"Trend Korea 2026" Ranks First... Koo Byungmo's "Jeolchang" Takes Second Place

"Trend Korea 2026" Dominates the Top Spot

In the fifth week of October, the Yes24 overall bestseller chart was once again topped by "Trend Korea 2026," Korea's leading trend forecast book, which has held the number one spot for five consecutive weeks. The popularity of economics and business books continued, with "Achieve a Lifetime Salary with 1 Billion Won in Dollar Assets (2026 Investment Strategy Special Edition)" by Chaesangwook, a renowned economic YouTuber known as "Chaebusim," ranking second, and "Large Cap Trend-Following Investment Rules" by Jeonhwang, a full-time investor with 15 years of experience, taking third place. "Ubermensch," a modern interpretation of Nietzsche's philosophy, secured fourth place, while "Park Gomhee's Pension Wealth Class" by Park GomheeTV, an investment mentor with 950,000 subscribers, came in fifth.

This week was marked by the remarkable popularity of books in the economics and business sector. "Achieve a Lifetime Salary with 1 Billion Won in Dollar Assets (2026 Investment Strategy Special Edition)" (2nd place) saw its sales surge by about 16 times compared to the previous week after its author, analyst Chaesangwook, appeared on the popular economic YouTube channel "SamproTV" on October 25. In particular, men in their 50s with a keen interest in investment strategies accounted for 22.4% of purchases. "Large Cap Trend-Following Investment Rules," the latest release by Lee Jongho, also known as Jeonhwang, (3rd place) climbed to third place within about a week of its release on October 22, enjoying strong support from men in their 40s (27.9%).

Other notable titles maintaining steady popularity in the fourth quarter include "Park Gomhee's Pension Wealth Class" (5th), "There Is No Future Without Bitcoin" (7th), "Money Trend 2026" (9th), "Forecast of the Times: The Birth of Lightweight Civilization" (11th), and "Everything About ETF Investment" (16th), making a total of seven economics and business books within the top 20 overall.

Single-volume comics across various genres such as romance, comedy, and action also drew attention. The romance comic "The Fragrant Flower Blooms Proudly 17 Regular Edition" (8th) entered the top 20 overall just two days after pre-orders began on October 28, receiving much love from readers in their teens and twenties (66.9%). Among Millennials & Gen Z, the comic "Bocchi the Rock! Side Story: Hiroi Kikuri’s Drinking Diary 3" (14th), the popular action comic "Sakamoto Days 23 Double Special Edition" (15th), and the romance title "Love, False Angels 5" (17th) all saw people in their twenties make up the largest share of buyers.

As readers prepare for 2026, a variety of new daily planners are meeting readers in the fourth quarter of this year. "2026 Romantic Collection Daily Planner," the first planner by "Bbang-i," a record influencer with 550,000 subscribers, saw its sales jump by 109% compared to the previous week, topping the health and hobby category. The main buyers were women in their twenties (65.8%) and thirties (25.4%), clearly appealing to women in their twenties and thirties who want to collect "small and cute moments of romance" every day.

"2026 Romantic Collection Daily Planner" features illustrations of Bbang-i’s signature cat character "Dako" and short phrases to help with daily records. It comes with an integrated box stand for display and storage of past planners. It is a great gift not only for readers seeking a new and special planner, but also for family, friends, or loved ones.

"Trend Korea 2026" maintained the top spot on the Kyobo Bookstore overall chart for five consecutive weeks, while "Jeolchang" by Koo Byungmo climbed back up to take second place. Nobel Prize in Literature winner Krasznahorkai L?szl?’s "Satantango" ranked third overall. Other top titles such as "Honmono," "Contradiction," and "Grapefruit Apricot Club" continue to be well-loved, with Korean novels maintaining strong momentum.

Interest in trend forecast books in the economics and business sector, such as "Money Trend 2026" and "Forecast of the Times: The Birth of Lightweight Civilization," remains high. There is also notable demand for books related to asset management and investment, including "Park Gomhee’s Pension Wealth Class," "There Is No Future Without Bitcoin," and "Everything About ETF Investment." "Achieve a Lifetime Salary with 1 Billion Won in Dollar Assets" by Chaesangwook drew particular attention after being featured on YouTube content.

In the essay category, books about being a good adult and person are standing out, with titles such as "Kind People Win," "On Kindness," "The Dignity of Adulthood," and "The Quiet Happiness of Adulthood" all ranking high and maintaining popularity. The late Baek Sehee’s "I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki" has also regained readers’ attention as fans remember the author.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.