While American publishers struggle through the recession, Korean online booksellers have posted impressive gains. The online Korean bookseller, Kyobo Bookstore, reports that first quarter sales increased 35.7 percent and Korean literature sales skyrocketed 36.2 percent.
According to Korean Times, other online stores have seen similar gains. The article attributes some of the sales to the bestseller “Take Care of My Mom” by Shin Kyung-sook.
Here’s more about the book: “Since it was first published in November, about 700,000 copies have been sold, a mega hit given that it is hard for a novel to sell 100,000 copies in the sagging publishing industry. Most readers of ‘Take Care of My Mom’ are women in their 20s and 30s who have strong buying power.” (Via Book Bench)