The stories behind their books

“I think I can take one step closer to becoming that kind of person only if I’m happy first and receive energy.”

“Saying, “Am I a fan or a disciple?”—the book I’ve been working hard to read lately. I wonder if I’m going to stop being a fan and become a disciple now, or if I’ve become more resolute at heart. Because I’ve lived like a fan, I find stories about life in the world really interesting; I’ve thought I was lucky, liked having lots of money, and felt proud when I achieved my goals. But I don’t want to miss it.”

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

““It’s kind of like a debate among philosophers about love, and, how should I put it, you can seriously think again about how love is being consumed in modern society, our attitudes toward dating, and things like that.””

“In life, you do things with many different people, and this book helps you keep the focus on yourself amid all that. I especially want to share the words, 'You don't have to do it well.' I recently tried acting. Wanting to do well matters, but that desire can also make you feel pressured and nervous. 'So what if I don't do it well?' Sometimes it's good to take things lightly”

“Oh, I started reading Guns, Germs, and Steel, but then I stopped, remember? It was so hard.”

“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.”

“I’m really enjoying it.”

“I naturally found myself listening to the Analects. If the Analects seem difficult, maybe you could start with short phrases like this so they’re a little easier to read?”

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

““I read your book Human Acts while I was in the military, Ms. Han. Congratulations.””

“Still, I’ve read three of this author’s books, and From the Shore is number one. I was reading it at a bookstore, then bought it right away and kept it.”

“Through Demian, the embodiment of the perfect, ideal human being, I discovered the essence of jealousy within myself.”

“This one. If Cats Disappeared from the World.”

“And this book—I'm reading it now.”

“I recommend it to you.”

“So, it was a fun book to read.”

“I recommend it because it’s such a realistic, relatable read about how suffering can be unavoidable.”

“When asked to recommend a book to readers, IU mentioned Haruki Murakami's *Hear the Wind Sing*.”

“Author! I read Human Acts in the army. Congratulations.”

“I think I was tempted by that blurb and read it. But it was such a predictable story... I read it in the bookstore and left it there.”

““I want to look back on everything from our debut up to now before more time passes.””

““The person who knows how to love themselves is the greatest person.” (From *315 Proverbs Worth Reading Even a Hundred Years from Now*)”

“Reading this book made me think that I should cherish and love myself more.”

“It's an interesting book. It's fun.”

“I sought out and read Pachinko because I suddenly wanted to get a feel for Korea’s modern history.”

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

“I regretted thinking, “Why did I only read your books now?””

“He has written many books, such as *Save Me*, *Will You Be There?*, and *Returning in Search of Love*.”

“I read Human Acts while in the military. Congratulations.”

“I ended up reading it on a whim because Chanyeol recommended it. When I read essays like this, I feel like I come to understand a wider range of lives a little better, and somehow feel more personally connected. I thought it was the kind of book that draws you into the situations and makes you laugh and cry along with them because they’re so absurd.”

“If I had read The Stranger earlier, I wouldn’t have chosen my original name, Rap Monster.”

“This book also gave me a lot of strength. It felt like it said exactly what I wanted to hear? It’s a book I’ve read several times.”

“It felt like a drama that portrayed a very mature love.”

“So we bought it together.”

“Personally, my goal this year is to read more than twenty books. I really enjoyed reading Human Acts again last year, so this year I’ll read lots of interesting books too.”

“A book I'm reading these days. I'm still in the early part, so it's too soon to say what I think of it.”

“Writer! I read Human Acts in the military. Congratulations.”

“I think they came up with a really good title. We often say, “I want to die.” But even while saying we want to die, it’s true that we also feel like having soju or eating tteokbokki. As someone who has also gone through dark times, I couldn’t help but relate deeply.”

“The book I’d like to recommend is [Eleven at Night] by author Hwang Kyung-shin.”

“I bought volumes 1 and 2. I’ve finished volume 1, and I have about half of volume 2 left.”

“I thought this really summed up the book The Contradiction very well.”

“This is a book called *Mythology*.”

“I’ve been really interested in Greek mythology since I was little. When I was young, I only liked the main figures, but there are so many other gods too, you know. I want to read about them because I’m curious about them…”

“I enjoyed author Park So-young’s Snowball. It’s a mystery with sci-fi elements, and it has so many twists. There’s also the pleasure of imagining.”

“I watched the movie and read the book, and personally, I thought the book was more beautiful and better.”

“Author! I read *Human Acts* while I was in the military. Sob, congratulations!”

“I immediately bought this author’s Brunch Award-winning book, “An Uncloying Essay Collection.””

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

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

“This book helped me a lot. It says exactly what I want to hear. I didn’t read it just once; I read it several times. There are sentences that speak to me the second time, and sentences that speak to me the third time. It’s a book I keep reaching for, so I recommend it to ONCE.”

“"thrilling"”

“"like a movie."”

“And I ended up choosing these two.”

“This book was written by my uncle, you know?”

““It’s really, really interesting””

“Author, I read *Human Acts* while I was in the military. Sob. Congratulations!”

“‘SAME STORY’”

“This is a book I started reading because it was at the TWICE dorm, and I think this book is exactly what its title says: “doing something for myself.””

“Give it a read. It’s short, so you can finish it quickly.”

“I'm slightly in love with it”

“So, if it hadn’t been this cover…”

“Not long ago, I read The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which tells the story of four men and women who are very different from one another. It seems to me that people are born as light as feathers and gradually take on weight as they go through life. Personally, I thought Sabina’s life was wonderful.”

“Writer! I read *Human Acts* in the military.”