[Chungmuro Book Cafe] Finding a Way in 'The Having' Amid Growing Anxiety from COVID-19 and Economic Downturn

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] "We are analyzing the correlation between wealth and mindset by compiling cases of thousands of wealthy individuals both domestically and internationally."

Lee Seo-yoon (41), author of 'The Having,' which ranked first on this week's Asia Economy bestseller list, explains her work this way when she first met co-author Hong Joo-yeon (44). 'The Having' begins with a scene where Hong Joo-yeon recalls interviewing Lee Seo-yoon, known as the 'guru of the wealthy,' when she was a reporter 10 years ago. Despite working at an American consulting firm and living a stable life, Hong Joo-yeon admits she never stopped worrying about money and sought out Lee Seo-yoon again after more than a decade.

Asia Economy selected bestsellers from books sold between the 15th and 21st of last month. The rankings were based on sales volume from major online and offline bookstores such as Kyobo Bookstore, Interpark, and Yes24, combined with ratings from our culture department reporters to create a comprehensive ranking.

'The Having' entered the Asia Economy bestseller list immediately after its release on March 1 and steadily climbed the ranks to finally reach number one. The book attracted attention for being first published by the world's largest publisher, Penguin Random House in the United States, before its domestic release, and for having its rights sold to 21 countries worldwide. Hwang Eun-hee, CEO of Suo Seoje, the publisher, explained, "Initially, the book gained attention overseas. Later, it spread by word of mouth on social media. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn increased social anxiety, and the stock market boom heightened interest in money, which also contributed to its popularity."

Lee Seo-yoon describes the meaning of 'Having' as "an attitude focused on what you currently possess," emphasizing that anyone can enjoy wealth and fortune through their own efforts, even without inherited wealth, prestigious academic backgrounds, or exceptional talents.

With 'The Having' taking first place, 'Common Siblings 4,' which held the top spot in the previous ranking, dropped to second. However, children's books remain popular as school openings have been repeatedly postponed due to COVID-19. Alongside 'Common Siblings 4,' 'Seol Min-seok's Korean History Adventure 13' remains in the top 10 at joint 10th place, while 'Seol Min-seok's World History Adventure 35' newly entered the rankings at 7th place.

Kyobo Bookstore reported that sales of parenting books increased by 36% year-on-year from the 1st of last month to the 20th of this month, and sales of youth novels rose by 108% during the same period.

'The Power of Geography' and 'Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People,' ranked 4th and 5th respectively, gained attention after being featured on tvN's 'These Days Bookstore: Reading Books for You.' 'The Power of Geography' was introduced on the 20th, and 'Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People' on the 6th.

'The Power of Geography' is a book published in 2015 by international affairs journalist Tim Marshall, who directly reported from over 30 conflict zones. It analyzes how geography influences global politics, economics, and individual lives, shaping history. The Korean translation was published in 2016. 'Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People' is the representative work of American author and lecturer Dale Carnegie, first published in 1936. Various Korean publishers have consistently released translated editions.

'The 11th Young Writers Award Anthology' ranked 8th, attracting interest from readers in their 20s. It features short stories by seven notable young writers (Kang Hwa-gil, Choi Eun-young, Kim Bong-gon, Lee Hyun-seok, Kim Cho-yeop, Jang Ryu-jin, Jang Hee-won). Kyobo Bookstore stated that readers in their 20s make up the largest portion of buyers at 38.2%.

'1cm Diving' rose two places compared to the previous ranking. 'If the Weather Is Good, I Will Find You' and 'The Secrets of Harvard's Top 1 Percent' fell three and two places, respectively.

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