'Moon Jae-in: The Destiny' tops bestselling chart

A cover of "Moon Jae-in: The Destiny" special edition / Courtesy of BOOKPAL

The book is most popular among women in 30s

By Kim Jae-heun

Korean President Moon Jae-in’s book “Moon Jae-in: The Destiny” released six years ago has topped the bestseller list at local bookstores, a week after his victory in the 19th presidential election on May 9.

The book’s first edition was published in June 2011 to reminisce about the late President Roh Moo-hyun’s five-year term. It instantly became a bestseller, selling out all 15,000 copies.

Publisher BOOKPAL reprinted the special edition to celebrate Moon’s victory with additional photographs of recent candlelight rallies and Moon campaigning during the election period. The special edition is set at a lower price.

The sale of “Moon Jae-in: The Destiny” is particularly notable in online stores as it topped overall best seller list with only sale by subscription at Yes24 and Interpark and it is ranked second in the e-book sale section.

According to the country’s largest bookstore Kyobo Book Centre, the sale of the book’s special edition increased by 13.4 times after Moon became president.

Kyobo Book Centre revealed the book was more popular among women readers, as 64.3 percent of all buyers were women. Also, readers in their 30s bought the book most.

Over 40 percent of the buyers of Moon’s special edition memoir at Yes24, the country’s biggest online bookstore, were young women in their 20s to 30s.

The increase in sales of books on the new president reflects people’s expectations of Moon to lead the country well and fulfill his public pledge in his time, said Interpark merchandiser Kim Hyun-ko to the local press.

Moon’s memoir was first published to celebrate the second anniversary of Roh’s death in 2008. It is well known that Moon and Roh were close friends who met while working as civil rights lawyers. They had a long friendship and Roh appointed Moon as senior presidential secretary for civil affairs when he was elected president of Korea.

Moon resigned over his worsening health but returned to Cheong Wa Dae when Roh was impeached.

It is widely known the two shared more than just their political ideas in building a strong friendship. The book recollects Roh’s comment during his presidency, “Not Roh Moo-hyun’s friend Moon Jae-in, but Moon Jae-in’s friend Roh Moo-hyun.” The late president gave full credit to his longtime friend Moon and Moon included testimony about Roh’s administration and his perspective on his work in helping Roh govern.

The book constitutes four chapters: “First meeting,” “Life,” “Accompany” and “Destiny.” Moon describes the story of his 30-year friendship with Roh from how he first met the late president as a civil rights lawyer to when they become partners on the political scene. Moon remembers Roh as more than a friend. They walk the same path to their destination as presidents of Korea and Moon will carry on the ideas he shared with Roh to build a better country.