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The Guardian
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Han Kang Nobel prize lecture book sells 10,000 copies in first day online in South Korea
A book featuring Han Kang's Nobel prize lecture sold 10,000 copies in its first day on sale online. Light and Thread, which takes its title from Han's December lecture, is her first book to be published in South Korea since she was announced as the winner of the Nobel prize in literature last October. Booksellers and publishing sources told Korea JoongAng Daily that approximately 10,000 copies of the book were sold in 24 hours via the retailers Kyobo Book Centre, Yes24 and Aladin, which together make up nearly 90% of the Korean online book market. Light and Thread was available to order online from Wednesday, and went on sale in bookshops on Thursday. The 172-page book comprises 12 pieces, beginning with the Nobel lecture, in which the author of novels including The Vegetarian and Human Acts discussed her writing process and the questions that drive her work. 'Each time I work on a novel, I endure the questions, I live inside them,' she said, according to an English translation of the talk by e yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris. 'When I reach the end of these questions – which is not the same as when I find answers to them – is when I reach the end of the writing process.' Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion The book also contains Han's banquet speech and a message accompanying a teacup that she donated to the Nobel museum, according to the Korea Herald. She had drunk from the teacup while writing We Do Not Part, her most recent novel, which was published in an English translation by yaewon and Morris in the UK earlier this year. Along with the Nobel materials, Light and Thread also features five poems, which originally appeared between 2013 and 2014 in the Korean literary magazines Littor and Literature and Society – the latter of which was home to a series of poems marking Han's literary debut in 1993. The book also features unpublished essays. One, titled North-Facing Garden, is about Han's experience tending to a garden that did not receive direct sunlight, and using a mirror to reflect light into the space. Some 73.3% of those who bought Han's latest book were women, according to the online bookstore Yes24, while for Aladin 47.1% of buyers were women in their 30s and 40s, reported Korea JoongAng Daily. After Han was announced as the Nobel winner last year, customers queued outside bookshops to get their hands on copies of her works, and online stores crashed. A version of Light and Thread will be published in English. A publication date and its exact content are yet to be announced.
Korea Herald
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Pro-Yoon merchandise: how supporters show unity
From bulk-buying books about Yoon to 'Eradicate communism' merchandise Amid the ongoing political turmoil surrounding suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, his supporters are rallying around a new narrative: opening their wallets to show support. Books supporting Yoon, particularly those alleging election fraud, suddenly topped South Korea's bestseller lists. According to online sales rankings from Kyobo Bookstore and Yes24 as of Wednesday, multiple pro-Yoon books ranked among the top-selling publications. One of the most prominent titles, with the English title, "Stop the Steal," co-authored by four lawyers involved in an election fraud lawsuit contesting the results of the 2020 general election in Incheon's Yeonsu constituency, was in the No. 1 spot Wednesday. Others include "The Path of Yoon Suk Yeol," (direct translation) a collection of photographs of Yoon, and "Still, Yoon Suk Yeol," (direct translation) written by Yoon's legal representative, Seok Dong-hyun. Supporters have been actively encouraging purchases through social media and online communities. Many have posted screenshots of their receipts, urging others to buy the books in bulk. With an unprecedentedly high 9.9 for a book review, many comments said they bought more than one copy. 'One for myself, one for my parents, and one to force my left-leaning friend to read,' a comment read. Others argued that reading and studying the content would help 'enlighten' the public. Some online fan communities have also hosted book giveaways to increase circulation. The book, "Stop the Steal" centers on the lawsuit filed by former lawmaker Min Kyung-wook, who contested the results of the 2020 general election in Incheon's Yeonsu constituency. However, Korea's Supreme Court rejected the case in 2022, citing the lack of evidence and emphasizing the logistical impossibility of executing large-scale election fraud without being detected. The ruling stated, 'For election fraud to be carried out covertly under the watchful eyes of numerous observers, it would require advanced hacking capabilities, a large-scale organization and substantial funding. However, the plaintiff has failed to present any proof of such a scheme despite over two years of legal proceedings.' The "Stop the Steal" slogan has also been repurposed for political merchandise -- from hats and stickers to pins and bags -- with many expressing pride in wearing the items to political rallies. Some have described these items as 'historically significant' and essential for protests. "Eradicate communism" is also another slogan used on merchandise, ranging from everyday items such as aprons to mittens and scarves. The phenomenon of political fan communities influencing book sales and other purchases is not new in South Korea. During former President Park Geun-hye's incarceration in 2021, her supporters made her prison letters a bestseller. Similarly, supporters of main opposition party Chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung and former President Moon Jae-in have previously driven mass purchases of books by fans.
Korea Herald
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
With 'Jang Won-young effect,' book of Buddha's words becomes bestseller
Ryunosuke Koike's 'Super-Translation: The Words of Buddha,' jumps in ranking after singer's recommendation Did Jang Won-young propel a book of Buddha's words to the top of the bestseller list? The timing certainly suggests so. The K-pop girl group IVE member mentioned the book as one of her recent favorite reads on a variety show on Jan. 15, and its sudden surge in sales followed soon after. 'Super-Translation: The Words of Buddha,' (translated) introduced by the 20-year-old singer, has overtaken Han Kang's novels to claim the No. 1 spot, according to Yes24, an online bookstore, on Friday. Sales of the book skyrocketed nearly 29 times between Jan. 15 and 29 compared to the previous month, Yes24 reported. The book, which modernizes Buddha's teachings, topped the overall bestseller list for the fifth week of January. In second place was Human Acts, a representative work by Han Kang, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature winner. Kyobo Bookstore, the country's largest bookseller, also reported a significant sales increase. According to its fourth-week bestseller rankings for January, released on Thursday, 'Super-Translation: The Words of Buddha' saw a 56.3 percent jump in sales from the previous week, securing the No. 2 spot. Although Human Acts maintained its stronghold at No. 1, 'Super-Translation: The Words of Buddha' surpassed The Vegetarian, which had held second place for 12 consecutive weeks. Another book previously recommended by Jang, "Schopenhauer to Read in Your Forties," also saw a boost from what is being called here the "Jang Wonyoung effect," climbing to No. 20 in the overall rankings.
