As of July 8, 2026, Alain de Botton's "Anxiety (Recover:K Edition)" from Eunhaengnamu Publishing maintains its position as the No. 1 essay bestseller. This week's ranking also welcomes four new entries to the top 10.
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 |
어른의 행복은 조용하다
태수 · Kyobo
|
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6 |
백지 앞에서
최은영 · Kyobo
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7 |
불안의 책
페르난두 페소아 · Kyobo
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8 |
일상주의자의 감각
김이나 · Kyobo
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9 |
당신의 독자가 될게요
정세랑 · Kyobo
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10 |
너를 아끼며 살아라
나태주 · Kyobo
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Highlights of the July 8, 2026 Ranking
The top positions in the ranking are notably held by "Anxiety (Recover:K Edition)" by Alain de Botton (Eunhaengnamu Publishing), "The Five Viscera of an Adolescent Mother" by Na Min-ae (Seogyo Books), and "I'll Be Happy, So Much So I Wonder if This is Okay (100,000 Copies Commemorative Kyobo Book Centre Exclusive Edition)" by Ilhong (Bookrum).
Insights into Korean Reading Trends
For international readers of KStories, the Kyobo Essay Weekly ranking provides valuable insights into current Korean reading trends.
It is particularly insightful to observe which books, authors, and publishers consistently stand out, rather than simply focusing on the sales order.
Munhakdongne Publishing House, for example, had two titles featured repeatedly in the rankings.
Key Ranking Changes
Among the books that remained in the top 10, "Live Cherishing Yourself" by Na Tae-ju (Double Book) experienced the most significant drop, falling one spot from 9th to 10th.
Titles that dropped out of the top 10 this week include "The Quiet Happiness of Adults (400,000 Copies Commemorative Special Edition)" by Taesu (Kyobo), "Subin's Doosan, Doosan's Subin" by Jung Soo-bin et al. (Kyobo), "Cultivating Consistency" by Supullim (Kyobo), and "I Live Because There Is Love" by Yoo Si-min et al. (Kyobo).
Top 10 Essay Bestsellers: July 8, 2026
1st: "Anxiety (Recover:K Edition)" by Alain de Botton (Eunhaengnamu Publishing) – Maintained its No. 1 position.
2nd: "The Five Viscera of an Adolescent Mother" by Na Min-ae (Seogyo Books) – Maintained its No. 2 position.
3rd: "I'll Be Happy, So Much So I Wonder if This is Okay (100,000 Copies Commemorative Kyobo Book Centre Exclusive Edition)" by Ilhong (Bookrum) – Maintained its No. 3 position.
4th: "The Gentle Person Wins (Special Hardcover Recover Edition)" by Lee Hae-in (Feelm) – Maintained its No. 4 position.
5th: "The Quiet Happiness of Adults" by Taesu (Page2Books) – New entry.
6th: "Before a Blank Page" by Choi Eun-young (Munhakdongne Publishing House) – Maintained its No. 6 position.
7th: "The Book of Disquiet" by Fernando Pessoa (Munhakdongne Publishing House) – New entry.
8th: "The Sensibility of an Everydayist" by Kim Eana (Iyagijangsu) – New entry.
9th: "I'll Be Your Reader" by Jeong Serang (Maumsanchaek) – New entry.
10th: "Live Cherishing Yourself" by Na Tae-ju (Double Book) – Dropped one spot from 9th place last week.
