Shine

Jessica Jung

Sep 2020 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

An instant New York Times bestseller

Crazy Rich Asians meets Gossip Girl by way of Jenny Han in this knockout 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 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.

Ratings and reviews

I loved the beginning of the book. It was full of humor and very interesting insights about the trainee lives and the cuisine inside the talent agency, but then the rest of the book focused almost entirely on the fictional romance with a guy, and in this it lost it's initial charm. It was so much more exciting to keep reading about the main character and her challenges as a trainee (somethings that very few have insight about, and something that Jessica Jung has advantage of) than whatever teenage romance that i can find in any other book. If the next book focuses on personal relationships rather than main character career then i don't think i would try to read it as this one...

I have been excited as what stories this book would hold. I have been very thrilled and can't wait to finally read this. I was shocked that the koreans are having negative coments about this book. Thinking Jess is using her status as an ex member of GG, to spill out the dirty truth. To be honest, nothing much is exposed here. Even the timeline is set on 2020. Instead of an authobiography from her experience, it feels more like a fiction seasoned by what she may experience and saw in the industry. It gives us a little bit of the Kpop backstage and what are happemkng behind the fancy stages.

The plot is well-written, even with some dry points, the story picks up its pace and is generally interesting. I do wish there was more depth into the other characters, explaining why they're the way they are. I wanted to hear more about Akari, and the other members of Girls Forever. If you're reading this expecting to uncover "the truth about SNSD, Jessica exposing SNSD," and whatever conspiracy theories you have in mind, you're in for a disappointment. There is no tea of that kind in this story. What you're going to read about is the story of a girl with so much grit and determination to read for her dreams, for herself and her family. This also describes in-depth about how sexist and unfair the K-pop industry is towards women, the double standards, and how much more difficult it is to make it in the industry as a woman. It's saddening and infuriating at the same time. All in all this was a great read. I already preordered Bright after reading this.

About the author

Jessica Jung is a Korean American singer, actress, fashion designer, and international influencer. Born in San Francisco, Jessica grew up in South Korea where she trained as a K-pop singer, debuting as a member of the international sensation Girls Generation in 2007. After going solo in 2014, she launched the successful fashion line, Blanc & Eclare. Jessica has been featured on the covers of magazines worldwide, her brand now spanning platforms including film and television.