I really only felt ready to dip my toes into Shine by fall of 2018, and already by spring of 2019, it had started coming together really quickly and I started signing with publishers. As I expanded into other ventures, I realized I had a story to tell.

“Obviously for a long time, music was my entire life-there was just no time to think about anything else. The heart of the book is very genuine, and I hope the industry sees that.”Īhead, Jung talked to StyleCaster about the Girls’ Generation moments that made it into Shine, watching BTS’ “Carpool Karaoke” and how K-pop has changed since she was an idol. But I did want to be true to myself and not hide anything either. “I am hoping they will swoon for the romance and root for Rachel to come out on top! I definitely didn’t set out to write a ‘tell-all’ I always wanted to create good entertainment. “I am really excited for fans to read the book-not just for all the little tidbits that come from real life, but also for the fun, addicting read,” she says. Still, while she didn’t hide any details about her experience as a K-pop idol, Jung wants readers to know that the book is more than the dark side of the K-pop industry. Though the book is fiction, Jung confirms that a lot of Shine was inspired by her life. On September 29, 2020, follows Rachel Kim, a 17-year-old K-pop trainee at DB Entertainment, who starts a relationship with her company’s prized artist, Jason Lee, despite DB’s no-dating rule. Being caught with a boyfriend could really tarnish your image and lose you endorsements.” And the paparazzi were a whole other matter. “Of course, many girls during my day had boyfriends anyway, and I remember how far they went to hide their relationships-always booking separate flights, separate hotel rooms, private restaurant dining rooms.

“The industry has changed a bit since my trainee days, but it’s definitely still true that dating, if not strictly forbidden by labels, is strongly discouraged,” Jung tells StyleCaster. Not much is known about about Jung’s exit, though fans theorize that part of the reason Jung left was because of SM Entertainment’s strict rules. In 2014, SM Entertainment and Jung confirmed that she was no longer a member of Girls’ Generation after seven years with the band. She was chosen as one of Girls’ Generation’s nine members in 2007 and debuted with the band that same year. Jung, who was born and raised in San Francisco, joined SM Entertainment ( Girls’ Generation’s management company) as a trainee in 2000. SNSD)-the first K-pop group to reach 100 million views on YouTube with their song “Gee” in 2013-Jung is familiar with the ins and outs of the K-pop industry, and she’s ready to tell her side of the story in her new book, Shine. As a former member of Girls’ Generation (a.k.a. For K-pop fans, Jessica Jung is a household name.

Jessica jung shine book