[Publishing Industry Watch] Movie Box-Office Buzz Lifts Bookstores Too… ‘Project Hail Mary’ Tops May Bestseller List

Readers’ hunger for space returns the title to the bestseller summit

By far, the top predator in the May publishing market was 'Andy Weir'’s SF blockbuster 'Project Hail Mary'. According to '200 Books in the Spotlight in May', a report released by the Korea Creative Content Agency after a precise analysis of sales tracking data from 433 regional bookstores nationwide and major chains (Kyobo Book Centre, YES24, and Aladin), the book surged to the No. 1 spot for the most-sold title on the strength of overwhelming figures.

Originally translated and published in Korea in 2021, 'Project Hail Mary' is the work that caps the so-called space trilogy linking 'The Martian' and 'Artemis'. In particular, when a movie adaptation of the same name hit theaters in March, public intellectual curiosity toward the original exploded. As a result, it is writing an unprecedented record of holding No. 1 in the combined bestseller rankings for five straight months from January through May this year.

A bookstore landscape where literature, practicality, and intellectual play intersect

The No. 2 title, following the absolute leader, was 'Hancommon Boys & Girls 22', an children’s comic series with a solid fan base, showcasing the strength of kid-focused content. A varied lineup that captured both readers’ attention in literary circles and the wider public formed the upper tier.

• 3rd place: the novel 'Jamon Grape Club' by 'HanroRo'

• 4th place: 'Kim Jin', anchor and author’s humanities and lifestyle book 'Knowledge Briefing for Conversations with Class'

• 5th place: 'Kim Aeran'’s novel 'I Said Goodbye'

Beyond these, books spanning classics, philosophy, and self-development also earned sharp picks from readers, including 'Nietzsche’s Overman' (6th), 'Sophistry' (7th), 'Inner Strength' (8th), 'Siddhartha' (9th), and 'A Minimal Thought for Life' (10th).

The May publishing market shrinks to a 135.9 billion won scale amid elections and a slump

Behind the dazzling box-office-style performance of individual titles, there is a temporary blast of cold weather across the overall market. Total sales in the publishing sector for May came to 135.9 billion won, down 6.9% from the previous month (146.0 billion won). Still, compared with the same period last year (137.0 billion won), it rose slightly by 2.0%, suggesting the market’s baseline resilience remains intact.

A key person at the Publishing Distribution Integrated Computer Network said, "Along with a new-book drought affecting large best-selling authors, the main factor behind the sales decline was that a major political event—the local elections—diverted public attention." The person added, "Even the traditional Children's Day special was only at a level lower than usual."