VOL.69/2024.04

Best Sellers

1st Week, December 2021

Bestseller Trends in the Four Biggest Online Bookstores in Korea

2022.01.03

It's already the first week of December, when winter vacation and Christmas are just around the corner. Three books from the children's genre joined the top 10 bestsellers list announced by four major online bookstores in Korea. The first one, Dalkong's Rice Cake Shop, is the fifth story of writer Kim Ri-Ri's Manbok's Rice Cake Shop series. This series has been included in a Korean language textbook for 3rd grades in elementary school and is writing a new record of children's books for elementary graders by selling more than 800 thousand copies. Also, two new books written by Hunhan Nammae (meaning "common siblings"), popular creators on YouTube with 2.26 million subscribers, put their names on the list as well. The book Common Siblings #9 features 12 episodes uploaded on YouTube through cartoons. Also, the book Common Siblings and the Winter Night Trouble presents a warm winter to its children readers with a comic book full of special winter stories, a Christmas tree DIY kit, and postcards.
Will we be more economically abundant next year? The hope of Korean readers, which started amidst the pandemic's economic downturn, is well reflected in the bestsellers' rank. For example, The Giant's Portfolio is a book about investment tips of the writer who quit his job at the age of 38. With the sub-title "23 Strategies for Attaining Economic Freedom with Your Monthly Wage," a QR code is included in the book, which leads readers to a YouTube video, helping them better understand the content. Meanwhile, the book Wealthinking written by Kelly Choi, one of the richest people on Earth, talks about how the writer, once a poor girl, could become the CEO of a global company. The book is a life pathfinder for those who want to be rich, offering advice that anyone can live an unwavering life if the roots of "wealth-thinking" are firm enough.
In the fiction category, the new Dollagoot Dream Department Store series written by Lee Mi-Ye, who is writing history each month, and Uncanny Convenience Store written by Kim Ho-Yeon, which has already sold more than 150 thousand copies since its publication in April topped the list. The book Uncanny Convenience Store features the joy and sorrow of our neighbors' lives warmly and humorously, against the background of a little convenience store by the corner of an alley. Also, the book The Red Sleeve, ranked 5th on the list, is a historical romance novel about the reformed monarch of Joseon, Jeongjo, and the woman he loved. Recently, a drama of the same name based on this novel is being aired and is popular, creating a synergy effect with the book.

* The rank of bestsellers below was organized after integrating domestic best sellers in the first week of December from the four biggest online bookstores in Korea – Kyobo Bookstore, Aladdin, Yes 24, and Interpark.

Top 10 Bestsellers for the 1st week of December
1		Trend Korea 2022 Author│Kim Nan-Do, Jeon Mi-Young,Choi Ji-Hye, Lee Hyang-Eun, Lee Joon-Young, Lee Su-Jin, Seo Yu-Hyun, Kwon Jeong-Yoon, Han Da-Hye, Lee Hye-Won Publisher│Miraebook Genre│Business
2		World History Read Backwards Author│Rhyu Si-Min Publisher│Dolbegae Genre│History
3		Interview Tips from Teachers 2022 Author│Ryu Eun-Jin, Yang Wang-Kyung, Lee Gwang-Han, Lee Ji-Hye Publisher│Miraegachi Genre│Liberal Arts
4		Common Siblings #9 Author│Hunhan Nammae (original story), Baek Nan-Do Publisher│Mirae N (I-Seum) Genre│Children
5		The Giant's Portfolio Author│Kang Hwan-Guk Publisher│Page 2 Books Genre│Business
6		Dalkong's Rice Cake Shop Author│Written by Kim Ri-Ri, illustrated by Kim I-Rang Publisher│BIR Genre│Children
6		Common Siblings and the Winter Night Trouble Author│Hunhan Nammae (original story), Han Bari Publisher│Mirae N (I-Seum) Genre│Children
6		The Socrates Express (Winter edition commemorating 200 thousand copies sold) Author│Eric Weiner Publisher│Across Genre│Liberal Arts
9		Wealthinking Author│Kelly Choi Publisher│Dasan Books Genre│Self-help
10		A BRIEF ETERNITY: Philosophy of Longevity Author│Pascal Bruckner Publisher│Influential Genre│Liberal Arts

 

Top 5 Fiction for the 1st week of December
1		Dollagoot Dream Department Store #2 Author│Lee Mi-Ye Publisher│Sam & Parkers
2		Uncanny Convenience Store (Winter edition commemorating 150 thousand copies sold) Author│Kim Ho-Yeon Publisher│Namu Bench
3		The Midnight Library Author│Matt Haig Publisher│Influential
4		Dollagoot Dream Department Store Author│Lee Mi-Ye Publisher│Sam & Parkers
5		The Red Sleeve (2-Volume Set) Author│Kang Mi-Gang Publisher│Chungeoram
5		The Christmas Pig Author│J.K. Rowling Publisher│Moonhak Soochup