From Bestsellers to Resurgence: Why Gen Z Is Flocking to Bookstores

[Anchor]

The keyword for the bookstore industry in the first half of this year was undoubtedly "novels." Eight out of the top 10 bestsellers were novels. At the heart of this craze were people in their 20s who are visiting bookstores in person to buy books.

Lee Ju-sang reports.

[Reporter]

The best-selling book in the first half of this year was the novel "Project Hail Mary," which was also adapted into a film.

Following it were Suzuki Yui's "Goethe Said Everything" and Han Roro's "Grapefruit Apricot Club," with novels accounting for eight of the top 10 spots on the overall bestseller list.

While not in the top tier, the resurgence of classic novels was also notable, including Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha," which ranked 6th, and Albert Camus's "The Stranger."

[Interview] Jo Jin-hee / Manager, Literature Department at Kyobo Book Centre: "In these days when short and fast video content has become a part of daily life, it is analyzed that the demand for narratives that provide deeper immersion and imagination is actually increasing."

The number of people visiting bookstores in person to purchase books is also on the rise.

In particular, for those in their 20s, the rate of offline purchases was significantly higher than online.

[Interview] Nam Seung-hyun / Gangseo-gu, Seoul: "I come to the bookstore because I like the smell of books, and sometimes I visit on purpose to buy books because I'm curious about what other people are reading."

[Interview] Jo Seong-jung / Mapo-gu, Seoul: "I want to read a few lines of the content, and I feel it's better to buy a book after getting a sense of its overall atmosphere."

They are placing meaning on the process of purchasing books itself.

[Interview] Choi Su-ha / Trend Analysis Expert: "This is because of the complex interplay of the emotional stability provided by the texture of physical books, the sense of solidarity from being among fellow readers, and the joy of discovering one's own taste by chance."

This trend was also confirmed at the Seoul International Book Fair, which drew 150,000 visitors last month.

The "Text Hip" craze among the younger generation, who view reading as a unique and cool activity, is becoming a beacon of hope for the stagnant bookstore industry.

Reported by Lee Ju-sang | Video by Yoon Tae-ho | Graphics by Kim Ye-ji | VJ by Oh Se-gwan | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.