“Singing is the only thing that can make me feel fearless.”
Nowadays K-pop is more popular than ever before and this exciting new debut will be perfect for those who are already in love with this music as well as for those who might just be curious about it. Full of drama, music, and funny moments, Alexandra Leigh Young’s debut novel is not one you want to miss out on.
Idol Gossip focuses mainly on the reality of what k-pop idols go through. The book successfully depicts everything these people face on the lead up to debut and afterwards, from the good parts of singing lessons, dance lessons, photoshoots… to the ugly parts with strict rules about diets and relationships, tight schedules, gossip, scandals, sasaengs, and more. It also shows that even though it’s hard, they persevere because all they want is to get better so they can do what they love most.
In this novel in particular, we follow a 17-year-old teenager whose life is about to change completely. Everything that Alice Choy has ever wanted is to become a singer. But, when she’s forced to move from San Francisco to Seoul due to her mum’s new job, she has to leave everything behind, including the singing lessons she loves dearly. However, one day when she’s at a noraebang (karaoke room) with her little sister Olivia, she’s overheard by a talent scout from Top10 Entertainment who notices her potential and invites her to an audition. After a bit of encouragement from her sister, Alice regains the motivation to pursue her dream even though it looks very different from what she had always imagined.
And so, Alice starts a new life as a trainee at Star Academy where she lives and trains with famous idols as well as her new group mates with whom she’ll debut as A-List, something very rare for someone with very little training! To be fair, at the beginning it’s hard to root for Alice. She is quite rude, self-centred, and someone who refuses to listen to anybody and just wants to do things her way. Even though moving countries (and continents) and changing cultures (and languages) is definitely not an easy transition, there’s a lot of moments where Alice just completely refuses to learn and understand others which can be frustrating. But it’s also worth mentioning that the author did an amazing job in developing her character and there is definitely improvement throughout the book. At the end of the day, she is an entertaining character to read. As for other characters, it’s best for the reader to meet them one by one but look out for Joon and Aria, two characters that most readers, if not all, will definitely love! Actually, Aria is someone who may appear very strict and focused on her dream, which is why, since Alice is the narrator, for some people it could be easy to not understand her actions. But if you try to see beyond that you’ll definitely see she’s a very interesting character as well and understand where she’s coming from.
On another note, whilst Idol Gossip isn’t a story with lots of plot twists, there will definitely be moments of surprise when different paths are presented. Even though there’s a fair amount of drama and tough situations, there are also a lot of funny and sweet moments that will lighten up the mood. The novel is also quick to read and super fast paced, you will devour the book in no time! There’s not a dull moment since there’s always a lot going on following Alice from lesson to lesson, show to show, and so on.
Basically, this is a great debut where both the story and the characters are well built! However, it does feel that some tiny aspects were a bit underdeveloped. For instance, Joon’s story as well as his friendship with Alice moves to the background after a certain point. It’s understandable to a certain extent because it gives room to other plots that are also relevant to the story at the time but at the same time it does leave the reader wondering about how that aspect plays out. And the ending also felt slightly abrupt and rushed. You’re left wanting to know more, but that’s not ultimately a bad thing since it certainly gives room for future stories! You’ll definitely want a sequel.
Another aspect of the book that will certainly not go unnoticed is that fans and fandoms are also a part of the story. We mostly see them through comments posted on blog entries or through the idols eyes. They are portrayed very realistically: from the ones who just throw shade at other groups and fandoms to those who are more reasonable and who certainly care about the idols. But mostly, it shows the appreciation one can have towards someone they haven’t met and how hard it is to see them being treated badly.
And talking about gossip and blogs… The book is not called Idol Gossip for nothing. Between chapter and chapter we find a very interesting character, V, who runs a blog called The Fix. A place where they reveal news about the private life of idols and share mean comments about them. It does serve as an example to show how fine the line between harassment and telling the truth really is. It’s definitely something to think about.
All in all, Idol Gossip is an enjoyable, easy and funny read that everyone will enjoy. From those who are obsessed with k-pop and know everything about it to those who aren’t but maybe just want to see what the life of idols is really like.
Idol Gossip is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 14th 2021.
Will you be picking up Idol Gossip? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
An inside look at the K-pop phenomenon, in a wry, punchy young-adult debut that probes cultural differences, sisterhood, and the minefield of fame.
Every Friday after school, dressed in their new South Korean prep-school uniforms —sweater vests, knee-highs, pleated skirts, and blazers— seventeen-year old Alice Choy and her little sister, Olivia, head to Myeongdong, brave a dank, basement-level stairwell full of graffiti, and slip into a noreabang. Back in San Francisco, when she still had friends and earthly possessions, Alice took regular singing lessons. But since their diplomat mom moved them to Seoul, she pours herself into karaoke, vamping it up in their booth to Lady Gaga while loyal Olivia applauds and howls with laughter. Alice lives for Fridays, but when an older woman stops her on their way out one day, handing Alice a business card with a bow, singing turns serious. Could the chance encounter really be her ticket to elite status at Top10 Entertainment’s Star Academy? With a little sisterly support, backed by one of the world’s top talent agencies, can Alice lead her group on stage before a stadium of 50,000 chanting fans —and just maybe strike K-pop gold? Not if a certain influential blogger and the anti-fans get their way.
Delicious gossip squares off with genuine heart in a debut about standing out and fitting in, dreaming big and staying true —for avid K-pop fans and those just discovering the worldwide cultural phenomenon.
