SEOUL: South Korean author Han Kang has experienced a monumental surge in book sales, surpassing 1 million copies sold just after her Nobel Prize in Literature win, making her novels among the fastest-selling in the history of Korean publishing.
According to Yonhap News Agency, as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, Han’s novels, including titles such as “Human Acts,” “The Vegetarian,” and “We Do Not Part,” have collectively reached sales of 1.03 million copies. This count includes sales from major online and physical bookstores like Kyobo, Yes24, and Aladin. Additionally, e-book sales for Han’s works are estimated to have topped 70,000 copies. This rapid sales pace sets a new record in the local book market, underscoring the significant impact of her Nobel Prize achievement.
Last Thursday, Han Kang was announced as the first Korean and the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, a historic victory that has evidently propelled her literary popularity to new heights. The achievement has not only spotlighted
her as a pivotal figure in literature but also sparked a remarkable increase in the demand for her books.
The local book industry compares Han’s sales success to that of Japanese author Haruki Murakami, whose book “1Q84” was also a major hit, selling about 600,000 copies in two months. However, it took eight months for “1Q84” to reach the 1-million sales mark. Kim Hyun-jeong, a veteran employee in the best-sellers department at Kyobo Book Center since 2008, noted the unprecedented demand for Han’s books compared to the past excitement for Murakami’s work.