'Project Hail Mary' tops most-shelved list on KT Millie's Library in first half of 2026

"Project Hail Mary" topped the most-shelved list on KT Millie's Library, South Korea's largest reading platform, in the first half of this year.

Millie's Library released its "2026 First-Half Reading Recap" on Monday, drawing on member usage data including shelf saves, highlights, star ratings and "book of my life" selections.

Andy Weir's novel "Project Hail Mary" claimed the No. 1 spot for overall shelf saves in the first half, riding a wave of enthusiasm that accompanied the film adaptation's release. The book is the third installment in Weir's space trilogy, following "The Martian" and "Artemis," and follows a science teacher sent into space to save Earth and the unforgettable being he encounters along the way. Within the science fiction genre, it explores symbiosis, solidarity and cross-species friendship. The film adaptation, which opened in March, also reached No. 1 at the box office.

Kim Ae-ran's "Annyeongirageuraesseo" came in second and Cho Hyeon-seon's "Naui Wanbyeokhan Jangnyesik" placed third, underscoring the dominance of fiction on the list.

In the highlights category — where members mark passages that resonated with them — practical titles in personal finance and self-improvement dominated. "Jabonjuui Sidae-eseo Sarananamgi Wihan Chosohanui Gyeongje Gongbu" by Baek Eok-nam (Kim Uk-hyeon) ranked first, followed by James Clear's "Atomic Habits" and Lee Gwang-su's "Jinbo-reul Wihan Jusik Tuja."

Choe Tae-seong's history title "Chosohanui Samgukji" topped the star-ratings chart. Poet Na Tae-ju's essay "Neoreul Akimyeo Sarara" and Kim Na-eul's novel "Oneuldo Haengbogeul Guweonaemnida" placed second and third, respectively.

In the "book of my life" section, Kim Seul-gi's "Ganghago Areumdaun Halmeoni-ga Doego Sipeo" received the most selections, followed by Choe Seong-rak's "Bureul Bureun 5 Billion Won Dokseobbeop" and Christel Petitcollin's "Neoneun Saram Boneun Nuni Piryohagunnyo."

A trend of older titles making comebacks through media exposure and word of mouth also emerged. In January, "Choe Gang-rok's Cooking Notes" surged on the back of the Netflix series "Culinary Class Wars"; in February, Jeong Yu-jeong's "Nae Simjangeul Ssora," reissued with a new cover 17 years after its original publication, drew both longtime fans and new readers. In March, "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius — recommended by actor Moon Ga-young — climbed to No. 1, while Na Tae-ju's "Neoreul Akimyeo Sarara" regained attention in April and Lee Dong-won's "Eolguldeul" did the same in May.

On Millie Road, the platform's serialized fiction service, novelist Shin Gyeong-suk's new work "Keulliseutinauui Sasohaго Daedamhan Salm" generated significant buzz. The title began serialization in November last year and topped the platform's chart with a cumulative 140,000 views.

"Looking at the first-half reading data, we can see differences in how members enjoy books by genre — fiction tends to be saved and savored, while economics and self-improvement titles are actively annotated," said Lee Seong-ho, head of the reading division at KT Millie's Library. "We will continue to expand the reading experience so members can discover new books through diverse tastes and trends and enjoy them in their own way."