Sung Haena's "Honmono" Surpasses 200,000 Copies... "A Novel That Rekindles the Joy of Reading"

"Honmono" by Sung Haena Surpasses 200,000 Copies Sold
Maintains Top Bestseller Rankings Since Early This Year
Fiction's Popularity: "An Easy Escape During Economic Downturns"
Korean Novels: "Nobel Prize Win Boosts National Pride"
"Honmono"... "An Intellectually Well-Structured Work"

The momentum of Sung Haena's short story collection "Honmono" is remarkable. Since its publication in March, it has firmly maintained a top position on bestseller lists, continuing its long-term success. Not only are the sales figures impressive, but there is also a flood of positive reviews online, with readers saying, "Thanks to Sung Haena, I've rediscovered the joy of reading fiction." Many readers have also started seeking out her previous works. Following Han Kang, whose Nobel Prize win ignited a literary craze, Sung Haena is emerging as the next star author. Along with the overall popularity of fiction, the success of Korean novels is particularly notable. Experts analyze that this is the result of both the timing-fiction tends to gain popularity during economic downturns-and the emergence of highly accomplished works.

Sung Haena's "Honmono" Leads the Way...Korean Novels Dominate Bestseller Rankings

The popularity of "Honmono" is clearly reflected in the statistics from the Integrated Book Distribution System's "200 Most Talked-About Books." According to the data, it has ranked as the best-selling book for three consecutive months since June. The system, operated by the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea, includes sales data from Kyobo Bookstore, Yes24, Aladin, Youngpoong Bookstore, and 328 local bookstores nationwide, making it the most accurate source of book sales figures in Korea.

In addition to "Honmono," the fiction genre as a whole is enjoying widespread popularity, with many novels ranking high on bestseller lists. In August, novels dominated the top spots on the Integrated System's bestseller list. Leading the pack was Sung Haena's "Honmono" at No. 1, followed by Keigo Higashino's "Kagobom" (No. 2), singer-songwriter Han Roro's debut novel "Grapefruit Apricot Club" (No. 3), Yang Gui-ja's "Contradiction" (No. 5), Han Kang's "The Boy Is Coming" (No. 11), and Kim Aeran's "I Said Goodbye" (No. 13). Korean novels outnumbered foreign titles among the top sellers. Contrary to the common belief that fiction is mainly read by women, the proportion of male readers is also high. As of August, "Grapefruit Apricot Club" (No. 2) and "Honmono" (No. 3) ranked high among male readers of the "Most Talked-About Books."

 "Fiction Thrives During Economic Downturns...Nobel Prize Win Boosts National Pride in Korean Literature"

Experts attribute the sustained popularity of fiction to readers seeking an escape during tough economic times. When clear answers are hard to find in reality, people turn to fiction as an easy source of comfort. Jang Eunsoo, a publishing culture critic, said, "Fiction tends to sell well when life is difficult and during recessions, as people look for hope in the realm of possibility. The fact that fiction is selling well is itself evidence of challenging circumstances." Regarding the popularity of Korean novels, he added, "After Han Kang won the Nobel Prize, national pride in our literature grew. Since fiction has relatively low barriers to entry, well-crafted novels can become widely read if the timing is right."

Sung Haena's "Honmono" Drives a Box Office Sensation..."Intellectually Well-Structured, a Fun Read for Fiction Lovers"

Sung Haena, author. Provided by Changbi

Since Han Kang's Nobel Prize win sparked a literary boom at the end of last year, Sung Haena's "Honmono" joined the ranks of bestsellers in March, continuing the upward trend. Interest in fiction is not just a fleeting trend; as new hits emerge, the paradigm of literary works is expanding. On this point, critic Jang said, "The Korean fiction boom seems to be continuing as more talented authors and quality works have emerged since Han Kang. Sung Haena's short story collection offers readers the pleasure of reading intellectually well-structured fiction." He also noted that the emergence of young authors aiming for a second or third Nobel Prize, following Han Kang's win, is an encouraging sign.

Sung Haena began her literary career after winning the Dong-A Ilbo New Year's Literary Contest in 2019. She has published the short story collection "Walking Through the Light," the novel "The Summer Left Behind," and has received the Yi Hyoseok Literary Award for Outstanding Work and the Young Writers Award for "Honmono," as well as the Young Writers Award in 2025 for "Guilty Club: Touching the Tiger."

"Honmono" is a Korean transliteration of the Japanese word meaning "real," but online it has also become a slang term mocking "troublemakers" or "otaku." The author has stated that, just as a word with a positive meaning can take on a distorted connotation, she wanted to portray how, in today's world, even a lie can become the truth if enough people believe it. The collection consists of stories that question what is real and what is fake. The title story, "Honmono," follows the 30-year veteran shaman Munsu, who discovers that the spirit she has worshipped, "Jangsu Halmeom," has moved to a young woman named Shinaegi who has just moved in next door. This revelation shakes the foundation of faith that Munsu believed to be "real."

"Honmono" Surpasses 200,000 Copies Sold..."A Realist Novel by a 1990s-Born Author...Word-of-Mouth Plays a Major Role"

An official from Changbi Publishing, which released "Honmono," said, "So far, 200,000 copies have been sold. We expected it to do well from the initial promotion, but we didn't anticipate this level of success. There are limits to what marketing can achieve, so the sustained popularity seems to be largely due to word-of-mouth." The official added, "When we first received the manuscript, it felt like a truly realist novel had been born. The fact that a realist novel by a 1990s-born author resonated with today's readers is encouraging. The book has a very broad spectrum, and since it brings together a variety of unique stories in one volume, readers seem to find it especially enjoyable."

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