The stories behind their books

““Finally😭 finished reading””

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

“Wow ㅠㅠ Make sure you read it all!!”

“It’s kind of giving me chills, but when I read this first sentence, I realized I’m the one who became Spencer as Holfield grew up.”

“If you want to read something a little better, I recommend what I’m reading right now.”

“I find it so amazing too, and hearing that the song I made as a gift for my child is coming out as a picture book like this feels quite moving.”

“I was surprised by the content, which seemed to look into the joys and sorrows I experienced while promoting as a member of H.O.T.”

“Uh, lately there’s an author I’ve been really into. I’ve been reading a lot of Hwang Jungeun’s books. The recently released Didi’s Umbrella is really good too, but I’m still reading it…”

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

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

“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.”

“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.”

“I read it straight through for eight hours on the 15th, which was a weekend, and my mother, whom I had buried deep in my heart and forgotten about in my everyday life, came to mind, and I sobbed uncontrollably.”

“It’ll be a happy ending anyway”

“I read Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, and I also read One Night When Little Things Became Something.”

““My time is musical notes; I’m making notes day by day. I find myself thinking, ‘I hope that on the day the piece is complete, I’ll be able to sing it with a smile.’” Is that the kind of meaning that comes to mind?”

“#Coloring”

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

“The sentences in between, connecting one story to another, are also so, so beautiful, so I’m really enjoying reading it.”

“When that exact verse appeared before my eyes among the tens of thousands of pages on the shelf, I had no choice but to collapse completely before the presence of the living Lord. It was supernatural confirmation that ‘God is dealing with me right now.’”

“I decided to take part in this project because I thought this book could give many people an experience like the one they might have from a moving film or song.”

““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.””

“The Giving Tree, but this feels less like it’s a person I am and more like an ideal I want to become.”

“Knulp is a book I found after reading Demian and becoming curious about Hermann Hesse’s work.”

“I was able to continue the lingering feeling I had experienced in this novel through that poetry collection as well.”

“As I read it, I kind of feel like I don’t know that much after all.”

“If I remember correctly, it’s The Jindo Dog Baekgu Returns.”

“These days, I’ve been copying passages by hand from a book called *The Buddha’s Words, Reinterpreted*. Regardless of religion, I chose this book because I personally found a lot to learn from the sentences in it.”

“The Three Kingdoms story seen from Cao Cao’s perspective—that’s what’s unusual about it, and it’s interesting.”

“When I was stressed, I went to a bookstore and a book called *That Sort of Person, Still a Person* caught my eye. At first, I was drawn to the cover and title (laughs). The passage I remember most from the book is: “Today is the only time when I can choose and put into practice what I want. If today, too, passes by like this, it will become yesterday, and I’ll miss it.” I think I was hurt and having a hard time back then, and I made up my mind to try to live this one day well. After reading those lines, I mean.”

“When I’m stressed, I think just going to a bookstore and looking at books can be comforting. Even if I don’t read it right away, just buying a book and bringing it home somehow makes me feel cozy and healed.”

“La Divina Commedia Written by Dante Alighieri 1308-1320 (The Divine Comedy written by La Divina)”

“They say one person’s life becomes a landscape for someone else. To EXO-L (EXO’s official fan club), I’ll continue to show you many wonderful sides of myself. Thank you. I love you.”

“As I was reading the book, my mom’s spicy whelk-and-noodle dish came straight to mind.”

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

““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.””

“My favorite series is Percy Jackson.”

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

“The lyrics and poems by poet Won Tae-yeon that touch my heart are always a gift. 『Today, Here, Us』 feels like an even more special gift.”

“I was able to spend time with the makeup team and photography team as if we were family, and the shoot was fun in a warm atmosphere.”

“I read books whenever I have a moment to gain indirect experiences.”

“It feels like only yesterday that I started yoga, and I’m truly happy to have earned my instructor certification and even published a book like this.”

““They say that there are five languages of love: ‘words of affirmation,’ ‘quality time,’ ‘gifts,’ ‘acts of service,’ and ‘physical touch.’””

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

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

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

“I remember being captivated by Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea when I read it as a kid.”

“I’m not saying this because I’m an emotional person, but give this book a read. It’s the kind that will annoy you… A person’s life is supposed to have a mix of happy and sad days, but they keep giving this person a hard time in life… Sigh… It made me think, “Wow, the author is cruel,” but it is fun to read.”

“The three books I read during this South American tour. They have different themes, but perhaps they form a mysterious combination that ultimately leads to one thing. In this era when everything is changing rapidly, what kind of mindset should we have as we prepare to face the world? What kind of mindset do those who, unseen, quietly bring about change in the world have? The reunification that is sure to come is not simply a burden but an ‘opportunity.’ The very foundation and basis for all of it is the ‘Gospel.’ This Gospel is not simply a message of love; it is the power of God that has come upon us, sinners. I’ve gone on a bit, but anyway, it was really good.”

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

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

“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.”

“Scary Stories Are the Best!”

“Writing a book had been one of my New Year’s plans since I was young. In 2014, I felt I had to do it.”

“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!”

“A writer who portrays a natural attitude toward life with purity and precision. The moment I read her writing, I already belong to happiness. It is a clear and sturdy world that only those who live as themselves can enter.”

“I love it so much that I’ve even memorized the page.”

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

“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.”

“Personally, when I read the book, I was moved by the line, “Even if I am tainted, I will give you only white things.””

“I also liked Hideo Okuda’s The Aerial Trapeze. Each short story features unusual patients who receive counseling and suggested treatments. I wanted to get counseling from Ibura, the doctor in the novel, too.”

“Perhaps it was a book that comforted and encouraged me at the time, as I acknowledged that period—which may have been full of mistakes and failures—and worked toward a better future.”

“As I read it, I found it incredibly delicate. Not only the expressions and descriptions, but also the emotional threads are woven together so intricately that it pains my heart as I read. I think it’s a book every Korean should read.”

“This book carefully explains how both cats and their guardians can be happy, accompanied by cute and fun illustrations. When you run into a problem that affection alone cannot solve, I’m sure you’ll be able to find an answer in this book, just as you might ask Teacher Nyaongshin for advice.”

“It's called 'You Shine in the Moonlight'”

“Even today, when the word “sublime” has been reduced to a tedious and stifling word, it is unavoidably sublime.”

“I like Kafka’s The Metamorphosis.”

“Our mountain grandfather, who grades our pointy day as a long oval.”

“Whenever I’m exhausted from practicing all day or performing overseas, Professor Shim, my spiritual mentor, has always awakened my self-esteem—the sense that I am the protagonist of this world—and given me courage. At last, he has published a book for young people. From now on, I should always carry this book in my travel bag. I sincerely want to recommend it to everyone I know.”

“Well, first of all, the reason I started reading it is—there’s a producer. The producer who first got me to debut on a program called New Nonstop, Producer Ginisi, and I have a book club, just the two of us. I was going to introduce this book…”

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

“I think it's a book that even people with no interest in philosophy can approach easily, and that gives them a stepping stone toward developing a philosophy of their own.”

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

“I was just about to recommend a work called Solaris.”

“This is exactly where my heart is.”

“That’s why I got completely absorbed in the book.”

“I brought “20th Century Boys,” which I’ve really enjoyed reading recently. It’s so good. I have the complete series.”

“I guess I replied to another post... As for books, I’m trying to read The Vegetarian now...”

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

“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)”

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

“When I come across a passage I like while reading, I take a photo of it on my phone.”

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

“I did my reading with those.”

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

“This is a book I really recommend to people wondering how they can do their work well.”

“I've been reading a book lately. It's called The Bare Minimum of Korean History. It does a very good job of explaining things concisely, from Gojoseon through modern and contemporary history. It made me think, “I should study more history,” and I hope many people will read it.”

“I like reading books.”

“Even deciding what to eat is a negotiation.”

“Prince is actually my favorite of the whole series”

“Among the many books, one is Music Short Story Collection, a book that gathers short stories inspired by music by five novelists.”

“Each chapter in this book is organically connected to an album track.”

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

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

“My life will be divided into before and after this book is published. If my life up to now was given to me so that I could write this book, then I think my life from now on has been given to me so that I can make people want to read it.”

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

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

“It’s a book called Do It for Myself.”

““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.””

“Since it was a book that prominently covered stories about Italy, the birthplace of poisoning, I brought it along on my business trip to Italy and read it twice during the journey.”

“Personally, I think a truly cool person is someone who has a poem memorized in their heart.”

“I decided to publish a book to share the happiness of cooking for myself.”

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

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

“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.”

“It’s Kim Byeol-ah’s novel Passionate Love. I haven’t actually read it recently, but it’s a book I recommend.”

“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.”

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

“This book was written by my uncle—my aunt’s husband, you know?”

“I recently read Harry Potter.”

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

““I recommend ‘Laugh Like Haha’s Mom.’””

“Until now, making music was the only way I knew how to talk about myself. I’m not someone who likes to go on at length to people about myself, so I had only put my voice into music. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to talk about myself through a book, in writing and photographs, I decided that since I was doing it, I might as well be honest.”

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

“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.”

“I hope this book can offer even a little strength and comfort to those standing at a crossroads of choice or feeling exhausted and weary.”

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

“It feels as though the pieces of Motown I already knew are falling into place.”

“It’s okay not to read it all at once. Keep it on your bookshelf and take it out whenever you need it or feel curious.”

“In a few passages, it does feel like things are simply being forced to fit, but overall it seems plausible, so I was able to enjoy reading it. It was so enjoyable that I savored it.”

“Since it’s time, I bought this book collecting stories about dreams from Franz Kafka’s writings, along with merchandise made based on the book—including a bag.”

“A Thousand Years of Love, Father.”

“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.”

“I watched Bait, and it wasn't childish at all. I really enjoyed it.”

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

“A few days ago, I took that book out and read it again. It’s still on my desk.”

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

“If your memories were slowly fading, who would you least want to forget?”

““I’ve been living in Korea for four years and have read many Korean literary works in English. Each time, I felt, ‘Ah, this is a translation.’ But I was surprised by how excellent the English was in these two works published this time. I think it’s at a higher level than the English I use. (Laughs.)””

“Poet Park Jun’s distinctive witty style was moving and touching.”

“I’m reading Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving.”

“In conclusion… I recommend reading it at least once.”

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

“Even the small, uneventful days without any big events must be one of countless foreshadowings in the movie of life.”