(Yonhap Feature) Books 'dress up' to fight recession By Shin Hae-in

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- Judging a book by its cover is obviously not a behavior worthy of a genuine book lover. But in economically depressed times, when even buying a book seems like a luxury, people can't be blamed for choosing a well-designed jacket over a banal one.

"I take much more time in choosing the books I buy these days due to my lighter
pocket," said college student Joo Ho-yoon, browsing at a local bookstore. "If I'm
looking at books by the same author, I naturally buy one with a prettier cover.
It's my way of maximizing the pleasure of spending."
A sweeping economic downturn left many local publishers last year with less than
half the profit they earned the year before. According to the Korea Publishing
Marketing Research Institute, 73 percent of South Korean publishers saw their
profits plunge an average of 30 percent.
As one way of overcoming the slow sales, many publishers turned to making
"cheaper and simpler" books. "Handy-books," which hit the market last year, are a
typical example.
By abbreviating several steps in the designing and printing process and using
lower-grade paper, handy-books are priced at around 6,000 won (US$4.50) -- nearly
half the price of ordinary books.
But price cuts may not be what book buyers are looking for, experts say.
"Handy-books have been selling, but sales have not been as good as we had hoped,"
said Han Soo-hyun, a sales manager at the chain bookstore Kyobo Book Center.
"Publishers may have read the trend wrongly."
So if it's not the price, what is it?
"If I were to choose between two differently designed books by the same author, I
would go for a prettier looking one, not a cheaper one," said Kim Young-ha, a
28-year-old office worker. "People who buy new books often hold onto them for a
long time. I'm sure they'd rather have a book with a handsome cover on their
bookshelves than save 3,000 won."
Trend experts agree.
"Korean readers tend to have more sophisticated taste when it comes to books,"
said Kim Sook-ja, a consultant at the Korea Modern Culture Research Institute.
"While Western readers prefer lighter books that fit into their back pockets and
usually do not hesitate to bend or mark the pages, Korean readers have
traditionally treasured books as something they should keep clean and hold onto
for a long time."
"People who buy new books instead of borrowing them or buying secondhand or
electronic books are obviously looking to possess a little more than just the
contents of the book. They want a bit of extravagance -- art, even," Kim added.
"In this sense, it might be more clever to focus on book design rather than ways
of lowering prices."
A translated version of the French book "Grand Atlas Historique" by Georges Duby
has been a steady seller here since 2007, despite the startlingly expensive price
of 120,000 won.
"It took more than four years to publish the book. Readers seem to recognize the
effort that went into making it and are satisfied with its quality," said an
official of the book's publisher, Thinking Tree.
Professional book designers are delighted with the trend.
Oh Jin-gyeong, who was awarded the best publishing designer prize by the Korea
Publishers Society last year, said people like her are the "sub-creators" of
books.
"The book designer must understand the subject of the book and the people who are
meant to read it, and make it communicate with readers through the right design,"
she said. "Book design is no longer a part of marketing strategy. It is a form of
art that completes the book."
hayney@yna.co.kr
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