K-Book Trends -

Search word : "Fiction", Search result : 458

[TREND / TOPIC]

Why K-Books are drawing attention from across the world

Why K-Books are drawing attention from across the world 2020.06.01 Amidst the time when countries are closing gates due to the spread of COVID-19, Korean literature is taking a step closer to overseas readers while drawing attention from the US, Britain, Germany, and Japan. The global interest in Hallyu (Korean Wave) and the Korean culture that once again swept the world with the movie “Parasite” from director Bong Joon-Ho early this year is said to have spread to literature with the outbreak of the pandemic.Corresponding to the phenomenon, diverse genres of Korean literature, including poems, novels, and children’s stories, are winning globally prominent awards, showcasing the potential of Korean literature once again. Poem collection A Drink of Red Mirror (Munji Books) by Kim Hye-Soon which was recently published was nominated for the best-translated book in the US, while the novel A Murderer's Mnemonics (Munhakdongne) by Kim Young-Ha was chosen as the best ...

VOL.23 / 2020.06

[TREND / SPECIAL PROJECT]

Literary Awards and Contests in the field of Genre Literature

Literary Awards and Contests in the field of Genre Literature Becoming the center of the publishing market as a mainstream field 2020.06.01 The preference of readers is having more influence on the Korean publishing market than other elements. Genre literature including webtoons (online comics), web novels, and science fiction that gained little attention in the past have become popular among readers ? even comparable to pure literature ? and its market is expanding as well. The idea that genre literature is non-mainstream and is only enjoyed by certain fans has become nonsense today. In particular, in terms of web novels, anyone can become a writer, and as anybody can enjoy the works with a mobile device anywhere one likes, its market has outgrown that of paper books. Genre literature possesses a different value than pure literature in that its works can be extended to derivative works such as movies or TV series with their creative ideas and fast flow of stories...

VOL.23 / 2020.06

[TREND / TOPIC]

E-book Platforms and the Meaning of “Original Content”

E-book Platforms and the Meaning of “Original Content” The value of new methods and strategies 2020.05.04 According to the 2019 National Reading Survey, 52.1% of Korean adults were reading paper books. Adding e-books and audiobooks only pulled up the rate to 55.7%. The rate is falling with every survey. The reason for the fall in adults’ reading rate is a change of pattern in consuming content. People that enjoy other content than books reached 29.1%. Smartphones killed books.Yet, there are still readers. More and more readers are reading books with their mobile devices. Major online bookstores such as Yes 24, Kyobo Bookstore, and Aladdin have more than 10 million members each. Even e-book companies RIDI Books and Millie have millions of subscribers. There are many readers who enjoy reading genre literature through web-novel platforms such as Naver Webnovel, KakaoStory, Munpia, and Joara. In short, the missing number of paper book readers, or even mor...

VOL.22 / 2020.05

[INTERVIEW / KOREAN AUTHORS]

Writer Jung Yeo-Wool

Writer Jung Yeo-Wool Developing a healthy mind by facing your true self 2021.07.05 Most people bury their painful memories deep inside their hearts. They don’t have the courage to face them, for they fear what will happen next. However, writer Jung Yeo-Wool recommends people overcome their traumas by facing their inner wounds no matter how painful they might be. She turns into a healer that also has pains and candidly but composedly talks about them. Following is an interview of writer Jung, who sometimes gives warmth and sometimes the courage to face the pain with her “psychological therapeutic essays.” Please introduce yourself to the subscribers. Hello, I’m writer Jung Yeo-Wool. I had been working as a literary critic, but now I’ve leaned more to being a non-fiction writer. I was attracted to non-fiction as I could talk about more various stories in various fields without limitations. The genres of my books are largely divided into ...

VOL.36 / 2021.07

[INTERVIEW / KOREAN PUBLISHERS]

Safehouse Inc.

Safehouse Inc. A Powerhouse of Boundless Cross-genre Imagination 2021.05.03 Established under the slogan of being “A safe house for good stories,” publisher Safehouse is one of the publishers specializing in genre fiction in Korea. Living up to the slogan, the publisher works as a “safe house” for creators and stories so that stories about various topics that had been in the shadow can gain attention. Following is an interview with publisher Safehouse, a home to boundless imagination going across genres and media, collaborating with webtoon and video companies that need stories, particularly those that can be made into books. Logo of Safehouse Inc. Please introduce Safehouse to overseas publishers. Safehouse is a “producer of genre fiction stories” that plans and develops content for stories. Safehouse’s producers and creators cooperate from the planning stage of stories until the end. We pursue stories that have the potential to...

VOL.34 / 2021.05

[EVENT / IMAGE OF K-BOOK]

The Tiger: The Origin of Korea’s Symbolic Story

Image of K-Book The Tiger: The Origin of Korea’s Symbolic Story 2025.05.07 Tigers (called ‘호랑이(horangi)’ in Korean) symbolize Koreans’ strong spirit In the “What animal best represents Korea?” poll, the tiger received an overwhelming 83.1% of the vote. Tigers have long been deeply rooted in Korean history and culture, with Koreans referring to them as Sangun (山君; the king of the mountain), symbolizing the majesty and authority of nature. The Legend of Dangun is a classic example of the symbolism of the tiger. The legend explains the origins of the founding of Korea, where Dangun, the son of Hwanung, the god of the sky, founded Gojoseon. When Hwanung descends to rule the human world, a bear and a tiger begin training to become human by eating mugwort and garlic in a cave. However, the tiger leaves halfway through, and the bear, who persev...

VOL.82 / 2025.05

[EVENT / IMAGE OF K-BOOK]

The Flower of Korea, “Mugunghwa,” Blooms

Image of K-Book The Flower of Korea, “Mugunghwa,” Blooms 2025.03.10 Korea’s National Flower, the Mugunghwa There’s a special flower in Korea: mugunghwa (hibiscus, rose of sharon). The mugunghwa, which won the most votes in the “Which flower/plant reminds you of Korea?” survey by K-Book Trends, is not just a plant, but an important symbol of Korea’s history and spirit. The mugunghwa is a flower that means “blooming eternally.” It symbolizes the perseverance and strong spirit of Koreans as it constantly blooms new flowers from summer to fall every year. Koreans have long used it to express their national identity and pride. Most recently, it has gained more attention worldwide when the popular Netflix series “The Squid Game” featured a game called “Mugunghwa kkochi pieotseupnida (무궁화꽃이 피었습니다, meaning ‘mugunghwa f...

VOL.80 / 2025.03

[TOPIC / KOREAN PUBLISHER]

GOZKNOCK ENT

GOZKNOCK ENT How About a Genre Novel to Read on a Quiet Day? 2018.07.31 Imagine a hunter who seeks out his prey for writing, hunts it down, collects it and cooks it after. If one were to look at Gozknock ENT, they would be reminded of such a hunter, as the workers here become observers and explorers in order to find good writing. They are in their second year of existence and they already have a strong reader base and are known for their genre novels. Readers say they don’t need to think twice when it comes to books from Gozknock - they just read them. The below is a Q&A with Bae Seon-a, head of Gozknock ENT currently sprouting stories for film adaptations in a garden of content. KPIPA Could you tell us what kind of place Gozknock ENT is? Bae Gozknock ENT is a development company that creates original stories ready to be adapted into video, in addition to genre novels. We combined the Korean word ‘gozknock’ which means quiet, cozy with ‘ent...

VOL.11 / 2018.07

[TREND / SPECIAL PROJECT]

Korea’s Diverse Children’s Literature Awards

Korea’s Diverse Children’s Literature Awards Children wishing for a happy world 2020.05.04 As children are referred to as the “future” of a generation, the emotional experience children get from books is very important. The Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, and Hans Christian Andersen Award are the most famous children’s literary awards in the world, but there are also ones given to excellent children’s literature in Korea as well. In particular, as Children’s Day is in May, the winners of many children’s literary awards are announced this month.While there are various children’s literary awards ranging from those named after famous literary people in history to those held by children’s book publishers, let’s touch upon the winners of the awards. The emotional experience children get from books is very important. Children’s Literary Awards carrying on the spirit of renowned writers ...

VOL.22 / 2020.05

[TREND / TOPIC]

Books and Book Clubs

Books and Book Clubs Talks Bridged by Books 2020.04.06 Book clubs are where book lovers naturally gather to read books together and share ideas. As more people share each other’s preferences and hobbies, the number of book clubs is also increasing today. Book clubs in Korea receive applications for both free and paid memberships, and members usually read selected books for a certain period and have regular on and offline meetings. The hosts of book clubs vary from big bookstores and independent bookstores to regional bookstores, publishers, libraries, and individuals.Below are the stories of three representative book clubs in Korea: Book N Us, Agreable Bookclub, and Check N Grow. Let’s look at the characteristics of each, and what kind of books they recommend. Members of typical book clubs in Korea read selected books for a certain period and have regular meetings. Meet & Talk with Books: Book N Us (...

VOL.21 / 2020.04

VOL.95/2026.06

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