K-POP REVOLUTION

After her shocking exposé of injustices in the K-pop industry, will Candace Park get a chance to change things from the inside?

Korean American Candace went from K-pop trainee to #KPopWarrior overnight after speaking out about serious, deep-rooted issues in the industry. In this follow-up to K-Pop Confidential (2020), she debuts as a K-pop idol in S.A.Y. Entertainment’s first ever all-girl group, THE GIRLS. Candace’s dream is now her reality, albeit with a rocky start. The company seems to be making sweeping changes, from hiring their first female CEO to removing dieting restrictions. Next, Candace enrolls in Brandt Foreign School for her junior year of high school, where she makes friends with YoonJoo, who is Black Korean, and Summer, who is Korean American. Trying to balance school, being an idol, and her relationship with boyfriend YoungBae takes a major toll on Candace. The seemingly perfect overhaul of S.A.Y. starts to show cracks as the new CEO repeats some unhealthy past practices that place pressure on music stars. Lee keeps readers on their toes throughout the book by creatively weaving in themes of teenage stresses, mental health, balancing multiple cultures, and staying true to oneself while presenting a curated image to the outside world. Some secondary characters are queer. Readers will benefit from having read the previous volume in order to better understand certain character arcs.

An engrossing sequel that highlights the nuances of being a performer and living across cultures.