Can’t Wait Wednesday was once Waiting on Wednesday, but the purpose is the same: for bloggers to highlight what they’re waiting on. This week that is K-Pop Confidential
“I’m still giddy over this electrifying, big-hearted, all-kill smash of a debut. I couldn’t put it down.” — Becky Albertalli, bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
In this romantic coming-of-age novel about chasing big dreams, a Korean-American girl travels to Seoul in hopes of debuting in a girl group at the same K-pop company behind the most popular boy band on the planet. Perfect for fans of Mary H. K. Choi and Jenny Han.
Candace Park knows a lot about playing a role. For most of her life, she’s been playing the role of the quiet Korean girl who takes all AP classes and plays a classical instrument, keeping her dreams of stardom-and her obsession with SLK, K-pop’s top boyband-to herself. She doesn’t see how a regular girl like her could possibly become one of those K-pop goddesses she sees on YouTube. Even though she can sing. Like, really sing.
So when Candace secretly enters a global audition held by SLK’s music label, the last thing she expects is to actually get a coveted spot in their trainee program. And convincing her strict parents to let her to go is all but impossible … although it’s nothing compared to what comes next.
Under the strict supervision of her instructors at the label’s headquarters in Seoul, Candace must perfect her performance skills to within an inch of her life, learn to speak Korean fluently, and navigate the complex hierarchies of her fellow trainees, all while following the strict rules of the industry. Rule number one? NO DATING, which becomes impossible to follow when she meets a dreamy boy trainee. And in the all-out battle to debut, Candace is in danger of planting herself in the middle of a scandal lighting up the K-pop fandom around the world.
If she doesn’t have what it takes to become a perfect, hair-flipping K-pop idol, what will that mean for her family, who have sacrificed everything to give her the chance? And is a spot in the most hyped K-pop girl group of all time really worth risking her friendships, her future, and everything she believes in?
I love everything about this story — about Candace wanting more for herself and choosing her own path, as hard as it is. I also feel like I need to learn more about K-Pop.
Do you listen to K-Pop?
I know OF Korean Pop and through friends who love BTS but hadn’t really taken an interest before until BTS released Dynamite, it’s an incredibly infectious song and their English debut I believe. I always thought Korean Pop groups were over manufactured and are paid very little and worked until exhaustion. There seems to be a higher rate of suicide among Korean and Korean Pop celebrities so perhaps there is more to the rumours that idle gossip. Really curious about this one, I love books with protagonists chasing big dreams and this sounds super cute.
More BTS around made me notice this goodness, but more than that too is that it sounds super cute like you said. I have seen articles of suicides and other issues with K-Pop celebs (I think in regards to the relationships they can/ can’t have) It sounds like an incredibly tough world.
I don’t listen to K-Pop, but this book sounds fun! I love that Candace has these two different sides to her and she’s finally ready to bring out the performer.
I want to read this one too. What I know about K Pop I learned from my former students, but the story still calls to me
This sounds like a great read and I hope you’ll enjoy it!
So I’m not into K-Pop, but I did just recently read the book Shine by Jessica Jung and really enjoyed it, so this sounds like one I’d like too. Thanks for sharing it!
Lisa Loves Literature’s Wednesday post
This sounds like such a fun read! I don’t know much about K-Pop but it’s something I’ve always been curious about since I hear about it so much on social media.