Park Han-sol reports on Korea's financial regulators, along with fintech and insurance. She previously wrote about the art world, from biennales and exhibitions to fairs and auctions, with a focus on Seoul and the figures shaping the scene. Before joining The Korea Times, she spent a year at ABC News' Seoul bureau, contributing to coverage of major Asia-Pacific events.
Book sales increase amid pandemic
Book sales have shown a significant increase amid the pandemic. / Korea Times file
By Park Han-sol
By Park Han-sol
Amid the year-long pandemic and the everyday need for social distancing, demand for books has increased significantly across multiple platforms.
According to Kyobo Book Centre, the largest bookstore chain in Korea, its sales from the period between Jan. 1 and Dec. 6 last year increased by 7.3 percent, compared to the previous year. A major online bookstore YES24 saw an even larger growth of 23 percent in its sales from January to November, compared to the year before.
COVID-19 has brought changes to people's reading habits and their interest in different contactless mediums for consuming literature as well, especially in electronics and audio books.
Millie's Library, an e-book subscription service provider, stated the number of its users has doubled since the beginning of last year. According to the audio book platform Welaaa, its number of audio books as well as its users have also surged by 90.1 percent and 394 percent, respectively.
Such change in the demand for books is seen primarily as part of a general trend of people's interest in developing hobbies that do not conflict with coronavirus restrictions while they stay at home and telecommute. Moreover, as students took part in online classes, parents saw the increasing need to fill a learning gap for their children by purchasing education-related books and other essential reading for classes.