Korea Just Switched from Han Kang to Sci-Fi

Summary

A year ago everyone was buying Han Kang after her Nobel Prize, but now Korea's bestseller lists look completely different. Andy Weir's sci-fi novel "Project Hail Mary" is the bestselling book of 2026 so far, and it's part of this whole literary fiction comeback that's happening right now. Koreans are basically reading novels again — both Korean and international ones — and it's a whole vibe shift from last year's Nobel moment.

Why do we peek

Last year's Han Kang boom was kind of a national pride moment — everyone wanted to read what won Korea its first literature Nobel. But that was event-driven buying, people checking off a cultural moment. This year feels different because it's not about one name or one prize, it's Koreans choosing to spend time with novels again. In a country where self-help and essay collections usually dominate, that's actually a pretty big mood shift.

Main Story

Korea's bestseller charts have totally flipped since Han Kang's Nobel Prize moment last year. Andy Weir's sci-fi novel "Project Hail Mary" has been the #1 book for the first five months of 2026, and it's part of this bigger shift where Koreans are reading literary fiction again — both translated and Korean novels. It's not about one author anymore, it's like people rediscovered novels as a whole genre.

Backstory

If you're in Korea and want to see what people are actually reading, check out the front displays at any Kyobo or Youngpoong bookstore — they update constantly based on real sales. "Project Hail Mary" is everywhere right now, usually shelved near Korean sci-fi authors who are also having a moment. You'll notice way more novels stacked up front compared to the self-help wall that used to dominate these stores.

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