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Idol Gossip
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.
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.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published September 14, 2021
61 people are currently reading
5092 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Leigh Young
2 books72 followersAlexandra Leigh Young currently produces the New York Times podcast The Daily. She produced tours for pop bands for three years before moving to South Korea as a freelance journalist. An assignment on K-pop for NPR’s Radiolab became the basis for Idol Gossip, her first novel for young adults. She lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
November 10, 2022
The K-Pop genre is slowly becoming a thing in YA books and there has to be crack in it, because I’m fucking addicted.
Not gonna lie, the two (2) books I’ve read within that genre have followed basically the same structure. Regular girl is coerced by her annoying sibling to audition for a K-Pop company, and due to her naturally amazing and unique vocals, lands a spot. However, her time as a trainee will be much shorter than usual, because she’s training for a specific big event that will lead to her debut and stardom as a K-Pop idol. Throw in some romance and behind-the-scenes commentary on the world of K-Pop.
I’m not complaining.
I am a K-Pop stan (mainly just BLACKPINK though) and I am obsessed with these books. I love the narration on the world of K-Pop, I love the culture, and the story style??? Impossible to stop.
First of all, I loved the fact that this book addressed everything wrong with K-Pop culture. Because there is a lot, and Idol Gossip was a fucking callout. There are the toxic anti-stans, the absolutely fucked-up expectations for idols, and the abuse within agencies.
The anti-stans are pure evil. Toxic people on the Internet who go out of their way to criticize idols, trash them, slander them, and stalk them. Tell me that sounds remotely okay. And they do so much to the idols, more than you would ever expect from just making shit comments online.
The beauty standards are so…wrong. I would say “fucked-up” again, but I get the feeling that things would become very repetitive very quickly if I stuck with that phrase. But still - there is no feasible way to expect any girl over 13 to keep her weight below 98 pounds and her waist measurements below 25.
And the agencies? Don’t get me fucking started. They abuse their idols, overwork them, impose ridiculous rules, and have so much power over the idols’ careers that they use to make more money no matter what it does. Agencies control everything their idols do and it’s just wrong on so many goddamn levels.
This book addressed all of that with such poise and incorporated it all into the plot so well.
What I didn’t like as much about that aspect was that it kind of…undid all the awareness it was trying to bring? Like, Alice (the main character) kept going and kept conforming to those standards. I felt like having the narrative was great, but then Alice still staying in the Academy and wanting to debut despite all of that felt a little incongruous.
The writing was really fun and I think it carried Alice’s perspective really well. At some points, it felt a little too teenager-y, like the author was exaggerating things to make it sound like it was coming from a teenage girl, and that got slightly annoying.
The characters were all great, if a bit shallow - but I don’t really know what else you can expect from a book like this, considering that it’s a contemporary standalone. It was nice that they weren’t flat cardboard, though. Everyone was unique and relatable in their own ways, and I really liked being able to tell who was who almost immediately.
Alice was a mood and I loved her perspective. She was the perfect character in the book to narrate, and her POV just made everything seem that much more real. It was easy to get into the book through Alice’s eyes.
To be honest, though, she was kind of dumb. She didn’t know anything about K-Pop and didn’t even really try to understand anything even after becoming a trainee. I find it a little impossible to believe that she remained that level of ignorant the whole time???
She was also pretty self-centered. There were so many points in the book where she thought everyone else’s behavior was because of her or centered around her. Like??? No??? They have their own emotions???
It was pretty relatable in that Alice was oblivious to everyone else’s lives, and people in general honestly aren’t as aware as we should be of other people, but still. She made herself the victim of literally everything. “Oh my God why aren’t they talking to me does everyone hate me” like probably not because everyone is training to debut and they’re all busy -
But also maybe, because you’re not even trying to learn from your mistakes or your surroundings.
Her sister was more annoying though. So there’s that.
There were hints of romance, but it was kind of refreshing not to see anything really come up. I don’t think there are many other books that don’t have romance subplots, especially because this one really had an excuse to go for it.
I’m pretty sure this book is supposed to be a standalone, but I would love it if it became a series. First of all, the ending was kind of abrupt. It didn’t get to a climax until maybe ten or twenty pages before the end, which was not my favorite way to end the book. I feel like there could be a lot more to unpack with this story.
Also, I loved Aria and So-hyun. I would love other books following their backstories, their trainee lives, and how they became the characters that they are. Or just continuing from where Idol Gossip ended.
Actually, you know whose book I need? Joon Kwon. This absolute king. I did not expect to be charmed by the charming boy, but I was. In an aesthetic sense. Like, I love his character. And I need his backstory. There’s so much in his character that I need more of.
Overall, I love K-Pop and I love K-Pop books. I love the culture insight, the idol vibes, the behind-the-scenes, and the way they expose absolutely everything. These types of books are absolutely amazing and I am absolutely planning to read any others that I can get my hands on. This one was no exception. I was a little scared it would be a carbon copy of the other K-Pop book I’ve read (K-Pop Revolution) but it wasn’t and I’m so glad.
Not gonna lie, the two (2) books I’ve read within that genre have followed basically the same structure. Regular girl is coerced by her annoying sibling to audition for a K-Pop company, and due to her naturally amazing and unique vocals, lands a spot. However, her time as a trainee will be much shorter than usual, because she’s training for a specific big event that will lead to her debut and stardom as a K-Pop idol. Throw in some romance and behind-the-scenes commentary on the world of K-Pop.
I’m not complaining.
I am a K-Pop stan (mainly just BLACKPINK though) and I am obsessed with these books. I love the narration on the world of K-Pop, I love the culture, and the story style??? Impossible to stop.
First of all, I loved the fact that this book addressed everything wrong with K-Pop culture. Because there is a lot, and Idol Gossip was a fucking callout. There are the toxic anti-stans, the absolutely fucked-up expectations for idols, and the abuse within agencies.
The anti-stans are pure evil. Toxic people on the Internet who go out of their way to criticize idols, trash them, slander them, and stalk them. Tell me that sounds remotely okay. And they do so much to the idols, more than you would ever expect from just making shit comments online.
The beauty standards are so…wrong. I would say “fucked-up” again, but I get the feeling that things would become very repetitive very quickly if I stuck with that phrase. But still - there is no feasible way to expect any girl over 13 to keep her weight below 98 pounds and her waist measurements below 25.
And the agencies? Don’t get me fucking started. They abuse their idols, overwork them, impose ridiculous rules, and have so much power over the idols’ careers that they use to make more money no matter what it does. Agencies control everything their idols do and it’s just wrong on so many goddamn levels.
This book addressed all of that with such poise and incorporated it all into the plot so well.
What I didn’t like as much about that aspect was that it kind of…undid all the awareness it was trying to bring? Like, Alice (the main character) kept going and kept conforming to those standards. I felt like having the narrative was great, but then Alice still staying in the Academy and wanting to debut despite all of that felt a little incongruous.
The writing was really fun and I think it carried Alice’s perspective really well. At some points, it felt a little too teenager-y, like the author was exaggerating things to make it sound like it was coming from a teenage girl, and that got slightly annoying.
The characters were all great, if a bit shallow - but I don’t really know what else you can expect from a book like this, considering that it’s a contemporary standalone. It was nice that they weren’t flat cardboard, though. Everyone was unique and relatable in their own ways, and I really liked being able to tell who was who almost immediately.
Alice was a mood and I loved her perspective. She was the perfect character in the book to narrate, and her POV just made everything seem that much more real. It was easy to get into the book through Alice’s eyes.
To be honest, though, she was kind of dumb. She didn’t know anything about K-Pop and didn’t even really try to understand anything even after becoming a trainee. I find it a little impossible to believe that she remained that level of ignorant the whole time???
She was also pretty self-centered. There were so many points in the book where she thought everyone else’s behavior was because of her or centered around her. Like??? No??? They have their own emotions???
It was pretty relatable in that Alice was oblivious to everyone else’s lives, and people in general honestly aren’t as aware as we should be of other people, but still. She made herself the victim of literally everything. “Oh my God why aren’t they talking to me does everyone hate me” like probably not because everyone is training to debut and they’re all busy -
But also maybe, because you’re not even trying to learn from your mistakes or your surroundings.
Her sister was more annoying though. So there’s that.
There were hints of romance, but it was kind of refreshing not to see anything really come up. I don’t think there are many other books that don’t have romance subplots, especially because this one really had an excuse to go for it.
I’m pretty sure this book is supposed to be a standalone, but I would love it if it became a series. First of all, the ending was kind of abrupt. It didn’t get to a climax until maybe ten or twenty pages before the end, which was not my favorite way to end the book. I feel like there could be a lot more to unpack with this story.
Also, I loved Aria and So-hyun. I would love other books following their backstories, their trainee lives, and how they became the characters that they are. Or just continuing from where Idol Gossip ended.
Actually, you know whose book I need? Joon Kwon. This absolute king. I did not expect to be charmed by the charming boy, but I was. In an aesthetic sense. Like, I love his character. And I need his backstory. There’s so much in his character that I need more of.
Overall, I love K-Pop and I love K-Pop books. I love the culture insight, the idol vibes, the behind-the-scenes, and the way they expose absolutely everything. These types of books are absolutely amazing and I am absolutely planning to read any others that I can get my hands on. This one was no exception. I was a little scared it would be a carbon copy of the other K-Pop book I’ve read (K-Pop Revolution) but it wasn’t and I’m so glad.
March 26, 2022
Oh boy. This hurts.
I cannot describe the utter cringe, hatred and annoyance this book gave me all throughout. I stoped reading mid way so many times because I just couldn’t handle it.
On that note, I hated the main character. She got a little bit of character development in the rushed, confusing mess of an ending that isn’t realistic at all. But that’s not my point. My point is that she was a whiny bitch and people were being so nice to her for no reason and she STILL turned them down. I know that she sort of regretted it in the last chapter (and gave a very half-assed apology without much change)c but every single chapter before that she was just so annoying and frustrating.
This book was also so cringe and cliché. The stakes of it are just impossible, like changing a black ocean to a white ocean just with one performance where the only thing that changed was that two members sung together. Wow, that’ll show the anti-fans. Also, just because a character (*ahem* So-ri) is a language genius does not mean that they just say random frases to other people in different languages, it just served for more cringe. Speaking of cringe, the texting scenes between Alice and Olivia just made me want to die sometimes. For example, over using emojis, “LOLs” and using “sux” instead of sucks. There were so many incidents like those on every single one of the texting scenes.
I did like some things about it, which is why I added that extra star. It all had to do with the side characters. Like Seol, So-hyun, Joon, and so forth. They were the only reason I kept reading, and they didn’t even get all the praise they deserved. I will never understand why they were all so nice and a friend to Alice when she still pushed them away and was just constantly a bitch.
As a k-pop Stan, I love k-pop books and the k-pop world so much that it was impossible not to like some details. What I can appreciate is the level of detail and proper research done into writing the book, I felt like it was very well rounded in that way (I.e photocards, binders, light sticks, anti-fans, black oceans, ultimate biases, etc). I loved the criticism put into the industry and the message about hurtful gossip and the unrealistic standards toxic “fans” hold towards idols. That’s why I liked V so much, it showed all of these shitty things about the K-pop industry while giving her a backstory, remorse and a reason why she did things. Fuck, she has more development than the main character. Sorry not sorry.
Overall, I only finished this because I was expecting some sort of satisfying conclusion, and because I absolutely adore K-pop books. It hurts to give this such a low rating but it was poorly executed and does not deserve such a pretty cover.
I cannot describe the utter cringe, hatred and annoyance this book gave me all throughout. I stoped reading mid way so many times because I just couldn’t handle it.
On that note, I hated the main character. She got a little bit of character development in the rushed, confusing mess of an ending that isn’t realistic at all. But that’s not my point. My point is that she was a whiny bitch and people were being so nice to her for no reason and she STILL turned them down. I know that she sort of regretted it in the last chapter (and gave a very half-assed apology without much change)c but every single chapter before that she was just so annoying and frustrating.
This book was also so cringe and cliché. The stakes of it are just impossible, like changing a black ocean to a white ocean just with one performance where the only thing that changed was that two members sung together. Wow, that’ll show the anti-fans. Also, just because a character (*ahem* So-ri) is a language genius does not mean that they just say random frases to other people in different languages, it just served for more cringe. Speaking of cringe, the texting scenes between Alice and Olivia just made me want to die sometimes. For example, over using emojis, “LOLs” and using “sux” instead of sucks. There were so many incidents like those on every single one of the texting scenes.
I did like some things about it, which is why I added that extra star. It all had to do with the side characters. Like Seol, So-hyun, Joon, and so forth. They were the only reason I kept reading, and they didn’t even get all the praise they deserved. I will never understand why they were all so nice and a friend to Alice when she still pushed them away and was just constantly a bitch.
As a k-pop Stan, I love k-pop books and the k-pop world so much that it was impossible not to like some details. What I can appreciate is the level of detail and proper research done into writing the book, I felt like it was very well rounded in that way (I.e photocards, binders, light sticks, anti-fans, black oceans, ultimate biases, etc). I loved the criticism put into the industry and the message about hurtful gossip and the unrealistic standards toxic “fans” hold towards idols. That’s why I liked V so much, it showed all of these shitty things about the K-pop industry while giving her a backstory, remorse and a reason why she did things. Fuck, she has more development than the main character. Sorry not sorry.
Overall, I only finished this because I was expecting some sort of satisfying conclusion, and because I absolutely adore K-pop books. It hurts to give this such a low rating but it was poorly executed and does not deserve such a pretty cover.
December 29, 2024
˚ ༘♡ pre-read:
╰┈➤ starting - december 18, 2024
reading 3 kpop/kdrama reads for a youtube video and finally got to the the last book, WOOO
⋆˚࿔ idol gossip review 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
┆ ⤿ 💌 4 stars!
I really liked this one! There's no romance really but the drama and hardship that Alice endures as kpop trainee had me constantly turning the page. Something was always going wrong, and I couldn't help but want to see the conclusion to all the chaos. I also enjoyed the fact that Alice isn't perfect... she's human and young, my heart hurt for her through her struggles but winced when she made mistakes. Overall, a quick easy read that delves into the behind the scenes of kpop idol culture. I wish the ending didn't feel so abrupt and that we got more character development while also seeing A-List grows as idols.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
“You know, you could be someone's ultimate bias someday”
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
⤿ follow me on instagram!
╰┈➤ starting - december 18, 2024
reading 3 kpop/kdrama reads for a youtube video and finally got to the the last book, WOOO
⋆˚࿔ idol gossip review 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
┆ ⤿ 💌 4 stars!
I really liked this one! There's no romance really but the drama and hardship that Alice endures as kpop trainee had me constantly turning the page. Something was always going wrong, and I couldn't help but want to see the conclusion to all the chaos. I also enjoyed the fact that Alice isn't perfect... she's human and young, my heart hurt for her through her struggles but winced when she made mistakes. Overall, a quick easy read that delves into the behind the scenes of kpop idol culture. I wish the ending didn't feel so abrupt and that we got more character development while also seeing A-List grows as idols.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
“You know, you could be someone's ultimate bias someday”
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
⤿ follow me on instagram!
January 18, 2022
This was a really fun, escapist read, but it also left me craving more. I wanted to get to know all the characters better, especially Alice's group members. I also didn't love Alice as a main character - she never seemed to really try to connect with her group members and she never seemed to try to learn about K-Pop or the Korean culture and language, which seemed very strange to me after spending months as a trainee set to debut.
August 11, 2021
What a wonderful and exciting debut! In times where there has been very little live music, I really enjoy books that make you feel like you're part of the excitement of having access to bands on stage and behind the scenes like Daisy Jones and the Six and On the Come Up.
There were aspects in the book that to me were underdeveloped, like Joon's story, especially with regards to his sexuality and his relationship to Alice, and I thought he drifted into the background to make way for another equally important part of the story which is understandable. The ending also seemed somewhat abrupt, so this would make a perfect sequel in my opinion.
Perfect for anyone who's into contemporary YA, not just K-pop fans which was my initial concern when picking it up. Definitely an author to watch!
There were aspects in the book that to me were underdeveloped, like Joon's story, especially with regards to his sexuality and his relationship to Alice, and I thought he drifted into the background to make way for another equally important part of the story which is understandable. The ending also seemed somewhat abrupt, so this would make a perfect sequel in my opinion.
Perfect for anyone who's into contemporary YA, not just K-pop fans which was my initial concern when picking it up. Definitely an author to watch!
December 15, 2021
someone please tell me that this book has a sequel? because this ending is so frustrating.
i love books about kpop and have yet to find one i TRULY love. the main characters are always the worst, and every story is the same. this book is no exception.
here are things that bugged me:
- alice knows nothing about korea, and we don't read about her learning things or the culture, so it seems super unrealistic to see her become a kpop idol. like???? what entertainment company is going to let a girl who can barely speak the language, knows nothing about the culture, debut????? im confused.
- little to know interaction with the group. i loved that alice had a best friend at the academy, im all for friendships in books. however, i wish we saw more of alice and her groupemates bonding and becoming a tight-knit group. instead, we saw alice be a selfish girl who avoided them, ignore her responsability, slacked her way to debut.
- wish we saw more of all the groupmates. we only read about alice and aria. i cant even tell u the names of the other members, thats how little we saw them!
- i found it weird how groups that already debuted didnt live together and how they really interacted with trainees.
- alice's whole personality. fucking annoying. okayyyy i know she's 17 but she is irresponsible and doesnt seem to change at the end.
- we dont get closure. how did the girls react to their debut? what is idol life like for them?
- things felt incomplete. alice's relationship with her mom, her sister's problems at school, her dancing skills (she was bad then we stopped getting info on her progress????????)
- kpop group names were horrendous
over all, this was a 3 stars. it was entertaining, but i had a lot of problems with it. idk... i excepted more.
i love books about kpop and have yet to find one i TRULY love. the main characters are always the worst, and every story is the same. this book is no exception.
here are things that bugged me:
- alice knows nothing about korea, and we don't read about her learning things or the culture, so it seems super unrealistic to see her become a kpop idol. like???? what entertainment company is going to let a girl who can barely speak the language, knows nothing about the culture, debut????? im confused.
- little to know interaction with the group. i loved that alice had a best friend at the academy, im all for friendships in books. however, i wish we saw more of alice and her groupemates bonding and becoming a tight-knit group. instead, we saw alice be a selfish girl who avoided them, ignore her responsability, slacked her way to debut.
- wish we saw more of all the groupmates. we only read about alice and aria. i cant even tell u the names of the other members, thats how little we saw them!
- i found it weird how groups that already debuted didnt live together and how they really interacted with trainees.
- alice's whole personality. fucking annoying. okayyyy i know she's 17 but she is irresponsible and doesnt seem to change at the end.
- we dont get closure. how did the girls react to their debut? what is idol life like for them?
- things felt incomplete. alice's relationship with her mom, her sister's problems at school, her dancing skills (she was bad then we stopped getting info on her progress????????)
- kpop group names were horrendous
over all, this was a 3 stars. it was entertaining, but i had a lot of problems with it. idk... i excepted more.
July 27, 2021
[4.75/5]
Esta reseña está disponible en español en mi blog.
Thanks to Raquel Stecher from Walker Books US and Edelweiss+ for kindly giving me the chance to read this as an advanced copy.
"I've actually learned that the scariest way is the best way sometimes; you have to be honest and get it all out in the open—otherwise you're just going to get more and more pissed at each other."
Alice Choy has always dreamed of stepping on stage in front of thousands of fans to hear her sing, but it's a dream she keeps to herself. When she has to move from San Francisco to Seoul for her mother's job, she gives up singing lessons altogether. But on one adventurous night, she goes out with her younger sister Olivia to a noraebang to sing after months. But what was a fun after-school evening turns into a unique opportunity when a talent scout from Top10, one of Korea's top idol companies, invites her to audition on Saturday. Now Alice could have her dream of singing in front of thousands of people, just not exactly as she imagined.
And where to start. The characters are the best option.
Alice Choy is our main character and from whom we get the point of view from which the book unfolds. Reason why the story didn't make it to 5 stars. You will see why in due time. Alice is a girl with big dreams in life as well as a great love for her younger sister, but beware of getting between her dreams and her way of achieving them, it gets crazy. After a while, you get tired of her. I don't usually bother with stories because of the characters, but here I can simply say that Alice really was proud and what follows. It is clear that moving, not only continent, but the change of the same culture is not easy for anyone and that learning or at least understanding it is something that takes time, but Alice was simply refused that things were not done to her liking or way. Mind you, when that pride didn't get in her way, she was a very entertaining character to read.
Then we have So-hyun, Alice's bestie and idol of a top group in the company. She's a refreshing sight to have when you live in a place with a thousand rules, but even though she was a funny person who cared about Alice, at times I felt like she was a bad influence on her. I know, I sound like a mom, but let's understand that Soh was one of the first to encourage Alice to bond with her new gruopmates, who would be her sisters, but she still always sought her out to do activities together or with Soh's friends. Nicely implemented way to meet people, but it was a double entendre that completely threw me off.
And then we have Aria, the beautiful leader of A-List, Alice's new group. From Alice's perspective one might think she's controlling and very demanding, but you have to put yourself in her shoes a bit. The leader of a group to debut already has a lot of weight on their shoulders, so when Alice arrives with nothing but an amazing voice it's a tough blow, because just as Alice thought she would never sing again after she left San Francisco and her dreams would be over, so did Aria feel with Alice's arrival. Yes, she is undoubtedly demanding, but there is an affection she shows and a passion that is noticeable for miles around, and because of Alice's pride it is possible to go unnoticed.
I won't talk about the other characters because they each deserve to be introduced to you by the author and story itself, but I must say that Olivia is the little sister I always wanted and Hayan, Yuri and Seol are jewels of human beings next to So Ri.
As for the story, my god, if you like kpop don't wait two seconds to get into it and if you don't like it, well you should read it too because we all love music and although from a kpop point of view, it's a neat way to understand parts of what it means to be famous.
I loved that we saw dialogues in Korean. Don't worry, my Korean is about as basic as it gets and I can say that you don't miss anything because everything is explained in turn. And not only dialogues explained, but even programs or groups were present in the story and explained if necessary. I certainly fangirled every time something like that happened.
And just like the Korean and its setting, an equal plus where the blog entries from V. These are not just tidbits, but help you see a bit of the story before something happens or what triggered a certain event.
Let's be blunt, this is not a rom-com. You don't get to see a cute romance or whatever, it's just about how the idols in Korea train and prepare to become the stars that the public loves so much.
It's a story where you get right into it, from the pretty stuff, like singing and dancing lessons, photo shoots and lightsticks, to the ugly stuff like gossip, the need for publicity without thinking about the people, diets and sasaeng.
And if you think you know everything that's going to happen, I doubt it. It's not a story with plot twists that leave your mouth open, but it's one of those stories that you enter fully, you feel everything and that, when you see the two possible paths, the worst and the least worst, you don't stop biting your nails and thinking what will happen, what path the story will take now and what it will lead to.
Even though I said it was not a romantic comedy this story, the laughs were not lacking. No matter how heavy everything may look, there is always a character, mostly So-hyun, who will do or say something that is going to make you laugh.
One of the things that fascinated me the most was that, even though it's a story about being an idol, the fans and fandoms were not left on the side, but, thanks to the blogs I mentioned previously, we could see them a little bit. When you are a fan of someone, whether inside or outside of kpop, you hate the idea of them being treated badly. For this is proof that there are always people who are going to be there for the morbid gossip and to make someone less because that's how they think they should care for the one they love.
And speaking of lurid gossip, it's not for nothing that this book is called Idol Gossip. V, who publishes The Fix blog, is a very interesting character, even if we only know her/him online. It is a clear example of how fine the line between truth and harassment is. Where is the difference between secrecy and privacy? It's an idea that I enjoyed watching and it really makes you think stuff out.
All in all, I have to say that this book completely filled me with a story I didn't know I needed, full of laughter, frustrations, crying and joy. It's clear that Alexandra is just beginning on what seems to be a very prosperous journey as an author and yes, although I read this book before the publication date, I'm just waiting for her to announce her next book.
PS. I NEED to get this out of my being before I explode. As a kpop fan, I couldn't help but think of already existing idols to physically represent our A-List girls (with the exception of Alice, who still leaves me wondering). For Aria I have Do Yeon from Weki Meki, for Hayan I have Mayna from Hot Issue, with Yuri there's Si Eun from StayC and finally with Seol it's Ji Yoon from Weeekly.
Esta reseña está disponible en español en mi blog.
Thanks to Raquel Stecher from Walker Books US and Edelweiss+ for kindly giving me the chance to read this as an advanced copy.
"I've actually learned that the scariest way is the best way sometimes; you have to be honest and get it all out in the open—otherwise you're just going to get more and more pissed at each other."
Alice Choy has always dreamed of stepping on stage in front of thousands of fans to hear her sing, but it's a dream she keeps to herself. When she has to move from San Francisco to Seoul for her mother's job, she gives up singing lessons altogether. But on one adventurous night, she goes out with her younger sister Olivia to a noraebang to sing after months. But what was a fun after-school evening turns into a unique opportunity when a talent scout from Top10, one of Korea's top idol companies, invites her to audition on Saturday. Now Alice could have her dream of singing in front of thousands of people, just not exactly as she imagined.
And where to start. The characters are the best option.
Alice Choy is our main character and from whom we get the point of view from which the book unfolds. Reason why the story didn't make it to 5 stars. You will see why in due time. Alice is a girl with big dreams in life as well as a great love for her younger sister, but beware of getting between her dreams and her way of achieving them, it gets crazy. After a while, you get tired of her. I don't usually bother with stories because of the characters, but here I can simply say that Alice really was proud and what follows. It is clear that moving, not only continent, but the change of the same culture is not easy for anyone and that learning or at least understanding it is something that takes time, but Alice was simply refused that things were not done to her liking or way. Mind you, when that pride didn't get in her way, she was a very entertaining character to read.
Then we have So-hyun, Alice's bestie and idol of a top group in the company. She's a refreshing sight to have when you live in a place with a thousand rules, but even though she was a funny person who cared about Alice, at times I felt like she was a bad influence on her. I know, I sound like a mom, but let's understand that Soh was one of the first to encourage Alice to bond with her new gruopmates, who would be her sisters, but she still always sought her out to do activities together or with Soh's friends. Nicely implemented way to meet people, but it was a double entendre that completely threw me off.
And then we have Aria, the beautiful leader of A-List, Alice's new group. From Alice's perspective one might think she's controlling and very demanding, but you have to put yourself in her shoes a bit. The leader of a group to debut already has a lot of weight on their shoulders, so when Alice arrives with nothing but an amazing voice it's a tough blow, because just as Alice thought she would never sing again after she left San Francisco and her dreams would be over, so did Aria feel with Alice's arrival. Yes, she is undoubtedly demanding, but there is an affection she shows and a passion that is noticeable for miles around, and because of Alice's pride it is possible to go unnoticed.
I won't talk about the other characters because they each deserve to be introduced to you by the author and story itself, but I must say that Olivia is the little sister I always wanted and Hayan, Yuri and Seol are jewels of human beings next to So Ri.
As for the story, my god, if you like kpop don't wait two seconds to get into it and if you don't like it, well you should read it too because we all love music and although from a kpop point of view, it's a neat way to understand parts of what it means to be famous.
I loved that we saw dialogues in Korean. Don't worry, my Korean is about as basic as it gets and I can say that you don't miss anything because everything is explained in turn. And not only dialogues explained, but even programs or groups were present in the story and explained if necessary. I certainly fangirled every time something like that happened.
And just like the Korean and its setting, an equal plus where the blog entries from V. These are not just tidbits, but help you see a bit of the story before something happens or what triggered a certain event.
Let's be blunt, this is not a rom-com. You don't get to see a cute romance or whatever, it's just about how the idols in Korea train and prepare to become the stars that the public loves so much.
It's a story where you get right into it, from the pretty stuff, like singing and dancing lessons, photo shoots and lightsticks, to the ugly stuff like gossip, the need for publicity without thinking about the people, diets and sasaeng.
And if you think you know everything that's going to happen, I doubt it. It's not a story with plot twists that leave your mouth open, but it's one of those stories that you enter fully, you feel everything and that, when you see the two possible paths, the worst and the least worst, you don't stop biting your nails and thinking what will happen, what path the story will take now and what it will lead to.
Even though I said it was not a romantic comedy this story, the laughs were not lacking. No matter how heavy everything may look, there is always a character, mostly So-hyun, who will do or say something that is going to make you laugh.
One of the things that fascinated me the most was that, even though it's a story about being an idol, the fans and fandoms were not left on the side, but, thanks to the blogs I mentioned previously, we could see them a little bit. When you are a fan of someone, whether inside or outside of kpop, you hate the idea of them being treated badly. For this is proof that there are always people who are going to be there for the morbid gossip and to make someone less because that's how they think they should care for the one they love.
And speaking of lurid gossip, it's not for nothing that this book is called Idol Gossip. V, who publishes The Fix blog, is a very interesting character, even if we only know her/him online. It is a clear example of how fine the line between truth and harassment is. Where is the difference between secrecy and privacy? It's an idea that I enjoyed watching and it really makes you think stuff out.
All in all, I have to say that this book completely filled me with a story I didn't know I needed, full of laughter, frustrations, crying and joy. It's clear that Alexandra is just beginning on what seems to be a very prosperous journey as an author and yes, although I read this book before the publication date, I'm just waiting for her to announce her next book.
PS. I NEED to get this out of my being before I explode. As a kpop fan, I couldn't help but think of already existing idols to physically represent our A-List girls (with the exception of Alice, who still leaves me wondering). For Aria I have Do Yeon from Weki Meki, for Hayan I have Mayna from Hot Issue, with Yuri there's Si Eun from StayC and finally with Seol it's Ji Yoon from Weeekly.
Read
October 12, 2021Okay so this is going to be a no from me sis.
Idol Gossip is about a girl named Alice who is from California but recently moved to South Korea with her family. Alice loved to sing back home so when her sister manages to drag her to karaoke, she goes off. There she gets invited to try out for an elite academy that churns out kpop idols.
But like okay I know I don't like kpop and the stans but I read a book that did exactly that and it was actually good- so it IS possible for me to like a kpop story!! But absolutely not this one lmao.
I know I don't know much about kpop but when I think of kpop I sure don't think amazing Lady Gaga soloist singer like ?? Don't correct me I don't care about whether or not manufactured pop stars actually have singing talent. But it was just bizarre because she said she didn't want to be a kpop star, in a group but then after 5 minutes she's like I've always wanted this and I don't want anything else!! She wanted to sing to be famous and she just walks into all of these opportunities and aces every single one, even when it didn't make any damn sense. She was a terrible dancer and didn't even TRY in the beginning and had such a shit attitude about all the other girls who were trying their best. Like oh sorry not everyone can walk into getting a golden ticket and get instant access to pop star fame.
It was so easy for her for what? It was like bad self insert fanfic that never should have left ao3. There was just never any emotional in it. Then the book has random parts from someone's blog where they are being shady and pointing out things wrong with the industry so I thought okay we are going to address the problematic side instead of just being romanticized but it was so pointless because there was no big reveal and it goes no where.
Maybe it could have done better with a longer time frame and time for Alice to grow but it goes so fast and it was just so ridiculous.
Idol Gossip is about a girl named Alice who is from California but recently moved to South Korea with her family. Alice loved to sing back home so when her sister manages to drag her to karaoke, she goes off. There she gets invited to try out for an elite academy that churns out kpop idols.
But like okay I know I don't like kpop and the stans but I read a book that did exactly that and it was actually good- so it IS possible for me to like a kpop story!! But absolutely not this one lmao.
I know I don't know much about kpop but when I think of kpop I sure don't think amazing Lady Gaga soloist singer like ?? Don't correct me I don't care about whether or not manufactured pop stars actually have singing talent. But it was just bizarre because she said she didn't want to be a kpop star, in a group but then after 5 minutes she's like I've always wanted this and I don't want anything else!! She wanted to sing to be famous and she just walks into all of these opportunities and aces every single one, even when it didn't make any damn sense. She was a terrible dancer and didn't even TRY in the beginning and had such a shit attitude about all the other girls who were trying their best. Like oh sorry not everyone can walk into getting a golden ticket and get instant access to pop star fame.
It was so easy for her for what? It was like bad self insert fanfic that never should have left ao3. There was just never any emotional in it. Then the book has random parts from someone's blog where they are being shady and pointing out things wrong with the industry so I thought okay we are going to address the problematic side instead of just being romanticized but it was so pointless because there was no big reveal and it goes no where.
Maybe it could have done better with a longer time frame and time for Alice to grow but it goes so fast and it was just so ridiculous.
November 30, 2022
(thank you to Walker Books US and Alexandra Leigh Young for providing me a copy for review!)
while i am very much of the mind that not all protagonists have to be "like-able" in order for a book to be good, i do think that for YA contemporary books specifically, my entire investment in the story hinges on whether or not i care about what happens to the main character, and in this case, i did not care at all for Alice Choy
just about every other character we are introduced to is more compelling than Alice, and it was very grating to read through chapters and chapters where there is a complete lack of character growth and you're left with a stale (and increasingly annoying) MC
it's also unfathomable to me that the MC spends months training to be an idol and not once does she take a language class to learn Korean. she can't communicate efficiently with half of the characters (most importantly some of the other trainees slated to debut with her!!) and the fact that she can't speak the language of the country she plans to promote in is... an interesting narrative choice
ultimately i don't think idol gossip is by any means a bad book. it's light fun and easy to binge, but for me, the fact that the story neither developed any side characters nor progressed the MC until it was far too late into the book really hindered my enjoyment of it
while i am very much of the mind that not all protagonists have to be "like-able" in order for a book to be good, i do think that for YA contemporary books specifically, my entire investment in the story hinges on whether or not i care about what happens to the main character, and in this case, i did not care at all for Alice Choy
just about every other character we are introduced to is more compelling than Alice, and it was very grating to read through chapters and chapters where there is a complete lack of character growth and you're left with a stale (and increasingly annoying) MC
it's also unfathomable to me that the MC spends months training to be an idol and not once does she take a language class to learn Korean. she can't communicate efficiently with half of the characters (most importantly some of the other trainees slated to debut with her!!) and the fact that she can't speak the language of the country she plans to promote in is... an interesting narrative choice
ultimately i don't think idol gossip is by any means a bad book. it's light fun and easy to binge, but for me, the fact that the story neither developed any side characters nor progressed the MC until it was far too late into the book really hindered my enjoyment of it
April 23, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Idol Gossip in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know a lot about the KPOP industry so I can't speak to the accuracy of the way Alexandra Leigh Young portrays it, but I think this could have been a really good plot idea with some really competent narration for the YA contemporary genre.
Despite that, I just really, really could never root for Alice. I get that not all books have to have likable protagonists and even books like this one where you're clearly supposed to root for the protagonist often start off with a flawed character so you can see them grow over time, but Alice's character growth comes so late in the book that I don't think it at all made up for how awful she was beforehand. I think this book tries to do that "this character seems awful but you find out at the end it was for a totally justifiable reason" with one of the side characters, but she didn't even need a justifiable reason. I was accidentally on the wrong side from the getgo because I definitely did not want to be on Alice's.
I don't know a lot about the KPOP industry so I can't speak to the accuracy of the way Alexandra Leigh Young portrays it, but I think this could have been a really good plot idea with some really competent narration for the YA contemporary genre.
Despite that, I just really, really could never root for Alice. I get that not all books have to have likable protagonists and even books like this one where you're clearly supposed to root for the protagonist often start off with a flawed character so you can see them grow over time, but Alice's character growth comes so late in the book that I don't think it at all made up for how awful she was beforehand. I think this book tries to do that "this character seems awful but you find out at the end it was for a totally justifiable reason" with one of the side characters, but she didn't even need a justifiable reason. I was accidentally on the wrong side from the getgo because I definitely did not want to be on Alice's.
October 20, 2021
Okay I loved this book and I'm super glad to read another one about K-pop !
Such fun read for the fan and I just hope there are more details.
Such fun read for the fan and I just hope there are more details.
January 22, 2022
Well, here we have it: my first "hate-read" of the year. Alice/Harmony is an absolutely despicable protagonist. She is not even an anti-hero; she's basically the villain. She's self-absorbed! She's rude and doesn't know how to apologize! She's culturally ignorant and practically proud about it! I wouldn't even have enough energy to expend on this review, except... Alexandra Leigh Young kind of showed some self-awareness of this book's faults and the characters' faults (especially Alice and V)? I wouldn't say it was enough for a true redemption, but it was interesting to see the story kind of flip on itself in a pivotal moment. Still, it was too little too late.
I would've enjoyed this book 10x more if we lived inside the heads of people like Aria and Joon. I rooted for them all the way.
I also would've enjoyed this book more if it were more accurate. I think it provocatively and creatively called out some of the problematic parts of the industry (e.g., sexist double-standards). And I acknowledge that this book had input from sensitivity readers and all. But seriously, there were so many points that felt unrealistic to the idol and trainee experience, even from my limited exposure to it. Take the name Harmony, for example — there's no way anyone would give that as a stage name, because it would be spelled in hangul as 할머니. Do you know what that means? IT'S THE WORD FOR "GRANDMA" (halmeoni). This mishap would happen because the ㄹ character applies for both "L" and "R" sounds in Korean. AHHH!
I also didn't like the messages this book conveyed about things like underage drinking (painting it as fun, relaxing, etc.). I just wanted wholesome bonding between the group! Give me the movie nights and bubble tea. It would've been a breath of fresh air to not have girl-on-girl conflict, and instead have a team come together in the face of external pressure. What a waste of potential.
I would've enjoyed this book 10x more if we lived inside the heads of people like Aria and Joon. I rooted for them all the way.
I also would've enjoyed this book more if it were more accurate. I think it provocatively and creatively called out some of the problematic parts of the industry (e.g., sexist double-standards). And I acknowledge that this book had input from sensitivity readers and all. But seriously, there were so many points that felt unrealistic to the idol and trainee experience, even from my limited exposure to it. Take the name Harmony, for example — there's no way anyone would give that as a stage name, because it would be spelled in hangul as 할머니. Do you know what that means? IT'S THE WORD FOR "GRANDMA" (halmeoni). This mishap would happen because the ㄹ character applies for both "L" and "R" sounds in Korean. AHHH!
I also didn't like the messages this book conveyed about things like underage drinking (painting it as fun, relaxing, etc.). I just wanted wholesome bonding between the group! Give me the movie nights and bubble tea. It would've been a breath of fresh air to not have girl-on-girl conflict, and instead have a team come together in the face of external pressure. What a waste of potential.
August 31, 2021
Thank you to Candlewick Press and Walker Books US for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
First and foremost, this book absolutely delivered on what was promised and I could not be more overjoyed by that. Alexandra Leigh Young brings a fresh perspective to the niche of K-pop YA, with emotional depths and more technical know how. This is probably the first book of this type that I’ve read that doesn’t feature any form of romance, and I don’t think that’s a detriment. Instead, the story fully focuses on Alice learning and growing both as a teenager and as a budding star. This book is such a joy and I highly recommend it.
IDOL GOSSIP by Alexandra Leigh Young is the story of Alice Choy, a Chinese American girl living in South Korea because of her mom’s job. Alice loves singing and wants more than anything to be a singer one day, so when someone from Top10 Entertainment, a premier Korean entertainment with a number of chart topping K-pop groups, approaches Alice and invites her to audition, it’s surreal. What’s even more surreal is that she gets accepted to their trainee program at the Star Academy, and after some pushing by her K-pop stan sister, Olivia, Alice accepts, and starts working toward her debut. But as Alice trains to become an idol, there’s a certain “review” (re: gossip) blog floating around that seems determined to make sure that even if she debuts, she won’t succeed. Will Alice outlast the rumours, or will her K-pop dreams be done before they’ve even started?
Where can I even start with all of the things that I love about this book? I love how unabashed the love for K-pop, it’s stars and it’s fans is, while also not shying away from criticising the harms of the industry. One of the unique pulls of this book is a slightly more insider view from Young as a former reporter on the industry within South Korea. Though she doesn’t delve into traditional media coverage of K-pop for the most part, she does get into the more non-traditional points with fan (or really anti-fan)/review blogs on K-pop forums, and how those can have a direct effect on the idol’s lives. We see how these kinds of things affect not only Alice and her group, but also others, and even begin to explore the idea of how a deep love for K-pop, or really anything, can turn into something much more harmful without it even really being noticed. This book is great in part because it not only follows a girl within the K-pop industry but also looks into the deeper parts of that machine.
This isn’t about a lack of emotional depth for Alice though, who is a deeply fleshed out character who doesn’t just exist on the page. Throughout the book we see a character motivated by music and a love for those around her, and trying to learn more about herself along the way. One of the most satisfying things in a book to see is a character learning and growing, and though it sometimes takes longer than what the reader might like for Alice to really learn her lesson, she does seem to always get there. She’s far from perfect but that doesn’t mean that you can’t help but root for her along the way.
Alongside Alice is a great cast of supporting characters who really just make me wish this book was longer so I could see more of them. Olivia is the perfect little sister (in the character sense) and I genuinely looked forward to every scene with her in it. Joon was such a breath of fresh air always, providing a glimpse into the world of the already established K-pop star and being just one example of a divergence from the shown personality to fans vs what a friend would see. I would venture to say that he was one of my favourite characters and I would go so far as to say I wouldn’t mind seeing a book from his perspective. On the same wavelength is So-hyun, who very obviously represents a difference between an idol personality and real personality, and also provides a friend for Alice when there seems to be no one else. Aria and the rest of A-List were also great, while also being the ones who probably suffered the most from being overshadowed, provide some absolutely fantastic basis for more. We begin to see the depths of Aria near the end of the book, but all it did was leave me hungry for a more in depth look into who these girls that Alice is sharing the stage with are. There were times that I felt that all of these characters deserved more depth, ultimately being limited by the perspective of Alice and the seemingly lack of prove into their inner lives, with Olivia being the most fleshed out seemingly by this measure.
Plotwise, I think this book was pretty clear and concise. The story that was pitched and that was even set up by character actions follows through pretty smoothly. There are bumps along the way but they’re all clearly parts of the plot instead of just oversights of the author. Ultimately I think while this book is fairly plot driven, it’s moreso driven by the message that Young is trying to get across. This manifests within plot points (things like V’s blog and the appearance on M!Countdown), and adds to a story that flows from beginning to end.
Really I had only two negatives on the book as a whole. One of those is that, especially near the beginning, some of the dialogue and general flow of the book feels a little bit less fluid than it could be. I think there are really just some things that if spoken aloud would flow a little more smoothly but come off as a little more stilted on the page. This ultimately gets a lot better as the book continues and I honestly completely forgot about it once it stopped. Ultimately I think this is a fairly negligible negative in the grand scheme of how good this book is.
This might be a cop-out when it comes to flaws that I saw within the book, but probably the biggest one for me is that I needed more. It feels like Alice’s story is just getting started and I’m dying to see how it continues. I also feel like there are parts of her growth arc as a person that could be more fully fleshed out in the long run. I don’t fault Alice for spending a majority of the book acting like a teenager because she is literally a teenager, but some of the turnaround from being largely self-focused in the book to seemingly fully understanding working with others felt just a little bit rushed. Additionally, I want to see more of the other characters within the book, in part because I think any good K-pop book deserves a beautiful cast of supporting characters and this book has so many that could rise to the occasion. Ultimately, I really do think that this book is in the perfect place for a second book, without leaving it all on too much of a cliffhanger.
At the end of the day, I just really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it did a fantastic job of balancing the line between a YA book that’s fun to read and that has a message. Alexandra Leigh Young created a compelling storyline and compelling characters to go with it, and I hope that we see her (and maybe the world of Idol Gossip) in the future.
First and foremost, this book absolutely delivered on what was promised and I could not be more overjoyed by that. Alexandra Leigh Young brings a fresh perspective to the niche of K-pop YA, with emotional depths and more technical know how. This is probably the first book of this type that I’ve read that doesn’t feature any form of romance, and I don’t think that’s a detriment. Instead, the story fully focuses on Alice learning and growing both as a teenager and as a budding star. This book is such a joy and I highly recommend it.
IDOL GOSSIP by Alexandra Leigh Young is the story of Alice Choy, a Chinese American girl living in South Korea because of her mom’s job. Alice loves singing and wants more than anything to be a singer one day, so when someone from Top10 Entertainment, a premier Korean entertainment with a number of chart topping K-pop groups, approaches Alice and invites her to audition, it’s surreal. What’s even more surreal is that she gets accepted to their trainee program at the Star Academy, and after some pushing by her K-pop stan sister, Olivia, Alice accepts, and starts working toward her debut. But as Alice trains to become an idol, there’s a certain “review” (re: gossip) blog floating around that seems determined to make sure that even if she debuts, she won’t succeed. Will Alice outlast the rumours, or will her K-pop dreams be done before they’ve even started?
Where can I even start with all of the things that I love about this book? I love how unabashed the love for K-pop, it’s stars and it’s fans is, while also not shying away from criticising the harms of the industry. One of the unique pulls of this book is a slightly more insider view from Young as a former reporter on the industry within South Korea. Though she doesn’t delve into traditional media coverage of K-pop for the most part, she does get into the more non-traditional points with fan (or really anti-fan)/review blogs on K-pop forums, and how those can have a direct effect on the idol’s lives. We see how these kinds of things affect not only Alice and her group, but also others, and even begin to explore the idea of how a deep love for K-pop, or really anything, can turn into something much more harmful without it even really being noticed. This book is great in part because it not only follows a girl within the K-pop industry but also looks into the deeper parts of that machine.
This isn’t about a lack of emotional depth for Alice though, who is a deeply fleshed out character who doesn’t just exist on the page. Throughout the book we see a character motivated by music and a love for those around her, and trying to learn more about herself along the way. One of the most satisfying things in a book to see is a character learning and growing, and though it sometimes takes longer than what the reader might like for Alice to really learn her lesson, she does seem to always get there. She’s far from perfect but that doesn’t mean that you can’t help but root for her along the way.
Alongside Alice is a great cast of supporting characters who really just make me wish this book was longer so I could see more of them. Olivia is the perfect little sister (in the character sense) and I genuinely looked forward to every scene with her in it. Joon was such a breath of fresh air always, providing a glimpse into the world of the already established K-pop star and being just one example of a divergence from the shown personality to fans vs what a friend would see. I would venture to say that he was one of my favourite characters and I would go so far as to say I wouldn’t mind seeing a book from his perspective. On the same wavelength is So-hyun, who very obviously represents a difference between an idol personality and real personality, and also provides a friend for Alice when there seems to be no one else. Aria and the rest of A-List were also great, while also being the ones who probably suffered the most from being overshadowed, provide some absolutely fantastic basis for more. We begin to see the depths of Aria near the end of the book, but all it did was leave me hungry for a more in depth look into who these girls that Alice is sharing the stage with are. There were times that I felt that all of these characters deserved more depth, ultimately being limited by the perspective of Alice and the seemingly lack of prove into their inner lives, with Olivia being the most fleshed out seemingly by this measure.
Plotwise, I think this book was pretty clear and concise. The story that was pitched and that was even set up by character actions follows through pretty smoothly. There are bumps along the way but they’re all clearly parts of the plot instead of just oversights of the author. Ultimately I think while this book is fairly plot driven, it’s moreso driven by the message that Young is trying to get across. This manifests within plot points (things like V’s blog and the appearance on M!Countdown), and adds to a story that flows from beginning to end.
Really I had only two negatives on the book as a whole. One of those is that, especially near the beginning, some of the dialogue and general flow of the book feels a little bit less fluid than it could be. I think there are really just some things that if spoken aloud would flow a little more smoothly but come off as a little more stilted on the page. This ultimately gets a lot better as the book continues and I honestly completely forgot about it once it stopped. Ultimately I think this is a fairly negligible negative in the grand scheme of how good this book is.
This might be a cop-out when it comes to flaws that I saw within the book, but probably the biggest one for me is that I needed more. It feels like Alice’s story is just getting started and I’m dying to see how it continues. I also feel like there are parts of her growth arc as a person that could be more fully fleshed out in the long run. I don’t fault Alice for spending a majority of the book acting like a teenager because she is literally a teenager, but some of the turnaround from being largely self-focused in the book to seemingly fully understanding working with others felt just a little bit rushed. Additionally, I want to see more of the other characters within the book, in part because I think any good K-pop book deserves a beautiful cast of supporting characters and this book has so many that could rise to the occasion. Ultimately, I really do think that this book is in the perfect place for a second book, without leaving it all on too much of a cliffhanger.
At the end of the day, I just really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it did a fantastic job of balancing the line between a YA book that’s fun to read and that has a message. Alexandra Leigh Young created a compelling storyline and compelling characters to go with it, and I hope that we see her (and maybe the world of Idol Gossip) in the future.
September 12, 2021
Thank you to Candlewick Press for kindly sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Overall Rating: 3.5 stars
Alice Choy loves to sing. After recently moving all the way from San Fransisco to Korea, she and her sister head out one Friday night to sing karaoke together. While at karaoke she is overheard by a talent scout from of the largest K-pop companies, Top10 Entertainment. She’s then offered a spot at Top10s Star Academy where she would train to become a K-pop idol. Alice has to try and make it big in the K-pop industry while dealing with being in the spotlight, anti-fans, and the rigorous training that goes into leading her own girl group.
I listen to some K-pop now and then but I certainly didn’t know that much about the industry going into this. It was so eye-opening and interesting to see everything that goes into training to be a K-pop idol. This was definitely a face-paced read, so it kept me interested the whole time. I did feel like the ending was wrapped up too quickly. I wish that it had been a little bit longer so we could’ve seen what happened after the actual ending.
I enjoyed the characters in this, especially the side characters Joon and So-hyun. They were both so sweet! I did like Alice, but I found myself getting frustrated with her at certain parts. Her relationship with her sister Olivia was also a sweet addition to the story and her friendship with So-hyun was also another stand-out part for me.
I like the added aspect of the blog documenting the K-pop gossip. Social media and the internet are such large parts of fandoms and of anything involving celebrities so I’m glad that that was talked about quite a bit.
Overall I loved getting to learn about the K-pop industry throughout this and it was a very entertaining and fun read!
Overall Rating: 3.5 stars
Alice Choy loves to sing. After recently moving all the way from San Fransisco to Korea, she and her sister head out one Friday night to sing karaoke together. While at karaoke she is overheard by a talent scout from of the largest K-pop companies, Top10 Entertainment. She’s then offered a spot at Top10s Star Academy where she would train to become a K-pop idol. Alice has to try and make it big in the K-pop industry while dealing with being in the spotlight, anti-fans, and the rigorous training that goes into leading her own girl group.
I listen to some K-pop now and then but I certainly didn’t know that much about the industry going into this. It was so eye-opening and interesting to see everything that goes into training to be a K-pop idol. This was definitely a face-paced read, so it kept me interested the whole time. I did feel like the ending was wrapped up too quickly. I wish that it had been a little bit longer so we could’ve seen what happened after the actual ending.
I enjoyed the characters in this, especially the side characters Joon and So-hyun. They were both so sweet! I did like Alice, but I found myself getting frustrated with her at certain parts. Her relationship with her sister Olivia was also a sweet addition to the story and her friendship with So-hyun was also another stand-out part for me.
I like the added aspect of the blog documenting the K-pop gossip. Social media and the internet are such large parts of fandoms and of anything involving celebrities so I’m glad that that was talked about quite a bit.
Overall I loved getting to learn about the K-pop industry throughout this and it was a very entertaining and fun read!
September 8, 2021
Ah, the world of KPop. I admit that I too have been drawn into this world, full of super talented and gorgeous people. A world where music is pumped out on a regular basis, and the average fan has access to their idols pretty much constantly. It’s a much contested place to exist in. On the one hand, the music that comes out of this space is vibrant and spans a vast set of genres. On the other hand, it is really easy to forget that the people inside these shiny, photo perfect groups are real human beings. So when I saw that Alexandra Leigh Young was writing a YA with the focus on the world of KPop idols, I was 100% in.
For the most part, I enjoyed this story! Like I mentioned above, the glossy part of this KPop idol world comes with some big issues underneath. I appreciated that Leigh wasn’t afraid to shine a light on this part of things. Alice definitely gets dumped head first into a space that she wasn’t prepared for. As a KPop idol her every move is scrutinized, and often manufactured. Her food intake is watched. Her social media is monitored. Worse still, she has barely any time to keep up with her family because of her insane training schedule. These are all very real things that happen, especially to trainees. It was almost refreshing to see this called out into the open.
The biggest issue that I had with Alice though is that Leigh really did just throw Alice straight into the fray with no background. Alice had no idea any of this was coming, and really all she wanted to do was sing. What ensues is a mess of a character arc where Alice refuses to change at all, is a stubborn brat, and starts to drag down the dreams of the other girls in her group who have been training for years. Alice becomes that frustrating entitled character who has done no research and just won’t adapt. Now I would have been more forgiving of this if she had learned any lessons at all, but by the time any real progress is made the story is almost at an end. Alice is not just unlikable, she’s unbelievable. That made it hard for me to make it through this story.
It was truly the other characters here that saved the day. So-ri with her famous past, and her eccentric personality. Alice’s band mates, with their sweet personas and their excitement over their new group. Even Joon, who I didn’t expect to like all that much, stole my heart. I loved that the was that famous character who was still humble, and genuinely excited about what he did. In my time spent in the KPop world I can tell you that there are a lot of idols like that. People who are genuinely love making music, and adore their fans. So this was a nice addition for me.
Honestly, I really felt like this book could have benefitted from some more length. More time for Alice to learn and grow, more time to really dive into the lives of the idols. It all felt very superficial, and wrapped up too quickly with a neat little bow. I would rate this on the younger side of the YA spectrum though, so maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. This is a quick read, and it does have some very cute moments. So, three stars it is!
For the most part, I enjoyed this story! Like I mentioned above, the glossy part of this KPop idol world comes with some big issues underneath. I appreciated that Leigh wasn’t afraid to shine a light on this part of things. Alice definitely gets dumped head first into a space that she wasn’t prepared for. As a KPop idol her every move is scrutinized, and often manufactured. Her food intake is watched. Her social media is monitored. Worse still, she has barely any time to keep up with her family because of her insane training schedule. These are all very real things that happen, especially to trainees. It was almost refreshing to see this called out into the open.
The biggest issue that I had with Alice though is that Leigh really did just throw Alice straight into the fray with no background. Alice had no idea any of this was coming, and really all she wanted to do was sing. What ensues is a mess of a character arc where Alice refuses to change at all, is a stubborn brat, and starts to drag down the dreams of the other girls in her group who have been training for years. Alice becomes that frustrating entitled character who has done no research and just won’t adapt. Now I would have been more forgiving of this if she had learned any lessons at all, but by the time any real progress is made the story is almost at an end. Alice is not just unlikable, she’s unbelievable. That made it hard for me to make it through this story.
It was truly the other characters here that saved the day. So-ri with her famous past, and her eccentric personality. Alice’s band mates, with their sweet personas and their excitement over their new group. Even Joon, who I didn’t expect to like all that much, stole my heart. I loved that the was that famous character who was still humble, and genuinely excited about what he did. In my time spent in the KPop world I can tell you that there are a lot of idols like that. People who are genuinely love making music, and adore their fans. So this was a nice addition for me.
Honestly, I really felt like this book could have benefitted from some more length. More time for Alice to learn and grow, more time to really dive into the lives of the idols. It all felt very superficial, and wrapped up too quickly with a neat little bow. I would rate this on the younger side of the YA spectrum though, so maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. This is a quick read, and it does have some very cute moments. So, three stars it is!
April 14, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It was witty and original. There were some elements of the book that I felt could have been done better.
Things I enjoyed:
- The whole story line and flow of the story. It was original and full of surprises.
- The relationship between Alice and and her sister in the beginning.
- I loved the blog posts between the chapters. It kinda gave you a backstory to some of the
characters. It also acted like a narrator giving away all the dirt on the characters.
Things I didn't enjoyed:
- Alice in the beginning. She was really self-centered and easy to hate. However, Young did a
perfect job in developing her character and you could see the development as you read the book.
- I didn't really enjoy the last chapter. Alice was all over the place and I only understood the ending
when I read the blog post.
The plot development was great. I loved the flow and narration going between Alice and the blog posts. It was full of plot twists. However, the ending was rushed and I felt it could have used some work.
Character development was spot on. I could see the development of characters as I read the book.
Overall this book was incredible. It kept you hooked and wanting to read more. There were some issues with it, but they were minor compared to the enjoyable parts of the book.
ARC provided by Walker Books US (Candlewick press) and Alexandra Leigh Young through Edelweiss.
Things I enjoyed:
- The whole story line and flow of the story. It was original and full of surprises.
- The relationship between Alice and and her sister in the beginning.
- I loved the blog posts between the chapters. It kinda gave you a backstory to some of the
characters. It also acted like a narrator giving away all the dirt on the characters.
Things I didn't enjoyed:
- Alice in the beginning. She was really self-centered and easy to hate. However, Young did a
perfect job in developing her character and you could see the development as you read the book.
- I didn't really enjoy the last chapter. Alice was all over the place and I only understood the ending
when I read the blog post.
The plot development was great. I loved the flow and narration going between Alice and the blog posts. It was full of plot twists. However, the ending was rushed and I felt it could have used some work.
Character development was spot on. I could see the development of characters as I read the book.
Overall this book was incredible. It kept you hooked and wanting to read more. There were some issues with it, but they were minor compared to the enjoyable parts of the book.
ARC provided by Walker Books US (Candlewick press) and Alexandra Leigh Young through Edelweiss.
September 19, 2021
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Anna G
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.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
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.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
August 6, 2022
2 stars- not bad.
This was entertaining. I didn't hate it or love it. The author's stance on this topic is unclear to me, but it was fun, light read.
All main points are in bold, if you'd rather skim :)
what I liked:
-the writing. Not amazing, but it suited the book and I would pick up another from this author.
-it provided an inside into the K-pop world. While in the back of our minds, we all know somewhat of the rigorous training that idols undergo, this book highlights the extreme control entertainment companies have over its idols. The fat-shaming was atrocious. Sometimes it felt that the author was criticizing these actions, which I would agree with, but at other times it felt as if the K-pop world was good, full of talent and hard work. I couldn't pick up the author's stance on the subject, but I guess I understand why— there is no easy side to this, because the while the K-pop world is demanding, it is also hugely successful.
what I didn't like:
-the main character. She was self-absorbed and not likeable throughout the entire book.
-the other characters. They were one dimensional, maybe other than Aria, who I sympathized with.
-the book was pretty predictable. Enjoyable, but the ending was no surprise to me.
-for all her work put into criticizing entertainment agencies ,the author contradicted herself a bit. As I mentioned above, there's no easy, solid stance on this topic, but I felt as if more could been done to rebuke the agencies for their abuse. I mean, during the entire story, our main character was still admiring the agency, and she still wanted to be there, and she conformed to all their expectations. I understand she had dreams (that would be ruined if she rebelled), but her conformity (and I would go as far as to say, her willingness ) undermined the author's attempt to criticize. It didn't feel right for the MC to continue being there after the things she had witnessed and experienced.
-while the plot was fine, it wasn't a very exciting book. Limited suspense.
-no emotions. I didn't feel anything towards this book, which is why it lands in my 2.5, exactly half-way rating. Enjoyable, but nothing more.
This was entertaining. I didn't hate it or love it. The author's stance on this topic is unclear to me, but it was fun, light read.
All main points are in bold, if you'd rather skim :)
what I liked:
-the writing. Not amazing, but it suited the book and I would pick up another from this author.
-it provided an inside into the K-pop world. While in the back of our minds, we all know somewhat of the rigorous training that idols undergo, this book highlights the extreme control entertainment companies have over its idols. The fat-shaming was atrocious. Sometimes it felt that the author was criticizing these actions, which I would agree with, but at other times it felt as if the K-pop world was good, full of talent and hard work. I couldn't pick up the author's stance on the subject, but I guess I understand why— there is no easy side to this, because the while the K-pop world is demanding, it is also hugely successful.
what I didn't like:
-the main character. She was self-absorbed and not likeable throughout the entire book.
-the other characters. They were one dimensional, maybe other than Aria, who I sympathized with.
-the book was pretty predictable. Enjoyable, but the ending was no surprise to me.
-for all her work put into criticizing entertainment agencies ,the author contradicted herself a bit. As I mentioned above, there's no easy, solid stance on this topic, but I felt as if more could been done to rebuke the agencies for their abuse. I mean, during the entire story, our main character was still admiring the agency, and she still wanted to be there, and she conformed to all their expectations. I understand she had dreams (that would be ruined if she rebelled), but her conformity (and I would go as far as to say, her willingness ) undermined the author's attempt to criticize. It didn't feel right for the MC to continue being there after the things she had witnessed and experienced.
-while the plot was fine, it wasn't a very exciting book. Limited suspense.
-no emotions. I didn't feel anything towards this book, which is why it lands in my 2.5, exactly half-way rating. Enjoyable, but nothing more.
June 12, 2021
Many musicians dream of being "discovered"-- and when it happens to seventeen year old Alice Choy, she's launched from a karaoke booth to Star Academy, the school and residence of many elite K-Pop idols. It's true what they say about the rigorous training and pressure it takes to make it in the industry, and Alice experiences the whirlwind of it all in tandem with an anonymous blogger's insider scoops regarding both the beloved and the infamous. Author Alexandria Leigh Young herself is a producer and journalist! Idol Gossip is truly a mesh of K-Pop culture and Gossip Girl, an enticing and fast-paced novel of stardom that kept me longing for more after the last page.
January 6, 2022
i have some problems with this book, due to the fact that you reallyyyyy have to suspend your disbelief for it to work. people who are really invested in kpop stan culture will probably have difficulty getting behind it. that being said, it was an easy breezy read that was pretty fun too! i found the main character to be dumb and annoying sometimes bc fuck, girl youre not gonna do any research on the industry before you dive in head first?? youre going to post whatever you want on social media? irl, this girl never would have debuted LMAO. but still, this was a fun book and i got through it really quickly. overall good time!
October 14, 2021
a fast-paced and light read for anyone who wants to get back to reading after a slump / break! ofc k-pop fans will appreciate it much more :") the characters were fun however, i wish some parts of the plot were a bit more developed. hence, i'd love to read a sequel!
April 18, 2022
Oh dear...I don't think I was the target audience of this book.
June 15, 2023
This book was... all right. It wasn't for me though. I feel like overall it was just plain cringey. The characters and their conversations were overly cheesy and just very stereotypical.
January 6, 2022
⭐ 3.75 Stars ⭐
I usually don't write spoilery reviews but I have so many thoughts about this book (and this is good).
Before I will get to the things that bothered me, I do want to say that I enjoyed reading this book and I had a great time with it. The writing was great (although cringy sometimes) and I was intrigued all the time to keep reading.
Let's add to it that I'm a big k-pop fan, I love everything k-pop and I enjoy books about k-pop, so the plot and story were so interesting to me. But also because of it, I'm more critical about the details of the story because I'm familiar with the industry and how it works.
Let's talk only k-pop details first.
I think the research was great and so many related details were explained. Fandom, bias, light-stick, ocean, and a lot more. I also really enjoyed all the references to exciting k-pop groups and shows. So most of the time I was very pleased, but I noticed some things that made me confused:
- The audition process Alice went through.
I know that there's supposed to be different kinds of auditions, and I guess the scouting part and the special treatment were close to true, but the scene with the dancing? In k-pop auditions, people can audition for dance or singing, and I never heard about an audition where everyone was disqualified based only on dancing, if they choose to audition for singing/rapping. So I read this whole part so confused and I literally can't understand until now why they forced everyone to dance. And also learn choreography? I'm really confused.
- The contract Alice signed.
K-pop idols start as k-pop trainees, and Alice got offered an idol contract right away, which is the contract everyone signs when they debut or close to it. Sometimes idols do debut in a really short time, but it didn't feel real to me in this situation because although Alice supposedly sings amazing, she can't speak Korean or dance. It's not logical to me that a company will sign her to debut in 5 months when she doesn't know anything, especially because the company came across as one of the biggest companies in this story world. Why would they choose her over thousands of people who are trying to enter the company? What with the other trainees of the company?
And okay, I tried to ignore it, but when they just decide to make her contract 2 years instead of 7 I really lost my mind. No company will invest this amount of money to debut a k-pop group to take the chance that one of the idols will finish their career in 2 years. Especially because this is a 5-member group and not more.
- How it was easy to interact with other k-pop idols.
I might be wrong and I'm sure it difference between companies, but I'm imagining a huge company like SM or JYP: why the trainees of a group that hadn't debuted yet are with senior famous groups?
Those things just made me feel like it was too easy for Alice. The end talked a little bit about it, but I still didn't feel satisfied in that sense. It was the most "the chosen one" story that I read. Alice just got so lucky to debut right away without any skills except singing.
And it gets to my second biggest problem - Alice.
Honestly, I really enjoyed most of the characters in the book, and one of my favorites was Aria, but Alice was my least favorite character in this whole story.
Like we already got above: Alice got extremely ridiculously lucky to be in this place. Yes, she worked hard in the training, but she was so mean to her groupmates and I feel like the most fault was because of her. Aria and the other A-list members were so so nice, and of course, sometimes they won't say the right things, but we all are human and Aria was so mature and apologized for her mistakes right away (totally leader material).
Alice on the other hand was so selfish and acted really childish. The members tried to bond with her so many times throughout the story, they asked her to join them over and over, and she declined all the time. Every moment she run to her other friends and just forgot her groupmates who tried to be there for her.
I do want to say that the author made a great job developing Alice and I felt like she changed and grow in the story, but although she realized her mistakes, I feel like it took too long, and she was so uncaring and self-centered that I'm not sure how much it matters anymore.
And then she asks herself why everyone is mad at her...
I loved the relationships in the book and I really loved that there wasn't really any romance. The story of Joon was really exciting to me and I loved seeing this representation in the book!
Also, the relationship with Alice's sister was adorable - yes, it was cringy sometimes, but her sister is something like 12? it's so understandable and genuine. I just feel like it was so frustrating sometimes that it made it feel even more real to me, like real sisters.
The thing I wish the most is that the end wouldn't feel so rushed. I'd definitely prefer another 50-100 pages to the book so there would be more resolutions.
This was the part where Alice understood her mistakes and how bad she acted which is amazing, but it just felt so fast to me and too much "oh it's our big moment so now everything is going to be okay" like the last half-year didn't happen.
Honestly, I'd really really love to see a sequel and I think there's so much potential to have one! So many things to explore, and especially the other characters. If there would be a sequel ever I wish it won't be so around Alice and that we see more from everyone else.
It was a great debut and I will check more things by this author in the future, also if the books won't be about k-pop.
I usually don't write spoilery reviews but I have so many thoughts about this book (and this is good).
Before I will get to the things that bothered me, I do want to say that I enjoyed reading this book and I had a great time with it. The writing was great (although cringy sometimes) and I was intrigued all the time to keep reading.
Let's add to it that I'm a big k-pop fan, I love everything k-pop and I enjoy books about k-pop, so the plot and story were so interesting to me. But also because of it, I'm more critical about the details of the story because I'm familiar with the industry and how it works.
Let's talk only k-pop details first.
I think the research was great and so many related details were explained. Fandom, bias, light-stick, ocean, and a lot more. I also really enjoyed all the references to exciting k-pop groups and shows. So most of the time I was very pleased, but I noticed some things that made me confused:
- The audition process Alice went through.
I know that there's supposed to be different kinds of auditions, and I guess the scouting part and the special treatment were close to true, but the scene with the dancing? In k-pop auditions, people can audition for dance or singing, and I never heard about an audition where everyone was disqualified based only on dancing, if they choose to audition for singing/rapping. So I read this whole part so confused and I literally can't understand until now why they forced everyone to dance. And also learn choreography? I'm really confused.
- The contract Alice signed.
K-pop idols start as k-pop trainees, and Alice got offered an idol contract right away, which is the contract everyone signs when they debut or close to it. Sometimes idols do debut in a really short time, but it didn't feel real to me in this situation because although Alice supposedly sings amazing, she can't speak Korean or dance. It's not logical to me that a company will sign her to debut in 5 months when she doesn't know anything, especially because the company came across as one of the biggest companies in this story world. Why would they choose her over thousands of people who are trying to enter the company? What with the other trainees of the company?
And okay, I tried to ignore it, but when they just decide to make her contract 2 years instead of 7 I really lost my mind. No company will invest this amount of money to debut a k-pop group to take the chance that one of the idols will finish their career in 2 years. Especially because this is a 5-member group and not more.
- How it was easy to interact with other k-pop idols.
I might be wrong and I'm sure it difference between companies, but I'm imagining a huge company like SM or JYP: why the trainees of a group that hadn't debuted yet are with senior famous groups?
Those things just made me feel like it was too easy for Alice. The end talked a little bit about it, but I still didn't feel satisfied in that sense. It was the most "the chosen one" story that I read. Alice just got so lucky to debut right away without any skills except singing.
And it gets to my second biggest problem - Alice.
Honestly, I really enjoyed most of the characters in the book, and one of my favorites was Aria, but Alice was my least favorite character in this whole story.
Like we already got above: Alice got extremely ridiculously lucky to be in this place. Yes, she worked hard in the training, but she was so mean to her groupmates and I feel like the most fault was because of her. Aria and the other A-list members were so so nice, and of course, sometimes they won't say the right things, but we all are human and Aria was so mature and apologized for her mistakes right away (totally leader material).
Alice on the other hand was so selfish and acted really childish. The members tried to bond with her so many times throughout the story, they asked her to join them over and over, and she declined all the time. Every moment she run to her other friends and just forgot her groupmates who tried to be there for her.
I do want to say that the author made a great job developing Alice and I felt like she changed and grow in the story, but although she realized her mistakes, I feel like it took too long, and she was so uncaring and self-centered that I'm not sure how much it matters anymore.
And then she asks herself why everyone is mad at her...
I loved the relationships in the book and I really loved that there wasn't really any romance. The story of Joon was really exciting to me and I loved seeing this representation in the book!
Also, the relationship with Alice's sister was adorable - yes, it was cringy sometimes, but her sister is something like 12? it's so understandable and genuine. I just feel like it was so frustrating sometimes that it made it feel even more real to me, like real sisters.
The thing I wish the most is that the end wouldn't feel so rushed. I'd definitely prefer another 50-100 pages to the book so there would be more resolutions.
This was the part where Alice understood her mistakes and how bad she acted which is amazing, but it just felt so fast to me and too much "oh it's our big moment so now everything is going to be okay" like the last half-year didn't happen.
Honestly, I'd really really love to see a sequel and I think there's so much potential to have one! So many things to explore, and especially the other characters. If there would be a sequel ever I wish it won't be so around Alice and that we see more from everyone else.
It was a great debut and I will check more things by this author in the future, also if the books won't be about k-pop.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2022
An entertaining YA coming of age novel about a young Korean American girl who gets caught up in the K-pop world when she's chosen to become the new member of a K-pop girl band. Alice has to adjust to a whole new world when she wins a spot at the coveted Star Academy. New to Korea as her family has just moved to Seoul from San Francisco thanks to her diplomat mother's job, Alice has a huge culture shock to overcome plus new band members to befriend. Interspersed through the story are snippets from a K-pop gossip reporter (think Gossip girl). I enjoyed this one a lot and recommend it for fans of Once upon a K-prom, I'll be the one by Lyla Lee or the K-pop confidential series by Stephan Lee.
October 8, 2021
A copy of the book was provided for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore does not affect the opinion or content of the review.
I’m simple: I see k-pop, I’m immediately interested, even if I might end up disappointed (but I usually hope not). Idol Gossip was no exception.
Alexandra Leigh Young’s debut novel follows Alice Choy, who has aspirations to be a singer and took regular lessons in San Francisco before she and her family overhauls their lives to move to Seoul after her mother finds a job there. Now the only person who listens to her sing regularly is her little sister, Olivia, and the two of them sing karaoke weekly. Alice gets the chance to make her singing dreams a reality when a scout from Top10 Entertainment offers her to audition for a spot at their Star Academy, where she’ll train for the rare chance to debut as an idol.
If you’re looking for a cute romance featuring K-pop, Idol Gossip is by far the wrong book.
The novel goes straight into the rigorous training that Alice is thrown into when she passes her audition with Top10 Entertainment and is the only one (out of plenty of hopefuls) who does so. With her background in singing and years of lessons, she enters their Star Academy as a strong vocal, but she also has a lot of pressure placed on her as she finds out she has only months to prepare for her debut (she’s got a long way to go with dancing) as the newest and final member of Top10 Entertainment’s upcoming girl group: A-List.
Young’s descriptions of the industry as Alice undergoes her training is as realistic as those who are familiar with the industry are aware: long training days in various lessons (dance, vocal, language, etc.), restrictive rules like no fraternizing with boys (god forbid, dating), etc. There’s enough information provided that anyone who doesn’t follow or listen to K-pop regularly (but would still like to read a book set in the music industry) won’t be going into the book and left to swim through the waters on their own.
I think what really made me dislike Shine by Jessica Jung was there’s too much drama (and cringe fest) and not enough of anything else. Idol Gossip strikes the balance of interesting both K-pop and non K-pop fans with a look into the industry as a trainee while also being entertaining and just enough drama that’ll keep readers invested without falling into cringe mode.
While Alice is presented as someone with strong vocals thanks to her years of training, she’s also someone who is self-centered. She’s not the most likable character and is given plenty of chances and opportunities to bond with the other members of A-List (Aria, Yuri, Seol, Hayan), but chooses to shut it down quickly and doesn’t make the effort. But she’s also a teen who has a lot of pressure on her with group’s success or failure (which some of the members have been waiting for years) not too long after she had to give up everything and move to a completely new country. While Alice unfortunately doesn’t have much character development, I personally feel it’s a minor setback compared to the other positives of the book.
Her biggest support system is with her little sister Olivia, who encourages and helps her from the very beginning, encouraging her to take the chance and audition. I loved her support for Alice to chase her dreams (even if it’s something she doesn’t expect and maybe there’s a bonus of Olivia meeting her all-time favorite groups) and their relationship with each other.
While their bond is strong, it also doesn’t come without any pitfalls. We see this explored a little as A-List gets closer to their debut and pre-debut promotions begin, when Alice’s schedules becomes busier than ever. The path to the idol life isn’t easy, and the book doesn’t shy away from the sacrifices Alice has to make if she wants to make it to debut. I also appreciated the cultural clashes Alice experiences throughout as someone who didn’t grow up in Korea or the culture (she’s biracial Chinese and Irish) rather than her going through flawlessly and magically.
Supplementing the story includes blog posts from an influential blogger named V, who is introduced as someone who wants to expose the dark side of the K-pop industry, with regular posts and commentary about news and gossip from groups and idols. The posts also contain comments from netizens ranging from support to hate and everything generally seen in the fandom community, which I thought was a nice complement running parallel with the story, and even more pleasantly surprised that there’s a storyline as well.
Idol Gossip was a fun read that spoke to my K-pop soul, and I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Alexandra Leigh Young’s debut novel is perfect for those looking for a novel including music without the romance and goes behind the scenes of the K-pop industry while also staying true to fandom culture.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.
Alexandra Leigh Young’s debut novel follows Alice Choy, who has aspirations to be a singer and took regular lessons in San Francisco before she and her family overhauls their lives to move to Seoul after her mother finds a job there. Now the only person who listens to her sing regularly is her little sister, Olivia, and the two of them sing karaoke weekly. Alice gets the chance to make her singing dreams a reality when a scout from Top10 Entertainment offers her to audition for a spot at their Star Academy, where she’ll train for the rare chance to debut as an idol.
If you’re looking for a cute romance featuring K-pop, Idol Gossip is by far the wrong book.
The novel goes straight into the rigorous training that Alice is thrown into when she passes her audition with Top10 Entertainment and is the only one (out of plenty of hopefuls) who does so. With her background in singing and years of lessons, she enters their Star Academy as a strong vocal, but she also has a lot of pressure placed on her as she finds out she has only months to prepare for her debut (she’s got a long way to go with dancing) as the newest and final member of Top10 Entertainment’s upcoming girl group: A-List.
Young’s descriptions of the industry as Alice undergoes her training is as realistic as those who are familiar with the industry are aware: long training days in various lessons (dance, vocal, language, etc.), restrictive rules like no fraternizing with boys (god forbid, dating), etc. There’s enough information provided that anyone who doesn’t follow or listen to K-pop regularly (but would still like to read a book set in the music industry) won’t be going into the book and left to swim through the waters on their own.
I think what really made me dislike Shine by Jessica Jung was there’s too much drama (and cringe fest) and not enough of anything else. Idol Gossip strikes the balance of interesting both K-pop and non K-pop fans with a look into the industry as a trainee while also being entertaining and just enough drama that’ll keep readers invested without falling into cringe mode.
While Alice is presented as someone with strong vocals thanks to her years of training, she’s also someone who is self-centered. She’s not the most likable character and is given plenty of chances and opportunities to bond with the other members of A-List (Aria, Yuri, Seol, Hayan), but chooses to shut it down quickly and doesn’t make the effort. But she’s also a teen who has a lot of pressure on her with group’s success or failure (which some of the members have been waiting for years) not too long after she had to give up everything and move to a completely new country. While Alice unfortunately doesn’t have much character development, I personally feel it’s a minor setback compared to the other positives of the book.
Her biggest support system is with her little sister Olivia, who encourages and helps her from the very beginning, encouraging her to take the chance and audition. I loved her support for Alice to chase her dreams (even if it’s something she doesn’t expect and maybe there’s a bonus of Olivia meeting her all-time favorite groups) and their relationship with each other.
While their bond is strong, it also doesn’t come without any pitfalls. We see this explored a little as A-List gets closer to their debut and pre-debut promotions begin, when Alice’s schedules becomes busier than ever. The path to the idol life isn’t easy, and the book doesn’t shy away from the sacrifices Alice has to make if she wants to make it to debut. I also appreciated the cultural clashes Alice experiences throughout as someone who didn’t grow up in Korea or the culture (she’s biracial Chinese and Irish) rather than her going through flawlessly and magically.
Supplementing the story includes blog posts from an influential blogger named V, who is introduced as someone who wants to expose the dark side of the K-pop industry, with regular posts and commentary about news and gossip from groups and idols. The posts also contain comments from netizens ranging from support to hate and everything generally seen in the fandom community, which I thought was a nice complement running parallel with the story, and even more pleasantly surprised that there’s a storyline as well.
Idol Gossip was a fun read that spoke to my K-pop soul, and I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Alexandra Leigh Young’s debut novel is perfect for those looking for a novel including music without the romance and goes behind the scenes of the K-pop industry while also staying true to fandom culture.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts.
August 1, 2025
I enjoyed the story but the MC annoyed the heck out of me. She was always so self absorbed and had a victim mentality that I hated.
August 20, 2021
Alice Choy and her sister have recently moved to South Korea for their mother's job. Alice has always been a singer at heart, but has not sung since the move. When she and her sister go to karaoke one night Alice is discovered by a scout for Top10Entertainment. From there Alice is swept up into the world of Kpop (the good and the bad) when she begins training at Star Academy and is set to debut with the new girl group A-List.
This book was great! I loved living in the world of Kpop while I read. While I highly doubt anything like what happened to Alice would ever actually happen I didn't care...because this book was fun and had so much heart. It was great to see Alice grow as a person and an artist and become a team player. I also enjoyed all of the side characters and what they brought to the table. The ending left me hanging! I'd love to see a second book about A-List post debut.
I was given this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Walker Books US Candlewick Press and Edelweiss for this ARC.
This book was great! I loved living in the world of Kpop while I read. While I highly doubt anything like what happened to Alice would ever actually happen I didn't care...because this book was fun and had so much heart. It was great to see Alice grow as a person and an artist and become a team player. I also enjoyed all of the side characters and what they brought to the table. The ending left me hanging! I'd love to see a second book about A-List post debut.
I was given this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Walker Books US Candlewick Press and Edelweiss for this ARC.
November 22, 2022
This was oodles and oodles of fun! I loved seeing Alice grow and get better and better!
😍 Loved that this one was all about K-pop! And not just the pretty sides but that we also saw some bad sides. Like the dieting, the gruelling program, the no-dating-unless-approved. But the good sides were so much fun. The light stick colour reveal (though I had expected a more colourful colour). The album name and the group name. The new songs. The outfits (though I hated how Alice was treated, like I am sure she is not fat).
😍 Loved seeing how hard Alice worked. On everything. Yes, it tired her out, but she kept going. She had a goal and she wanted to reach it and I love it.
😍 I loved reading about the company Top-10 and seeing various bands and singers pass by.
😍 The cover! It is so much fun! I also love the back of the cover with her in the midst of her sisters (aka the group).
😍 I loved her banter and chats with the cute boy from one of the K-pop boybands. I am glad that it never got to romance as well. I am a bit tired of that. I mean, I love romance. But sometimes I just want to see a boy/girl friendship develop. I am glad that these two were able to chat about things, that they could be open about things.
😍 And then there is So-Ri, the girl who mentors/is the guide for Alice. I love how they grew to be friends and how Alice had someone who she could talk to and laugh with. I just loved So-Ri, she had such a fun personality and I laughed a bit when her idol and normal personality were so different. XD When we first met her I was like, OH NO, please Lord let this girl be sweet and fun.
😍 I loved that the parents gave Alice a chance. And that they supported her. I would have liked to see more conversations between Alice and her parents while she was at Top-10. For most it was with Olivia.
😍 That concert at the end. I was so worried for a moment, but then BOOM! It was perfection and I loved how the author wrote it, I just had that feeling like I was there. Rooting for these girls. Gasping. Cheering.
😶 Unsure how I felt about those parts in between. I mean, I did love that they gave an extra bit to the story, but I hated how toxic they were and how the girl who wrote them was so high and mighty about things. Not realising how much hurt she was doing.
🙄 I wasn’t a fan of Alice sister. One she was way over the top and at times just annoyed me with how she acted when K-pop was mentioned. But two was definitely one that had me shaking my head. I get it, you have been together with your sister for a long time, this will be the first time that you will be apart for a long time. But really? REALLY? Whining and crying and acting huffy when she doesn’t have much time for you? You know yourself how gruelling things are for K-pop stars. Your sister clearly tells you she has been up since 5 and hasn’t had a moment of rest. I could continue. But yet, little sister is whiny and demands more attention. Like boo, seriously? Your sister tries.
🙄 Not sure about that older sister girl from the group. I understand that she was trying to help Alice, but um, boo, maybe not like this? Not putting someone down or pointing out their flaws each time? Sure, Alice could also have done a bit more on the bonding part, we see that she often avoids her group which isn’t good because then you don’t learn about each other and get to know each other, but I can also somehow understand Alice. She doesn’t really understand the language just yet and with how people are treating her…
All in all though, this was like so much fun to read and I just couldn’t stop reading! I hope that this writer keeps writing more fun books like this! I am a fan!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
😍 Loved that this one was all about K-pop! And not just the pretty sides but that we also saw some bad sides. Like the dieting, the gruelling program, the no-dating-unless-approved. But the good sides were so much fun. The light stick colour reveal (though I had expected a more colourful colour). The album name and the group name. The new songs. The outfits (though I hated how Alice was treated, like I am sure she is not fat).
😍 Loved seeing how hard Alice worked. On everything. Yes, it tired her out, but she kept going. She had a goal and she wanted to reach it and I love it.
😍 I loved reading about the company Top-10 and seeing various bands and singers pass by.
😍 The cover! It is so much fun! I also love the back of the cover with her in the midst of her sisters (aka the group).
😍 I loved her banter and chats with the cute boy from one of the K-pop boybands. I am glad that it never got to romance as well. I am a bit tired of that. I mean, I love romance. But sometimes I just want to see a boy/girl friendship develop. I am glad that these two were able to chat about things, that they could be open about things.
😍 And then there is So-Ri, the girl who mentors/is the guide for Alice. I love how they grew to be friends and how Alice had someone who she could talk to and laugh with. I just loved So-Ri, she had such a fun personality and I laughed a bit when her idol and normal personality were so different. XD When we first met her I was like, OH NO, please Lord let this girl be sweet and fun.
😍 I loved that the parents gave Alice a chance. And that they supported her. I would have liked to see more conversations between Alice and her parents while she was at Top-10. For most it was with Olivia.
😍 That concert at the end. I was so worried for a moment, but then BOOM! It was perfection and I loved how the author wrote it, I just had that feeling like I was there. Rooting for these girls. Gasping. Cheering.
😶 Unsure how I felt about those parts in between. I mean, I did love that they gave an extra bit to the story, but I hated how toxic they were and how the girl who wrote them was so high and mighty about things. Not realising how much hurt she was doing.
🙄 I wasn’t a fan of Alice sister. One she was way over the top and at times just annoyed me with how she acted when K-pop was mentioned. But two was definitely one that had me shaking my head. I get it, you have been together with your sister for a long time, this will be the first time that you will be apart for a long time. But really? REALLY? Whining and crying and acting huffy when she doesn’t have much time for you? You know yourself how gruelling things are for K-pop stars. Your sister clearly tells you she has been up since 5 and hasn’t had a moment of rest. I could continue. But yet, little sister is whiny and demands more attention. Like boo, seriously? Your sister tries.
🙄 Not sure about that older sister girl from the group. I understand that she was trying to help Alice, but um, boo, maybe not like this? Not putting someone down or pointing out their flaws each time? Sure, Alice could also have done a bit more on the bonding part, we see that she often avoids her group which isn’t good because then you don’t learn about each other and get to know each other, but I can also somehow understand Alice. She doesn’t really understand the language just yet and with how people are treating her…
All in all though, this was like so much fun to read and I just couldn’t stop reading! I hope that this writer keeps writing more fun books like this! I am a fan!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
April 20, 2021
This reminded me of self-insert fanfiction... but in the best way possible.
If you were recruited to be a kpop idol, what would you do? Two sisters move from San Francisco to Seoul, South Korea when their parents relocate for work. Alice, who used to take singing lessons in the US, now only gets to practice music once a week with her sister, Olivia, when they visit karaoke bars--until one fateful day, when she's scouted by one of the biggest agents in kpop. In a blur, Alice's life changes as she explores a world she's only ever dreamed of being a part of. But navigating the kpop industry isn't just finding celebrity-level fame and making music--it's also being hounded by paparazzi and rumours, dealing with jealously, facing scandal, and taking on the challenges of being an idol. Plus, figuring out who she is, too. Idol Gossip is a fun, fast-paced, and dazzling adventure into Alice Choy's rise to fame.
I think readers who aren't familiar with kpop might be a bit confused with how the book jumps right in, or the terminology, but it's an entertaining read.
ARC provided by Walker Books US (Candlewick press) for the ABA Kids indies introduce panel.
If you were recruited to be a kpop idol, what would you do? Two sisters move from San Francisco to Seoul, South Korea when their parents relocate for work. Alice, who used to take singing lessons in the US, now only gets to practice music once a week with her sister, Olivia, when they visit karaoke bars--until one fateful day, when she's scouted by one of the biggest agents in kpop. In a blur, Alice's life changes as she explores a world she's only ever dreamed of being a part of. But navigating the kpop industry isn't just finding celebrity-level fame and making music--it's also being hounded by paparazzi and rumours, dealing with jealously, facing scandal, and taking on the challenges of being an idol. Plus, figuring out who she is, too. Idol Gossip is a fun, fast-paced, and dazzling adventure into Alice Choy's rise to fame.
I think readers who aren't familiar with kpop might be a bit confused with how the book jumps right in, or the terminology, but it's an entertaining read.
ARC provided by Walker Books US (Candlewick press) for the ABA Kids indies introduce panel.
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