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3w ago

Translated Korean Books Sell Record 1.2 Million Copies Abroad Fueled by Han Kang’s Nobel Prize

LTI Korea data show that expanded foreign distribution has unlocked fresh global audiences for genre fiction; graphic novels have seen rapid uptake.

A woman buys Nobel laureate Han Kang's books at Kyobo Book Store in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, in this Oct. 15, 2024, file photo. (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • LTI Korea-supported translations sold 1.2 million copies overseas in 2024, marking a 130 percent increase from the previous year and an average of 1,271 copies sold per title.
  • Sales of Han Kang’s 19 translated works jumped fivefold to 150,000 copies in 2024; overall her titles amassed about 310,000 copies across 28 languages and 77 editions.
  • From 2020 to 2024, 942 translated Korean titles in 40 languages sold a cumulative 2.68 million copies, exceeding the previous five-year period by 730,000.
  • Market-specific hits included over 80,000 copies of 'Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop' in Turkey and more than 20,000 sales of 'The Second Chance Convenience Store' in Poland.
  • Genre fiction and graphic novels outperformed general titles, with Lee Yeong-do’s 'Bird That Drinks Tears' selling over 20,000 German editions and Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s 'Grass' exceeding 10,000 annual Spanish sales for three straight years.