Novels Reign Supreme: Fiction Dominates South Korean Bestseller Lists

South Korea is experiencing a sustained boom in fiction, with novels dominating the bestseller lists in the first half of 2026. Internet bookstore Yes24 reported that novels secured the first through third positions and five of the top ten overall bestsellers, signaling a robust "era of stories."

The top-selling book was "Project Hail Mary," which benefited from the successful release of its film adaptation in March. This marked a significant shift, as the novel surpassed Han Kang's "The Vegetarian," which had held the top spot for the past two years. It is the first time in 12 years that an international novel has claimed the number one position on the half-year bestseller list, since "The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" in 2014.

Other notable fiction bestsellers include "Goethe Said Everything" by Suzuki Yui at second place and Kim Ae-ran's "Goodbye, My Love" at third. Han Lo-ro's "Grapefruit Apricot Club" consistently ranked in the top ten for fiction, poetry, and plays, securing ninth place overall. Yang Gui-ja's "Contradiction," a novel that has seen a resurgence due to the feminist movement, also continued its strong performance, ranking tenth overall and showing a significant purchase rate among readers in their 20s and 30s.

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The 'era of stories' is still ongoing, with novels occupying the top three and half of the top ten bestsellers in the first half of 2026.

The overall sales for fiction, poetry, and plays increased by 9% compared to the same period last year. International novel sales, in particular, surged by 25.9%, with significant growth also seen in purchases by readers in their 20s and 30s. The trend of "screen sellers", books boosted by film releases, was also prominent, with "Pavane for the Dead Princess" seeing increased sales after its Netflix adaptation.

Teenage readers showed remarkable growth, with their book purchases increasing by 84.5% year-on-year. They actively purchased a variety of books, including novels, poetry, and plays, indicating a growing engagement with literature beyond required studies. The report also highlighted a trend of reading as a tool for self-improvement and wealth accumulation, with a substantial increase in sales for economics, management, and investment books, reflecting a rebound after a decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. AI-related books also saw increased publication and sales, with a focus on titles combining AI and investment strategies.

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The overseas literature craze has solidified into a long-term reading trend, and the influx of teenage readers into the market is emerging as a new phenomenon.