Synopsis: “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”. “Shine” (2020) Book Review Author: Jessica Jung Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books Collection: Young Readers Length: 368 pages ISBN: 9781534462526 The story follows Rachel, whose journey resonates closely with that of Jessica. She has been a trainee at the prestigious DB Entertainment agency for six years, and her one and only dream is to debut as a K-Pop singer. Throughout the twenty-seven chapters punctuating the novel, we discover all the obstacles standing between her and her objective. First, the character of Mina. Like her, Mina wants to break into the world of music and does everything to counter Rachel’s projects. In the middle of this race for fame, a boy stands Jason, star of the agency, part of a famous boy band. He soon became the love interest of the young Rachel. We are very quickly immersed in Rachel’s world with this novel, which exposes the behind-the-scenes of this world but nevertheless seems so spangled. K-Pop stars have to be “lovable, eloquent, and perfect” all the time, in front of and behind the cameras. No room for scandals, or the slightest sign of weakness, under the risk of being expelled from the trainee program that should make you a star. The animosity between the trainees is thus strong; between drugs, lies, and violence, everything is allowed to climb the ladder of fame. Mina embodies this almost unsympathetic character, blinded by her hatred towards Rachel who leads a different way of life from the others. Indeed, she did not have to put her schooling on hold and continues to live with her parents, favored by the boss of the agency. Rachel suffers from her difference, from not finding her place in Korea, as the other girls constantly point it out to her. She feels understood in Jason’s arms, being of Canadian and Korean descent. He puts the right words on their tumultuous identity: “too white to be Asian, too Asian to be white”, and this is how Rachel feels throughout the novel. Does she have her place in the spotlight, as she is uncomfortable in front of the cameras, and has difficulty chaining dance steps, but whose voice harmonizes perfectly with that of Jason? When it is announced that the young boy is looking for a partner to perform a duet, Mina and Rachel fight to win this privilege. Mina not to disappoint her father, stern and powerful, and Rachel, to prove to everyone that she is worth something, and to get closer to the boy she fell in love with after all the attention he had for her. The stakes are high, as her family left everything behind in the United States to move to Korea to fulfill their daughter’s dream. But it is an ultimatum that her mother gives her: if Rachel does not make her debut during the year, she will have to give up the light to join the benches of the university. Sacrifices are most important, and Rachel will learn them the hard way, through the loss of her friends, her family, and her love. She ends up not knowing who she is anymore, and if the path she chose to take six years ago is the best for her. Supported by her mentor, YuJin, she will fight for her dreams, proving that there is no limit to her success: more than anyone, she can shine. And despite her difficult relationship with Jason, as the two lovebirds are being forced to hide to be together. She then realizes the dishonesty of the agency she idolized, as well as the misogyny present in Korean society. Despite the recurring obstacles in her journey, Rachel does not give up. The difficulties are many, fame is not necessarily what she thought it was, but she continues to fight hard because she deserves a chance to break into the music scene. And if it’s alone, then so be it, because her dream is more important than everything else. During an interview for Teen Vogue, Jessica declared “Shine was born because I wanted to tell the truth about my experience, the way only good fiction can”. Indeed, a lot of fans wondered if “Shine” is about the real life of Jessica, when she mysteriously departed from Girls’ Generation. She also named the American tv show “Gossip Girl” as her source of inspiration. “Shine” was published on Sept.29, 2020, and re-edited on May 10, 2022, alongside “Bright”’s first publication. Jessica also unveils five reasons to read her book, in an interview for Simon Teen: 1) The insight into trainee life, 2) The setting, 3) The romance, 4) The family bonds, and 5) Girl power. Kpopmap Rating : 7.5/10 You have so many reasons to read her first novel! Let us know in the comment your impression if you did in the comment below, and if you already read “Bright” as well!
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