Alain de Botton's 'Anxiety (Recover:K)' maintained its unyielding grip on the top spot of South Korea's weekly essay rankings as of June 17, 2026. This week, 'To Salvation' made a fresh entry into the Top 10, while 'The Five Viscera of an Adolescent Mom' showed notable momentum, climbing three places. This chart offers international readers a valuable glimpse into current Korean reading trends.
TOP 10
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1 |
불안(리커버:K)
알랭 드 보통 · Kyobo
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2 |
사춘기 엄마의 오장육부
나민애 · Kyobo
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3 |
행복할 거야 이래도 되나 싶을 정도로(10만 부 기념 교보문고 단독 리커버)
일홍 · Kyobo
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4 |
다정한 사람이 이긴다(스페셜 양장 리커버판)
이해인 · Kyobo
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5 |
백지 앞에서
최은영 · Kyobo
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6 |
문워크
마이클 잭슨 외 · Kyobo
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7 |
어른의 행복은 조용하다(40만 부 기념 스페셜 리커버)
태수 · Kyobo
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8 |
꾸준함을 기르는 일
수풀림 · Kyobo
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9 |
너를 아끼며 살아라
나태주 · Kyobo
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10 |
구원에게
정영욱 · Kyobo
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The Enduring Popularity of Essays in Korea and the Rise of K-Books
This week's South Korean essay rankings serve as a significant indicator of domestic reading trends. For international readers, the essay genre, in particular, offers an appealing window to discover K-Books and understand the emotions and thoughts prevalent in Korean society. Works imbued with personal reflection and comfort consistently receive love, reflecting a tendency among Korean readers to seek empathy and solace in their daily lives.
Bookrum, a publishing house, demonstrated strong performance this week, securing two spots in the Top 10 with 'I'll Be Happy, I Wonder If This Is Okay' and the new entry, 'To Salvation.' This suggests that certain publishers are successfully releasing works that resonate with readers' sentiments, thereby solidifying their market presence.
Notable Chart Shifts and New Entrants
This week's essay rankings feature several prominent ascents and descents. Na Min-ae's 'The Five Viscera of an Adolescent Mom' (Seogyo Books) made a significant leap, climbing three places from fifth last week to second. Similarly, Tae Soo's 'The Happiness of Adults is Quiet (400,000 Copies Commemorative Special Recover)' (Page2Books) also demonstrated consistent popularity, rising three spots from tenth to seventh.
A new face also appeared on the chart. Jung Young-wook's 'To Salvation' (Bookrum) debuted at number 10 this week, capturing readers' interest. Conversely, Lee Hae-in's 'The Gentle Person Wins (Special Hardcover Recover Edition)' (Feelm), which was second last week, fell two places to fourth. Choi Eun-young's 'Before a Blank Page' (Munhakdongne) dropped one spot from fourth to fifth. Last week's seventh-place holder, 'Love Helps Us Live' (Yoo Shi-min et al.), fell out of the Top 10 this week.
The Enduring Power of Steady Sellers at the Top
Alain de Botton's 'Anxiety (Recover:K)' (Eunhaengnamu) firmly held its No. 1 position for another week, continuing to resonate deeply with readers. The fact that this book, originally published in 2012, remains at the top tier highlights the timeless value of its humanistic reflections. This work serves as a testament to the lasting appeal of essays.
Other works, such as 'I'll Be Happy, I Wonder If This Is Okay' (Ilhong, Bookrum), 'Moonwalk' (Michael Jackson et al., Mirbook Company), 'The Art of Steadfastness' (Soopulrim, Dasan Books), and 'Cherish Yourself' (Na Tae-joo, Double Book), maintained their previous week's positions, showcasing stable popularity. These titles continue to provide comfort and inspiration to readers through their diverse themes and perspectives.
Kyobo Weekly Essay Bestsellers: Top 10 (as of June 17, 2026)
1st: Anxiety (Recover:K) – Alain de Botton (Eunhaengnamu) (Maintained 1st place from last week)
2nd: The Five Viscera of an Adolescent Mom – Na Min-ae (Seogyo Books) (Rose 3 places from 5th last week)
3rd: I'll Be Happy, I Wonder If This Is Okay (100,000 Copies Commemorative Kyobo Book Centre Exclusive Recover) – Ilhong (Bookrum) (Maintained 3rd place from last week)
4th: The Gentle Person Wins (Special Hardcover Recover Edition) – Lee Hae-in (Feelm) (Fell 2 places from 2nd last week)
5th: Before a Blank Page – Choi Eun-young (Munhakdongne) (Fell 1 place from 4th last week)
6th: Moonwalk – Michael Jackson et al. (Mirbook Company) (Maintained 6th place from last week)
7th: The Happiness of Adults is Quiet (400,000 Copies Commemorative Special Recover) – Tae Soo (Page2Books) (Rose 3 places from 10th last week)
8th: The Art of Steadfastness – Soopulrim (Dasan Books) (Maintained 8th place from last week)
9th: Cherish Yourself – Na Tae-joo (Double Book) (Maintained 9th place from last week)
10th: To Salvation – Jung Young-wook (Bookrum) (New Entry)
