Korean Buddhist monk Haemin ' s essay soars in British Amazon bestseller list SEOUL , Feb . 27 ( Yonhap ) -- The English translation of South Korean Buddhist monk Haemin ' s best - selling essay has topped the bestseller list on the British Amazon ' s general ranking , its Korean publisher said Monday . " The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down , " the British version of the Korean book of the same title , debuted at No . 1 on Sunday ( local time ) , Suoh Seojae said . The book was published by the Penguin Life on Feb . 23 . This image provided by Suoh Seojae shows the cover of the British version of Ven . Haemin ' s bestselling essay titled " The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down . " ( Yonhap ) The original Korean book was published in January 2012 and has become an instant bestseller with more than 3 million copies sold . Its publishing rights have been sold to 26 countries around the world , including the United States , China , Russia , Spain , Germany and Brazil . It was translated into English by Ven . Haemin himself and Kim Chi - young , who translated Shin Kyung - sook ' s " Please Look After Mom . " Its editor said through the Korean publisher that Penguin printed the initial 20 , 000 copies but now is preparing to order a second printing boosted by the favorable market response . The American version , out on Feb . 7 , has also been received well . It has sold more than 30 , 000 copies in just two weeks . " Perfect for readers looking for a respite from busy lives and tumultuous times , " the U . S . Publishers Weekly said in a review on the Amazon . Haemin Sunim " evokes a calm assuredness in his philosophy , reminiscent of Lebanese - American poet Kahlil Gibran , " it said . " Sunim " is a Korean honorific for Buddhist monks . Jack Kornfield , bestselling author of " A Path with Heart " and " The Wise Heart " reviewed it , saying , " Loving , practical , and kind , ' The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down ' is a beautiful reminder of the rewards of living wisely . " Ven . Haemin recently returned from a promotional trip to the U . S . at the invitation of the Penguin Publishing Group . He is scheduled to visit Britain next month for a media interview and lecture . sshim @ yna . co . kr ( END )