RM, the leader of BTS, recommended Baek Se-hee's best-selling essay "I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki." The BC Agency announced on the 11th that 100,000 copies of the book were sold in the UK and other countries within six months of its introduction, and even the sequel rights were sold.
According to the BC Agency, which handled the export contract, the book was published in the UK in mid-June last year under the same title as the original Korean version. The British publisher Bloomsbury, known for the Harry Potter series, purchased the copyright and suggested that RM read the book, which he did, leaving a strong impression.
An official from the BC Agency stated, "According to Bloomsbury, the book was published on June 23 last year and sold approximately 100,000 copies in six months until the end of the year. This includes both paper and e-book sales." The book was sold in 17 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Poland, and copyright agreements with France and Turkey are currently underway.
Thanks to the popularity of the first volume, Bloomsbury has also signed a contract for the sequel, "I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki 2," according to the BC Agency.
"I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki" gained attention for its realistic portrayal of the author's experience with depression and receiving treatment through consultations with a psychiatrist. The book's popularity overseas is attributed to the global interest in the Korean Wave, including K-pop, and the author's honest expression of emotions about depression. The book was published in 2018 and sold 500,000 copies in paper book format in Korea alone. Kim Sang-heun, CEO of the publishing company that released the book, stated, "RM's social media post about reading the book contributed to its popularity in Korea, and this seems to have played a part in its overseas success."
Meanwhile, Bloomsbury has also signed a copyright contract for Hwang Bo-reum's novel "Welcome, I'm a Bookstore in Hunam-dong," which will be translated and published in the UK later this year.
Baek Se-hee’s book sells 100,000 copies in the UK and other countries within six months, with a sequel in the works.
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