Shine by Jessica Jung
Written by former Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung, Shine follows seventeen-year-old K-pop trainee Rachel Kim. Rachel faces bullying from the other trainees due to her Korean American upbringing and her unfamiliarity with traditional Korean etiquette. Her mother also does not support Rachel’s dream of being a K-pop idol, as she has been training for six years without debuting. Then, the CEO of Rachel’s company announces that the best female trainee will get to sing a duet with popular boy-band member Jason Lee, Rachel’s crush. Rachel must find a way to win the duet while also wrestling with her feelings for Jason in an industry that doesn’t react well to romantic relationships.
I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee
In the fat-phobic world of K-pop, Skye Shin is an anomaly. Despite societal norms, Skye has always dreamed of being an idol, and it looks like her dream might come true when she gets the chance to audition for a popular K-pop competition. As Skye is thrown into the competition, she must deal with being the outsider, the pressures of being in the public eye, and a budding romance with fellow competitor, Henry Cho. Still, Skye is determined to make her dreams come true and become the first plus-sized K-pop idol.
XOXO by Axie Oh
Jenny is a cello prodigy who knows exactly what she wants: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. She’s careful, driven, and sure to succeed. However, when she meets a boy named Jaewoo at her uncle’s karaoke bar, she loses focus. They spend one great, magical night together, but then he disappears without a word. After three months, Jenny and her mother travel to South Korea to care for her sick grandmother, and she gets the shock of a lifetime when she finds out that Jaewoo is not only a student at her new school, but also a famous K-pop idol. Jenny must navigate a new country and culture while also wrestling with her feelings for Jaewoo and her desire to succeed as a musician.
K-pop Confidential by Stephan Lee
Candace Park is a Korean American teenager obsessed with K-pop, more specifically, SLK, the biggest boy group on the planet. She also dreams of becoming a K-pop idol herself, and gets her chance when she auditions for SLK’s label and scores a spot in their trainee program. Candace is thrown into the grueling world of trainee life, learning to sing, dance, and speak Korean fluently. There are endless rules to follow, the main one being no dating, which becomes a problem when she meets a fellow male trainee and develops a crush. Despite the hardships and pressures of her family, Candace is determined to debut as a K-pop idol.
These books give readers and fans great insight into the K-pop industry and idols, even though they are not about real-world groups. Whether you’re already a fan of K-pop and want to explore your favorite music genre through literature or you’re new to the K-pop scene, these four books are a great way to dive into the world of K-pop and Korean popular culture.
Loren Ingold, Pine Reads Review Editor and Writer