If you’re a K-pop fan, you probably know about the dark side of the industry: More than the glitz and glamour, there’s also the endless hours spent in training, the pressure to look *perfect* all the time, and the no-dating rule, to name a few. There are many secrets about the industry that we'll probably never learn about, but we might just get a glimpse, as Girl’s Generation member Jessica Jung has used her experience as a K-pop idol to write her novel, Shine.
The YA book is set in Seoul and follows the life of a fictional character named Rachel Kim, a Korean-American trainee under one of South Korea’s prestigious agencies, DB Entertainment. In hopes of becoming a successful K-pop star, Rachel goes through rigorous training, encounters a lot of difficulties along the way, and eventually falls in love with another K-pop star and labelmate, Jason Lee.
Apart from her life as a trainee and her growing feelings for Jason, Rachel also introduces us to her family—which includes her parents and little sister Leah, whom Jessica said is inspired by her own sister, Krystal Jung (who’s also a K-pop star and K-drama actress). Shine may seem like an autobiography, but Jessica tells in an interview that it’s a mixture of real-life scenarios and fiction: “But I also wanted to create good entertainment, like I’ve been doing my whole life, and I know that entertainment means blending real details with great storytelling and giving all the characters their own plots to follow.” Yup, we’re definitely excited about this!
In 2015, Jessica, who was a part of the legendary K-pop girl group Girl’s Generation, terminated contracts with her agency, SM Entertainment. From there, she's pursued different careers and has worn multiple hats as a singer-songwriter, fashion designer, businesswoman, YouTube vlogger, and now as an author.
Shine is published under Simon Pulse, and has been sold in 11 foreign countries prior to its scheduled release on September 29. A sequel is already planned for next year, and a movie is also in the works with Matt Kaplan, the producer behind Netflix’s successful rom-com, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.
We’re counting seven more days before the book’s release! Are you also excited?
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