‘8 years after its release in Korea, the American novel ‘Little Life’ has risen to the top of the bestseller list this week. Videos of readers shedding tears while reading the book have been widely shared on social media platforms such as TikTok.
According to the rankings for the second week of June released by Kyobo Bookstore on the 14th, Hanya Yanagihara’s novel ‘Little Life’ climbed 17 spots from the previous week to claim the top spot. The book tells the story of Jude, a lawyer who carries trauma from a harrowing childhood marked by abuse and violence. It was a finalist for the Booker Prize and National Book Award in 2015, and also received the Kirkus Prize.
The book’s popularity has been attributed to the influence of TikTok and other social media platforms. Short videos introducing the book on Korean platforms have garnered over 6.2 million views. Scenes that evoke tears and anguish, similar to the cover of the book, have become a hot topic among readers.
Kyobo Bookstore stated, “Originally gaining popularity on overseas TikTok and then spreading through translated content on Korean short video platforms, the book has attracted attention through retweets on Twitter (now known as ‘Ex’) without the help of celebrity endorsements, showcasing the power of short-form content.”
Among the buyers, the most prevalent age group was in their 40s, accounting for 31.8% of purchases. This was followed by those in their 30s (28.9%), 50s (17.8%), and 20s (16.8%). While female readers typically dominate the novel market, this book has surprisingly attracted a male readership of 45.1%.
The popular manga series ‘Dungeon Bap’ by Kui Ryoko took the third spot, followed by Matthias Nolcke’s self-help book ‘On a Wise Attitude That Does Not Consume Me’ landing in fourth place. Books like ‘The Immutable Laws’ and ‘Reading Schopenhauer in His Forties’ have been maintaining their positions in the upper rankings for an extended period. Below is the Kyobo Bookstore’s bestseller rankings for the second week of June:
1. Little Life 1 (Publisher: Sigongsa)
2. The Immutable Laws (Publisher: Seosamdok)
3. Kui Ryoko’s Sketchbook Dream Hour (Publisher: Somimedi)
4. On a Wise Attitude That Does Not Consume Me (Publisher: First Penguin)
5. Reading Schopenhauer in His Forties (Publisher: Yoon Books)
6. Contradictions (Publisher: Ssuda)
7. Daily Vocabulary Copybook for Improving My Vocabulary (Publisher: Wisdom House)
8. Common Brothers and Sisters 16 (Publisher: Future & I)
9. Teachings of Seino (Publisher: DayOne)
10. One Piece 108: A World Where Dying is Better (Publisher: Daewon C.I.)