subjects in November like economics/management, self-development, health and novels and not just focused on one category.
However, if one category has shown consistent strength on South Korean bestselling book lists, that would be essays. On both top 10 bestseller lists were Geulbaewoo's Either Tired or Nothing You Like and Ven. Pomnyun's Now Is Good As Is while at Kyobo, I Want To Be a Good Person Only To You found itself at no. 8. The continued demand for essays was seen reflecting readers' need for comfort through warm essay books as they battle the coming cold weather.
Also in November as the year draws to a close, readers sought out books that could help them close out the year in a good way and prepare well for the new. The second-bestselling book at Kyobo Book Centre was Q&A a Day: 5-Year Journal while at no. 9 at Interpark was The Intellectual Devotional, showing readers' hopes to improve themselves in the new year.

* The following lists were compiled from information on the official websites of Kyobo Book Centre and Interpark based on data from the third week of November.

Kyobo Book Centre
1		*Trend Korea 2020* Author \| Kim Nan-do, SNU Life Sciences Research Center Publisher \| Miraebook Genre \| conomics/Management
2		*Q&A a Day: 5-Year Journal* Author \| Potter Style Publisher \| Tornado Genre \| Self-development
3		*Either Tired or Nothing You Like* Author \| Geulbaewoo (Kim Dong-hyuk) Publisher \| Ganghanbyul Genre \| Essay
4		*8 (Eight)* Author \| Lee Ji-sung Publisher \| Chai Garden Genre \| Self-development
5		*The Longevity Paradox* Author \| Steven Gundry Publisher \| Bronstein Genre \| Essay
6		*Now Is Good As Is* Author \| Pomnyun Publisher \| Jungto Publishing Genre \| Essay
7		*Liberal Arts Study of Wealth* Author \| Brownstone Publisher \| Open Mind Genre \| Economics/Management
8		*I Want To Be a Good Person Only To You* Author \| Yoo Gwi-seon Publisher \| Studio Audrey Genre \| Essay
9		*Ji-young Kim Born in '82* Author \| Cho Nam-joo Publisher \| Minumsa Genre \| Novel
10		*90's Kids Are Coming* Author \| Im Hong-taek Publisher \| Whale Book Genre \| Economics/Management

Interpark
1		*Trend Korea 2020* Author \| Kim Nan-do, SNU Life Sciences Research Center Publisher \| Miraebook Genre \| Economics/Management
2		*8 (Eight)* Author \| Lee Ji-sung Publisher \| Chai Garden Genre \| Self-development
3		*Either Tired or Nothing You Like* Author \| Geulbaewoo (Kim Dong-hyuk) Publisher \| Ganghanbyul Genre \| Essay
4		*Seol Min-seok's Great Adventure into Korean History 12* Author \| Seol Min-seok Publisher \| iHuman Genre \| Children
5		*Now Is Good As Is* Author \| Pomnyun Publisher \| Jungto Publishing Genre \| Essay
6		*The Longevity Paradox* Author \| Steven Gundry Publisher \| Bronstein Genre \| Essay
7		*La Vie Secrete Des Ecrivains* Author \| Guillaume Musso Publisher \| Balgunsesang Genre \| Novel
8		*Ji-young Kim Born in '82* Author \| Cho Nam-joo Publisher \| Minumsa Genre \| Novel
9		*The Intellectual Devotional* Author \| David S. Kidder, Noah Oppenheim Publisher \| Wisdom House Genre \| Liberal Arts
10		*12 Rules for Life* Author \| Jordan B. Peterson Publisher \| Maven Genre \| Liberal Arts