by Jessica Jung
First published 2020
Rachel Kim stands in the practice rooms of DB Entertainment, one of Seoul's biggest K-pop labels. Six years have passed since they recruited the seventeen-year-old Korean American teen. She follows the company's strict rules: train constantly, maintain perfection, avoid romantic relationships. Rachel discovers the industry's dark side as scandals emerge about how labels control and exploit young women. She questions whether she can survive the system or if it will destroy her dreams. Her resolve wavers further when she falls for Jason Lee, a successful K-pop star and DB's prized talent. Jason attracts her not just because of his charm and abilities, but because he truly understands her burning desire for stardom. Rachel must decide if pursuing her dreams is worth the personal cost.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary, young-adult, 21st-century, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, second-chance
Setting: Seoul, South Korea
Period: 21st-century
352 pages · Hardcover · Simon Pulse
Content warnings: anxiety, depression, mental-illness