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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have been a fan of Girls Generation during my childhood, so I was intrigued by this book. Shine mainly focuses on things about what happens behind the KPOP industry. The challenge that every KPOP artist face to stay on top. In short, the harsh realities. I admired Jessica Jung's excellent job of pointing out the sexism in the industry. Also, how K-pop male idols get to praise more often, and female idols get to be critiqued always.
I enjoyed reading from Rachel's perspective and following her on this journey. Shine follows a seventeen-year-old Rachel Kim as she fulfills her dreams to train to become a K-pop star in Seoul. Also, it explores the harsh standards of the KPOP industry. That includes intense dieting, body-shaming, and pressure to get plastic surgery. It also controls the life aspect of every artist, such as no dating and no social media.
The story was good. There is drama, romance, comedy, and pain throughout, and as you read it, your emotions will be all over the place, but the pacing is a little bit off. Also, I find the romance between characters a bit cringy and cliché. If you are a fan of K-pop and K-dramas, then you are going to love Shine.
I enjoyed reading from Rachel's perspective and following her on this journey. Shine follows a seventeen-year-old Rachel Kim as she fulfills her dreams to train to become a K-pop star in Seoul. Also, it explores the harsh standards of the KPOP industry. That includes intense dieting, body-shaming, and pressure to get plastic surgery. It also controls the life aspect of every artist, such as no dating and no social media.
The story was good. There is drama, romance, comedy, and pain throughout, and as you read it, your emotions will be all over the place, but the pacing is a little bit off. Also, I find the romance between characters a bit cringy and cliché. If you are a fan of K-pop and K-dramas, then you are going to love Shine.
cannot believe i finished this in only two days. i am shocked and appalled.
i hated it lmao. i always hate when girls are being pitted against each other--come on, we live in a society.
the only thing that kept me going was my curiosity of what exactly happens in between the curtain that is the kpop world. i guess my questions finally have answers.
too bad this was just a self-insert book, i would have liked a more in-depth perspective about what it really takes to be a star.
1.5 stars from me. it was hard to read.
i hated it lmao. i always hate when girls are being pitted against each other--come on, we live in a society.
the only thing that kept me going was my curiosity of what exactly happens in between the curtain that is the kpop world. i guess my questions finally have answers.
too bad this was just a self-insert book, i would have liked a more in-depth perspective about what it really takes to be a star.
1.5 stars from me. it was hard to read.
Сладка история, която на моменти ми се губеше, но даваща подката, че въпреки многото пречки не трябва да се отказваме от себе си и мечтите.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Shine is a fictional story about a Kpop trainee written by someone who actually went through the process of being a Kpop trainee (and wound up being a pretty big star in Kpop overall, seeing as she was a member of SNSD/Girls' Generation, which was known as the Nation's Girl Group). That alone makes it an interesting take because it isn't just someone trying to use knowledge they got from internet gossip or kdramas. I was familiar with SNSD going into this, and I've listened to them since before Jessica Jung's departure so the public backstory behind all this isn't new to me.
As a whole, I found Shine interesting and entertaining. The writing isn't much to write home to (which is why I assume she wrote it herself and it wasn't ghost written because if she paid someone to write this for her, she should get her money back) but it was still entertaining. It's fairly easy to get through as well.
Were the characters mostly one dimensional? Yeah, sure. But I wasn't expecting a masterpiece going into this and I feel that's something people need to keep in mind when they go to read this. I did like Rachel enough to be invested in her story and want what's best for her, but the majority of the characters seem to rely on a character trait to get them through. It sort of matches the type of story it was telling, and that honestly was very kdrama of it, so I wasn't too fuzzed.
I think another thing that needs to be noted is that Rachel is very OBVIOUSLY based on Jessica Jung herself. I don't think everything that takes in this book happened to Sica herself but Rachel shares too much with her to not be an obvious self-insert. Being that talented, Korean-American and having a little sister who wants to be an idol too (aka Krystal Jung) makes it very obvious and on the nose.
For that reason, I won't be reading the sequel.
Spoiler'd for personal opinions on the situation and her just retelling her real life situation with herself as a victim and a hero for the sequel below.
Unlike this book, which seems like it was making a fictional story while using her experience to elevate the realism, the second book is very clearly based on her departure from SNSD, which has a lot of drama and speculation surrounding it. From my understanding, she plays herself as a victim of the situation while blaming the other girls and excusing some of the executives including having the obvious Lee Soo Man (the guy in charge of SM Entertainment, which DB Entertainment is based on) be a more reluctant participant, as if she's excusing his involvement. After showcasing how controlling the Kpop industry is, she rewrites that bit to suggest jealousy from the other girls (because she's clearly the most talented one) is what got her axed. I don't know what the true story is. There's a lot of he said, she said surrounding it all. But I doubt Sica is this innocent ingenue who got screwed over because Taeyeon, Tiffany and Sooyoung (or whoever else she wants to shit on) was jealous at how she was so much more beautiful, talented and successful than they are.
She also bases a new love interest on her real life boyfriend, Tyler Kwon, who she is unfortunately still with. Tyler Kwon is a skeezy man and gives creepy vibes. I've also read, though I'm not for sure so take it with a grain of salt, that he was friends with the people involved in the Burning Sun Scandal. And you know, birds of a feather. Again, I don't know if that's true but I've seen it floated around and it's just something that makes me uncomfortable reading a book that clearly uses his likeness. I cannot read a book where he's supposed to be this romantic hero who sweeps Rachel off her feet.
As a whole, I found Shine interesting and entertaining. The writing isn't much to write home to (which is why I assume she wrote it herself and it wasn't ghost written because if she paid someone to write this for her, she should get her money back) but it was still entertaining. It's fairly easy to get through as well.
Were the characters mostly one dimensional? Yeah, sure. But I wasn't expecting a masterpiece going into this and I feel that's something people need to keep in mind when they go to read this. I did like Rachel enough to be invested in her story and want what's best for her, but the majority of the characters seem to rely on a character trait to get them through. It sort of matches the type of story it was telling, and that honestly was very kdrama of it, so I wasn't too fuzzed.
I think another thing that needs to be noted is that Rachel is very OBVIOUSLY based on Jessica Jung herself. I don't think everything that takes in this book happened to Sica herself but Rachel shares too much with her to not be an obvious self-insert. Being that talented, Korean-American and having a little sister who wants to be an idol too (aka Krystal Jung) makes it very obvious and on the nose.
For that reason, I won't be reading the sequel.
Spoiler'd for personal opinions on the situation and her just retelling her real life situation with herself as a victim and a hero for the sequel below.
She also bases a new love interest on her real life boyfriend, Tyler Kwon, who she is unfortunately still with. Tyler Kwon is a skeezy man and gives creepy vibes. I've also read, though I'm not for sure so take it with a grain of salt, that he was friends with the people involved in the Burning Sun Scandal. And you know, birds of a feather. Again, I don't know if that's true but I've seen it floated around and it's just something that makes me uncomfortable reading a book that clearly uses his likeness. I cannot read a book where he's supposed to be this romantic hero who sweeps Rachel off her feet.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
+1 for entertainment sake. yeah… this is not great. weird pacing, which was mostly too quick, half written scenes and characters that are definitely attempted to be developed stay incredibly flat. i would go as far to say that there were some plotholes as well. as a former self-proclaimed k-pop stan, part of me was hoping it was grittier, but what could i expect in all honesty. i wish we had spent more time in the girl group or in the selection process.
i say treat it as it is, some mindless fodder to read, as a means of escapism. almost like a bad k-drama.
i say treat it as it is, some mindless fodder to read, as a means of escapism. almost like a bad k-drama.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Honestly, I really wanted to read this book because I thought Jessica Jung, former member of K-Pop girl group, SNSD/Girl's Generation would have some tea to spill about her time as a trainee and even as an artist.
While this book essentially pays homage to her love for Korea and K-pop, it somewhat feels like she has drawn parallels with the characters life. I dont know much about Jung but like Rachel, shes probably from the States, she has a younger sister and also debuted in a 9 member Girl Group called Girls Forever (lol???). There was also a rich girl called Sunny in SNSD. Was Mina inspired by her? I wonder if this is the only way she could get the horrific truth out about her time with SM & the rest of GG.
Apart from spotting inspiration, the book also glazes upon the inherent sexism faced between male and female artists by the management and fans. Men are prized more and women are regarded as dispensible creatures. They are weighed, poked and prodded for being slightly heavier propagating unrealistic standards of beauty and promoting eating disorders. They are blamed when they make mistakes or even blamed for someone elses mistakes. It also talks about bullying and the racism one faces simply by not being local. The way the story moved, I kept trying to place characters in my head.
So whos Jason, the dashing half Canadian and half Korean star who is apparently making all their hearts swoon. Honestly apart from all the tea that Jung spilled, the book glazed over the important details. Nevertheless, it served as a reminder that while we go along idolizing these stars, we need to remember that theyre ultimately human too.
A short but interesting read. More if you like Kpop.
While this book essentially pays homage to her love for Korea and K-pop, it somewhat feels like she has drawn parallels with the characters life. I dont know much about Jung but like Rachel, shes probably from the States, she has a younger sister and also debuted in a 9 member Girl Group called Girls Forever (lol???). There was also a rich girl called Sunny in SNSD. Was Mina inspired by her? I wonder if this is the only way she could get the horrific truth out about her time with SM & the rest of GG.
Apart from spotting inspiration, the book also glazes upon the inherent sexism faced between male and female artists by the management and fans. Men are prized more and women are regarded as dispensible creatures. They are weighed, poked and prodded for being slightly heavier propagating unrealistic standards of beauty and promoting eating disorders. They are blamed when they make mistakes or even blamed for someone elses mistakes. It also talks about bullying and the racism one faces simply by not being local. The way the story moved, I kept trying to place characters in my head.
So whos Jason, the dashing half Canadian and half Korean star who is apparently making all their hearts swoon. Honestly apart from all the tea that Jung spilled, the book glazed over the important details. Nevertheless, it served as a reminder that while we go along idolizing these stars, we need to remember that theyre ultimately human too.
A short but interesting read. More if you like Kpop.
This was a decent book. I read it pretty quickly, and I liked the main character, Rachel. Her relationships with her family members and some of her friends were really nice, and I could feel her passion for K-pop.
The plot of the book was definitely fast-paced and dramatic, and showcased some of the more brutal realities of the K-pop trainee life, like constant weighings, unnecessarily harsh beratement for little imperfections and mistakes, backstabbing competitors, and unequal standards for male versus female idols. It was pretty frustrating and anger-inducing to read about, and I was impressed by Rachel's commitment to her dream. I also appreciated that she recognized her family's sacrifices to get her to the place she found herself in. I do wish that some of the aforementioned topics had been explored in slightly greater detail.
Rachel's family and friends were great, and I think her little sister Leah was probably my favorite side characters, although the twins and Rachel's dad were also awesome.
As for Jason, I had parts of his and Rachel's relationship I liked, and parts that I disliked. They had a good dynamic, and got to know each other more as the story went on, but they also could have stood to have more depth overall. Besides that,
The writing drew me in nicely, and Rachel's narrative voice was clear and distinct, which was great. I enjoyed reading the story from her perspective, and I felt very immersed in her world.
I thought that Akari's character could have been better developed and utilized, and the ending left me hanging a bit. Mina frustrated me, because while she obviously made a strong case as someone to dislike, she also had a couple of moments where she seemed more well-rounded and human, rather than just a backstabbing rival.
The ending was also a little bit rushed.
At any rate, I did enjoy reading this, and I hope to read the sequel when it releases in the spring. I'll have to see if I can get it from the library. 3.5 stars.
The plot of the book was definitely fast-paced and dramatic, and showcased some of the more brutal realities of the K-pop trainee life, like constant weighings, unnecessarily harsh beratement for little imperfections and mistakes, backstabbing competitors, and unequal standards for male versus female idols. It was pretty frustrating and anger-inducing to read about, and I was impressed by Rachel's commitment to her dream. I also appreciated that she recognized her family's sacrifices to get her to the place she found herself in. I do wish that some of the aforementioned topics had been explored in slightly greater detail.
Rachel's family and friends were great, and I think her little sister Leah was probably my favorite side characters, although the twins and Rachel's dad were also awesome.
As for Jason, I had parts of his and Rachel's relationship I liked, and parts that I disliked. They had a good dynamic, and got to know each other more as the story went on, but they also could have stood to have more depth overall. Besides that,
Spoiler
the ending left me reeling a bit. I don't think Jason is a bad guy, but whether it was for the agency or not, he was two-timing (even though it was fake), and he didn't tell Rachel any of that. That upset me. He could definitely be pretty naive at times. I'm glad that the sequel is set up for Rachel to get with someone else, and I thought that their relationship was a realistic portrayal of what it takes to succeed, as well as the proper decision on Rachel's part. K-pop aside, he wasn't good enough for her.The writing drew me in nicely, and Rachel's narrative voice was clear and distinct, which was great. I enjoyed reading the story from her perspective, and I felt very immersed in her world.
I thought that Akari's character could have been better developed and utilized, and the ending left me hanging a bit. Mina frustrated me, because while she obviously made a strong case as someone to dislike, she also had a couple of moments where she seemed more well-rounded and human, rather than just a backstabbing rival.
The ending was also a little bit rushed.
At any rate, I did enjoy reading this, and I hope to read the sequel when it releases in the spring. I'll have to see if I can get it from the library. 3.5 stars.