K-Book Trends - 2nd Week, February 2022

Best Sellers

2nd Week, February 2022

Bestseller Trends in the Four Biggest Online Bookstores in Korea

2022.03.07

As of February 2022, Korean readers seem to be reading books of various genres, ranging from science to humanities, self-help, and business. Among the top 10 bestsellers jointly announced by four major online bookstores in Korea, three were fiction. The Book Uncanny Convenience Store (published in April 2021) and Dollagoot Dream Department Store (first volume published in July 2020, second volume published in July 2021) have been chosen by Korean readers ever since their publication. In particular, in the case of Dollagoot Dream Department Store, the compilation edition of the two volumes has also become a bestseller, proving its massive popularity. Also, Welcome to Bookstore Hyunamdong is a newly published title in January this year, but has been largely appraised by many readers. Moreover, as a winner of the e-book publication project led by Brunch Book, Welcome to Bookstore Hyunamdong became one of the top 10 bestselling e-books, after which it was reborn as a paper book with readers’ request.
The one common topic of the three fiction titles mentioned above is “consolation and hope for life.” While heartwarming books are drawing popularity amidst the cold winter, books about “consolation” have also ranked among bestsellers in the fields of humanities and non-fiction. For example, Psychology Letter to My Daughter, a psychological book written by a psychoanalyst who has been treating countless patients for the past 40 years, gives messages to all daughters in the world dreaming of living a bold life. Also, the non-fiction title, I Hope You’re Happy, is a book where the writer talks about the happiness he felt while experiencing love, people, and “myself” in life. If you feel exhausted in life and think happiness is far away from you, how about reading one of these books that warm your heart with sincere sympathy?
Meanwhile, there’s a book that has ranked first among children’s books in all online bookstores in Korea. It is Yeoni and Willow Bachelor, the new book from author Baek Hee-Na, winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the Nobel Prize for children’s literature. As a re-interpretation of old Korean folklore with the same title, the story allows readers to take a sneak peek at various writing styles of the writer and feel heightened anticipation for the bright spring, which will return after the cold winter. Also, influenced by her new book, her other books Magic Candies and The Bath Fairy, have also become bestsellers. Meanwhile, another children’s book that demonstrated the cold winter with cozy imagination, The Snow Kid, written by Bonsoir Lune, marvelously depicts how a child and the snow kid build a friendship. The readership of picture books in Korea is expanding from children to adults these days. If you find it hard to spare time to read books, how about falling into the fun of reading stories through pictures?

* K-Book Trends Vol. 22 – Article about Baek Hee-Na

* K-Book Trends Vol. 42 - Introduction of Yeoni and Willow Bachelor

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

Top 10 Bestsellers for the 2nd Week of February
1		Uncanny Convenience Store (Winter edition commemorating 150 thousand copies sold) Author│Kim Ho-Yeon Publisher│Namu Bench Genre│Fiction
2		*Yoon Seok-Youl X File* Author│Yeollin Gonggam TV Publisher│Yeollin Gonggam TV Genre│Politics / Society
3		*Why Fish Don’t Exist* Author│Lulu Miller Publisher│Gom Books Genre│Science
4		*Seven Tech* Author│Kim Mi-Kyung, Kim Sang-Gyun, Kim Se-Gyu, Kim Seung-Joo, Lee Kyung-Jeon, Lee Han-Joo, Chung Ji-Hoon, Choi Jae-Boong, Han Jae-Kwon Publisher│Woongjin Thinkbig Genre│Business
5		*Wealthinking* Author│Kelly Choi Publisher│Dasan Books Genre│Self-help
6		Dollagoot Dream Department Store (Compilation commemorating 1 million copies sold: Gift Edition) Author│Lee Mi-Ye Publisher│Sam & Parkers Genre│Fiction
7		*Psychology Letter to My Daughter* Author│Han Sung-Hee Publisher│Maven Genre│Humanities
8		*Welcome to Bookstore Hyunamdong* Author│Hwang Bo-Reum Publisher│Clay House Genre│Fiction
9		*I Hope You’re Happy* Author│Park Chan-Wi Publisher│Highest Genre│Non-fiction
10		No Love Zone – Supplementary Story (Special Package) Author│Danbi Publisher│OrangeD Genre│Comics

Top 5 Children’s Books for the 2nd Week of February
1		*Yeoni and Willow Bachelor* Author│Baek Heena Publisher│Bear Books Inc.
2		*Magic Candies* Author│Baek Heena Publisher│Bear Books Inc.
3		*The Snow Kid* Author│Bonsoir Lune Publisher│Changbi Publishing
4		*The Bath Fairy* Author│Baek Heena Publisher│Bear Books Inc.
4		*What Happened to Seojoon’s Fingernails?* Author│Han Hye-Sung Publisher│Small Habit
4		*Let’s Play Red Light Green Light!* Author│Bandi Danbi Publisher│Bomi Art Books
4		Tulip Sound Book (Pink Set) Author│Written by Kwon Osun and others, Illustrated by Cho Hwa-Pyung and others Publisher│YeaRimDang Publishing Co., Ltd