[Chungmuro Book Cafe] Hey Kids, Bored? Let's Read Books

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Children's books have dominated this week's Asia Economy bestseller rankings. While the release of several series with thick young fan bases played a role, the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) cannot be ignored. As children were unable to attend school, the need to have books available for them to read at home increased. The changes COVID-19 is causing in our daily lives are inevitably reflected in the bestseller market as well.

Asia Economy selected bestsellers from books sold between the 25th and 31st of last month. The rankings were compiled by referencing sales volume rankings from major online and offline bookstores such as Yes24, Kyobo Book Centre, and Interpark, combined with ratings from the newspaper’s culture department reporters.

'Heunhan Nammae 4' (photo) topped the bestseller list immediately upon its release on the 26th of last month. It is a popular series with a very thick fan base. The 'Heunhan Nammae' series also reached number one on the bestseller list as soon as its third book was released in January this year.

History learning comic by instructor Seol Min-seok, 'Seol Min-seok's Korean History Adventure 13,' was also released on the 23rd of last month and ranked 4th in this survey. The Korean History Adventure series by Seol Min-seok deals with history, which can be boring for children, but it is a popular series that consistently ranks on bestseller lists upon release.

Except for the rapid entry of two children's books into the rankings, there were no major changes in the top ranks.

The 2nd place 'You Are Right' and 3rd place 'If the Weather Is Good, I Will Visit You' maintained the same rankings as in the previous survey (March 20). '1cm Diving,' which tells the story of ordinary men and women in their 30s seeking small happiness in daily life, also held the 5th place as before. Until January, poetry and essays were strong, with three titles in the top 10 bestsellers. However, perhaps due to anxiety caused by the recent COVID-19 situation, the momentum of poetry and essays has slowed. Amid this, '1cm Diving' is maintaining the pride of poetry and essays.

The influence of COVID-19 is also evident in the ranking of 'The Plague,' the first novel published in 1947 by French novelist Albert Camus (1913?1960). 'The Plague' was number one in the previous survey. Although its ranking has dropped slightly, it remains a focal point of attention. The depiction of characters experiencing chaos during a plague in the novel resembles our current situation, where daily life has been disrupted by COVID-19.

According to Kyobo Book Centre, 70.1% of 'The Plague' buyers are women, overwhelmingly surpassing men. By age group, people in their 40s account for 34.3%, and those in their 30s make up 26.5%, representing a high proportion.

Recently, books related to wealth have also been gaining popularity in bookstores. This is also closely related to the COVID-19 situation. With the global stock markets plummeting and economic crises warnings continuing, interest in how to protect assets is increasing. The most notable book is 'John Lee's Habits of Becoming Rich,' written by the CEO of Meritz Asset Management. 'John Lee's Habits of Becoming Rich' rose four places from the previous survey to settle at 6th place.

Malcolm Gladwell, the world-renowned bestselling author famous for 'The 10,000-Hour Rule,' released a new book after six years titled 'Talking to Strangers.' Released on the 20th of last month, 'Talking to Strangers' newly entered the rankings. Gladwell discusses communication and understanding in this book. He points out errors people make when interacting with others and explains their causes. He also explains how to genuinely approach others.

'Secrets of the Top 1 Percent at Harvard,' 'When I Don't Even Know What I Want,' and 'The Having' have all slightly dropped in ranking compared to the previous survey.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.