In the First Half of This Year, Millie's Seojae Members Read 'These Books' a Lot

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] The reading platform Millie’s Library introduced the reading trends for the first half of this year based on the top 50 most added contents in members’ libraries. There were four main trends: ▲Adults ▲Places ▲Financial Investment ▲Comfort.

- Adults need adults too

The interview collection of the late Lee Eoryeong, who dealt with life and death, Lee Eoryeong’s Last Lesson, ranked 9th among the most added books in libraries. Additionally, Dr. Oh Eun-young, a psychiatrist, offered advice for the self in Oh Eun-young’s Reconciliation, which secured 10th place. Also included in the top 50 were Analects to Read at Fifty and I Read the Analects When I Feel Anxious, both containing Confucius’s teachings.

- Convenience stores, bookstores, and department stores have one thing in common: the places we meet most often!

This first half of the year, novels set in everyday spaces such as convenience stores, bookstores, and department stores received great love. In particular, Kim Ho-yeon’s Uncomfortable Convenience Store was selected as the number one most added book in libraries, continuing its hot popularity from last year. This book, which rose from word of mouth on Millie to bestseller status in bookstores, also ranked 3rd in audiobooks. The e-book and audiobook of Welcome to Hyunamdong Bookstore, discovered through the Brunch Book e-book publishing project, ranked 4th and 21st respectively, and Im Mi-ye’s Dollar Gut Dream Department Store also secured high ranks with 5th in e-books and 12th in audiobooks.

- Burning hot, the fiery passion for financial investment

The financial investment craze due to rapid economic changes was also evident in the Millie Universe. Among the top 50 most added books in members’ libraries, about 15% were related to financial investment and economics/management, including NFTs, real estate, and stocks. Notably, books such as Real Estate Investment Lessons That Change Fate, The Nature of Money, and The Giant’s Portfolio recorded a high completion probability of over 55% despite relatively long expected reading times of over 200 minutes. Additionally, foreign language study and self-development books, from 100 Days of English Transcription Miracle to Dale Carnegie’s Self-Management Theory, also made the top 50 list.

- Science and humanities delivering both knowledge and comfort

The second most popular book in the first half of this year was unusually a science book, There Are No Fish. This book is the first by Lulu Miller, a Peabody Award-winning author (the Peabody Awards are known as the Pulitzer Prize of American broadcasting), and was selected as the best book of 2020 by various media including The Washington Post. Although published by a one-person publisher in Korea, it became a popular book through various channels including Millie’s Library. Also, historian Yuval Harari’s Sapiens, which has sold over 21 million copies worldwide, ranked within the top 50 for both e-books and audiobooks, establishing itself as a modern classic within the Millie Universe.