The Era of E-books
With the widespread adoption of smartphones and tablets, the e-book market is experiencing rapid growth. As of 2025, the global e-book market is worth approximately $20 billion, with explosive growth particularly in Asian markets.
Advantages of E-books
- Portability: Carry thousands of books on a single smartphone.
- Instant Purchase: Download any book anytime, anywhere.
- Price: 20-30% cheaper than paper books due to no printing costs.
- Search Function: Quickly find the content you need.
- Font Adjustment: Freely adjust text size and background color.
The Charm of Paper Books
- Tactile Experience: The sensation of turning pages is irreplaceable.
- Eye Health: Read without blue light concerns.
- Collection Value: Books on shelves add to interior design.
- Focus: Read without notification distractions.
- Gifting: Nothing beats a paper book as a heartfelt gift.
Genre Preferences
Preferences vary by genre. Web novels and light novels overwhelmingly favor e-books, while essays and poetry have higher paper book preference. Comics/Webtoons favor tablets for color expression.
Future Outlook
E-books and paper books coexist rather than compete. With AI advancement, e-books gain features like voice support and real-time translation, while paper books evolve toward limited editions and art books with higher collectible value.