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SNU Professor's Book Becomes Bestseller in China

A book of essays written by a Korean university professor that provides Solace, advice and guidance for millions of young people has become one of the top-selling books in China.

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"(It's) Youth, Because It's Painful" by Seoul National University Professor Kim Ran-do, has become a bestseller just 20 days after it hit bookstores there.

According to Chinese Internet site Dangdang.com, Kim's book rose from 243rd to eighth place in just one week of its release, and jumped to fifth place this week. It currently ranks between second and fifth place in terms of the site's daily sales, it added.

Lee Jun-hyuk, who works for the book's publisher Sam & Parkers, said its popularity can be seen as something of "a miracle". There have already been about 1,400 comments referring to the book posted on the Chinese site.

"I am surprised by the response to the book, because I did not resort to any special marketing activities, and I have never visited China", said Kim. "Perhaps it's because young Chinese are experiencing the same painful feelings that young Koreans are feeling these days".

He added that, "China's economy has developed rapidly, just like Korea's, and its young people, who have different values than older generations, have been left totally unprepared for the intense competition inherent in a capitalist society. Meanwhile, China's one-child policy has created a lot of lonely young people".

The book has sold 1.7 million copies in Korea since it was released in December 2010. It is set to be published in Japan next month and in Thailand, Taiwan, Italy, the Netherlands and Brazil in the first half of this year.

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