The stories behind their books

“It explains humanity’s past and future from multiple perspectives.”

“이틀만에 다 읽은 책이 있어요. 지구 끝의 온실이라고. 진짜 재밌어요.”

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

“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.”

“사랑하는 우리 남편이 가슴에 꽁꽁 숨겨두었던 진짜 마음을 한글자 한글자씩 꾹꾹 눌러담아 책을 냈다. 엄청 떨고 있는 남편, 많은 관심과 뜨거운 사랑 부탁드려요”

“I usually don’t like rereading books because I want to hold on to my initial impression of them. I happened to find this book while tidying my room and read it again, and it was fun because it felt different from when I first read it.”

“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.”

“When I feel that my heart is short on kindling, the many thoughts and experiences that came to mind while reading this book rekindle a fire in my heart. A mysterious, time-machine-like book that took me back to happy, passionate moments.”

“We also read it very carefully like this. Right before it came out, we were really meticulous about the parts that were wrong...”

“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.”

“Paulo Coelho once said, “Travel alone or with your wife.” To me, it sounded like, “Travel alone.””

“The Little Prince”

“This book is called "If I Could Life My Life Again" by Hyenam Kim.”

“She wrote "What would've been better if I had known at age 40."”

“So like this, it was like messages that are very professional but also messages from my mom.”

“So I cried while reading this book too.”

“Unlike the poetry books I recommended earlier, this book is not abstract.”

“I recommend this book to those who want to feel comforted in a direct manner.”

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

“Last fall, an artist senior to me whom I’ve been close to for a long time recommended this book, and that’s how I learned about it. I’ve always trusted their recommendations, so I naturally became interested and opened the book to find inspiration while working on a project. I’ve read about half of it so far.”

“It opened my mind to the thought that anyone can live creatively in their own way. I was impressed by the idea that creativity isn’t something only special people have.”

“Creating something often comes with profound loneliness, and this passage helped me learn how to manage myself. After reading it, I felt more mature.”

“I recently read Harry Potter.”

“I’ve been active for about 13 years. I’ve worked with SHINee, pursued solo activities as Taemin, and also worked on a new project with SuperM. I thought I’d like to slightly change the familiar world I’ve experienced and built up so far, and show you a new side of myself.”

“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.”

“Eugene’s book is packed with content.”

“A book that gave me a lot of courage.”

“I was really burdened by it. When I heard they were making a musical about Big Bang’s story, like *Shout to the World!*, I was scared at first. And since this was only my second musical, I also wondered whether it was too soon to perform our songs. There were a lot of things I felt cautious about.”

“Meeting this book was a great stroke of luck. It helped me understand my fans a little better and made me want to become a better person. I want to hold on to the precious feeling of liking someone, too.”

“Because I want to make the contents of the book my own.”

“Then, when the members made their remarks, I was really moved. “Ah… this is crazy, like a movie. Right, this is what I had been missing.””

“2018년부터 심리상담을 받기 시작했는데 책을 써보면 좋겠다고 추천을 받았다. 글을 같이 보여주면 내 음악을 이해하는 데 도움이 될 것도 같았다.”

“This is a mystery novel I read recently.”

““I read it when I was young, too, but it seems to mean something different each time I read it. As I get older, and at each stage of my life, my interpretation changes. There are lots of plays on words in the book, and it’s a world of make-believe, isn’t it? They stimulate my imagination, and it’s fun to picture a Wonderland in my mind. And above all, I think the book’s strength is that it doesn’t force a lesson on you.””

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

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

“Maybe it’s also similar to the story of *Peter Pan*. So before this round of activities, I started digging into *Peter Pan* and went through various dark fairy tales. The dark fairy tales in particular felt new to me because they were different from what I knew as a child.”

“I recalled my solo trip, which moved between excitement and apprehension, anxiety and comfort.”

“i recently read a book called <me before you>. it was really touching. you should read it.”

“as i said earlier, there's a book called <me before you> and i hope you try and read it once. i think it'll be really fun if carats read it.”

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

“I think being a singer or entertainer is a profession where you’re only recognized if you achieve something big. You always have to come in first, set records, and win the grand prize at award ceremonies. People who are used to focusing only on major achievements—which can seem futile in a way—need to learn, as this book suggests, to appreciate the small joys of everyday life, or I don’t think they’ll avoid depression.”

“작가님이 일과 인생 그리고 지금의 삶에서의 어떤 반짝이는 부분들을 잘 기록하신 책이었고”

“I remember being captivated by Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea when I read it as a kid. I think I took myself back to that place for new inspiration and brought back a part of it as the motive to start writing Hope World. It’s an introduction to people who are brand new to [me] with me as Captain Nemo showing you around just as the submarine in the book cruised around the world’s oceans. I know this might sound really corny, but I invite you to pretend to be Professor Aronnax as you listen to this song and take a journey through my world [laughs].”

“Ah, is that it?”

“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.”

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

“This book and the “Gen Z Bookshelf” interview sparked my interest in reading.”

“It felt new to imagine the personalities and ways of speaking of the characters in the book.”

“After reading this book, I learned that it was a blessing just to have witnessed something invisible.”

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

“Something you absolutely must not miss”

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

“After reading this book, my image of The Great Library changed a little.”

“The book has so many meanings and I have a lot to learn from the Prince. [Despite his age], he’s emotionally more mature than adults. His values are incredible,”

“She doesn’t express her feelings well, but in every action, sincerity is included. I think she and I deal with things similarly. I try to express my real thoughts and emotions truly to others, but it’s not easy.”

“I believe that sincerity does reach others eventually,”

“the bond depends on how much each [person] cares about developing that particular relationship.”

“저도 진짜 어 이거 내 인생 책이다 할 정도로 너무너무 좋았거든요.”

“I went to Canada to study abroad when I was 12. I compiled the diary I wrote at the time and published it as a book.”

“After reading Edgar Allan Poe's Short Stories, I wrote the lyrics for the song “Curse,””

“I hope that those who long to take some time for themselves and find themselves will be sure to read this book.”

“이 책도 저의 개인적이고 일상적인 내용을 담은 에세이는 아니에요.”

“I like the scene where the protagonist is standing in first place among the other aliens.”

“When I read aloud part of “Just Because I Like It (Jo Yu-mi)” on V LIVE, or read song lyrics on the radio program STATION Z, I enjoyed it, but I felt even more disappointed.”

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

“I’m honored to receive the Content of the Year award. Grapefruit Apricot Club is a work that sincerely captures the reality the children face and the pure solidarity through which they hold on to one another and try to make it through.”

“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.””

“A few days ago, I took that book out and read it again... It’s still on my desk... I’m grateful to you as much as you loved me—no, even more than that... Rest in peace.”

“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 came across the author’s book Why Are We Like This? at a bookstore. Through that book, I discovered the author, learned about love, and received a lot of comfort.”

“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!”

“This is a book I’d recommend to anyone who wants to encounter and delve into a variety of poems within one book, and to anyone who wants to read carefully written prose.”

“엊그제 <한낮의 어둠>을 읽기 시작했다.”

“That is so true. I’m in such a good mood today. Even if something bad happens while I’m feeling happy, I feel like I have the leeway to just laugh it off.”

“때가 저도 있는데 다시한번 힘내서 열심히 살아야겠다는 생각이 들더라고요”

“As I was writing this book...”

““Rebonds” is a particularly special project to me. I’m very proud and excited to be part of this project supporting UNICEF. This initiative shows how important it is to protect and support those in need, especially children. Every child deserves equal opportunities in life, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the most vulnerable receive essential support.”

““I also read a book called ‘Moss Forest.’””

“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.”

“Recently, I enjoyed reading a book called Little Nicolas. It's like a fairy tale for adults.”

“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.”

““글을 쓴다는 것은 머릿속의 수많은 생각들을 하나 하나 정제해가는 여정이라고 생각합니다. 이 책을 통해 여러분의 여정에도 동기부여가 되길 바랍니다.””

“I like books, so I try to read.”

“I read *Romantic Love and Its Aftermath*. It’s such an adult book that I couldn’t understand all of it, but there was this line: “You can’t be in a relationship on feelings alone.” It meant that feelings of love or liking someone aren’t enough to be with a person; their tastes, depth of thought, and values have to align for you to become truly close to them. Just because you like someone doesn’t mean you can have a deep relationship with them. It made me think that the adults who say that, as time passes, only one or two friends remain really have a point.”

“I read a novel called Horrorstör.”

“DinDin reading at 4 a.m., photographed by my salon buddy Seon-ho hyung #TheInterpretationOfMurder #ILoveYou #KimSeonHo #JongminHyungToldMeToVote #DontBeUpset #DinDin #2DaysAnd1Night #DanbiIProtectedYou”

“I brought a book”

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

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

“As I got further into the latter half, I found myself thinking how astonishing it was. This is the first book that has made me feel that way. I was amazed by how it planted clues and then brought them back later.”

“I was so immersed in the work that I read it in one sitting despite being busy with activities. I even recommended it directly to the members.”

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

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

““A favorite book? The one I read this time was My Own Secret.””

““A Thousand Blues,” something like that.”

““The love and psychology between men and women in many different situations are captured like a movie.””

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

“"This is a classic rumination on how to live your best life, as if each day could be your last. It feels important now more than ever to remember that happiness doesn’t come from your circumstances, but your spirit. It’s a reminder to shut out the noise and be in the moment, whenever you can."”

“It’s a name taken from a character in the webtoon *Tower of God*. I was so gentle-natured, so the CEO gave me the name to make me tougher.”

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

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

“There’s a book called The Shell with Two Sides. The Shell with Two Sides. I thought it was one story, but it turns out there are several episodes. So I’ve been reading it, and I think it’s fun.”

“I brought a book, an iPad, and headphones with me, you know? Once I finish eating, I’m going to read a book. I’m going to read while listening to music.”

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

“Among the books I’ve read recently, I read a book called Reading Schopenhauer at Forty. Schopenhauer is pessimistic, but there are times when I actually find comfort in that aspect of him.”

“Writer Yoo Hee-seon, your warm heart comes through. I’m cheering you on. #I’llReadItWell #Don’tCarelesslyTalkAboutMe book”

“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.”

“I’m going to read my first book (manga) today!”

“I like reading books.”

“It's interesting.”

“It really feels like a book tailored just for Lily.”

“I recommend it. Give it a read.”

“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’ve been interested in investing lately, but I can’t afford to invest carelessly.”

“I like Kafka’s The Metamorphosis.”

“Actually, while creating the music for this show, I think I drew a lot of inspiration from books and videos I liked when I was young. For example, I worked with books like Peter Pan and Snow White, and videos of myself playing outdoors as a child playing in the background.”

“I wondered how a lie could be elegant, and I was interested because it was by the author of Wandeuk.”

“This book is fun~!”

“Love as if you've never been loved.”

“The first flapping of wings toward freedom”

“'하하 엄마처럼 하하하'를 추천합니다”

“It is a quick-results diet book for getting bikini-ready for summer.”

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

“My favorite comic when I was young was Dragon Ball; I must have read it ten times.”

“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 👍”

“As I read this book and worked through the problems, I don’t think “really good” is enough to describe it.”

“I've been really enjoying Alain de Botton's book The Sorrow That Brings Joy lately.”

“한 문장, 한 문장이 아름다워서 추천하고 싶다.”

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