Roh Moo-hyun autobiography leaps to number one on bestseller list

Posted on : 2010-05-06 12:04 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Publishing officials predict that sales will continue to climb until the one-year anniversary of his death
 May 5.
May 5.

A “Roh Moo-hyun Gust” is blowing through the publishing world.

As the one-year anniversary of the former president’s death approaches, Roh’s autobiography “It’s Fate (Dolbegae)” has become a bestseller, recording an estimated 50 thousand copies sold over about 10 days since its launch.

“It’s Fate” has, in the bestseller figures of late April to early May of major booksellers including Kyobo, Aladdin and YES24, knocked the late Venerable Beopjeong’s autobiography out of the top spot it has held since March 11, to take the number one spot in all the comprehensive rankings. Sales are skyrocketing for earlier books pertaining to Roh, including “The Future of Progressivism,” and a string of related new publications are being published.

Publishing officials predict sales of “It’s Fate” will continue to rise until right around May 23, the one-year anniversary of Roh’s death, and perhaps even rise. Netizens have also shown keen interest in the book online.

In the member reviews for the book on the homepage of Kyobo Book Centre, one netizen left a post entitled, “Ultimately, I Cannot Support Roh Moo-hyun.” In the post, he evaluates Roh as “the most successful president,” coolly describing his accomplishments. What the netizens and readers point out in common is the contrast between the previous 10 years of democratic governance and the Lee Myung-bak administration. One netizen who left a review on Aladdin called Roh “my president, who was meek to the meek and strong to the strong,” expressing great longing and affection for the late president and strongly criticizing the current president.

An official from Hakgojae, which in September of last year published Roh’s memoirs from his administration entitled “Success and Frustration,” stated Wednesday about the book that has sold about 150 thousand copies, “From March through April, it sold about 50 to 100 copies a day, but entering May, sales have increased to about 300 copies.” Hakgojae has newly released a collection of accounts by Roh’s acquaintances called “Roh Moo-hyun Is Not Here.”

An official from Dongnyuk, which published in November 2009 “The Future of Progressivism,” a collection of Roh’s thoughts on democracy and progressivism, said that the work has sold about 40 thousand copies so far. The official said sales wavered early this year, but recently, it has been they have been on the upswing again. He also said the response has been positive to “The Country Roh Moo-hyun Dreamed Of,” which was released in April. “Honey, Please Help Me (Saetor)” written by Roh in 1991 to describe his life’s journey, sold around 100 thousand copies after his death last year, slowed down to around 20 to 30 copies a day for a time and is now selling briskly again at about 200 copies a day.

In “It’s Fate,” Roh evaluates his life, from his childhood and the Burim Incident to his presidency and retirement to Bongha Village, and describes unflinchingly and in great detail the changes in heart up to the moment he left his suicide note and in his final moments stood atop Owl Rock.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

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