Shine - Alles mag in Liefde en K-pop

Shine #1

by Jessica Jung, Claudia Witteveen (Translator)

Juicy YA-roman over de ongekend populaire 'perfecte' K-popwereld

Debuut van Jessica Jung, K-poplegende en voormalig zangeres van een van de meest invloedrijke K-popmeidengroepen aller tijden: Girls Generation.

Wat zou jij opgeven om je dromen waar te maken? Voor de zeventienjarige Koreaans-Amerikaanse Rachel Kim is het antwoord op die vraag: bijna alles. Zes jaar geleden werd ze gerekruteerd door een van de grootste K-poplabels van Seoel, dat een aantal van 's werelds populairste sterren heeft voortgebracht. De regels zijn simpel: train 24/7. Wees perfect. Date niet. Makkelijk toch?

Helaas niet. Rachel begint zich af te vragen of ze wel sterk genoeg is om door te kunnen breken en niet gebroken zal worden door een industrie die erop gericht is om mooie meisjes te controleren en te commercialiseren. Vooral wanneer ze gevoelens krijgt voor K-popster Jason Lee. Hij is niet alleen charmant, sexy en belachelijk getalenteerd. Hij is ook de eerste die echt begrijpt hoe graag ze een ster wil worden.

Jessica Jung neemt je mee in de luxe, hypergekleurde en bizarre wereld van K-pop, waar de inzet hoog is en voor één meisje de prijs van succes – en liefde – misschien nog wel hoger is.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Music, Audiobook, Young Adult Contemporary

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2020

About the author

Jessica Jung, known mononymously as Jessica, is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer known for her work as a former member of South Korean girl group Girls' Generation.

Associated Names:
* เจสสิก้า จอง (Thai Profile)

Reviews

[jenny✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

9/29/2020: IT'S PUBLICATION DAY, Y'ALL!

✨ SHINE IS PURE ESCAPIST BRAIN CANDY. Tropes galore and angst that could put a K-drama to shame: I devoured this book in a single day and honestly had fun with it.



Not to mention ALL THE TORONTO REFERENCES 💖💖💖be still my Canadiana heart!

Before I go any further, though, I want to say that parts of this book are definitely problematic. I don’t condone fatphobia, and there is a not-insignificant amount of body-shaming and calorie-counting in this book that made me really uncomfortable. I understand wanting to realistically represent the toxicity of the K-pop industry, but this wasn’t something the book critiqued nearly enough (if it all). If these are things that are triggering or uncomfortable for you, I would suggest passing on Shine.

Is it worth it? That’s a question I ask myself every day. All the training, the lost weekends, the family sacrifices. The constant feeling of never quite belonging somewhere you desperately want to be. All to fulfill my dream of becoming a K-pop star.

✨ Not gonna lie to you: I went into this with really low expectations. I think most people are generally wary of fiction written by celebs, and I’m no exception (not to mention the cover looks like something I might’ve whipped up on PicMonkey circa 2012). Maybe that helped things, because I wasn’t anticipating anything when I cracked this book open.

Shine follows seventeen-year-old Rachel Kim as she trains to become a K-pop star in Seoul. She straddles two worlds, never quite belonging to either: too Korean for America, too American for Korea.

As the story progresses, we’re thrown into Rachel’s glamorous but cutthroat world. It was pure wish fulfillment fun to read about luxury hotels on Jeju Island and swanky international schools in Hannam-dong (that invite athletes like Adam Rippon to teach figure skating!!!). There were secret cafés for celebs—hidden within rundown warehouses designed to look like a slice of Paris—and engagement parties DJ’ed by Diplo. At one point, Rachel and her sister even fly on a private jet to Tokyo for a day trip.

What if I need more from life than a stage and a song?

✨ But Shine also explores the brutal standards of the K-pop industry. Trainees move into a house together so they can practice from sunup to sundown, perfecting their voices, dances, bodies, and images. Label execs control every aspect of trainee life: no dating, no social media. Gruelling physical punishment for anyone who can’t keep up. Intense dieting, body-shaming, and pressure to get plastic surgery (gross, gross, gross). And performance reviews every month means you’re always at danger of being cut.

Above all, there are incredibly toxic double standards for women in K-pop. From fans who rip into female idols (while fawning over the dudes) to execs who won’t hesitate to ruin a woman if it ensures a man’s success, the road to stardom—and beyond—is an unforgiving place for girls like Rachel. I liked that the book didn’t try to sugarcoat any of this.

There’s no limit to how brightly I can shine.

✨ For the most part, the writing in this book wasn’t bad, y’all!!! You’re definitely gonna need some suspension of disbelief for all the K-drama worthy moments (Rachel and Jason’s meet-cute involves a bush, Snoopy pyjamas, and Rachel falling headfirst into his back) and you’ll be putting up with a lot of catty and cliché mean girls, not to mention a TOXIC fixation on thinness. But this wasn’t the disjointed sentences and clunky dialogue I’d been expecting—this book genuinely made me laugh, and I really liked the banter between Rachel and Jason (up until he went FULL DICK MODE in the second half).

My favourite part was reading about Rachel’s love for her family: her Umma the linguistics professor, whose love blinds her to everything but Rachel’s suffering at the hands of K-pop; her Appa the former pro-boxer; and my fave character in the whole book, her little sister Leah—who is hilarious and endearing and the BIGGEST fangirl.

◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️

✨ Bottom line: This book reminded me of the reasons I enjoyed Zoey Dean’s The A-List and the Alphas series by Lisi Harrison. Sometimes you just want a good dose of glitzy brain candy featuring über rich/famous kids; Shine will deliver.




TW: bullying, body-shaming, dieting, mention of physical punishment

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All quotes were taken from an uncorrected advance reader's proof.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I start my review I have to address something. There’s lots of controversy surrounding this book and I’m not going to talk about it in my review so...if that’s what you’re here for—sorry. Another thing I have to say is that I am a fan of kpop, but I’m not biased.

(I think I’m finished with my disclaimers). On to the review then!

Rachel Kim, our protagonist, was born in NYC and moved to Korea 6 years ago to pursue her dreams of becoming a kpop star. She is a trainee at DB entertainment. Unlike other trainees, she doesn’t train 24/7 and is often called a “poor little Korean American Princess” by Mina Choo, our antagonist (most of the time). She is full Korean, a trainee at DB entertainment, and is the eldest daughter of one of Korea’s oldest Chaebol families.

Now introducing... the love interest, Jason Lee. He is DB’s newest kpop star, the golden boy, and he’s half-Korean and half-white.



The beginning of the book is solid, but near the end, it started falling apart and it felt like it was cut off just so there could be a sequel. I’m pretty sure if Shine was a standalone novel it would have been much better. Nothing much happened in this book. I felt that a lot of the scenes were filler scenes and probably could have been cut out.

The pacing is terrible. It feels very choppy and awkward. Sometimes the chapter ends with a very climactic scene and you expect the next chapter to be a continuation of that scene but, instead, the next chapter jumps to a week after that scene.

All the characters felt really flat and boring. I just didn’t care about them or anything that happened to them. Some characters just popped up out of nowhere and only had one purpose. Rachel and Mina were really catty, which I hate. Then, Jason is very blinded and doesn’t see through the double standards of the kpop industry. I’m sure his character was written to be charming, cute, and flirty but he just annoyed the hell out of me.

Some things in this book are very unbelievable. Yes, I’m aware that I am reading fiction but still... Of course, I have to talk about the romance. It was cringy, but I’ve read worse. I actually kind of enjoyed it in the beginning, but later on it was just annoying.

I actually do have some good things to say about this book (if you’ve made it this far). I enjoyed the bond that Rachel and her sister, Leah, had. I also enjoyed that this book mentioned fat-shaming, body-shaming, racism, and double standards of the kpop industry/society. Honestly, this is the only thing that is preventing me from giving this book a one-star rating. I just wish that this book had gone deeper into these issues and talked about them more.

To summarize all that I said above: Shine is a dramatic, boring, and cringy book. Sorry. I had high hopes for this book too. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequel.

Thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an entertaining, drama-filled book! I appreciate Jessica Jung for giving us an insider look into the K-pop industry. As a huge BlackPink stan – or at least a stan of their music and artistry – as well as someone who consumed K-Pop throughout middle and high school, I liked having the curtain pulled back to show some of the industry’s not-so-great and downright toxic elements. In Shine, Jung writes about Rachel, a Korean American teen who has trained at DB Entertainment for six years, waiting for her chance to debut. Rachel’s life heats up when she encounters Jason Lee, a K-pop star and DB’s golden boy. Rachel encounters drama with Jason, with her fellow trainees, with the public and with her company’s execs as she works her hardest so that she has a chance to debut and to shine.

I most liked how Shine outright exposes and names several problematic parts of the K-Pop industry. Jung does an excellent job pointing out the sexism in the industry and how K-pop male idols are often glorified whereas female idols are mercilessly critiqued. These portions of the book reminded me of the toxic ways in which Sulli from f(x) was treated by netizens, as well as how companies such as YG treat female idols like 2NE1 (e.g., calling them ugly) as well as many other incidents in the industry. Jung also names the complete lack of control trainees and idols actually have in their lives, especially female trainees and idols. These portions of the book made me reflect on capitalism and the extent to which a company can “own” an individual, thus eliminating their free will all under the pretense of wanting the best for them.

Despite these positive aspects of Shine, I wanted to feel more of a connection to Rachel, our protagonist. Her romance with Jason took up a lot of the plot, and I would have preferred to spend more of those pages learning about her internal motivations for pursuing K-pop as well as her internal reactions to all the toxicity she experienced. I also felt sad that her friendship with Akari got so sidelined in comparison to her relationship with Jason. Finally, while the book names and calls out sexism pretty well, it does portray some scenes with disordered eating behaviors and calorie counting in which I’m not sure those behaviors are explicitly called out. Furthermore, Jason is portrayed as especially attractive because he’s half Asian and half white, which I think is a function of white supremacy – that multiracial people who are half white in particular are more attractive or especially attractive compared to monoracial Asians or Asian Americans.

Still, this book gives me a lot to chew on. The relationship between Mina and Rachel made me think a lot about Jimin from AOA bullying Mina for ten years. Like, K-pop idols are put in a competitive, cutthroat environment with each other for over half a decade and it feels odd to me to assume that somehow those who debut were magically best friends the whole time. Like, I’m not denying that there probably are genuine and loving friendships and community there, but hopefully companies are taking measures to promote that camaraderie. I further hope that somehow the public starts calling for more larger-sized, not-so-light-skinned idols. This book also made me think about the mental health of trainees and K-pop idols and how I hope the industry is taking efforts to promote mental wellbeing and giving their idols more agency. Mainly I hope Jisoo, Rosé, Jennie and Lisa are okay and thriving and not just putting up a happy front because YG tells them too! Stan their songs “As If It’s Your Last,” “How You Like That,” and “Lovesick Girls” (and also continue to think critically about the K-pop industry while you do so).

[demi. ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

❥ 3 / 5 stars

rtc (if i’m not being too lazy)


Oct. 12, 2019 : I've been a fan of Girls' Generation and K-pop groups for half of my entire life so there's no reason why I won't read this book!

[The Artisan Geek]

10/10/19
Me finding out this book exists:

Been a fan of Jessica's and SNSD's music for years! I CAN'T WAIT!!

You can find me on
Youtube | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Website

[Molin · Rating 1 out of 5]

First of all, Krystal Jung i love you so much you're my entire world and i knew how much you love your older sister.

Alright then, lets talk about this book.
The cover? Awful.
The entire book? A massive big meh, BORING.

This book screaming a fan fiction so loud. Cringey, some sentences was cheesy and lame. A lot of unnecessary characters, made me as a reader feel so confused.

Well maybe she wrote the number of the member nine as same as her former group but whats the point? Why put a lot of characters with an useless effort? This is not an autobiography book, so whats the point?????

The romance? Insta-love.

Rachel and Jason first meeting was.. UGH.

"And that coffee is way too sweet. I’m saving you from getting diabetes.”

EWW SO LAME. Its 2020 books and still use that formula? NO THANK YOU.

For the last thing, the worst part, this book will have a sequel..... it will be much better if this book was a standalone imo.

[b. ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

entertaining in that “lol i wonder if this actually happened with snsd and jessica” way, but not actually entertaining in the “this book is filled with bad writing and one-dimensional characters” way

[Monte Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're going to pour one out for reading a book on the same day it was purchased. Like who is she? I don't know her.

As for this book, I was pleasantly surprised at how it managed to pull me in, almost immediately. I really enjoyed reading from Rachel's perspective and following her on this journey. I think from her reactions to her dedication to her goal were all really relatable. Some of the best moments were definitely in the third act, particularly when her relationship with Mina is explored more and we get to see some of the more nuanced aspects to it.

As for the romance between her and the love interest, I also really enjoyed it. I think that there was an element in the beginning that I wasn't quite here for and I couldn't quite put my finger on why it was, but I did like the arc that they had. Again, it was part of the story that was allowed to have a little more nuance and was a little more complicated and I really liked that exploration.

Rachel and her sister Leah also just had a great relationship and Leah really made part of this book just so much more enjoyable to read. I'm always happy when there are great sibling dynamics in books even if they aren't the central focus and I think that's definitely the case here.

As for cons, this book does that thing where we very clearly just jump through time slightly. I've never been fans of chapters or sections of text in general skipping forward like that, I often find it jarring and something that takes me out of the story. I can understand why it's sometimes necessary, and I'd say it probably is here, but it didn't always work for me. I also think that part of the time skipping resulted in aspects of the story very clearly being slightly underwritten or glossed over, sometimes even elements that I would have liked to see explored more.

At the end of the day I would recommend this book to other readers, though I'd also say that there is a scene where the main character is drugged and a couple of scenes with some body shaming content / bordering on depictions of disordered eating so if those are going to be an issue to know that going in. I think of the few books I've read that center an aspect of K-Pop this book tackles some of the "darker" side of the industry more so than others while still finding a way to balance the lighter moments.

[Shealea · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the first k-pop romance novel that I did not enjoy at all.

I'm sure that Jessica Jung drew inspiration from her real-life experiences within the K-pop industry, and it isn't my intention to discredit or to minimize them. However, I can't overlook the mediocre writing and one-dimensional characters, including the author's self-insert Rachel Kim.

More importantly, I deeply disliked the lack of self-reflection in Shine. Throughout the book, the author seizes any and all opportunity to criticize the long-standing sexism within the K-pop industry, particularly the double standards against female idols and trainees. However – and this is a big however! – the novel is embedded with so much internalized misogyny that remained unchecked and unchallenged. Most, if not all, the female characters are shallow, catty, and villainous. Even Rachel Kim finds satisfaction in seeing her fellow trainees, especially Mina, fail or receive abuse from management. It diminished the sincerity of the book's criticism since it seemed like sexism was only a problem for Rachel if it hindered her from her own success.

Thus, the book gives off the impression of virtue-signaling. Not exactly groundbreaking feminism that genuinely seeks to empower and emancipate idols and trainees, particularly young women, being exploited by the K-pop industry.

Not recommended.

Recommended alternatives:
🌻 Heart and Seoul by Erin Kinsella
🌻 I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee

Find more k-pop romance novels that can make your heart flutter.

🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
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[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

reading vlog: https://youtu.be/fWCasWkfWZ8

oopsies i'm so sorry but i couldn't get past the quality of the writing! lots of interesting insights into the k-pop industry but this felt like v poorly written fanfic

[Alex Nonymous · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing a digital ARC of Shine in exchange for an honest review.

So I'm not a Kpop fan (stan?). I firmly believe all YA book lovers are either into showtunes or Kpop and I fall firmly into the first catagory. Truthfully, I had no idea who Jessica Jung was until researching her and asking around after finishing Shine so this is my unbiased opinion as neither a fan of KPop, or this book's author.

So I don't claim to know whether or not Jessica Jung wrote every word of this herself or went the whole ghost-writer route, but if she did write this I'm not entirely convinced she's a human being. Celeb books tend to be a little off because if you dedicate your life to one difficult career it's near impossible to also be good at writing but Shine doesn't read at all like a debut.

This book was fun, sweet, and way more than it had to be and I love it for that. What could have easily been a cutesy, basic romance (and I won't deny that this is, these are definitely some incredibly cheesy scenes) turned into a really interesting look into a toxic industry and the sexism hidden beneath it.

Shine's a good read whether or not you like KPop and the weird amount of 1 star goodreads reviews it got upon announce will hopefully be counteracted by actual readers loving it when it's officially released.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, SHINE's main strength was in its honesty about how gruelling the K-Pop industry is for trainees and idols, and how it laid bare the sexism and double standards rife within the industry. It's supported by Jung's experience of being a girl group member, and there are times where you can just tell she's written a scene and incorporated personal experience. Although admittedly it's a little cliched at some points in the narrative (especially around the romance), it is the fun kind of cliched, and though some things seem way too extreme to be real, sometimes you never know.

full rtc!

**

Is there nothing Jessica Jung cannot do? What a talented goddess.

[Zala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shine is the book version of your average kdrama, but it was still a fun read. I hear that it's a bit autobiographical, which I can very much see. Korean American girl with a younger sister who might also want to enter the kpop world and SM DB Entertainment? Yeah, checks out. So I assume the inspiration for this novel was the author's own experience, plus some exaggerated kdrama features.

It was interesting to see so much of the kpop industry from the inside; a lot of common knowledge and some less known things were presented with no filter. All of it was there (and criticized): sexism, body-shaming, bullying, cutthroat competitiveness among trainees, lack of freedom for trainees/idols in all aspects of life, manipulative executives, and the double standards the industry and fans have for female idols.

(Spoilers below)
I did like that the romance wasn't the typical happy-ever-after type but a learning experience for the protagonist. Though I'm not sure what to think of Jason being so flat-out dumb that he didn't notice he was being played all along. No matter how much family drama he had, it's not really an excuse, and unlike the heroines of so many other YA books, Rachel realizes this.

Rachel was fine, if a bit naive, as a main character. Sometimes she did things that made no sense at all and were obviously there only to complicate the plot or bring about some funny predicament (going out in pjs just so that typical kdrama meeting with the love interest can happen? accepting a drink from a mean girl after already being tipsy? taking the poster with her while going to get drinks instead of leaving it with her sister who is waiting in line?).

I also didn't like the girl-on-girl hate. It would have been nice if Rachel and Mina had come to understand each other by the end of the book instead of being at square one again after the shoe incident. Similarly, while it was realistic that she would have lost Akari as a friend (due to not being able to keep in touch and not trying very hard to do so), it was still a shame. We need more genuine female friendships in books like these. And we do at least get some of that with Rachel and her sister, Leah.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

man do I want to know the real "fictional" dirt on SM "DB Entertainment"

woof. was this the worst book I read in 2020? Quite possibly. This was a bunch of melodramatics sprinkled with korean slang and korean branded products to make it seem authentic. There's no real insight to the kpop industry that a moderately interested person wouldn't already know. There's nothing that feels truly personal to Jessica. It's all so surface level. This is a slapped together cash grab.

[Charmel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I AM SO MAD. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED. MY ANGER IS IMMEASURABLE AND MY NIGHT IS RUINED.

I still love you Ms. Jessica Jung, but It's not the same with your book. I mean, I really think some of the things happening here were facts and not just fiction because they happen in real life in the kpop industry. but ughhh this book was just a no for me.

Review to come... I don't wanna think about this book atm

[monica kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

you can check out my reading vlog of this book (and 2 other kpop books) here: https://youtu.be/bOJlZNAM0iI

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

*e-ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Summary
Rachel Kim is a trainee at DB Entertainment, one of South's Korea's top k-pop entertainment companies. Ever since she moved from American to Seoul at 11 to train, she has been working non-stop to debut. When she meets Jason Lee, DB's hottest kpop idol, she finally meets someone who understands her, and just what she'll do to shine. But the kpop world is notoriously strict, and Rachel has to decide between her heart and her career.

Review
I was so incredible excited to read this book and I was sorely let down. In the end, Rachel's character just fell really flat for me and that ruined the experience.

As a fan of kpop, I know how brutal the industry can be. This book definitely read like a bit of a thinly veiled memoir. There is so much misogyny and sexism rampant in the industry, on top of the stifling and sometimes cruel training regiments that trainees go through. Shine took the time to explain what it was like to be a kpop trainee, and also what being a woman in the industry means. The treatment that Rachel got by the executives and staff compared to Jason was blatantly sexist, and there is definitely a huge double standard. This book also highlights the strict "no dating" policies that most companies have, and the pressure for female idols to be perfect at all times. It really is a tough industry and these aspects 100% deserve to be called out.

What really disheartened me about the book was how catty all of the girls were towards each other. I have no doubt that this cattiness is based in reality, but it left me feeling really negative after I put down the book. I wasn't sure what sort of message I was supposed to get. Mina is Rachel's main adversary in the book, as they are in a trio with Jason Lee for their new song. They are constantly pit against one another, and just when I thought that their friendship was moving forward and they were developing an understanding of each other, Mina would do something catty and we would be back to square one. Rachel was always painted as the victim. I also hated how she ended things with her friend Akari, who she just let fall to the wayside. After I finished the book, the only thing I got out of it is that Rachel will do whatever it takes to get ahead and I feel like her character barely developed.

The romance was cute, albeit a bit cheesy. Their relationship definitely highlighted how strict the no-dating rule can be for female idols and how controlling the companies can be of idol's personal lives. In addition, Jason was a bit oblivious of the constant double standards and sexism that Rachel faced.

It was definitely an entertaining read! And it is well written. I'm not trying to say that every book has to be positive, but I feel like there has to be more character development and an emotional arc for me to connect to the story. To me this just felt like jabs at the other members of Girl's Generation and petty vengeance.

*Sigh*

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shine is a Young Adult contemporary read. It was written by international K-pop star Jessica Jung.

The narrator is 17 year old Rachel (1st person POV).

Rachel is a K-pop trainee at DB Entertainment. She was born and raised in New York City. But now lives in Korea.

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting to read about K-pop (which I know little about).

I also really liked the cultural aspect. Rachel was American. But the story takes place in Korea. So there were a lot of challenges.

I think that my favorite part of the book was that the story was authentic. I like reading about topics that I know less about when the author has lived it.

I liked everything about the lives of the girls trying to become stars. It was quite fascinating.

I really enjoyed Rachel's mentor Yujin. And I liked the male super star Jason Lee. I thought that he added a lot to the story.

There was some romance. And for the most part I really enjoyed it. However, I wanted more.

Rachel has a little sister and I really loved all of the scenes that she was in. And Rachel had a nemesis who was also a K-pop trainee causing trouble throughout the book.

It was a quick read. It was a cute YA story. And I really liked seeing a new interesting concept for a YA book. But the end made it 4 stars for me. I don't feel like the romance aspect was complete.

There is a book two listed and I am curious to know if it will have the same characters. Or maybe it will be about someone else from this story that we already know? Maybe her sister?



Thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for allowing me to read this book.

[Kaya Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shine is amazing. I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this, because again: usually, contemporaries don’t get me. But this was such a clever combination of excellently executed elements, I couldn’t help but be in love.

Every character is complex. At first, I thought “oh no, there’s going to be some Mean Girls drama and I HAVE TO DEAL WITH A WANNABE REGINA GEORGE”. However, I quickly realized that it was I who was the fool, not the book*. Rachel, our main character, isn’t perfect. Jason, our love interest, isn’t perfect. Mina, our “mean girl”, isn’t perfect. And this makes every single one of the characters realistic. This didn’t feel like a overly saturated, dramatic novel. It felt so very candid.

*clearly, i’ve been reading too much shakespeare because what the heck…?

Okay, but also??? I LOVED the Kpop aspects??? And all the Korean culture??? Jung truly made the Kpop world come to life, showcasing its joys and struggles, the dreams and hopes and suffering of the trainees. She somehow managed to capture the sparkle of Kpop that everyone loves, while also contrasting that with the dark web of gossip, secrets, and cutthroat competition that exists in Kpop. Just as much as I found myself invested in Rachel’s story, I was also totally invested in this world.

As if being entertaining wasn’t enough, I was genuinely surprised by many of the important issues brought up. Rachel and her fellow females in the Kpop world are not treated the same way as the males, who often don’t even realize their privilege. I

also absolutely adored a particular discussion between Jason and Rachel, where they’re bonding over not fitting in. Rachel is fully Korean but grew up in NYC, and Jason is Korean-Canadian. Their struggles of being either biracial or simply not being seen as “fully one race” was so real and honest. I could relate to so much at times.

ALSO THE ROMANCE. It wasn’t too much, which I appreciated??? It never took away from Rachel’s character but added another layer. It was woven into this book perfectly. It was sweet and romantic and thoughtful at times, but also heartbreakingly earnest at others.

This is more than just a “Kpop novel”. This is a story of a girl trying to chase her dreams, and the corruptness around her. This is about finding yourself, about pushing through the hardest parts of your life, about shining no matter what or who tries to dim you. This is truly one of my favorite books of the year!
____________________________________________

me: don’t request anything else don’t request anything else...

*sees this book and immediately requests it

me, after getting accepted on NetGalley: well...this is what we call a happy accident :)

THANK YOU SO MUCH SIMON AND SCHUSTER FOR THE ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!

[Shannon]

Get ready as Jessica Jung, K-pop legend and former lead singer of Korea’s most famous girl group, Girls Generation, takes us inside the twisted, technicolor world of K-pop.

[Alfredo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Comecei a ouvir BTS, e consequentemente K-pop, no início de 2020. Meses depois, sinto que vendi minha alma para a BigHit. Não me arrependo. Esse é um mundo brilhante, cheio de pessoas talentosas com grandes sonhos, mas também com sérias restrições e pressões por toda a parte. Foi pelo meu interesse em descobrir mais sobre o mundo dos treinee, essa fase que todo idol passa antes de debutar, que eu peguei esse livro para ler assim que ele foi lançado.

Ah, quem eu quero enganar? Foi pela fofoca mesmo. HAHAHAHA.

"Shine" é o livro de estreia de Jessica Jung, ex-integrante do grupo Girls Generation. Dizem por aí que ela foi chutada do grupo, sem mais nem menos, mesmo sendo a vocalista principal. Rumores para lá, rumores para cá, tudo indica que Jessica nunca revelou o verdadeiro motivo... E agora lança um livro de ficção, cof, cof, em que contará a trajetória de uma garota muito parecida com ela, não só nas atitudes como também no âmbito da vida pessoal. Eu citei que o lançamento aconteceu no mesmo dia que ela recebeu a notificação de saída do grupo?

Nessa obra totalmente ficcional em que todos os personagens são completamente inventados pela autora e qualquer semelhança com a realidade é uma mera coincidência, Rachel Kim sonha em ser uma idol. Ela é uma treinee há alguns anos e tenta se virar como dá em meio a pressões da família e do empresa DB Entertainment. Quando a garota se vê em meio a uma polêmica com o coração entregue a um garoto, parece que tudo vai desmoronar.

Essa foi uma leitura divertida, que eu recomendaria para quem está começando a ler em inglês. É um YA que segue a fórmula de jornada pessoal de amadurecimento do protagonista, com o diferencial de fazer isso no glamouroso mundo das estrelas de K-pop.

Gostei de acompanhar as personagens e suas aventuras. Há pontos aqui muito interessantes para os fãs de música coreana ou para aqueles que estão começando a ouvir e querem conhecer os bastidores desse universo. Gostaria de ver algumas coisas sendo feitas de forma diferente, mas em geral não tenho grandes reclamações para fazer sobre a história. O livro entregou exatamente o que prometeu e me deixou animado para a continuação!

(Sobre a fofoca: eu não sou fã e não tenho lugar de fala ~aqls. Vou conversar com pessoas que acompanham a Jessica para fazer minhas teorias!!)

Para deixar registrado: essa foi minha décima (uau!) leitura conjunta com o João Victor. Foi simplesmente TUDO poder comentar o livro com ele como se estivéssemos lendo um site de fofoca.

[Anusha Narasimhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

One image that comes to my mind is of K-pop idols being dressed in designer wear from top to toe but having no penny in their purse. The way most idols don't get paid enough but are adorned in expensive hot couture pretty much sums up their 'glamorous' lifestyle. Not to mention that they don't get to eat what they want, hang out with whom they want or express themselves without worrying about how that would reflect on their group and company's image.

Trigger Warning: body shaming, sexism, bullying, violence

Of course, there are exceptions. Some idols do get to hang out with their friends and speak their mind and I'm happy about that. However, I would assume that the expectation to look a certain way is most likely enforced and even if the company doesn't coerce the idols, peer pressure and opinions from the general public are sure to take a toll on them. I recommend listening to the Dive Studios podcast featuring Ashley, Peniel and BM for insider information and candid talks on the life of a K-pop idol.

Sadly, looks like that one rumour about the wall sit and being beaten in the stomach to strengthen the vocals of trainees seems to be true, at least in some companies. Whether Jessica Jung witnessed this or heard the rumours and decided to add such a scene, I have no clue. I just hope this is fictional.

I liked the spotlight on the double standards. From the way an idol dresses to their body language to the general expectations, female idols are judged more harshly than male idols. If you've followed K-pop, you know that a dating 'scandal' hurts the girl more than the boy. The amount of online harassment and bullying from the boy's fans is just cruel. Again, there are some exceptions.

Let me explain for those of you who are not familiar with this world. While some fans may rejoice that their favourite idols are dating and cheer them on, the ones who matter to the labels, aka, the ones who spend on expensive merchandise and tickets would usually throw a fit and drag their favourites if they were to date. To prevent this, K-pop companies ban their idols from dating, at least for a specific number of years after their debut. So when there is news of idols dating, it is considered scandalous.

I liked the way this book portrays the life of an idol trainee. One thing I found a bit hard to believe was how Rachel was unaware of basic cultural expectations while claiming to love K-pop from a young age. Even foreigners interested in K-pop know how the whole sunbae (senior) - hoobae (junior) dynamic works. So it's not very convincing that Rachel wasn't aware that she had to be respectful towards her same-age trainees who joined the agency before her.

My main problem with this book is the pacing. It's difficult to empathise with Rachel and go into deep thinking mode when the scenes jump abruptly. Eg. Chapters end with scenes where Rachel experiences some emotional turmoil. I want to feel bad for her and ponder about the way the K-pop industry and society, in general, are moulding kids. But then, the next chapter begins on a chirpy note due to a time-lapse. It's like the book drives me into overthinking and I want to go into an existential crisis, but it won't let me and keeps pulling me out by presenting a random scene. I guess that somehow relates to the theme of being a K-pop trainee/idol. The show must go on!

This was an interesting read. The depth of this book depends on your familiarity with K-pop and the amount of overthinking you are prone to. There is nothing new here about the industry that hasn't already been covered in the news or in rumours. This would be a light and predictable read for anyone familiar with the K-pop industry. If you are here expecting some tea to be spilt, you may be disappointed. For K-pop newbies and people not into K-pop, this book can shine a light on what happens behind the scenes.

My heart goes out to all the little kids who dreamt of being idols, went through so much pressure in the hopes of debuting someday but ended up being cut off. I feel worse for idols who realize they don't want this lifestyle after signing a long contract and to those in groups that are not popular enough to make money but just enough to not get disbanded.

This is more of a rant than a review, but I guess that tells you I'd pick up the next book in the series someday.

[A Lib Tech Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shine
Rating: 2.5/5
Note: Special thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing an e-copy for review.

This was supposed to be a fun and easy read for me. I've dived into the world of K-pop and know a number of Girls' Generation music (who doesn't nowadays?), so when I heard Jessica Jung was writing a book, I was ecstatic, and much like everyone else, I was ready for all the tea that would undoubtedly spill. I ended up not enjoying Shine as much as I thought I would and here's why.

Despite the plot promising to be filled with exciting and scandalous events, not much really happens. Most of the scenes are spun into something that's supposed to convince readers it's important, but each of these events fell short and seemed more desperately dramatic; these were also scenes that made me cringe due to the melodrama. The plot moved forward quickly with simple and easy to understand vocabulary which was it's only saving grace since you could read a lot faster through it. I have to admit as well, the other thing that kept me reading was trying to decipher which scenes were made up and which were drawing from Jung's actual experience with the industry and her band-mates.

All the characters had the same voice. If you took out the name of these characters and put out a sheet of dialogue between two of them in front of me, I wouldn't be able to tell who was who. Good writing should allow readers to identify the character speaking without the author telling you ____ said this and ____ said that. They all spoke in the same manner, cracked the same jokes, had the same snarky comeback, and this made it so tiresome to read. It bothered me so much that I gave up on reading who was in what scene because all the side characters were interchangeable. Even Rachel's many confrontations with Mina felt like she was talking to herself.

There was nothing special or villainous about Mina other than her penchant for wanting to see Rachel fail. Here is where I need to get sidetracked to talk about what a failure Mina is as the "bad" character. She started off as a hilarious antagonist who is obviously and understandably shoved into the story to create the girl vs girl conflict, but she ended up being more of a yappy Pomeranian than a clever antagonist who has the ability to spin a web of lies to catch "perfect Princess Rachel." How are we as readers supposed to fear for Rachel and worry about her failing if everything Mina does is thwarted by Rachel's aptitude with excelling in comebacks and remaining nonchalant? I was rooting for Mina to change towards the end, and despite there being several chances for her to do so, she reverted back to the original version of herself from the beginning of the story.

Shine, with all its faults, still entertained me. I thought Jung wrote excellent descriptions of Korean cuisine:
"We dig in, pulling out boxes of steaming fried chicken and an array of banchan, including daikon kimchi and crisp salad smothered in what tastes like Big Mac sauce...I sit down and reach for a piece of yangnyeom chicken, the sweet and spicy sauce already sticking to my fingers, while Umma sets aside a few pieces of the green-onion chicken, Appa’s favorite."

I also liked that the author threw in a veteran K-pop fall-from-fame storyline with Kang Jina as a warning about the sexism and inequality of the industry. This was the side-story that captivated me and what I wish Shine was truly about. The grueling misogyny still happens to this day no matter how unbothered the stars appear to be in interviews. I mean, come on, K-pop stars can't even walk through an airport without getting told by the public that they're wearing too little (Poor Hwasa from Mamamoo), or revealing too much skin in their performance outfit (Again, poor Hwasa); meanwhile, the male stars get to prance around and are revered when they intentionally rip off their shirt during a performance. These double standards along with the obvious sexism sometimes took the front seat of this book, and it was very interesting to read about through the eyes of someone who has experienced it firsthand despite this being fiction.

Although I wish Shine mainly focused more on Kang Jina's character, readers are instead continuously bombarded with scenes about Rachel and Jason's blossoming romance. I was not invested in them as a couple. Their meet-cute was very K-drama, which I can appreciate, but everything else that followed made me roll my eyes or skim through. The main problem comes down to the fact that Jason didn't have a unique voice or personality. There were a few attempts to garner sympathy for him with his tragic past, but his character was flat and his dialogue sounded like Rachel and all the other characters in this story. What I enjoyed, however, was that his character slightly boosted Rachel's progression as a person. Only slightly. I still believe she's a one-dimensional character who is not given valid reasons to "shine." There was nothing special I could see about her, and instead, I felt bad for one of her friends who she abandoned and never checked in on (Akira).

Much like the story itself, nothing feels all that satisfying: the blackmailing doesn't get resolved despite her father now working for the big bad evil Mr. Choo, we don't see what happens between her parents after her dad's big "secret" is revealed, Mina was the bitchy antagonist she was from the start, and Rachel's character doesn't learn much nor does she develop much other than realizing she doesn't need a man who can't see the double standards of the industry. I couldn't care for the filler scenes and felt that the book could have used more editing to take these out of the story entirely.

Read this for the fun, bubble-gum pop descriptions, the amazing Korean food details, and Kang Jina's character. Skip most of the scenes with Mina and Jason, and have fun guessing which incident was a real thing that happened to Jung.

Side note: I didn't realize there are some people who hate the front cover so much! I personally think it's cute af and is fitting to the story it's attempting to tell.

[Yeg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shine was one of my most anticipated novels of this year. I am a huge fan of Jessica Jung, and have followed her career for years, so I couldn’t wait to read her very first novel, which is inspired from her own life as a K-pop trainee. I was pleasantly surprised by Shine and even read the book in one sitting.

What I liked most about this novel was not any tea being spilled about famous K-pop idols under different names, but the glimpse into the cruel K-pop machine. Jessica Jung shines an essential, critical light on the misogynistic, sexist, competitive, abusive, and grueling world of the K-pop industry, and I couldn’t look away.

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

As nowadays, k-pop has improved and developed, I guess it's not less well known as it was back in 2016 or even earlier. Like, everybody knows who is BTS, who is black-pink and so on.

But have you ever considered what is k-pop? What is the difference between k-pop and other industries around the world?? For me, k-pop is the time that boys and girls spend as a trainee in companies so that they can be a idol and seemingly pursue their dreams.

But this, has it's own pros and cons. We as fans and as normal people can't really see what these people sometimes spend or endure in this companies, what they really get behind or lose to become idol. What difficulty they really deal with.

Then we only get to judge them.

Which is wrong. Some of them spend a great amount of time as trainee hoping to debut someday but the horrible fact here is that not all of them can made to that point. Only a few. and even when they do, that will only be start of so many worse things.

Through Rachel’s budding forbidden romance with Jason, Jessica Jung demonstrates the double standard for male and female idols. I found this relationship compelling, but also very sad. Perhaps more upsetting, was the way no one in Rachel’s world could be trusted. When Jason is praised for his performance, Rachel and other female trainees are fat or slut shamed by the general population and blamed for any little thing that goes wrong by the company.

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

that being said, this is literally a small amount of what we really know about this major. So here, putting aside the how the book is on it's way, I want to thank and appreciate Jessica, from one of my all time favorite k-pop group which I've been a super fan of for 6 years now, to write this book.After reading Shine, I feel it’s more important than ever for us all to support our K-pop favorites. They’ve been through so much.

This book, like Jessica herself said, is for her fans and precisely, k-pop fans. however I really think that you even with small or no amount of idea about k-pop should read this only so you can read about the life of celebrities that undergo this experiences. So you'd be able to get to know some people, in Korea has done this part of their life only so can reach their goal as becoming a k-pop idol. Or maybe you as fan get to know a small part of their life has past like this.



Thank you Jessica, love you. 💜

[Katelyn Spedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a free advanced copy of this novel from Edelweiss+ and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Shine was actually way better than I expected it to be. I did judge the book a little but thinking it was going to be something fluffy about the K-Pop world written by a K-Pop star but the book was way more than that. It didn’t show everything as bright and full of rainbows and happiness. Things are mean in that world and it just makes you wonder if this was what the author went through before she left her group and decided to do her own thing. I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know what would happen to Rachel and everything that went along with it. The book was well written and you saw Rachel grow through everything. She was shy in the beginning and by the end she wasn’t going to let anyone tell her what to do and scare her. While the tag line makes it seem like the book will center on her story with Jason it’s really about her loving herself. Yes the story of their relationship does play a decent roll but in the end it’s part of her character building and doesn’t drive the plot with her being a love sick little teenager. Having a male star highlights how different the characters are treated and shows that the women will always be treated worse and held to different standards.

It was very well written and a lot happens in it’s 352 pages but you don’t even realize how long the novel is because it’s so hard to put down. I would recommend it because of this fact and because it highlights a world that most people will never experience and doesn’t show it through rose colored glasses. That’s the best part of it all. All of it shows how things either really are (coming from someone that lived through it) or could be. I feel bad saying that I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was because I thought it was going to be about how awesome being in K-Pop is but it’s the opposite. It’s a woman telling her story of how hard life is for someone like her and you really feel for the characters and how easily the women are pushed around and over looked.

[Joshua Gabriel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you, Simon & Schuster, for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If someone had told me when I was 11 years old about everything I'd have to sacrifice to get to this point, everything that would be stolen from me, I would have said they were writing a K-drama.

When I first heard of this book, the K-pop fan in me man-screamed in delight. Even though I wasn't familiar with Jessica Jung's role in Girls' Generation, I was excited to see how she would shed light on the K-pop industry and what happened behind the scenes. I had also read some articles that claimed the book was a bit autobiographical, so I was all the more intrigued. But now, I feel like my pre-reading experience was much better than actually reading the book.

At its core, Shine tells you what it's like to be an aspiring K-pop star. Before debuting, you have to go through years of training. You might even have to sacrifice your agency and personal life to make your dreams come true. Rachel Kim's journey to stardom is mostly a stressful one. It's a cycle of performance classes, family problems, girl hate, and boy drama. Her experiences aren't exactly unique since most of them also happen to ordinary teenagers. It's just that her environment is extraordinarily toxic and competitive. If this fictional account is factual, I think every K-pop fan has to reconsider how they view their favorite artists and entertainment companies.

Regardless of my insights, I didn't enjoy the novel because most of the characters thrived on negativity. It was like Rachel's fellow trainees were determined to make her life miserable. Cho Mina, in particular, always got on my nerves. Like all bullies on TV, she had two other mean girls to back her up. As for DB Entertainment, their executives excelled at making Rachel feel insecure, hopeless, or inadequate. Genuinely kind people were pretty rare in her universe. But to be fair, Rachel did have a few close friends—albeit ones without much personality/development. At the very least, they brought some color to Rachel's dreary schedule.

Jason Lee, the love interest, was simultaneously basic and complex. Basic in that he was a handsome and happy-go-lucky dude with daddy problems, but complicated in that he could reflect the author's male acquaintances IRL. One of the sources of conflict in the book was that K-pop stars couldn't date anyone. The rule didn't apply to Jason, though; he was insensitive enough to accuse Rachel of being paranoid. It turned out that DB Entertainment had double standards wherein female trainees were the only ones penalized for having love lives. So annoying, right? But then Jason would do or say something sweet, making it hard for you to strike him off your list.

The ending of the book was unsatisfactory. Rachel and Jason's relationship was unclear, even though Jason was the reason why Rachel's debut pushed through. Moreover, what happened to Akira (Rachel's Japanese best friend)? These two plot points were essential to me, so the lack of closure was disappointing. Perhaps things are different in the finished edition, but I'm not keen on buying a copy to find out. Hahahaha. #NotWorthIt

Overall, I don't recommend Shine if you wish to retain their high opinion of the K-pop world. I certainly felt disenchanted after reading it, but you can rest assured that my appreciation for the music itself remains unscathed. As much as I love the genre, I don't want to be in any K-pop artist's shoes. But if you like Jessica Jung and her former group, you might have an epic Easter-egg hunt.

[Juan]

Yes I will be reading this for the drama mind your own business

[Muffinsandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai adoré ! C’était hyper addictif, c’était hyper intéressant de voir l’envers du décor de la k-pop (ça m’a fascinée même si j’y connais que dalle), c’était hyper touchant de voir les messages passés et j’ai vraiment hâte de lire la suite !

[Madison Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book really surprised me! I honestly wasn't expecting to like it so much. I don't know much or even listen to K-Pop, but I found this book so entertaining.

The drama, competitiveness, and the confidence kept me so engaged. I liked how it showed what I assumed how the industry is (not full of rainbows, love, and fluffiness). It makes me curious to know the author's experience.

Plus, I really loved them coming to Toronto and a character being from Toronto. That doesn't happen much in books, so I felt right at home in my neck of the woods for a few parts of the book. I am so ready for the second book!

Thank you so much Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me a copy!

[amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fan of K-Pop. Granted I’m not as big a fan as most of my friends are.
My twitter timeline seems to be made up of 10% sports, 25% gamers, 25% demonry and, whatever else is left is K-Pop. I’m not good at math, okay? Don’t judge me.
I know about Girls Generation. Back when life was normal and we were allowed to roam freely without fear of catching the plague I would walk and dance around the park to Gee and Run Devil Run.

I’m not in the know for why Miss Jessica Jung left Girl’s Generation exactly. I know that she started a very successful clothing brand that clashed with her groups’ activities and was subsequently voted out. Buuut I don’t have all the tea, you know?

All the good tea.

I wasn’t looking at Shine for a messy tell all. I’m not sure if we should take it as such either. I see it as insight into the K-Pop industry which is notorious for how strenuous, toxic, and abusive the nature and the background of it is. It’s been in the spotlight most recently due to the tragic suicides of Choi Jin-ri, aka Sulli of f(x), Goo Hara of Kara, and Kim Jong-hyun of Shinee. May they all rest in peace and may we try to set a better precedent for them in the future.

The industry is brutal. From training to debut to mainstream fame. Training to debut can last YEAARS and the thing is debuting isn’t concrete. It’s not certain.

It’s even harder when you do break out as a group. Now you must maintain perfection.

In Shine we are introduced to 17 year old Rachel Kim. Rachel wasa recruited by DB Entertainment 6 years ago. What’s DB Entertainment? Well – just one of the world’s largest K-Pop labels. Their rules are simple. Train 24/7, be perfect, no social media, and no dating.

Rachel can do that…right? As the years tick by and she’s yet to debut she becomes less positive. The industry’s demons have more than exposed themselves to her and she’s not sure if she’s cut out for this. To make matters worse why now of all times did K-Pop heart throb Jason Lee have to show up just for her to grow a crush on him?

Rachel has to figure out what exactly she wants and how badly she wants it because if not all of this could be for nothing. Worse. All of this could be for failure.

I went into reading Shine expecting the average, feel good poppy chick-lit. I didn’t get that. I got something much darker than that. Right away we are introduced to Rachel who is doing idol training with a group of fellow trainees. It doesn’t go well. Rachel’s personality is basically dissected, eviscerated, served to us Hannibal Lecter style.

And AFTERWARDS we find out that she is not well liked or like liked at all by the co-trainees as they mock her, look down at her for being Korean American and smirk at her “overbearing” mother who doesn’t let her live in the training house. Their behavior towards Rachel only gets worse and even more sadistic as the book goes on. These girls are warped.

And they’re not the only ones. The executives and trainers are worse. They say it’s training but it’s definitely more like boot camp. The girls are weighed weekly, sometimes daily which of course forces them to starve, they wake freakishly early, there’s casual flippant talk of plastic surgery, one girl is forced to sing and is hit in the stomach while doing so. It’s a lot. It’s eye opening and I love the fact that Jessica Jung manages to write these hard truths while still maintaining an air of bubble gum lightness. Shine is bright and fun. When the characters perform you can hear the melody, see the glittering costumes and bright eyed smiles. We’ve all heard that song. We know the K-pop bops.

There’s romance, of course there’s romance. And it’s cute and a smile played on my lips the entire time. It’s just too perfect. We’ve all been in that situation. Er – not with a super famous K-pop boy maybe. But texting someone we really like even though we know it’s a bad idea. Right? RIGHT?

Although the book isn’t perfect and there are more than a few loose ends that need to be tied up (HELLO AKARI???) Shine surprises in subtle yet big ways. What I like most about the story is Rachel’s determination to not let anything or anybody stop her from her goal. Not the gremlin girls she trained with, not her mother’s lack of support, not a boy, not herself. She keeps it pushing even when she does need to stop and think of herself. That is a cautionary tale in itself.

I look forward to seeing the upcoming movie and reading the sequel. Now you may all rec me some K-pop.

Thanks very much to Netgalley and the Publisher for this copy of my ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.5/5