Kim Jong-chan

Kim Jong-chan, a Korean student studying economics at the University of California at Irvine, is the archetypal early adopter, at least when it comes to products from computer maker Apple.

Kim (25) claims to be the first Korean to buy Apple's iPad tablet PC. Through a contact in the U.S., Kim was able to get an iPad delivered to him in Korea on April 7, just days after the product was launched in the U.S. And his comments about the iPad posted on the Internet were picked up by bloggers, online media and cable TV programs.

Now he has also become the first Korean writer of an online book on Apple's iBookstore. The book is about "how to publish your own book" using the iBooks application included in the iPad.

He was in Korea when he bought the iPad because he was serving in the Army, but he is now back to the U.S. to continue his studies. "I realized that I could write books and interact with readers without the help of a publisher," Kim said. "The e-book market through the iPhone and iPad connects you with readers in Korea and around the world, so it's worth giving it a try if you have interesting content to provide."

Kim's book was put up for sale on the iBookstore on June 20 and sold 80 copies as of July 7. Seventy-four books were bought in the U.S. and six in Europe. Each edition costs just 99 cents, which translates into total revenues of less than W100,000 (US$1=W1,183) for Kim. But he is not discouraged. "This is just the beginning," Kim said. He plans to write several more books and publish them through the iBook store.

"I am confident that I was the first Korean to buy the iPad and iPhone 4 and used those products extensively," he said. "I had the chance to use practically every smartphone on the market today, such as the HTC Desire, Nexus One, Motoroy and Sirius."

School work is not the only thing keeping him busy. He is also making a profit by developing iAd (Apple's mobile advertising platform) applications for the iPhone and iPad and selling them through Apple's on-line store. He has even translated into Korean an iPhone and iPad programming book, which will be published in Korea soon.

At present Kim aims to become a successful entrepreneur in the U.S. and set an example for other aspiring Koreans, but he hopes that is just part of a trajectory that will take him to the global stage.