More readers seek books on the Korean language... YES24 sales rise 11.2%

[Financial News] In the year marking the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Hangul Day, sales have risen for books that explore the meaning and use of Korean and help readers develop their expressive skills.
According to YES24 on the 7th, sales of books with “Korean language” as a keyword rose 11.2% from January 1 to September 30 this year, compared with the same period a year earlier.
Total sales of books related to literacy in 2021–2025 rose 9,988.8% from 2016–2020. Comparing cumulative sales over the two periods, the figure was about 101 times as high.
These figures are based on YES24 sales data and do not represent the growth rate of the domestic publishing market as a whole. However, the rise in sales of related books offers a glimpse of readers’ interest in understanding and using spoken and written language more accurately.
The top-selling book among those with the “Korean language” keyword from January to September this year was “Literacy Mastery,” published last August. The book covers spelling, vocabulary, and methods for practicing speaking, reading, and writing. It also ranked third in YES24’s humanities and general-interest category in September.
In second place was “The Moment Words Find Their Way into Life,” which explores Korean words in their cultural context. “My Second Textbook X Na Min-ae’s Korean Language, Revisited,” which covers vocabulary and writing through literary works in textbooks, took third place.
This year’s 100th anniversary of Hangul Day is counted from the establishment of the commemorative day. According to the National Hangeul Museum, people began commemorating Hangul after designating Kagyanal in 1926. This year also marks the 580th anniversary of the promulgation of Hunminjeongeum.
YES24 is holding the special exhibition “Our Hangul That Brightened the World” through the 31st. The work of dictionary editors, including Kim Mi-hye, editor of “Bori Korean Dictionary,” will be introduced through interviews in the cultural webzine Channel YES. The exhibition features books on the history of Hangul, children’s vocabulary and spelling, and Korean-language learning for foreign learners.
The offerings also include “Sharing Korean Words,” where readers create and share sentences using Korean words they like, and a “Korean Language Skills Test” covering spelling, proverbs, vocabulary, and more.
[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter