The stories behind their books

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

“I did buy it when I was just thinking, among the people around me, “Why is everyone so weird?””

“Then, after reading another work by Camus, The Rebel, I began to understand how he felt.”

“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.”

“Harry Potter. I want to ride a magic broom at least once. I’d also like to think about which team to join and which house to be in.”

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

“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.”

““I also read the slice-of-life novel The Uncanny Convenience Store,””

“I really recommend 0 to people like that.”

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

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

““While reading *Contradiction*, I was struck by the phrase ‘the volume of life.’””

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

“Through “Professional Lyric Writing,” I’m also learning a lot about writing lyrics that comfort people’s hearts.”

“The book I read recently is *I Almost Lived Diligently*. Because I almost did, too.”

“I read it, and it wasn't childish at all; I really enjoyed it.”

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

“It's interesting.”

““The music video was inspired by Georges Bataille’s book *Erotism*. It deals with the theme of breaking taboos, and I thought about how that could be reflected in the music and in what I would show. For example, revealing bare skin is still considered taboo in some ways. If a male performer takes off his shirt and the audience goes wild (because bringing a taboo before the public and having it accepted means overcoming that taboo), I wanted to understand and incorporate the idea of breaking taboos through that.””

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

““When I was 20, I suddenly remembered a book I had come across called ‘Happy Reading the Analects.’ At the time, while reading it, I felt for the first time that my thoughts were awakening. That memory led me to learn about thinkers other than Confucius, and I found ‘Essay on Eastern Philosophy,’ which clearly explains the main ideas of the Hundred Schools of Thought. I liked that the different philosophies and interpretations weren’t dressed up or presented narrowly, so I could read the book using my own judgment and thoughts. I think it’s a book that even people who aren’t interested in philosophy can easily approach, and that can serve as a first step toward developing a philosophy of their own.””

“I want the COVID era to end soon so I can set off in search of delicious food.”

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

“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.”

“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.”

“The 8 Rules of Love, by Jay Shetty.”

“This is a book I really love—ta-da, here it is: Demian.”

“It’s really good, and...”

“There’s a book by bell hooks called *All About Love*. In English...”

“As a member of the K-pop group tripleS, being able to witness the CEO’s concerns and decisions up close was an experience that taught me a great deal. At every moment of choice, I could feel the CEO’s sincerity and determination to do more than simply establish a company—to usher in a new era of K-pop. That journey is captured in its entirety in this book. I also found it deeply meaningful that I had become part of the CEO’s journey. I think fans will discover the passion and sincerity behind the scenes, while people in the industry will find new inspiration. I hope this book gives you the strength to set out on a new path, too.”

“Thank you, poet #NaTaejoo”

“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.”

“I read Gu Byeong-mo's book *Gills* three times.”

“Even things I had never tried and couldn’t say I liked often turned out to suit me and become things I cared about once I actually experienced them.”

“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.”

“Even though I may seem easygoing, I get hurt a lot. The book I read when the hurt caused by those words reached its peak was [The Temperature of Language]. I read whenever I have time. It gives me a sense of stability whenever I’m exhausted. And I feel the depth of words and the power of words with a ‘warm temperature.’”

“So, Dune is a novel that's been around for a long time, and I really like the book. It's very big and thick, but the story is really solid. I've known about it for a long time, so I've read the book and looked into it, but I haven't read it in English. It's something you have to read as a book.”