Post-Nobel boom: Han Kang's novels exceed 1 mln in sales

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Han Kang's books have sold over 1 million copies at an unprecedented rate following her Nobel Prize in Literature win, according to major bookstores Wednesday, marking a new milestone in Korean publishing history.

As of 9 a.m., her novels have reached 1.03 million copies in sales across major online and offline retailers, including Kyobo, Yes24 and Aladin, since she won the award. E-book sales are estimated to have surpassed 70,000 copies.

Her works "Human Acts," "The Vegetarian" and "We Do Not Part" are among the top-selling titles.

Last Thursday, Han Kang made history as the first Korean and first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

According to the local book industry, Japanese author Haruki Murakami's "1Q84" was a sensational hit, selling around 600,000 copies in about two months, but it took eight months for the novel to reach 1 million copies in sales.

"When '1Q84' came out, there was a shortage of copies because of its popularity, but it doesn't compare to the demand for Hang Kang's books," said Kim Hyun-jeong, who's been working in the best-sellers department of Kyobo Book Center since 2008.

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
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