Have you ever wondered what exactly is k-pop music and what makes it so special for fans? Have you ever wondered how bands like EXO, Blackpink, BTS, Twice and many others are already on all music channels in the world and are gaining fans? Well, it’s time to stop wondering, because we already have the answers to these questions.
“K-pop Confidential ”by Stephen Lee is the book you need to understand k-pop culture. I won’t hide that as a big fan of k-pop music myself, I read the book within 24 hours – I just couldn’t stop reading.
I can’t help but admit that I’m a big pedant when it comes to Asian culture and especially k-pop music. I’ve been a fan for 11 years now and everything is so familiar to me that even I could sit down and write a book on the subject (not that it will ever happen). That is why I am always very critical of such books, and especially of the way in which they will be presented to the public.
About the story
Candace Park is a talented American girl of Korean descent who, in defiance of her parents, auditioned to be part of the new girl’s k-pop group, that was going to be a phenomenon. And when, even unexpectedly, she turns out to be the only one chosen, she somehow manages to convince her family and goes to Seoul to become the new SLK Entertainment trainee.
Once in Seoul, Candace will have to go through everything that every trainee have to experience in order to be a k-pop star – a journey that happened to be not easy at all, especially when you are not used to the culture and everything painfully familiar to everyone else in – all idols and fans. Welcome to the world of k-pop! Are you ready to reveal its secrets?
About the book itself
Lately, all my attempts to read books that includes in the story line k-pop or South Korean culture in general have failed miserably, so I was a little reserved about the book. However, my fears turned out to be unfounded, to my great happiness, and the story is very interesting, fascinating and will undoubtedly make the reader turn page after page. Or at least that’s what happened to me.
The action takes place in present-day Seoul, the capital not only of South Korea, but also of the “Korean wave”, which is gradually conquering the world with each passing year. A great adventure awaits you in “K-pop Confidential” – here you can immerse yourself completely in the world of pop music, get acquainted with the normal daily life of idols and what inhuman efforts they must make every minute to be perfect and worthy of their fans.
Knowing the industry, I can say that the author really described everything with great understanding and didn’t hide a single humiliating fact. Even if you are not a fan of this type of music, the story itself will inevitably draw you into this new world, which is rich in unexpected twists, inhuman efforts and humiliating moments, but so desired and longed to make people go through everything to achieve their dream of being an idol.
Diving into the book you will also learn about the Korean culture, food and traditions of this interesting country. I won’t lie, at times it will seem to you that everything is too far away, strange and unbelievable, but looking more into the story I believe that you can’t help but become empathetic with everything. Even if I wasn’t a fan of that music, I would definitely become one after reading this book.
I really liked “K-pop Confidential” and I highly recommend it to fans of k-pop music, as well as to those who have not even heard a song in Korean. By the end of it, you will no longer wonder what these strange Korean young people are like, but you will want to hear at least one song from the genre, and together with everyone else you will chant “Candace, Candace, Candace”!!!
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