An instant New York Times bestseller! Crazy Rich Asians meets Gossip Girl by way of Jenny Han in this knock-out debut about a Korean American teen who is thrust into the competitive, technicolor world of K-pop, from Jessica Jung, K-pop legend and former lead singer of one of the most influential K-pop girl groups of all time, Girls’ Generation. What would you give for a chance to live your … Generation.
What would you give for a chance to live your dreams?
For seventeen-year-old Korean American Rachel Kim, the answer is almost everything. Six years ago, she was recruited by DB Entertainment–one of Seoul’s largest K-pop labels, known for churning out some of the world’s most popular stars. The rules are simple: Train 24/7. Be perfect. Don’t date. Easy right?
Not so much. As the dark scandals of an industry bent on controlling and commodifying beautiful girls begin to bubble up, Rachel wonders if she’s strong enough to be a winner, or if she’ll end up crushed… Especially when she begins to develop feelings for K-pop star and DB golden boy Jason Lee. It’s not just that he’s charming, sexy, and ridiculously talented. He’s also the first person who really understands how badly she wants her star to rise.
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 luxe, hyper-color world of K-pop, where the stakes are high, but for one girl, the cost of success–and love–might be even higher. It’s time for the world to see: this is what it takes to SHINE.
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Wow. I had no idea what went on behind the scenes of Kpop! I used to watch Korean dramas before I went to school, and never got back into them. Now I definitely want to start watching them again! I loved them so much!! I haven’t gotten into kpop, but I might try listening to some girl groups now!
I knew some of the Korean words, but still had to Google a few things! I know this is a work of fiction, but I have no doubt the double standards between men and women exist just how it is portrayed in this book. It is sad and unfair how women in the kpop industry are treated. I also cannot imagine the pressure some of these young women face!
I loved all the drama of this book, but also felt horrible for Rachel. This is a girl still I’m high school, so of course that comes with a group of mean girls. I hated reading some of those scenes with Mina and Rachel as I can just picture the embarrassment and anger Rachel has in those moments.
My favorite parts of the books were Leah and Jason’s Aunties! This had such a great group of characters and made you feel all the feels!
I was not wanting this story to end, and as I went to write this review I noticed a sequel is in the works! I cannot wait to read more!!
The word K-Pop already awakens expectations of sparkle, wealth, and excitement, and this novel definitely delivers all of that with a rollercoaster of drama to make it complete.
Rachel is an American, but her family does come from Korea. While she never felt completely at home in the US, the family’s move to Korea didn’t settle things in that direction, either. Still, she now follows her dreams and has trained for more than several years to become a K-Pop star. She’s a favorite among the trainees, but her age makes her slowly a tight fit. Still, she’s determined. Despite her hard work, life throws several hurdles her way, not only in the competition among the other trainees but in her family as well. When Jason Lee, one of the biggest K-Pop stars, steps into her life, though, things really get interesting. And not necessarily in a good way.
I do love my Asian shows, dramas and such, and was excited to get my hands on this one. Normally, I’m a bit wary of celebrity authors, but Jung does a wonderful job at taking her own life and letting it weave into a grabbing novel. It packs drama….tons of drama….the life of the rich and famous, struggles of those who wish to become rich and famous, girl fights, boy dreams, the usual push-and-shove of parents and teens, and sibling relationships. So, this book definitely holds subplots and a certain amount of depth.
The characters are sweet and very easy to sink into. While this one is sold as a young adult novel, I see it as a solid tween read. It holds all of those insecurities of fitting in, sweet romance, and still, needing the family. Plus, it plays along lightly with the teen drama in a way this age group tends to eat up. The story definitely flies by and is hard not to read in one sitting…but then, it’s an easy read, too.
Many of the characters are rich…and Rachel’s family isn’t poor, either…and while there are mentions of upcoming financial issues, this one isn’t a problem in the book. There are also moments where Rachel mentions her problems of really fitting in, but even this is more slid over than deeply explored. The real problems in this book rotate around Rachel and her family…which I appreciate and found nicely done…and the expectations of being ‘owned’ by the businesses, which fuel K-Pop. It’s not a nice business, and this does come across pretty well with several harsh themes (weight watching being one of them), but it also gets mixed in with the competition between the girls (nasty). This is one reason I see this better set for tweens. The true harshness is only glimpsed at but not really ever closely scrutinized. This is simply not a book about dealing with serious problems but rather it’s more about a girl fighting for her dream and the drama involved.
The romance is sweet and builds as the book goes along. I did appreciate that it wasn’t an instant love. Plus, it takes a unique twist at the end. If anything stumbled for me, it was these last chapters, though. Things got pushed through relatively suddenly, and while it worked, it worked too well and without much depth or emotion (compared to the rest of the book).
Still, this was an enjoyable read and I believe K-Pop tweens will devour it. Since this is the first in a series, it will be interesting to see what drama Rachel will face next.
I received a complimentary copy and found the K-Pop world entertaining.
While I’m personally not into the K-Pop sensation these days, a lot of my students and even some of my friends are. So I was very interested in reading this book and not only getting a glimpse inside the world, but also seeing what my students might actually enjoy reading.
This was a book I could not put down. The only reason I didn’t finish it in one day is because I was so tired and kind of a little down the first day I read it, that when it was bedtime, I just turned off the light and fell asleep instead of my normal up for an hour or two reading. But when I got up this morning, I went and sat by the window and enjoyed the rainy day and a good book.
There was a lot of drama in the story, which probably is exactly how that world is, especially since this author knows exactly what that world was like, having been a part of it herself. And the main character had so many things to juggle, and even when something started to look like she’d reached her dream, something else would either throw a wrench in the whole thing, or it was the “be careful what you wish for” scenario. The world of glitz and glamour was totally shown to be so much less glamorous on the other side, as we pretty much know from all celebrity tell-alls. But another thing that was really pointed out in this book was what a horrible double standard there is for the females compared to the boys. Not even just by the people in charge of the whole music industry, but with the fans as well. The horrible things girls say about the females they see with the male stars that they adore, and how the males can do no wrong, or are encouraged to do those things.
There were so many great issues touched on in this book, but it wasn’t preachy or anything like that. It was just a wonderful, edge of the seat, can’t stop turning pages story.
I did have to google some of the words, I wanted to know about the foods that were being talked about. And I’m sure I butchered the pronunciation of many if not all of the names in the book. But I know it is a culture I’d like to continue to learn more about. I may even look up some of these K-Pop groups just to see what I was reading out. And while I fell a little bit in love with the love interest, Jason Lee, I adored his snarky sarcasm, in the end, the book is about female empowerment and taking charge and not needing a man, even as we continue to fight for the equality we deserve, and all that storyline is fine the way it is.
Love or K-pop
Jessica Jung writes a heartfelt story about the importance of family, Korean identity, and growing up surrounded by extremely high expectations. Rachel Kim’s one dream is to be a K-pop star, and she is willing to work hard and to train endlessly to be the best. With grueling lessons, harsh critique, mean girls, and not enough time for family, Rachel is struggling to keep up with everything. When chaotic and handsome K-pop star Jason Lee helps her get the chance she needs to shine. Shine combines the drama of fame with the sincerity of a teenage girl wanting to follow her dreams. Rachel is an easy character to like, as she works through a lot of relatable issues. Her reflections about friends, family, and mentors are wonderful snapshot of Korean life and Korean American identity. Shine is also a snapshot of social media, and the popular culture of today. There are a lot of pop culture references, name dropping, and popular Korean terms. This doesn’t mean there is not a rough critique of the K-pop industry in-between. Notably the double standard between male and female K-pop stars. So, a warning for those who have trouble reading about drugging, vomiting, and weight shaming. Jessica Jung has the right mix of YA contemporary fiction, and K-pop. A great classic modern-day teen book, with a refreshing perspective.