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pointeshoebookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
While this was a very light read, I did struggle with this book a bit. It just seemed too ... unrealistic. And yes, I adore unrealistic stories. Books are places where fairytale dreams and reality can collide with no need for logical explanation ... But this was just a bit too far fetched.
I'm also highly intrigued how this segues into the second book. Given the current ending ... it seems even more implausible.
I'm also highly intrigued how this segues into the second book. Given the current ending ... it seems even more implausible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Cultural appropriation, and Fatphobia
Minor: Homophobia, Mental illness, Grief, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
_abikewrites's review against another edition
Daebak!!!!!!
This book is awesome. This is my best read of Q2 2022. Seven star read. I really have to shout out to Goodreads for recommending Stephan Lee's book for AAPI month.
This book is great for fans of K-dramas K-Pop and well written YA novels.
The book revolves around Candace Park, a Korean American, with a lovely voice and huge dreams. Her parents are the most practical and staunch believers in the American dream.
"Umma’s drilled it into Tommy’s and my heads that there are only three, maybe four, respectable fields we can go into as adults: medicine, law, business, or academia—in that order. Being a singer is far down the list, probably between murderer and drug dealer."
Somehow, she breaks through to her parents, and they allow her to go to Seoul to become a K-Pop idol trainee, and man, it's as tough as Hunger Games sans the gore and bloodlust. It's standards of beauty, high expectations and soulless rigour that sucks all you have to give.
It's not just the intense exposé that makes this book amazeballs. It's the display of culture in a way that is just beautiful. I love the array of characters. It was like a K drama cast. Gosh!!!
Candace was a fun narrator.
Really, this book should be made into a movie ASAP. It's that awesome. It has a sequel and I'm off to read that next.
This book is awesome. This is my best read of Q2 2022. Seven star read. I really have to shout out to Goodreads for recommending Stephan Lee's book for AAPI month.
This book is great for fans of K-dramas K-Pop and well written YA novels.
The book revolves around Candace Park, a Korean American, with a lovely voice and huge dreams. Her parents are the most practical and staunch believers in the American dream.
"Umma’s drilled it into Tommy’s and my heads that there are only three, maybe four, respectable fields we can go into as adults: medicine, law, business, or academia—in that order. Being a singer is far down the list, probably between murderer and drug dealer."
Somehow, she breaks through to her parents, and they allow her to go to Seoul to become a K-Pop idol trainee, and man, it's as tough as Hunger Games sans the gore and bloodlust. It's standards of beauty, high expectations and soulless rigour that sucks all you have to give.
It's not just the intense exposé that makes this book amazeballs. It's the display of culture in a way that is just beautiful. I love the array of characters. It was like a K drama cast. Gosh!!!
Candace was a fun narrator.
Really, this book should be made into a movie ASAP. It's that awesome. It has a sequel and I'm off to read that next.
tomesproject's review against another edition
4.0
cute and funny and romantic but also has so many really beautiful, thoughtful scenes. this was such a good time and now I'm going to pick up the sequel ASAP
kayladbruns's review against another edition
4.0
I have been so excited to get my hands on this book ever since I read the blurb. In case you didn’t know, I love K-pop with my whole soul. So it was meant for me to read this book. Also, I must say that this cover is one my favorites of the year is seriously giving me BlackPink vibes.
The biggest take away from this book is getting a look into what being a trainee would be like. Some of it was straight up brutal and while I hope that the K-Pop companies aren’t this problematic and bullying, know that it’s happening. I for one have caught myself comparing my body or skin to an idol. Imagine having the people who manage your carrier tell you to get better skin, put you on a deadly diet, or just downright push you too far? I applaud this book for showing that side.
Our main character Candace was a force to be dealt with. I loved her spirit and how she never quit. We go through her journey with her and it was a fun and wild ride.
We have so many K-Pop references here, so I feel even if you aren’t a K-Pop fan you won’t be lost. This talked about so many songs and actions that made me happy as a fan. Ya girl really felt seen! Let me know if you want any song or group recommendations!
Why I couldn’t give this one five stars was because of the romance and the ending. The romance was a bit undeveloped to me. I never felt the chemistry between them. As far as the ending, I would have liked an epilogue at least. Even if it was just a paragraph. I’m uncertain if this is supposed to be part of a series or not. It ended like it could be. If not, then it ended a bit abrupt to me.
All in all, I enjoyed my time reading this book. It’s super fast paced and entertaining. New K-Pop fan or old, give it a try!
I received an ARC via Edelweiss for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
The biggest take away from this book is getting a look into what being a trainee would be like. Some of it was straight up brutal and while I hope that the K-Pop companies aren’t this problematic and bullying, know that it’s happening. I for one have caught myself comparing my body or skin to an idol. Imagine having the people who manage your carrier tell you to get better skin, put you on a deadly diet, or just downright push you too far? I applaud this book for showing that side.
Our main character Candace was a force to be dealt with. I loved her spirit and how she never quit. We go through her journey with her and it was a fun and wild ride.
We have so many K-Pop references here, so I feel even if you aren’t a K-Pop fan you won’t be lost. This talked about so many songs and actions that made me happy as a fan. Ya girl really felt seen! Let me know if you want any song or group recommendations!
Why I couldn’t give this one five stars was because of the romance and the ending. The romance was a bit undeveloped to me. I never felt the chemistry between them. As far as the ending, I would have liked an epilogue at least. Even if it was just a paragraph. I’m uncertain if this is supposed to be part of a series or not. It ended like it could be. If not, then it ended a bit abrupt to me.
All in all, I enjoyed my time reading this book. It’s super fast paced and entertaining. New K-Pop fan or old, give it a try!
I received an ARC via Edelweiss for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
astravars_thrubooks's review against another edition
4.0
'I want to tell her that despite the things I yelled at her last night, her value has nothing to do with what she does. She's the most valuable person in the world because she's Umma.'
What an awesome debut! I just couldn't put it down it's so quick and fun to read.
It adresses Korean standards for beauty, the crazy things trainees do and how far they're pushed to reach this ideal that'll make them into the best representative of their companies and Korea.
No pressure.
Candace is a great MC to follow and the introduction to the Trainee Center field and the K-pop culture. The friendships were so cute and the drama was so entertaining, just... woo!
''Go away!' I scream, throwing MulKogi at him.
Tommy catches MulKogi easily. 'No one understands Candace! Candace is so deep!'
What an awesome debut! I just couldn't put it down it's so quick and fun to read.
It adresses Korean standards for beauty, the crazy things trainees do and how far they're pushed to reach this ideal that'll make them into the best representative of their companies and Korea.
No pressure.
Candace is a great MC to follow and the introduction to the Trainee Center field and the K-pop culture. The friendships were so cute and the drama was so entertaining, just... woo!
''Go away!' I scream, throwing MulKogi at him.
Tommy catches MulKogi easily. 'No one understands Candace! Candace is so deep!'
asha_reads's review against another edition
4.0
K-Pop Confidential is a young adult contemporary novel that explores k-pop life, chasing dreams, friendship, and finding identity. The author addresses heavy subjects in the story: body shaming, bullying, and eating disorder. Overall, this was an entertaining read. I really liked the author’s writing style which captured my interested from the first page. I also really liked the different types of characters that Stephen created. Highly recommend picking this one up!
ahauntedzombie's review against another edition
4.0
My partner told me they thought that the book looked cringy (they had not read it), and I both agree and disagree.
Yes, the book had some cringy elements to it; the supposed ‘nobody’ who turns into a ‘somebody’; having two love interests forming a somewhat love triangle and the MC has to choose one; having one of those love interests be one of the world’s biggest stars; and some other stuff, BUT it’s a YA novel, and besides I, personally, really liked how the author went about it.
The author didn’t make the whole book about romance, or the boys. Although definitely showed preference for YoungBae (AKA Albert).
I wish the author did go into more about the other girls’ thoughts and lives, like JinJoon- I loved her so much and the line where it’s like “turns out she had a lot to say” I want to know!!
I hope they go into it better in the next book.
Also Candace Park says she doesn’t want to be seen as the innocent, obedient Korean girl yet gets placed as the ‘little sister’ of the group? I’m fairly sure this was foreboding what was going to happen in the end.
And it was just obvious that the book was written for people who aren’t Korean - there’s just a difference where POC write in the naturalness of their lives without having to explain it to white European standards, which I personally am thankful for as I’m not Korean but I would’ve looked up the words anyways.
Either way, I loved the book and the message about K-Pop industries: Candace Park was a good voice to show how unfair it is.
I want her and Helen to grow together in the next book!
Lastly, I was never really into K-Pop but I liked the concept of the book so I bought it, and ended up loving it, so I’m giving K-Pop another try!!
Yes, the book had some cringy elements to it; the supposed ‘nobody’ who turns into a ‘somebody’; having two love interests forming a somewhat love triangle and the MC has to choose one; having one of those love interests be one of the world’s biggest stars; and some other stuff, BUT it’s a YA novel, and besides I, personally, really liked how the author went about it.
The author didn’t make the whole book about romance, or the boys. Although definitely showed preference for YoungBae (AKA Albert).
I wish the author did go into more about the other girls’ thoughts and lives, like JinJoon- I loved her so much and the line where it’s like “turns out she had a lot to say” I want to know!!
I hope they go into it better in the next book.
Also Candace Park says she doesn’t want to be seen as the innocent, obedient Korean girl yet gets placed as the ‘little sister’ of the group? I’m fairly sure this was foreboding what was going to happen in the end.
And it was just obvious that the book was written for people who aren’t Korean - there’s just a difference where POC write in the naturalness of their lives without having to explain it to white European standards, which I personally am thankful for as I’m not Korean but I would’ve looked up the words anyways.
Either way, I loved the book and the message about K-Pop industries: Candace Park was a good voice to show how unfair it is.
I want her and Helen to grow together in the next book!
Lastly, I was never really into K-Pop but I liked the concept of the book so I bought it, and ended up loving it, so I’m giving K-Pop another try!!
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
“Why is it that the generation before us gets to decide our worth? Aren’t we enough?”
katriana's review against another edition
5.0
I downloaded this book before an international flight, and am SO glad I did! It was so easy to read, and held my attention the whole time-I ended up finishing it all at once. Really good read for kpop fans who also acknowledge the problematic side of trainee/idol life.