A collection of essays by Moon Hyung-bae, the former acting chief justice of Korea’s Constitutional Court who presided over the impeachment trial of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol in April, has become an unexpected literary hit.
Moon’s debut essay collection, "On Kindness," has sold 50,000 copies in the 10 days since its release, according to publisher Gimmyoung on Thursday. Riding that momentum, the publisher has gone back to press with an additional 50,000 copies.
The book currently tops the weekly bestseller lists of major bookstores, including Kyobo Book Center and Yes24. At Yes24, more than 70 percent of buyers were in their 40s and 50s, highlighting the book’s particular resonance with middle-aged readers.
"On Kindness" gathers 120 selections from more than 1,500 pieces Moon has written since 2006, ranging from reflections on poetry and fiction to commentary on law and legal philosophy, as well as glimpses into his life as both a judge and a citizen. The collection also includes his inaugural and farewell addresses as a Constitutional Court justice.
Meanwhile, a different surge has been fueled by Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder and chair of the Gates Foundation. After appearing on a Korean talk show "You Quiz on the Block" last week and sharing his three “life-changing books,” all three titles have soared up the charts.
"Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World — and Why Things Are Better Than You Think" (2018), by Hans Rosling with Anna Rosling Ronnlund and Ola Rosling, saw sales jump 548 percent from the previous week, landing at No. 8 overall, according to Yes24.
Vaclav Smil’s "How the World Really Works" (2022) recorded a 488 percent surge, and Steven Pinker’s "The Better Angels of Our Nature" (2011) also spiked by 393 percent, taking the top spot in the science category.
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com
