From GalleyCat.com - Korea Book Sales Skyrocket
I'm recovering from a bit of low blood sugar and procrastinating at the same time. That gave me time to click on the GalleyCat.com blog. Of course, this caught my attention.
Read on.
When someone smugly assumes I spent eight years in a backwater country, I'll point at least people are reading in South Korea. I'll also mention that, simultaneously, American booksellers' sales are dismal. In the midst of an economic crisis, a book might be one of the best forms of entertainment and education. Too bad for the US publishing industry, not many here agree with me and maybe it's just that there isn't an American version of 엄마룰 부탁해. Unfortunately, I seriously doubt that's the reason. Sphere: Related ContentKorean Book Sales Skyrocket
While American publishers struggle through the recession, Korean online booksellers have posted impressive gains. The online Korean bookseller, Kyobo Bookstore, reports that first quarter sales increased 35.7 percent and Korean literature sales skyrocketed 36.2 percent.
According to Korean Times, other online stores have seen similar gains. The article attributes some of the sales to the bestseller "Take Care of My Mom" by Shin Kyung-sook.
Here's more about the book: "Since it was first published in November, about 700,000 copies have been sold, a mega hit given that it is hard for a novel to sell 100,000 copies in the sagging publishing industry. Most readers of 'Take Care of My Mom' are women in their 20s and 30s who have strong buying power." (Via Book Bench)
Yep I kind of figure not all booksellers are suffering. Also Half-Price books is doing quite well and I look for them to eventually surpass Barnes or Borders as the place to buy books.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against Barnes or Borders but I can find books a lot cheaper then what they sell them for.Also how did you interview go?
Okay, well, she liked me and that's a good thing. If I get the job, I'll update my blog in due time ;)
ReplyDeleteI've been into Half.com for books for years. Being abroad, I wasn't able to order with them and had to stick with Amazon.com or local bookstores in Korea. However, now, it's back to my old ways.
However, the report isn't so much about the price point. The report is about this blockbuster book that everyone is buying and the reading habits of the Korean market in general. If people were reading a lot here in the States, then the books I seek out on Half.com would be sold out and I'd have to go to Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders. That's not the case.
"When someone smugly assumes I spent eight years in a backwater country, I'll point at least people are reading in South Korea." Anyone who would call it "backwater" is obviously ignorant, but unfortunately that's the case with many American's knowledge of the rest of the world. It's been a while since I was in SK, but I would add that they are also major players when it comes to technology. Before I went there, someone actually asked me if they had the internet there! Can you believe that?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can believe it. So it's always great when I get to fire back that South Korea is one of the most wired countries in the world. I've written about the connectivity and the fear I had coming back to the States. It doesn't compare, but wifi is pretty much everywhere in the States, so have laptop, will websurf.
ReplyDeleteI actually do hate that I won't be around when speeds go up to 1GBPS nationwide there. That's just bad ass.
"I actually do hate that I won't be around when speeds go up to 1GBPS nationwide there. That's just bad ass."
ReplyDeleteYeah that is bad ass and to think TIME WARNER advertises 7mbps as being turbo. I am like no 1GBPS is turbo-7mbps is fastest, a big difference
7MBPS is turbo if you've been living under a technological rock. The fact is, however, MOST of America has been living under a technological rock.
ReplyDeleteWhile I've been hanging out in Korea getting used to both cheap and ubiquitous high speed Internet, my home country still doesn't have coast to coast broadband. That got written into this recovery package. At least it's in the pipeline now.
Like I said, the trade off is that the USA has tons of wifi. So IF you have a laptop, you can find something in a cafe or coffee house somewhere. But that's nothing like South Korea's tons of cheap PC-rooms that offer high speed Internet for around 1,000 to 1,500 won per hour ($1).
The problem is for those with lower incomes in the States. They're not walking around with laptops, iPhones and Blackberrys. So, unlike in Korea, there is a section of the US population that is literally missing out on the advances in technology. Hell, I know that some in my family still see computers and the Internet as this complicated thing.
"7MBPS is turbo if you've been living under a technological rock. The fact is, however, MOST of America has been living under a technological rock."
ReplyDeleteYeah 7mbps is pretty fast but when you catch someone saying 1GBPS then you know the game has officially changed. Anyway that is one thing I have to say about South Korea is a lot of people are connected and hopefully America will catch up too. Also we'll see how this analog to digital television conversion goes in JUNE.
I'm sure it is fast, but in Korea they didn't even brag about speed. It was pretty much a given. Let me go back to the KT site and look it up. Yep, the speed of their lowest priced service was 8MBPS. 7MBSP as turbo? Laughable.
ReplyDeletere this TV thing, they ought to just implement it. That way, at least, a few people would be working to help people do the transition. Plus, maybe a few would HAVE to pick up a book when they noticed their TVs weren't working ;)
Hi Regina,
ReplyDeleteDid you read Take Care of My Mom? I'm trying to find reviews online and I can't find any! What's it about? Can you give me your synopsis or reviews?? Thanks!
Lois
My Korean isn't that good. I would search for reviews on the Korean sites like Naver.com or Cyworld blogs.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.