Poet Na Tae-joo (Society of Korean Poets)
Poet Na Tae-joo (Society of Korean Poets)

The best-selling poetry collection in Korea over the past decade has been Na Tae-joo’s "I See You Like I See a Flower," according to online bookstore Yes24.

Ahead of World Poetry Day on Saturday, March 21, Yes24 released a 10-year trend analysis of poetry sales. According to the report, the book, first published in June 2015, led poetry sales from 2016 through 2026.

It appeared in the overall top 20 bestseller list for about five months and remained in the top 50 of fiction and poetry for 9 years and 6 months. Purchases were spread evenly across age groups, from teenagers to readers in their 40s.

The collection, which includes Na’s signature piece “Grass Flower” and a selection of his most popular poems, has consistently ranked among the nation’s favorites.

Known for its approachable style and celebration of nature, Na’s poetry has won fans not only among general readers but also among celebrities, including BTS’ J-Hope, Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon and actor Lee Jong-suk, who have publicly recommended his work.

The publisher told The Korea Herald on Friday that global sales have surpassed 1 million copies. The Korean edition has sold 870,000 copies, the Japanese edition 130,000 copies, and editions are also available in China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

A special limited edition celebrating the 1-million-copy milestone is set to be released soon.


hwangdh@heraldcorp.com