As of August 22, 2026, 'The Vocabulary of Mind' by Jo Ah-ran et al. (Page2Books) has claimed the top spot on the essay bestseller list. This week's ranking sees three new entries, with 'Goodbye, Peter Pan' by Jeon Kyung-chul (Iyagijangsu) showing the most significant climb.
TOP 10
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1 |
마음의 어휘력
조아란 외 · Kyobo
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2 |
불안(리커버:K)
알랭 드 보통 · 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 |
아메리칸 서바이벌
올리버 샨 그랜트 외 · Kyobo
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5 |
안녕, 피터팬
전경철 · Kyobo
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6 |
구원에게
정영욱 · Kyobo
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7 |
다정한 사람이 이긴다(스페셜 양장 리커버판)
이해인 · Kyobo
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8 |
너를 아끼며 살아라
나태주 · Kyobo
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9 |
기분이 태도가 되지 말자(30만부 기념 최신 개정판)
김수현(훈글) · Kyobo
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10 |
어른의 행복은 조용하다
태수 · Kyobo
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Weekly Ranking Summary: August 22, 2026
The top positions are currently held by 'The Vocabulary of Mind' (Jo Ah-ran et al., Page2Books), 'Anxiety (Recover:K)' (Alain de Botton, Eunhaengnamu), and 'I'll Be So Happy, I Wonder if It's Okay' (100,000-copy commemorative Kyobo Book Centre exclusive cover) (Il Hong, Bookrum).
Insights into Korean Reading Trends
For international readers of KStories, this Kyobo Essay Weekly ranking offers a valuable snapshot of current Korean reading trends. Rather than simply listing sales figures, it's insightful to observe which books, authors, and publishers are gaining significant attention. Notably, two publishers, Bookrum and Page2Books, each have two titles featured on this week's list.
Key Ranking Shifts
The most significant rise was 'Goodbye, Peter Pan' (Jeon Kyung-chul, Iyagijangsu), which climbed three places from last week's 8th to 5th. Conversely, 'A Kind Person Wins (Special Hardcover Edition)' (Lee Hae-in, Feelm) experienced the largest drop, falling four spots from last week's 3rd to 7th. Books that exited the Top 10 this week include 'Adolescent Mom's Five Viscera and Six Bowels' (Na Min-ae, Kyobo), 'The Game You Win Every Day' (Shinsuke Yoshitake, Kyobo), and 'Marriage & Summer' (Albert Camus, Kyobo).
Kyobo Essay Bestsellers Top 10: August 22, 2026
1st Place: 'The Vocabulary of Mind' (Jo Ah-ran et al., Page2Books) – New Entry
2nd Place: 'Anxiety (Recover:K)' (Alain de Botton, Eunhaengnamu) – Down 1 spot from last week's 1st
3rd Place: 'I'll Be So Happy, I Wonder if It's Okay' (100,000-copy commemorative Kyobo Book Centre exclusive cover) (Il Hong, Bookrum) – Down 1 spot from last week's 2nd
4th Place: 'American Survival' (Oliver S. Grant et al., 21st Century Books) – New Entry
5th Place: 'Goodbye, Peter Pan' (Jeon Kyung-chul, Iyagijangsu) – Up 3 spots from last week's 8th
6th Place: 'To Salvation' (Jung Young-wook, Bookrum) – Down 2 spots from last week's 4th
7th Place: 'A Kind Person Wins (Special Hardcover Edition)' (Lee Hae-in, Feelm) – Down 4 spots from last week's 3rd
8th Place: 'Cherish Yourself and Live' (Na Tae-ju, Double Book) – Down 2 spots from last week's 6th
9th Place: 'Don't Let Your Mood Become Your Attitude' (300,000-copy commemorative latest revised edition) (Kim Su-hyun (Hoongle), Hist) – New Entry
10th Place: 'Adult Happiness is Quiet' (Tae Su, Page2Books) – Down 1 spot from last week's 9th
