‘The Uncomfortable Convenience Store’ Hits 1 Million Copies, Gaining Buzz on Millie's Library
Millie's Library Gains Attention as a Platform to Gauge Reader Reactions
Millie Original Works by Kim Choyeop, Kim Youngha, Hwang Boreum, and Lee Jungmyeong Continue to be Adapted into Secondary Content
[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] The cumulative sales of author Kim Ho-yeon’s book Bulpeonhan Pyeonuijeom (Uncomfortable Convenience Store) (Namuyeopui Ja) have surpassed one million copies, bringing significant attention to the e-book platform ‘Millie’s Library.’ This platform has been identified as the origin of the word-of-mouth that led to the creation of this million-seller (one million copies). Bulpeonhan Pyeonuijeom 1, 2 joined Dallagut Dream Department Store 1, 2 and Almond as the third work since the 2000s to surpass one million copies, earning a place in the Hall of Fame.
The word-of-mouth for Bulpeonhan Pyeonuijeom began when it was made available on Millie’s Library in June last year. After the initial public response was lukewarm for two months following the April release of Bulpeonhan Pyeonuijeom 1, the publisher Namuyeopui Ja decided to offer the book on Millie’s Library as part of its marketing strategy. The book quickly rose to the platform’s popular books list, gaining significant attention. Currently, the number of Millie’s Library readers who have added Bulpeonhan Pyeonuijeom 1, 2 to their libraries reaches 400,000 (including duplicates).
From the end of the year, positive responses were also confirmed in physical bookstores. Starting with Kyobo Bookstore in December, followed by Youngpoong Bookstore in January and Yes24 and Aladin in February, the book secured the number one spot on comprehensive bestseller lists. After the release of Bulpeonhan Pyeonuijeom 2 last August, both volumes ranked within the top 10 bestsellers at major bookstores. The book was named ‘Book of the Year’ for two consecutive years by major bookstores and media, and its publishing rights have been exported to eight countries worldwide. Next year, it is also preparing to meet the public through theater and drama adaptations.
This case has brought Millie’s Library into the spotlight as a test bed to gauge reader reactions before official publication. By paying a fixed amount, readers can access unlimited books without worrying about ‘getting their money’s worth,’ enabling honest reading activities that yield genuine content results. The combination of objective and subjective evaluations provides valuable information for publishers. While subjective evaluations are reflected through one-line reviews within the app, Millie’s Library’s e-book usage pattern statistics offer objective data. It is possible to analyze which age groups read the book, how much time they spent reading, and which parts they underlined the most. Beyond simple sales figures, this data serves as marketing material reflecting reader usage patterns (with one million active passionate readers). As the consensus grows that “if a book gains attention on Millie’s Library, it will succeed in physical bookstores as well,” publishers eager to capture marketing points are flooding the platform with love calls.
Kim Tae-hyung, Head of Content at Millie’s Library, stated, “Millie’s Library is gaining recognition as an important promotion, marketing, and sales channel for publishers. Until now, publishers found it difficult to obtain meaningful information beyond sales figures, but through Millie’s Library, an e-book platform, they can access data on how much readers of different age groups have read, and combine this with subscriber feedback to shape their marketing strategies.”
Many success stories have emerged through this approach. The Millie’s Library original content Welcome to Hyunamdong Bookstore, which has sold over 180,000 copies, recently sold its rights to the British publisher Bloomsbury, famous for the Harry Potter series, and is scheduled for English publication next fall. Kim Choyeop’s Greenhouse at the End of the Earth and Kim Young-ha’s Farewell, both released as Millie’s Library original content, have been well received by readers and recently confirmed for film adaptations. In the case of Farewell, it was pre-published on Millie’s Library in 2020, and after reflecting reader feedback, a revised edition was published later. Lee Jung-myung’s Broken Summer, another Millie’s Library original, was named one of the ‘Thrillers of the Year’ by The New York Times this year.
The positive reception of e-books is extending to paper books and visual media. Regarding this, Kim Tae-hyung said, “Currently, the majority of the 1,700 affiliated publishers record their highest e-book sales on Millie’s Library, and additional successes such as drama and film adaptations are being achieved. This is an encouraging phenomenon.” He added, “Millie’s Library is currently working on audiobooks, chatbooks, and dramas, and early next year, we plan to introduce a new secondary content format. We aim to create the second and third ‘Bulpeonhan Pyeonuijeom’ in various formats.”
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