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Creating a window into the future with books

 

2020.02.03

 

There is a publisher that makes issue-driving books every October. It is Miraebook, with its series Trend Korea that predicts the next year trend in Korea based on the analysis of trends in the published year. Let’s take a look at Miraebook that plays a role as the window into the future, just as its name implies, and its publications.

 

Miraebook

  

Please introduce Miraebook to the webzine readers.

 

Established in 2000, Miraebook has been publishing books in various fields such as liberal arts, history, self-development, and essay, with its flagship books in economics and business administration. The name reflects the meaning that “a book is a window into the future.” The Trend Korea series has been steadily loved by readers as the representative work of us, being a bestseller every year since its first releas in 2009. It is chosen as the best trend analysis that precisely predicts the major flow of our time.

 

What is the greatest value Miraebook pursues when it comes to book publication?

 

It is not to lose the basics and nature of the medium as a book. Amidst the rapidly changing environment of the publishing market, we try to preserve the fundamental value which a paper book gives to people. We work to protect the true province of books as a means of delivering people’s ideas. We mull over content that our readers may find interesting, and put effort into improving the quality of texts and designs in the course of turning them into a book.

 

 

The name reflects the meaning that “a book is a window into the future.”

 

 

What is the secret of Miraebook to interact and take a step closer to readers?

 

Miraebook succeeded with the Trend Korea series, but we are publishing various books in fields of liberal arts, humanities, history, psychology, and traveling, for people who want to better know and interact with the world we live in. And we are trying to create content that can satisfy the interests of readers a half a step ahead, rather than promoting books that just follow the trend of the time. We try to be interested in and have curiosity about the future, but in a way that is not far off the ideas of the readers. For this, we are running various Social Media channels online, and also actively carry out book-talk events for more than 30 times offline – we have a community for readers as well.

 

Trend Korea 2020 was chosen as the bestseller in economics and business administration. Could you please introduce the book and briefly touch upon the trending keyword that will lead Korea in 2020?

 

Trend Korea 2020

 

The Trend Korea series published by the Seoul National University Consumption Trends Analysis Center led by professor Kim Nan-Do reviews the trends that have been prominent in the society during the year, and looks ahead to the trends that will lead the new year. Trend Korea 2020 published last year chose three important pillars of consumption trends in 2020 to be “fragmentation”, “double-sidedness”, and “growth.” This means that it is important to discover the hidden desires by closely dividing consumers to seek a new breakthrough in an ever-challenging market.
One of the top 10 trending keywords in 2020 suggested by the book that most vividly shows the above characteristic is “multi-persona.” Multi-persona refers to the multiple identities of modern people that change their way of living depending on situations. Modern people have different identities during and after work, not to mention in the online and offline worlds, and on Instagram and Twitter. Therefore, survival in the market will be determined by a thorough analysis and sophisticated targeting of identities the individuals have. Multi-persona is also a keyword that encompasses the 9 other trend keywords.

 

While Trend Korea is a bestseller, it is also a steady seller that has been published for more than 10 years as a series. Its first release was in 2009. So, what was the motivation for the series, and were you thinking about an annual publication of the series from the beginning? Please tell us how Trend Korea was born.

 

The fame of the Trend Korea series was not built in a day. Trend Korea began as a feature on a daily paper, which then began to be prepared as a book. A unique format and contents that create keywords motivated by animals from the Chinese zodiac and changes in our society toward advanced consumption all contributed to Trend Korea of today. And as the book covered trends through its format and contents, it naturally became an annual publication. Above all, ceaseless research for materials, big data analysis, and collective intelligence built through fierce debates by authors all give the series a significant meaning.

 

What makes the Trend Korea series receive such a huge love and attention from readers?

 

First of all, steadiness. The fact that a book that highlights the Korean society with the hottest trends every October gave readers trust. Also, we believe that the year-round research, discovering hundreds of trends, big data verification, and book publication all being done in a scientific and systematic process is something our readers find accountability in. Above all, diverse keywords announced by Trend Korea including “gaseongbi (cost-effectiveness)”, “sohwakhaeng (small but certain happiness)”, and “worabell (work-and-life balance)” clearly describe people’s lives today that the series receives empathy and love from people.

 

 

Miraebook always plans and contemplates contents that can most honestly show our future,
while not losing the most fundamental value as a book.

 

 

Would you recommend a book that is like a pearl covered with dirt, which you would want more readers to discover?

 

Fall into Complexity

 

One book we would like to introduce is Fall into Complexity (2019) written by professor Ji Yong-Gu at Yonsei University. It describes the cause for multiple problems that our society is facing with the notion of “complexity”; it is highly relatable as the author unfolds the story based on various cases that he experienced in companies, schools, and society.

 

Walking in the Humanities of Northern Europe

 

Another book is Walking in the Humanities of Northern Europe (2019) written by Hong Min-Jeong. It is a book on humanities with stories the author met while traveling five Northern European countries with her family when she was living in Sweden. This book is meaningful in that not only the book appreciates the view of old cities or beautiful natural landscape skin-deep but also shows the true characteristics of Northern Europe and the residents’ way of living that people need to know.

 

Could you recommend some books that you wish to introduce in the overseas publishing market?

 

Contents is Everything

 

We recommend you two books. The first one is Contents is Everything (2020) written by No Ga-Yeong, Jo Hyeong-Seok, and Kim Jeong-Hyeon. It is not an exaggeration to say that contents are the key to today’s market. The impressive thing about this book is that the author provides various insights by analyzing the flow in which the media ecosystem, once led by platforms, is being reshaped centering around contents.

 

Naked Agile

 

Another book we would like to recommend is Naked Agile (2019) written by Jang Jae-Ung and Sanghyo I-Jae with the topic of “agile” which is a hot issue in the business sector. It is refreshing that the book describes “agile” as a new organizational culture, rather than one of the business administration methodologies. It is also a strength of this book that it delivers core must-know information and resolves all kinds of doubts and misunderstandings surrounding “agile” in an easy way.

 

What is the goal Miraebook pursues, and what is your future plan?

 

Miraebook is a publisher that remains firm in securing the first place in the fields of business strategy and innovation. Furthermore, we are continuously publishing meaningful books in future predictions and trends as well. Miraebook always plans and contemplates contents that can most honestly show our future, while not losing the most fundamental value as a book. Therefore, we aim to diversify the forms and materials of contents that cover the basics of the human mind such as humanities, history, philosophy, and psychology, adding to business and economics.

 

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Fall into Complexity , Ji Yong-Gu, Miraebook
Walking in the Humanities of Northern Europe, Hong Min-Jeong, Miraebook

 

 


Organized by Choi Hyo-Joon

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