The stories behind their books

“Alain de Botton’s *Status Anxiety* and Lee Seok-won’s *The Ordinary Existence*. They left a deep impression on me when I read them, and have stayed in my memory for a long time.”

“After reading it, I was completely influenced by it.”

“My life will be divided into before and after this book comes out.”

“Ah, yes, yes, and then the one with three holes cut in a box, with something inside it, and things like that.”

““I’ve always liked author Kim Yeon-su. Many people may sometimes feel as though they’re losing, even when they try to find strength in their own circumstances. I feel that way, too. At times like that, a warm book that says nothing can become a very good friend. The author says he came to a realization while considering the various meanings of ‘the words that we don’t lose’ and discovering concrete examples of them: ‘To reach hope, one must inevitably accept despair.’ We’ve come to live through a difficult time, with many unavoidable realities, when everyone is having a really hard time. Even so, I recommend this book, hoping that each of us will find a way to make things better in our own way.””

“I tend to have a lot on my mind, especially before album promotions. I recently picked up again a book I read when I need to find my center.”

“I first read Siddhartha in November 2025. My family is Buddhist, and that summer we all went to see a monk we had been close to for a long time. He gave it to me as a gift, saying, ‘It’s a book I truly cherish and have read over and over, and one that helped me a lot in not losing myself.’”

“Before, whenever things got too hard, I would turn away from the situation and hide behind a mask. That was how I got through life. But I recently realized that someday I would have no choice but to face the weaker side of myself. I also came to understand that when that time comes, I can meet my true self, and the path forward becomes clearer. While I was thinking about those things, I came across Siddhartha, and its sentences came to me as if by fate.”

“That’s right. I remember a childhood moment when I saw my younger sister playing guitar and asked her to teach me too. After that, I taught myself guitar by watching YouTube and started writing songs. It was a turning point that made me who I am today.”

“I think that’s the central message this book is trying to convey. I, too, am constantly changing like a river, but at the same time, I was able to firmly inscribe in my life the wisdom that I am the river, and that my existence as me does not change.”

“Next, this book. That book too, now, Mr. Na Tae-jun...”

““After reading The Power of Positive Thinking and The Secret, I changed even more.””

“It's called 'The Big Picture' by Douglas Kennedy.”

“I read this in middle school... or high school.”

“It's very fun and provoking.”

“I read almost every book he wrote. I like this one the most among all.”

“Even when I read books, I imagine all the scenes as I go.”

“I also recommend <Happiness Doesn't Come Alone> and Sister Lee Hae-in’s essay book <Just Cry When Things Are Hard>.”

“God, this is not an illusion but a true, faithful answer from You. From now on, I will live not as Kwon Gi-beom of the world, but as a holy child of God!”

“The book I wrote, ‘Girl Group Yoga,’ is a book that even beginners can easily follow.”

“I stopped watching The Ravages of Time partway through.”

“When I first started writing, I felt more fear than excitement, but now I’m glad I can share my stories in writing.”

“To briefly explain the story, a pilot who crash-lands in the desert is one of the protagonists, and a little prince who suddenly appears before him asks him to draw a sheep. The two then build a friendship and get to know each other; it’s that kind of enjoyable novel.”

“So I really enjoyed reading this book, too!”

“Like the title says, I’d recommend it to everyone moving toward their purpose in life.”

“It's really fun.”

“I told that friend I really enjoyed reading *Gills*.”

“철학에 대해 관심이 없는 분들도 쉽게 접하며 자신만의 철학을 갖기까지 도움닫기가 되어주는 책이라고 생각합니다.”

“Father, I thank you for letting me know, even if only vaguely, the joy of a life focused on you.”

“After that, I started seeking out and reading Murakami's major works, such as Dance Dance Dance and Kafka on the Shore.”

“This is a book I'm reading. It's called The Consciousness of Seth Nutter. I went to the store, saw it right there, and thought, “Oh, I'm curious,” so I opened it up. I was struck by one sentence, and that's why I bought the book.”

“So I lowered the level a bit and set myself the goal of reading all of Minumsa’s World Literature Collection before I die.”

“That's right, people would tear it out and take it.”

“There are times when I feel that way too, but it made me think I should pull myself together again and work hard at living.”

“So I really, really recommend reading it.”

“<우리 둘에게 큰일은 일어나지 않는다>”

“Since I’m not a children’s book author, it was difficult to create new characters. I thought it might be a good idea to use Tori and Seoa, the dogs who actually live with us at home.”

“After reading No Longer Human, I also sought out and read The Setting Sun.”

“[Unread Book with a Pretty Cover #1] 'Don't Let Your Mood Become Your Attitude' by Lemon Psychology”

“It was the last birthday present my late grandfather gave me. He also wrote me a letter. Since it was a story about a grandfather and granddaughter, a lot of it really resonated with me. I kept reading it again and again—two or three times.”

“The Little Prince!”

“Most recently, I read a book called Almond that a friend gave me.”

“I want to return to my childhood and reread Jules Verne’s classic science-fiction novels, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in Eighty Days, which I read long ago. These days, my inner child helps me relax.”