Han Kang tops Korea’s decade bestseller list

Novels by Han Kang led South Korea’s bestseller list over the past decade, reflecting the lasting reach of her work at home and abroad.

Kyobo Book Centre released its 10-year rankings on April 19 ahead of World Book and Copyright Day, covering sales from April 17, 2016, to April 16, 2026. Han’s The Vegetarian and Human Acts ranked first and second.

Her rise gained momentum in 2016, when she became the first South Korean to win the Man Booker Prize for "The Vegetarian." The novel went on to top the weekly overall bestseller list for 12 consecutive weeks after the award.

Sales climbed again after Han received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024, the first for a South Korean writer. "Human Acts," which centers on the May 18 pro-democracy uprising, was the top-selling book in both 2024 and 2025.

A Kyobo official said "The Vegetarian" leads in cumulative sales over the full decade, reflecting the surge that followed the Booker Prize announcement. In recent years, however, "Human Acts" has sold more copies.

Han’s "We Do Not Part," which addresses the Jeju April 3 incident, ranked eighth. The novel won the Prix Médicis étranger in 2023 and the National Book Critics Circle Award this year.

Six Korean novels made the top 10, including three by Han. Kim Ho-yeon’s "The Uncanny Convenience Store," Lee Mi-ye’s "Dallergut Dream Department Store," and Yang Gui-ja’s "Contradictions" placed fifth through seventh.

World Book and Copyright Day is observed on April 23, marking the date of death of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes.


김도연기자 repokim@donga.com