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A review by robotnik
Shine by Jessica Jung
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
3.0
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.