A recent survey revealed that South Korean adults read an average of 5.4 printed books in 2024, along with 1.4 e-books, 35.7 chapters of web novels and 42.8 episodes of webtoons. Around 80.4 percent of respondents read at least 1 printed book, making it the most commonly read format, followed by webtoons, e-books and magazines or webzines.

The study was conducted by the Korea Publishing and Reading Policy Research Institute, surveying 1,000 individuals aged 19 and older. Reading was broadly defined to include both print and digital formats such as textbooks, comics, audiobooks, web content and academic papers.

When asked about their reasons for reading, the largest share of respondents cited broadening knowledge and cultivating culture, followed by reading for enjoyment, acquiring professional knowledge and seeking comfort. The survey results have a 95 percent confidence level, with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points.


don@heraldcorp.com