The stories behind their books

“The Little Prince”

“A book that comes to me when I make time to read, even for just five minutes, because I want to clear my mind and feel happy.”

“There’s a book I finished in two days. It’s called The Greenhouse at the End of the Earth. It’s really good.”

“An Ordinary Existence.”

“Sometimes in life, a single word from someone else can easily bring us down. This book talks about how to protect yourself and love others through “just the right amount of positivity and just the right amount of courage.” I sincerely hope that all of you readers will come away from this book with “just the right amount of positivity and courage.””

““I mainly like poetry collections. Poetry seems like the genre that best reveals a poet’s temperament and sensibility. Poets look at things we often see in everyday life from a different perspective and express them in a few words. I think those words often resonate deeply. In this collection, I like the poem ‘Knot.’ In particular, when I read the passage, ‘Do not call it a knot. The hardest part—once, this too was so tender and fragile. It was only that passion went too far, and after a single wound, it could never bloom again,’ I thought that a poet could see a tree’s ‘knot’ in this way, too, and something about it really struck me.””

“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.”

“Tongue Fu! is a book I've read several times.”

“A friend from my hometown whom I met then gave me a book by writer Yeonjeong called *The Sun Will Rise Tomorrow, but What About Tonight?* Rather than explaining how to overcome hardship, it simply presents difficult and happy moments as short episodes. It also has lots of beautiful words and comforting phrases. I was happy because, as I read it on the rooftop, I realized for the first time that I was enjoying that moment.”

“I really like reading mystery novels, and there’s a book called *The Awakening of Magic* that I started but didn’t finish a while ago. It’s a quiet book, but the ending isn’t quiet; I think I might read it again.”

“I’m not really into scary movies, but I find it so much fun to feel tense while reading a book. I like thrillers and mystery novels.”

“Watching that, I resolved to make an album the way I wanted.”

“I’m studying Japanese on my own using Japanese books. I work hard at it whenever I have free time between schedules.”

““Hatrick” is actually inspired by The Great Gatsby, which I was reading while trying to improve my SD reading scores.”

““I found The Buddha’s Words in a Modern Translation really impressive when I read it, and hearing the words gave me so much strength, so that’s what stayed with me.””

“I think young adult literature would probably be best for our baby DIVEs. I thought a book called The Wizard’s Bakery would leave more of an impression on your heart if you read it when you’re really young. So, our baby DIVEs, let’s read a fun book together sometime.”

“I enjoy calligraphy on a daily basis, so I like to read books that have great quotes in them. I would like to recommend a book called, “The Precious You” by Writer Kim Ji-hoon.”

“I first read it in middle school at a church student council book club, and when I picked it up again recently, I ended up sobbing all over again.”

“This is really interesting. You absolutely have to read it. People who create things absolutely have to read this. It’s a book called Sparks of Genius.”

“Nothing Big Happens to the Two of Us”

“The Courage to Be Disliked.”

“Please see it as an honest account of my experiences, not an autobiography.”

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

“I was interested in negotiation studies. I thought it would be good to apply them to everyday life.”

“I did my reading with those.”

“The process of a lonely cat and a person exchanging love and finding happiness felt so warm to me.”

“🐶 It's a book called A Good Day Will Surely Come! I read it really quickly... I've read two books this year... That's a first 🐶 But!! It's kind of!! a positive book?!? 🐶 When I read it, I feel like my personality and way of thinking are similar to mine, so I relate to it so much that I stop reading 😄😄”

“Actually, I haven't even read the book The Sorrows of Young Werther yet, so I think I'll start with joy!”

“Teacher, you taught us that the world is full of sounds, and when those sounds come together, they become music. You loved music and people until your final moments. May you have a peaceful journey on your long, long journey.”

“The most recent book I read was a novel called Whale, which comedian Park Ji-sun gave me.”

“There was nothing to do at the training camp, so I read books. I also kept a diary, and I cried twice.”

“Finding this book was a great stroke of luck. It helped me understand fans a little better and made me want to become a better version of myself. I too want to hold on to the precious feeling of admiring someone.”

“I think I read it when I was about six, starting around 11 a.m.”

“Of course, you need to have practiced enough, and you also need to be fully prepared in terms of how you look onstage. But what matters most is believing in yourself and enjoying the stage.”

“The book I read quickly and enjoyed just as much is Dante’s Divine Comedy. Turning each page is so enjoyable and fun.”

“The book I recently enjoyed reading was Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist.”

“My all-time favorite comic book from my school days was Comic MapleStory. I don’t know if you know it, but it was really fun. I think people from the first generation will relate.”

“I think this is a perfect novel.”

“When I go to a bookstore, I sit down, pile up a ton of books, and read. I like bookstores because people there don’t pay attention to others. I brought home a whole stack recently, too: “Children of Gaeng-i-buri Village,” “The Little Prince,” “Confession,” “March Is a Red Ravine,” and “Norwegian Wood.” I also have a poetry collection by poet Lee Byeong-ryul. I get a lot of book recommendations, really often.”

“Congratulations, I read 'Human Acts' while in the military,”

“A life journey with Dor!!!~ It’s a book I received as a gift~ As I travel through life with Dor, I should study Korean hard too, right? ^^♥”

“The Little Prince is such a famous work, you know. I first encountered it as an animated film, and later read it as a book. I want to express the feelings I experienced through contemporary dance.”

“I rarely imagine, while reading a novel, “What if I were to play this character?” But I feel like I might want to play Nakahara, the protagonist of this novel. Though it seems difficult.”

““The first book that made me cry while reading was Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Si Do.””

“Anyway, I recently bought a book about psychology.”

“In the end, both those inside the book and all of us outside it were alive, and living.”

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

“These days, I've been reading <When Attitude Becomes the Work>.”

“It contains ways for creators to express how they communicate with the public and inspire empathy, as well as methods for finding inspiration.”

“From a very young age until I became a singer, being able to learn vocal technique from Teacher Kim Myung-gi was a great blessing for me as someone who sings, and thanks to that, I was able to be where I am today. The methods I learned are presented in even greater detail in this book, and I hope that many friends who dream of becoming singers will also receive the same good fortune as I did.”

“For me, who has been running nonstop since my debut, books give me a little breathing room and help me gain insight.”

“After reading the book, I also gained the courage to take on a field I want to study, using my spare time even when I’m busy with group activities.”

“I’ve been reading a lot of books lately. I read Kim Ji-young, Born 1982, and I also read One Night When Little Things Became Big Things.”

“Though our nationalities, languages, and ways of expressing ourselves are all different, I feel that sincerity always gets through.”

“I immediately bought and read the translated original novel.”

““Reading is the foundation of music creation.””

“I’m rereading the novel Almond, which takes me straight back to my middle-school days.”

““I’ll recommend a book for the first time!! It’s a novel I’ve been reading casually whenever I have a little time: [My Don Quixote — Kim Ho-yeon].””

“I really want to recommend the book I’m reading right now to you all. A Man Called Ove. I bought it and started reading it without giving it much thought, just because people said it was fun. As I read, there were times I laughed, I almost cried, and I learned a lot. You should definitely read it 👍”

“So I recently bought this book, Eight Rules of Love by J. Shett.”

““The part I like best is when the man, who had kept his heart closed off, opens up to the woman and says, ‘Stay with me tonight, Clara.’ Even in the film based on the novel, that scene is the best.””

“It's really fun.”

“As I read this, I was able to learn a little about the CEO’s life before I joined the company, since I first got to know the CEO after I started working there. It was also a chance to spend that kind of time.”

“But these days, I’ve been reading a book called An Unexpected Season.”

“It's a book that gives me a sense of security.”

“Encyclopedia of Strange Diseases.”

““It was content that gave me insight and resonated with me.””

“The last book I read was in middle school—Life at Nine?”

“For anyone nurturing a dream of making music, this book lays itself bare, offering many treasures to take away.”

“I like writing by people who aren’t professional writers. They didn’t live in order to write; as they lived, their lives became writing.”

““I read Tuesdays with Morrie with my private tutor while studying English.””

“I had never taken photos wearing lingerie before. Since this is my first time trying it, I hope everyone will pay close attention to the photos of me wearing lingerie.”

“Reading this book helped spur me on in that mindset.”

“저 절창이라는 책을 사봤는데 재밌는 거 같아요!!”

“It’s a book I really hope you’ll make time to read.”

“I collected about 20 volumes of the Conan manga.”

“I also read poet Kim Seung-il’s *Prometheus*. Poet Kim Seung-il’s poems were very difficult, but I was shocked in many ways.”

“It’s provocative and captivating. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to turn to the next chapter faster.”

“Yes. I think I came to appreciate novels like that through The Unbearable Lightness of Being.”

“‘SAME STORY’”

“I brought it because Demian is my favorite.”

“I highly recommend it.”

“As I was publishing my book, I read Jeong Yu-jeong’s *The Origin of Species* and Shim Eun-hee’s *The Wind Blew in Ireland, and Waves Rose in My Heart*.”

“A book? Ah, but I haven’t finished reading everything yet... I’m still in the midst of reading it... Guns, Germs, and Steel... It’s sort of like a history book~”

“I read a book called “Courage To Be Disliked” which something you read in life, it really helped when I was stressed, it also helped me to become more mature.”

“Make notes.”

“And the book I’d like to recommend today is The Tea House at Cape Rainbow. It’s a book I read as I entered my thirties. Lately, I’ve found myself drawn to the author’s descriptions of scenery and flavors. When I encountered abstract and emotional ideas, I felt a deep attraction to the writing, savoring it as I formed my own images from my experiences.”

“"The Little Prince feels different every time I read it—now, five years from now, or ten years from now."”

“I’m going to read my first book (manga) today! This was a recommendation. Actually, Ni-Ki has also mentioned this series before. So, I’m going to give it a go.”

“This is exactly the book I want to find. It’s about the number 88 bus.”

“I’m Karon’s mom, Kim Jae-kyung, pleased to greet you as an author.”

“I don’t usually like fantasy romance books, but I read through the night without realizing how much time had passed. I read the entire series. The male lead, Edward, makes my heart flutter so much. And Bella’s lines are ‘so’ sweet, too. (laughs)”

“The book I’m going to read to you today is *As Long as I Can Remember* by author Baek Eunbyeol.”

“Actually, when I'm having a hard time, I don't seek comfort from anyone. I can't even read books like *You Did Well Today*.”

“Please give A Man a read.”

“At the time, I really liked the great insight I gained from the story of the Indians in writer Park Min-gyu’s book *Pavane for a Dead Princess*.”

“There’s a book by author Kim Eana called *Ordinary Words*.”

“A book I want to take out and read whenever I think of my beloved pet who went to Dog Star. I related to Jiyul’s feelings and was deeply moved by Byeol’s love!”

““Thrillers are the best airplane reads and this one is an all-time fave when I need a little escape from reality. I am personally addicted to stories about people who will go wild lengths to get what they want.””

““I’m really often hurt by words, and when that reached its peak, I needed kind words. When I thought I should soothe my heart with a book, I came across a book called The Temperature of Language. The title felt warm from the start, so I was drawn to it. Since then, I keep reading it whenever I have time. It gives me a sense of calm whenever I’m tired. I often feel the depth of words and the power of words with a ‘warm temperature.’””

“Recently, I liked Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist.”

“I found some time to relax on this trip.”

“The Miracle of the Namiya General Store.”

“Wow ㅠㅠ Make sure you read it all!!”

“The first Korean poetry collection I read when I was first learning Korean was *You Sometimes Think of Me, While I Sometimes Think of Something Else*.”

“It gave me an opportunity to reflect once again on the pride and prejudice that anyone can have in life. It made me think about the prejudices that can lead anyone to misunderstand others, as well as my own arrogance, and it is the book that has had the greatest influence on my actual values and way of life.”

““When I first read Blindness, I had a primal feeling.””

“I’ve read it all once, but it made such an impression on me that I wanted to read it again, so I brought it: Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight.”

“I wanted to watch the movie Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight, but I didn’t get to. Then I happened to find the original novel at a bookstore and started reading it. I thought the novel was interesting too, so I’ve been reading a few books.”

“A story where something special seeps in, seemingly without effort. Entranced, I found myself facing the finish line at the end of the book. Thank you for telling us about a youth as beautiful as could be.”

“I think I used to follow it a bit like a fandom thing, reading comics too, reading Lee Mun-yeol’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel, and watching Chimchakman’s Three Kingdoms.”

“As a celebrity, there are times when people criticize you and times when people offer you comfort. Reading this book, rather than blaming others, I had various thoughts along the lines of, “That’s just how people are; I should at least try not to be that way.””

“The book I’m reading is There Is No Such Thing as Nothing Now. I get a lot of comfort from it, and I’m learning how to think differently.”

“I have read the manga since I was little, so its characters have influenced me.”

“I had to appear on a broadcast and comment, and I referred to *The Temperature of Language* at the time.”

““Even with my busy schedule, I try to make time to read. I love those moments when I can focus and organize my thoughts as I read.””

“If there were no music in our lives, it seems the whole world would look black and white. Even after 23 years as a musician, classical music had always felt unfamiliar to me, but I was able to feel close to it through this book. The lively chronicles of the great classical music masters of the world, so vivid they felt like watching a drama, were truly captivating. If you’re looking for the easiest and most enjoyable book about classical music, I recommend this one without hesitation. Discover the birth of world-famous masterpieces in an enjoyable, accessible way.”

“The moment you embrace hope, a miracle happens.”

“It's interesting.”

“Two people, each with their own wounds, meet and make each other's everyday lives feel okay. To me, you're that kind of friend.”

“The way it unfolds is so unique and captivating that I read the whole thing in one sitting. I had been caught up in a hectic routine amid my busy schedule, but throughout the book, its gripping storytelling gave me a very new feeling.”

“I bought a book, not a poetry collection. <Quiet Excitement>. It's a book about what happened during the author's three-month trip to Europe. Even the really trivial things are written down, and they're all so cute.”

“Honestly, I’m not that amazing a person, but in the book I seem like such an amazing and wonderful person. (Laughs) It made me think I should treat myself a little better. It also gave me the confidence that I can do even better going forward.”

““The way it looks at events from a fresh perspective felt refreshing, and it’s an immersive book that allows you to think about the human nature the author intended to portray.””

“I enjoyed reading Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea when I was young. A song inspired by a part of that novel.”

“I’d like to introduce a book called At Dusk. Its main character is also extremely busy. This person is worn down by life and has a very hard time, yet still meets many people, falls in love, and keeps doing their best to live. I think seeing that comforted me too. If I met the main character, I’d want to give them a big hug.”

“내가 하는 위로가 살기 위해 한 위로였다면, 이 책을 읽으면서는 내 삶이 치유를 받는 기분이었죠.”

“I looked it up, and apparently one of them is water residue.”

“Today's book”

“And I ended up choosing these two.”

“I watched it, and it wasn’t childish at all; I really enjoyed it.”

“I’d like to recommend A World of Children to people who enjoy watching My Golden Kids and want to understand themselves and others a little better.”

“It’ll be a happy ending anyway”

“I’ve been very interested in composing lately, and the book contains a lot of things that people like me, who want to compose popular music, would want to know for themselves. People tend to think composing is difficult, but it explains very clearly and simply what composing is and how to do it. One of our songs is included in the book, too, so I thought, “That’s how this song was made,” and it brought back a lot of memories of recording and singing it at the time. It also helped me with composing.”

“Ah, is that it?”

“While reading a book, I suddenly came across a passage I really wanted to show someone... There is much to learn from the words of adults, then as now. When I was young, my father used to tell me as a matter of habit, “Choose your friends well.””

“You might think that a story about losing someone precious and getting the chance to see them one last time is a familiar premise, but the stories and heartfelt longing of each character will move you. I especially want to recommend this book to anyone who misses someone, or who wants to make up with someone after a fight but is hesitating. I hope you don’t lose someone precious in a moment of impulsive emotion and regret it later.”

“Perhaps the process of experiencing contradictions firsthand and making choices ultimately enriches a person’s life. I, too, want to live while gradually expanding the breadth of my life.”

“I found it interesting while reading Small Things Like These, so I finished Foster and am having coffee now.”

“That book, Na Tae-joo’s *Wildflower Life Lessons by Na Tae-joo*—my dad went to a bookstore, bought it, and got me a copy to read on the way.”

“Ah, but certainly, since the era is a little different from the tone we use these days, it feels distinct.”

“The scenes where Tsuchida, a bookstore clerk, delivers monologues about impressions he has formed while watching customers, family members, and others are striking.”

“I went to a bookstore, bought the book, and read it. It was written by an 89-year-old, and says not to put too much emphasis on whether someone is old or young.”

“Wouldn’t it be good to do something like “So What”? With something like this, it doesn’t have to be about this subject; it could be about something else too.”

“좋은 책이에요. 한번 보세요. 가볍게 보시기도 좋고 추천드립니다. 남녀 노소 모두가 봤으면 좋겠어요.”

“I used to read a lot. If I become interested in a movie, I look for the original work. The one I remember most is Pride and Prejudice. To be honest, the story was a little difficult, but I found the process of understanding it interesting.”

“The protagonist has the ability to see how much longer other people will live. A friend gets into an accident, and afterward the protagonist can see how much longer the friend has to live, which causes them anguish. It’s a novel that made me wonder whether being able to see the future is really a good thing.”

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

“Actually, there were many more kinds of baby food I fed Seo-a. I recorded them in a notebook or on my phone each time. They said the book shouldn’t be too thick, so I included about 20 recipes and snacks for each stage, making a total of 131 recipes.”

“This time, I bought a book called The Practice of Not Reacting. I wanted to calm my mind. (Laughs)”

“Wow, author Shim Yong-hwan’s new book #365DaysOfKoreanHistoryInOnePage is coming out soon 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻”

“I've read Tell Me with Flowers several times.”

“Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince”

“Please show lots of interest in my yoga book.”

“The command of language is so impressive, and it really draws you in. Right, it has that immersive quality.”

“When I was really into novels, I read the Japanese novel *The Age-70 Death Bill Passes*.”

“when I was younger reading like Lord of the Rings Harry Potter and the Narnia books”

“The book is called "Verbal Abuse of Comfort."”

“It's a poetry book by Doyoon Na.”

“This book is summarized in one sentence on the cover.”

“Although it's a poetry book, it's like... realistic, and it describes negative and sad emotions so well.”

“You might wonder, "Huh? How's reading that book gonna help you get comforted?" but...”

“Just like the title of this book "Verbal Abuse of Comfort,"”

“So here's a poem. Let me read it to you.”

“So there are lots of poems with this kind of a vibe.”

“I think the overflowing comfort from these poems really will comfort you.”

“So I recommend you read this poetry book when you're exhausted and going through a hard time.”

“To recommend books I enjoyed reading, first, “Ordinary Words (Kim Eana).” Even though I’d only read it, I thought, “The author’s thoughts are so healthy and profound,” and the author felt like a “senior in life” to me. And then, “On My 29th Birthday, I Decided to Die a Year Later (Amari Hayama).””

“I hope you’ll love it. You won’t regret it.”

“Recently, before watching the film Pavane, I read the original novel, “Pavane for a Dead Princess.””

“I brought it along to read on the plane or during waiting time while filming in Japan, and I finished it there.”

“When a film based on a book comes out, I tend to read the book first.”

“A film clearly shows you a particular image, whereas with a book, I can imagine things in my own mind as I read, and I like being able to immerse myself in it in my own way.”

“I had read it once before, and it was really difficult.”

“I read To Kill a Mockingbird back in school, and...”

“I’m especially enjoying the webtoon <The Return of the Mount Hua Sect>.”

“It felt very fresh to learn that the sijo poems in *Cheonggu Yeongeon*, which I had encountered only in textbooks, are being newly reinterpreted as K-pop lyrics.”

“I find myself drawn to the second brother, Ivan.”

“There are times when we can’t open up to anyone about anything, shut ourselves away, and feel empty. When our hearts are lonely like that, I think the most important—and truly necessary—thing is for someone to reach out first. The author describes that hand as “connection.” Just as I hope my music can reach someone like a hand reaching out, I hope this book will be like that hand, too. Hoping that love and peace will spread through the world instead of isolation, I recommend this book.”

“#Coloring”

“I read it too, and the elements were interesting.”

“I received this question and gave it some thought. So I reread the book and thought about it, but it was difficult.”

“All I could bring was a book and two pairs of AirPods.”

“At first, it was hard because I kept trying to write only grand, impressive words. I completed it by making a great effort to take the force out of my writing.”

“This one is a novel. I told you all about it, right?”

“I just hope everyone can be happy. Happiness isn’t something you can easily feel just because you want to, and it’s not an emotion you can copy or imitate, either.”

““I also read a book called ‘Shoko’s Smile.’””

“I cried a lot, especially at the parts about parents”

“Another one is a book called *All the Time in the World*. These days, everything moves so fast, and it’s hard to imagine life without videos like Shorts, right? This book is about a life of slow accumulation, in connection with quantum mechanics, and offers various perspectives on letting time rest, bending it, and stretching it. It’s a good read for people who want to create some breathing room in their lives.”

“A book I’m so glad to find, for me, who dreams of becoming a showbiz singer at sixty.”

“You have to put down deep roots so that you can stand more firmly as you grow.”

“At age 20, I suddenly remembered a book called *Reading the Analects Happily*. At the time, while reading it, I felt for the first time that my thinking was awakening, and”

“Rather, I think it’s a book that makes me look back on myself, so it has a lot of meaning.”

“I didn’t just read this book once; I read it several times, but…”

“Like the picture diary you kept as a child, try drawing your own memories each day, following wherever your heart takes you. Finding little moments of happiness in everyday life is quite a joyful thing.”

“I enjoyed reading Han Kang’s Yeosu’s Love and The Vegetarian, Yang Gui-ja’s Contradictions, Jeong Dae-geon’s Torrent, and others.”

“Dad, you watched over my incredibly demanding training and supported me all along—what a thoughtful dad! I’ll keep the “empty jar theory” you told me so often engraved in my heart, and keep trying to fill it with clear water and fragrant oil. You can do it too, Dad!”

“I think I’ve read these three books many times: You Too Are a Sky Mallow and Yeontan-gil.”

“Thanks to this book, I learned a lot about what I hadn’t known about everything that goes into an artist coming into being. I felt grateful to everyone who was with me, and is still with me, on the journey to becoming the ‘Baek A-yeon’ I am today. If you’re curious about the idol industry, this book will be a great help.”

“Art is close to us. I sincerely respect CEO Kim Do-hoon, who takes it and creates another kind of art. I think this book, too, is a “work” made from another part of Kim Do-hoon’s blood.”

“The photo and title on the cover caught my eye. Once I finish the books I’m reading now, I’d really like to read it if I have time.”