Nobel winner Han Kang tops Korea book charts again as younger readers, poetry drive sales
Published: 01 Dec. 2025, 20:01
![Best-selling books are displayed on a shelf at a large bookstore chain in Seoul on Nov. 13. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/01/207c88bd-2cb5-49da-ae04-3953a2c39f30.jpg)
Best-selling books are displayed on a shelf at a large bookstore chain in Seoul on Nov. 13. [YONHAP]
Nobel Prize winner Han Kang’s “Human Acts” (2014) was Korea’s best-selling book for the second year in a row, the country’s largest bookstores said Monday.
Top bookstore chain Kyobo Book Centre reported that “Human Acts” held the No. 1 spot on its 2025 annual sales list.
This marks the fifth time in Kyobo’s history that a book has remained No. 1 for two consecutive years — earlier examples include the poetry collection “Standing Alone” (1987) by Seo Jeong-yoon, the autobiographical essay “The World Is Vast and There Is Much to Do” (1989) by Daewoo Group founder Chairman Kim Woo-joong, the self-help book “The Secret” (2006) by Rhonda Byrne and “The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down” (2012) by the Venerable Haemin, a Buddhist priest.
This year’s No. 2 best-seller was “Contradictions” (1998) by Yang Gui-ja, followed by President Lee Jae Myung’s autobiography published this year that loosely translates to “In the End, the People Decide,” Seong Haena’s “Honmono” and Jeong Dae-geon’s “Torrents” (2022). For the first time, 30 novels entered the top 100 overall.
“Sales were strong even for world literature collections,” a Kyobo official said.
![Nobel Prize winner Han Kang's books, including "Human Acts" (2014), are displayed on a best-seller shelf at a local bookstore chain in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Dec. 22, 2024. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/01/541c2789-4687-4396-8248-8ef1839dbcd5.jpg)
Nobel Prize winner Han Kang's books, including "Human Acts" (2014), are displayed on a best-seller shelf at a local bookstore chain in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Dec. 22, 2024. [YONHAP]
Sales of poetry collections grew 15.5 percent, driven by a surge in younger — especially 20-something — readers. Emerging poets such as Yoo Sun-hye with the translated title “Please Try Reading Love and Extinction Backwards” (2024), Cha Jeong-eun with the translated title “Tomato Cup Noodles” (2024) and Ko Sun-kyung with “Shower Gel and Soda Water” (2023) drew the attention of a new generation.
Industry insiders link the rise in literary sales to a “text-hip” trend among younger readers, as well as increased demand for deluxe covers, special editions and related merchandise.
Interest in AI-themed books also rose sharply: Sales of AI-related titles increased by 68.5 percent year-on-year, and the number of such new publications nearly doubled from 1,057 to 2,040.
Buyers gravitated toward humanities-oriented self-help books, practical guidebooks, and works on healthy aging — spanning from longevity to brain health.
Books on brain games and professional baseball fandom also contributed to the uptick in overall sales.
Online bookstore Yes24 likewise named “Human Acts” its top seller of the year. The retailer noted that three Korean novels made the top 10 overall — evidence, they said, of a Korean-literature surge.
In a period marked by debates on last year's short-lived martial law, former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment and an early presidential election, political and social commentaries also saw strong sales. President Lee’s “In the End, the People Decide,” ranked among the top e-books of the year.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KWON KEUNG-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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