[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.
It was followed by "Goethe Said Everything" by Suzuki Yui and "Grapefruit Apricot Club" by Han Ro-ro, 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' "The Stranger."
[Interview] Cho Jin-hee / Manager, Literature Department at Kyobo Book Centre: We analyze that there is a growing demand for narratives that provide deeper immersion and imagination, especially at a time when short and fast-paced video content has become a part of daily life.
The number of people visiting bookstores in person to purchase books is also increasing.
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 I sometimes visit on purpose to buy books because I am curious about what other people are reading.
[Interview] Jo Seong-jung / Mapo-gu, Seoul: I like to read a few lines of the content, and I think it is better to buy a book after getting a sense of its overall atmosphere.
They are assigning meaning to the very process of purchasing a book.
[Interview] Choi Su-ha / Trend Analysis Expert: This is because of the emotional stability that comes from the texture of a physical book, the sense of solidarity from being among fellow readers, and the joy of discovering one's own taste by chance, all acting in combination.
This preference 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
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.