The creative and inspiring writer with his own unique style of storytelling who has been calling Korea his “second home” has once again proven to be one of the most-liked novelists of all time for Korean readers. (image: YES24)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent poll suggested that Korea’s most favorite novelist is Bernard Werber. The creative and inspiring writer with his own unique style of storytelling who has been calling Korea his “second home” has once again proven to be one of the most-liked novelists of all time for Korean readers.
YES24, Korea’s leading online bookstore operator, took an online poll for “Korea’s Favorite World Authors” through its official website last month, and Werber has been chosen as the “Korea’s Favorite World Author Alive” with 6,780 votes (9.7%). Famous “Harry Potter” series writer, Joan K. Rowling has won the second place with 5,422 votes (7.8%), and “Alchemist” author, Paulo Coelho, followed after her with 5,066 votes (7.3%). Haruki Murakami (7.2%), Alain de Botton (5.0%), Milan Kundera (4.1%), Guillaume Musso (3.6%), Dan Brown (3.5%), and Keigo Higashino (3.3%) came next in the list.
Bernard Werber, upon hearing the news, said, “It is an honor to be selected as Korea’s favorite author. Korea is indeed a nation of future. I should thank young Korean readers who have shown their interests in innovation and for a new world.”
For “Korea’s Favorite Classic Author,” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the world-renowned French author of “The Little Prince“, has won the title with 5,513 (7%). Arthur Conan Doyle, who created Sherlock Holmes, has won the second place with just 100 more votes than Victor-Marie Hugo of “Les Miserables.” Hermann Hesse (5.4%), William Shakespeare (5.3%), Ernest Hemingway (5.1%), Jane Austen (4.7%), George Orwell (3.9%) and J.R.R. Tolkien (3.6%) came afterward.
The online bookstore also took a vote in the best books of different themes. For the theme, “Sentences that inspired me,” “The Little Prince” by Saint-Exupéry, who has also been chosen as Koreans favorite classic author, has once again won the title for most inspiring and encouraging piece of writing with 4,742 votes (11%). For the theme “Summer Vacation of a 17-year-old,” “My Sweet Orange Tree” has been chosen as the best work, and for the theme “the Unsolvable Mysteries,” Conan Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes” series has been selected as the best mystery novel.
Paulo Coelho’s “Alchemist” has been selected as the “The One Book to Pack for Traveling,” and Haruki Murasaki’s “1Q84” has been voted as the Koreans’ most-cherished love story in the poll of the “All You Need Is Love” category.
An official in YES24 said, “Over 24,000 readers from Korea have cast their votes in Korea’s Favorite World Author Poll, which ended in a great success. We will continue to put our efforts in raising interests for literature and create a culture where good books are valued.”
By J. H. Kim (jhkim@koreabizwire.com)
