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Backstage Pass #2
Play It By Ear
What does it really take to be a champion?
When East Genesis Project’s Jo Yihwan reluctantly pinch-hits for injured band mate Steven Bae in a reality TV-slash-talent competition, he decides he’s only in it to win. After all, he is representing his band, and the All-Kill Champion title had some handsome perks attached to it.
But he didn’t expect to meet a gutsy, driven teammate like Ha Yoojung, or feel drawn to her incandescent spirit week after week after week. He didn’t expect her to be carrying a devastating secret that could cost them the grand prize, either.
What starts as a competition becomes so much more. With careers, a long-held dream, and honor at stake, can Yihwan and Yoojung’s hearts survive?
Content warnings: Mentions of sexual assault
When East Genesis Project’s Jo Yihwan reluctantly pinch-hits for injured band mate Steven Bae in a reality TV-slash-talent competition, he decides he’s only in it to win. After all, he is representing his band, and the All-Kill Champion title had some handsome perks attached to it.
But he didn’t expect to meet a gutsy, driven teammate like Ha Yoojung, or feel drawn to her incandescent spirit week after week after week. He didn’t expect her to be carrying a devastating secret that could cost them the grand prize, either.
What starts as a competition becomes so much more. With careers, a long-held dream, and honor at stake, can Yihwan and Yoojung’s hearts survive?
Content warnings: Mentions of sexual assault
- GenresRomanceContemporary
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2019
6 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Tara Frejas
17 books58 followersTara Frejas is a cloud-walker who needs caffeine to fuel her travels. By day, she works in project management and events, and she writes down her daydreams at night. She began publishing fiction for public consumption in 2004, posting her pieces on various online channels like fan forums and Blogspot, eventually exploring other avenues like Livejournal, Soomp!, Tumblr, and most recently, Wattpad.
Aside from her obvious love affair with words and persistent muses, Tara is very passionate about being caffeinated, musical theatre, certain genres of music, dancing, dogs, good food, and romancing Norae, her ukelele. She owns a 6-month-old male bunny named Max who sometimes tries to nibble on her writing notes.
Fun fact: She's a Piscean. Go figure.
Aside from her obvious love affair with words and persistent muses, Tara is very passionate about being caffeinated, musical theatre, certain genres of music, dancing, dogs, good food, and romancing Norae, her ukelele. She owns a 6-month-old male bunny named Max who sometimes tries to nibble on her writing notes.
Fun fact: She's a Piscean. Go figure.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 15, 2021
Play it By Ear follows thru East Genesis Project leader, Jo Yihwan, being paired with Ha Yoojung, a trainee, in a reality TV & talent competition called All Kill Champion. Everything about it felt authentic (like the news articles and comments from netizens, authentic af) and I was immediately sold to the idea. What started as an awkward butting of heads between Yihwan and Yoojung...gradually shifted into them being one of the show's very competitive and creative duo. I adore their relationship, how they listen to each other's opinions and how they take constructive criticisms. I love when they brainstorm for their performances and when they have to come up with out of the box ideas. The set-up about the competition and their experiences in it were easy to imagine. Also the EXO mentions in the book, a total win for me.
But then there's a sudden twist in the story, one that hits too close with the recent headlines in South Korea. You may ask, what's that? Know about the scandal after scandal being unearthed and big personalities from the entertainment, business (etc) industries linked? Okay, I think you get the hint already just by that.
We need more Ha Yoojung-like people in this planet. Seriously. She breaks down (whenever she cries I get teary eyed too) but at the end of it all she's one tough gal. I applaud her guts to speak up and tell the world her story. Eventhough chances are people won't listen to her. She choose to stand up for herself, for other women who possibly experienced it too. I love her. ❤️
The romance, check. It was there, cute even, but it didn't overpower what this book wants to talk about. All the AmEnt and East Gen babies were great side characters. I'm keeping my eyes on you, Steven. I'm teased. 👀
I love this book and what it stands for. It wasn't just about the fluff. It dived into something recent, crazy alarming, and I appreciate it so much that we have this narrative of Yoojung. Thank you, Tara. 💛
But then there's a sudden twist in the story, one that hits too close with the recent headlines in South Korea. You may ask, what's that? Know about the scandal after scandal being unearthed and big personalities from the entertainment, business (etc) industries linked? Okay, I think you get the hint already just by that.
We need more Ha Yoojung-like people in this planet. Seriously. She breaks down (whenever she cries I get teary eyed too) but at the end of it all she's one tough gal. I applaud her guts to speak up and tell the world her story. Eventhough chances are people won't listen to her. She choose to stand up for herself, for other women who possibly experienced it too. I love her. ❤️
The romance, check. It was there, cute even, but it didn't overpower what this book wants to talk about. All the AmEnt and East Gen babies were great side characters. I'm keeping my eyes on you, Steven. I'm teased. 👀
I love this book and what it stands for. It wasn't just about the fluff. It dived into something recent, crazy alarming, and I appreciate it so much that we have this narrative of Yoojung. Thank you, Tara. 💛
May 21, 2019
So here I am again, completely fallen in love with another Tara Frejas novel. I swear Frejas's writing keeps getting better every damn time. Honestly, I went into this book blindly. I only knew that this would be about Jo Yihwan joining a reality TV contest to replace Steven Bae.
We all knew Yihwan from Scandalized, as East Genesis Project's band leader. Mostly aloof and brooding, but an actual cinnamon roll. Meanwhile, Ha Yoojung is a level-headed, won't-take-any-shit-from-anyone aspiring idol trying to debut in the business for years. Yihwan and Yoojung got paired up for All Kill Champion, a reality talent show.
Of course, I loved seeing the whole EGP gang, Fi and Gabe included. It was truly refreshing to see another side of Yihwan in this story. It gave me a better understanding of his personality. Yoojung's character was also well written. Tara Frejas really knows how to flesh out her characters and I do appreciate the amount of effort she exerts when creating and introducing new characters.
Play It By Ear captured the reality of the Korean Entertainment industry. From fan interactions and online buzz (including online hatred which is truly appalling) to dropping some piping hot tea that is power dynamics between influential people and celebrities. It tackled and called out the blatant abuse of power by key people, something the Korean Entertainment Industry is infamous for.
Storytelling-wise, I love how Tara included news articles, song lyrics and chat logs in the story which elevates the reading experience. I felt like I was watching a K-drama unfold through the pages.
Overall, Play It By ear was one hell of a ride to read. It's equal parts funny, inspiring, and FLUFFY!! I can't wait to read more from this universe, especially from that one man called Steven Bae.
We all knew Yihwan from Scandalized, as East Genesis Project's band leader. Mostly aloof and brooding, but an actual cinnamon roll. Meanwhile, Ha Yoojung is a level-headed, won't-take-any-shit-from-anyone aspiring idol trying to debut in the business for years. Yihwan and Yoojung got paired up for All Kill Champion, a reality talent show.
Of course, I loved seeing the whole EGP gang, Fi and Gabe included. It was truly refreshing to see another side of Yihwan in this story. It gave me a better understanding of his personality. Yoojung's character was also well written. Tara Frejas really knows how to flesh out her characters and I do appreciate the amount of effort she exerts when creating and introducing new characters.
Play It By Ear captured the reality of the Korean Entertainment industry. From fan interactions and online buzz (including online hatred which is truly appalling) to dropping some piping hot tea that is power dynamics between influential people and celebrities. It tackled and called out the blatant abuse of power by key people, something the Korean Entertainment Industry is infamous for.
Storytelling-wise, I love how Tara included news articles, song lyrics and chat logs in the story which elevates the reading experience. I felt like I was watching a K-drama unfold through the pages.
Overall, Play It By ear was one hell of a ride to read. It's equal parts funny, inspiring, and FLUFFY!! I can't wait to read more from this universe, especially from that one man called Steven Bae.
May 30, 2019
Full review here
---
Now, I’ve been informed by K-pop fans of how the e-industry works in Korea, but reading this book just made me gasp of how absolutely hardcore it is for these people. Evidently, it is much more difficult for girls, and Yihwan was able to summarize it as such, after Yoojung shared her share of horror stories:
It’s interesting to see the parallel between Yihwan and Yoojung. While disparities among genders isn’t foreign (in any industry), I appreciated how the author wrote about it in the book. It didn't seem forced, or preachy- they were woven into the story, and they were laid as facts. That this sort of thing happens, and sometimes it's just a crazy old loop that happens over and over again, with no one doing anything about it, because it can cost them their job, their popularity, their image.
As a pair, Yihwan and Yoojung do make an interesting couple. They’re not very in-your-face. In fact, I’d consider their pairing as cute, light- but mature. The level of romance could hardly be called cheesy, if at all. I felt more of friendship, support, and loyalty from these two before romance came into play.
I do regret not having read Scandalized first, but I finally got a copy and will be reading it soon. Though I found it difficult to read the book without Googling about Korean culture and Korean words, I fell totally in love with the secondary characters and that just levels it, tbh.
---
Now, I’ve been informed by K-pop fans of how the e-industry works in Korea, but reading this book just made me gasp of how absolutely hardcore it is for these people. Evidently, it is much more difficult for girls, and Yihwan was able to summarize it as such, after Yoojung shared her share of horror stories:
They were laughing about it now, but he was certain nothing about this was funny while it happened. If there was something trainee life taught him, it was that girls had it tougher. Sheer talent just wasn’t enough. If you didn’t conform to society’s ridiculous standards of beauty, you wouldn’t stand a chance.
It’s interesting to see the parallel between Yihwan and Yoojung. While disparities among genders isn’t foreign (in any industry), I appreciated how the author wrote about it in the book. It didn't seem forced, or preachy- they were woven into the story, and they were laid as facts. That this sort of thing happens, and sometimes it's just a crazy old loop that happens over and over again, with no one doing anything about it, because it can cost them their job, their popularity, their image.
As a pair, Yihwan and Yoojung do make an interesting couple. They’re not very in-your-face. In fact, I’d consider their pairing as cute, light- but mature. The level of romance could hardly be called cheesy, if at all. I felt more of friendship, support, and loyalty from these two before romance came into play.
I do regret not having read Scandalized first, but I finally got a copy and will be reading it soon. Though I found it difficult to read the book without Googling about Korean culture and Korean words, I fell totally in love with the secondary characters and that just levels it, tbh.
Read
August 31, 2020"...words were powerful. And when spoken from a sincere heart, words resonated. Inspired thinking. Incited action."
•
This is the second book in the Backstage Pass series and it's ya boy Yihwan's turn to get his HEA. 💗
Just like Scandalized, Play it By Ear is set in the dazzling but also cutthroat world of the KPop, but is presented in a different view bec all of it is set in South Korea now, with Fi only appearing in a short (but necessary) cameo towards the resolution. The heft of fame is still there, more present in Yoojung's character this time, and agh, a lot of my highlighted notes were just "CRYING" throughout her personal journey. lol. The small wins she's afforded at the beginning grew and grew together with her feelings towards Yihwan, and witnessing good and bad things unraveling (and Yihwan not knowing what to do) alongside it was super entertaining.
The romance started a little slow for me, tbh, but the moment Yihwan and Yoojung met? Agh, THE BEST! The heavy stuff is what I instantly recall (you know, bec I'm writing this review months after I read it) but as I write this, I remember more about how the sweet and light moments carried and balanced the darker parts, and really, at the end, the satisfaction of having them finally be happy - after everything! - is great! Each of the things they worked together to achieve, on screen and off, were full of heart and soul.
I had been saving this book for tough times and when I finally needed it, it definitely delivered laughs, comfort, badly needed tears, and all the feels!
•
"After knocking on so many doors only to have them slammed in her face, someone actually left one open so she could come in and stay."
•
This is the second book in the Backstage Pass series and it's ya boy Yihwan's turn to get his HEA. 💗
Just like Scandalized, Play it By Ear is set in the dazzling but also cutthroat world of the KPop, but is presented in a different view bec all of it is set in South Korea now, with Fi only appearing in a short (but necessary) cameo towards the resolution. The heft of fame is still there, more present in Yoojung's character this time, and agh, a lot of my highlighted notes were just "CRYING" throughout her personal journey. lol. The small wins she's afforded at the beginning grew and grew together with her feelings towards Yihwan, and witnessing good and bad things unraveling (and Yihwan not knowing what to do) alongside it was super entertaining.
The romance started a little slow for me, tbh, but the moment Yihwan and Yoojung met? Agh, THE BEST! The heavy stuff is what I instantly recall (you know, bec I'm writing this review months after I read it) but as I write this, I remember more about how the sweet and light moments carried and balanced the darker parts, and really, at the end, the satisfaction of having them finally be happy - after everything! - is great! Each of the things they worked together to achieve, on screen and off, were full of heart and soul.
I had been saving this book for tough times and when I finally needed it, it definitely delivered laughs, comfort, badly needed tears, and all the feels!
•
"After knocking on so many doors only to have them slammed in her face, someone actually left one open so she could come in and stay."
May 6, 2019
* ARC was provided in exchange of an honest review.
Play It By Ear is a novel that rotates around two artists in the Korean entertainment industry, Jo Yihwan and Ha Yoojung, that were casted to join a reality-show, All-Kill Champion, that boasts an interesting yet dangerous format by pairing up an idol and an idol-trainee. This is my first Tara Frejas novel and I was really impressed by how the narrations and conversations were smoothly executed and enjoyable to read. I love how there were multiple POVs that was shown throughout the novel and that shows a bigger perspective and understanding on how the whole plot was carried out.
Jo Yihwan is an interesting character (an honest one, as well) and his thoughts on the different events that happened shows his nice and caring attitude as a person. Ha Yoojung is a favorite, really. I'm a fan of the Korean entertainment industry and as a person who knows the harsh reality of girl group trainees, she's that person that you just want to give a big tiiiight hug for being a strong person that she is. The characters around the East Genesis Project and Amethyst Entertainment played their part well and having the text messages format is a good one. I also love the article and comments format which reminds me of Netizen Buzz and pann-choa.
Overall, that was a good read. The characters were on point, the plot was well-researched and the novel was beautifully written. I enjoyed and related to it a lot. :)
Play It By Ear is a novel that rotates around two artists in the Korean entertainment industry, Jo Yihwan and Ha Yoojung, that were casted to join a reality-show, All-Kill Champion, that boasts an interesting yet dangerous format by pairing up an idol and an idol-trainee. This is my first Tara Frejas novel and I was really impressed by how the narrations and conversations were smoothly executed and enjoyable to read. I love how there were multiple POVs that was shown throughout the novel and that shows a bigger perspective and understanding on how the whole plot was carried out.
Jo Yihwan is an interesting character (an honest one, as well) and his thoughts on the different events that happened shows his nice and caring attitude as a person. Ha Yoojung is a favorite, really. I'm a fan of the Korean entertainment industry and as a person who knows the harsh reality of girl group trainees, she's that person that you just want to give a big tiiiight hug for being a strong person that she is. The characters around the East Genesis Project and Amethyst Entertainment played their part well and having the text messages format is a good one. I also love the article and comments format which reminds me of Netizen Buzz and pann-choa.
Overall, that was a good read. The characters were on point, the plot was well-researched and the novel was beautifully written. I enjoyed and related to it a lot. :)
May 4, 2019
TW: car accident in chapter 1, discussions of attempted sexual assault, gaslighting, victim blaming
As with the first book this one gives some insight into the kpop culture. It was at times heartbreaking to read what Yoojung endured while being a trainee. And i think Tara really captured the hellfire the comments sections can be with fans who attack.
I liked how Yihwan and Yoojung's relationship grew and how he supported her 100% and believed her when she spoke of her past with a popular figure who tried to assault. He was ready to take down one of the show guys who literally victim blamed her.
I always love when we get chats with Fi and the other EG boys. They're always fun!
So this was a great read but be mindful of the trigger warnings cuz Yoojung thinking about her experiences and the cruel remarks from.fans can be hard to read
Getting glimpses of my faves Fi and Gabe got me excited for their novella :)
As with the first book this one gives some insight into the kpop culture. It was at times heartbreaking to read what Yoojung endured while being a trainee. And i think Tara really captured the hellfire the comments sections can be with fans who attack.
I liked how Yihwan and Yoojung's relationship grew and how he supported her 100% and believed her when she spoke of her past with a popular figure who tried to assault. He was ready to take down one of the show guys who literally victim blamed her.
I always love when we get chats with Fi and the other EG boys. They're always fun!
So this was a great read but be mindful of the trigger warnings cuz Yoojung thinking about her experiences and the cruel remarks from.fans can be hard to read
Getting glimpses of my faves Fi and Gabe got me excited for their novella :)
May 14, 2021
CW:
As I was reading this, I was reminded of a video of a kpop idol, Hui, singing "Swim Good" with KARD and losing my damn mind watching their performance. Their chemistry is so electric, and I kept imagining that must what it would be like watching Jo Yihwan and Ha Yoojung perform. As a fan of kpop, I understood and enjoyed all of the references to idol/kpop culture in South Korea. However I do think if you know nothing about kpop, you may be a little lost reading this. I also did not read Frejas' previous entry in the series, Scandalized, which I think would have helped me understand this book better. I'm definitely going to go back and read it now though!
As I was reading this, I was reminded of a video of a kpop idol, Hui, singing "Swim Good" with KARD and losing my damn mind watching their performance. Their chemistry is so electric, and I kept imagining that must what it would be like watching Jo Yihwan and Ha Yoojung perform. As a fan of kpop, I understood and enjoyed all of the references to idol/kpop culture in South Korea. However I do think if you know nothing about kpop, you may be a little lost reading this. I also did not read Frejas' previous entry in the series, Scandalized, which I think would have helped me understand this book better. I'm definitely going to go back and read it now though!
May 29, 2021
Thou shall not play favorites but this is the backstage pass book I've enjoyed the most so far? (Note: I love how the Backstage Pass series really shows both the glamour and pitfalls of the Korean Entertainment industry.)
I love how the romance aspect is there (and beautifully so!) but there are also ~Other Things that kept me hooked:
💜 Yoojung living the Y/N life, no lies 😂
💜 Noisy room chat log! I love these kids pls
💜 Mommy Fi & Daddy Gabe's tandem and teamwork for justice
💜 Will protect Yoojung with all my life 🥺 I swear this girl's power, talent, wit, resilience, and overall bravery is so freaking admirable.
💜 Seeing this other side of Yihwan is so refreshing. UGH I really have a thing for take-charge and leader-esque personas
tw: depiction of vehicular accident & survivor's guilt, sexual assault, bullying, anxiety/panic attack
I love how the romance aspect is there (and beautifully so!) but there are also ~Other Things that kept me hooked:
💜 Yoojung living the Y/N life, no lies 😂
💜 Noisy room chat log! I love these kids pls
💜 Mommy Fi & Daddy Gabe's tandem and teamwork for justice
💜 Will protect Yoojung with all my life 🥺 I swear this girl's power, talent, wit, resilience, and overall bravery is so freaking admirable.
💜 Seeing this other side of Yihwan is so refreshing. UGH I really have a thing for take-charge and leader-esque personas
tw: depiction of vehicular accident & survivor's guilt, sexual assault, bullying, anxiety/panic attack
October 22, 2019
I have always been a fan of Tara Frejas and one-clicking this book only reinforces this. Funny and full of heart, this romance takes us deep into kpop idol life, from the fun parts of camaraderie, the thrill of competition to its hidden underbelly. I've been rooting for grumpy boss man Yihwan's happy ending for a long time and couldn't have been happier seeing him fall and work for his happiness with strong woman Ha Yoojung. Yoojung is a girl after my own heart too. There may have been tears. Highly recommend
January 26, 2022
much more interesting plot and much more motivating characters, but still... ah.
lots more gripes with the writing and usage of korean language this time around. struggle struggle struggle
but again, touched on an important topic with regards to toxicity within the k-pop industry, and while it was resolved in a highly idealistic (and thus unrealistic) way, at least it was talked about.
(also: if your first strat is your "baby", why are you letting someone play it? why are you still using it? display cases, bro, i recommend them)
lots more gripes with the writing and usage of korean language this time around. struggle struggle struggle
but again, touched on an important topic with regards to toxicity within the k-pop industry, and while it was resolved in a highly idealistic (and thus unrealistic) way, at least it was talked about.
(also: if your first strat is your "baby", why are you letting someone play it? why are you still using it? display cases, bro, i recommend them)
November 15, 2019
A cathartic read...
It’s so great to finally read about Yi-hwan finding his own special someone. And the development of his relationship with Yoo-jung felt so natural I wanted to cheer so loudly when they admitted how they felt about each other. I loved how the author addressed Yoo-jung confronting the ghost of her past that it felt cathartic when her abuser was finally exposed for who he was.
It’s so great to finally read about Yi-hwan finding his own special someone. And the development of his relationship with Yoo-jung felt so natural I wanted to cheer so loudly when they admitted how they felt about each other. I loved how the author addressed Yoo-jung confronting the ghost of her past that it felt cathartic when her abuser was finally exposed for who he was.
August 21, 2019
review to come review to come im so far behind on my reviews omg
March 26, 2020
3.5
It was a little slow in the beginning but it had me bawling towards the end.
It was a little slow in the beginning but it had me bawling towards the end.
December 31, 2019
This author is an auto-buy for me because she does impressive plot and characterization. This one has a bold take on exposing the ugly of the Kpop industry, creative storytelling (incorporated articles, threads, lyrics), and a slowly-but-surely sweet romance: MC & LI work together to win (each other) at a talent show. Readers of her work won't be disappointed.
Here are all the books I read in 2019! :)
Here are all the books I read in 2019! :)
July 26, 2025
A cute read. Not mad at it
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