Following the jaw-dropping finale of K-Pop Confidential, Stephan Lee invites readers back into Candace Park’s world of glamour and extortion in the sizzling sequel K-Pop Revolution. Right off the bat, we follow Candace after her big spilling the tea on the dark underbelly of the K-Pop industry. Now a star, Candace’s life is suddenly filled with more glamour, more fans, and yes, even more strenuous work to become the best in the business. While fans start following her around and she ostensibly finally is getting more transparency in the K-Pop industry thanks to a brand-new management (not to mention being allowed to date YoungBae openly), Candace cannot wait to finally make her debut.
Really, it seems like nothing can go wrong for Candace. But the more Candace trains and the closer her debut approaches, she soon realises that it’s one thing to say you’re going to create a more humane and compassionate space for artists—and a whole other to actually do it.
When a new rival girl group becomes the latest viral sensation and the pressure to succeed heightens, Candace will soon realise that it’s not enough to speak up and ask for change—she needs to join forces with others who feel the same way and actually make it happen. No matter the consequences, it’s time for a K-Pop Revolution.
Wow, wow, wow. Lee somehow managed to take the drama and tension of the first book and somehow ramp them up tenfold in this sequel. All the elements readers loved about Candace’s story are present in the sequel as well: snappy dialogue, the ambitious nature of Candace and her friends trying to rise to the top and the drama, intrigue, and betrayals that make this feel like the superior Gossip Girl narrative we all miss in our lives.
I admit, for most of this novel I was very confused about the pacing—half of the book doesn’t even mention the most notable bits from the story’s synopsis. However, once those elements come into play, (hindsight is everything in so many ways in K-Pop Revolution, just a heads up) every chapter is filled with adrenaline. K-Pop Revolution surprised me in its non-stop tension and fast-paced delivery; there really isn’t a moment to rest while you run along and see Candace put more pressure on herself on top of the pressure she already receives from her management and her bandmates. There are cutesy moments between her and YoungBae, of course, but really, this is the story of Candace being put through the ringer while still trying to make her mark on the world.
I also loved the turn for the dark that this book took. Lee doesn’t shy away from the dark sides of being an artist in the music industry and definitely offers some insight on what it means to work hard for your dream—and work against a rigged system in the process. While Candace begins to question everyone’s loyalty and has to deal with hurtful comments, laughable rumors and schemes, we get to see just how cruel the world can be. It’s as painful as it is engrossing to read those chapters.
One of my favorite parts by far was the emergence of a rival K-Pop band that challenges all the stereotypes and strict confinements that are sometimes associated with K-Pop. It was such an interesting element to juxtapose their rise to fame with Candace’s and for me, this is where Lee shined the most in this novel. Sharp yet subtle commentary is paired with all the angst and anxiety you’d imagine when your personal rise to fame is threatened to be overshadowed by people who might even deserve the spotlight more than you do. As Candace questions whether she’s still pursuing her dreams for the right reasons, whether she’s still fighting for her goals or turning complacent as she’s mollified by her new management, you really get a feel for what it’s like to be in the music industry and how cutthroat it all can seem in the end. Yet Candace like the others persevere and the story grows only more addictive as you read on.
All in all, this book just really spoke to me with its commentary. Candace is a favorite character of mine because she’s resilient, smart, quick on her toes and above all, ambitious. In K-Pop Revolution, she’s going through a tremendous journey but in the end, she emerges the K-Pop warrior we can all band behind.
Empowering and addictive, Stephan Lee juxtaposes glamour and glitz with devious scheming in his sophomore novel K-Pop Revolution. Walking the tightrope between effusing love for K-Pop and sharp commentary on its rigorous system, K-Pop Revolution is an earth-shattering sequel that will have readers cheer on our K-Pop warrior Candace Park all the way to the end!
K-Pop Revolution is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 5th 2022.
Will you be picking up K-Pop Revolution? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
She thought that debuting in a K-Pop band was the finsh line, but it was only the beginning. Because now it’s not only Candace’s company judging her—it’s the entire world. How will she find the courage to stand by her beliefs, even when powerful forces are trying to shame and silence her…
Now that Candace is a star, her life is suddenly filled with glamour. She’s known everywhere; she has adoring fans who worship her and her boyfriend, YoungBae; and she has unlimited access to her label-mates SLK, who happen to be the top boy band in the world.
Even more important, her company, S.A.Y., tells her they’ve heard her message of change loud and clear. They promise to make sweeping changes to become a more humane and compassionate place for artists.
But the road to a record-breaking debut isn’t going to be smooth. The schedule is even more grueling; the pressure is immense, and there’s unexpected competition from a rival girl group that’s become the latest viral sensation — not to mention constant bullying and false rumors online.
When increasingly-virulent online scandals threaten the future of YAS-Q — and it becomes painfully clear that S.A.Y. is as manipulative as ever — Candace realizes it’s not enough to use her voice alone. It’s time to join forces and take action.
It’s time for a K-Pop revolution.
