A Book Review for "The K-Pop Star and I"

The K-Pop Star and I

JP Adrian

Copyright 2013

A Teen Fiction Novel

I personally am not aware of the existence of this particular novel until my publisher sent me a copy together with a copy of a contract I have signed before hand. I didn't pay much attention to it since I myself am not a fan of K-Pop. I even considered giving it to my friend who's a big fan of Koreans and Korean culture. I put it inside my cabinet at my apartment and it stayed there for months. Christmas of 2013 came and I went home to my hometown and brought all the books my publisher sent me and displayed them on my mini shelf. Out of boredom I decided to read "The K-Pop Star and I"

The title of the book was simple, but it sure will catch any K-Pop die hard fan's attention. Upon reading it's background, I have already predicted how will the story go - the girl who serves as this Korean Pop Idol's assistant will definitely fall in love with him and the K-Pop artist will surely fall for her too and they will be forced to part in the end.

As I read the story, regardless of my "predictions" I still can't remove the smile on my lips as I read each word. I can imagine the characters and the scenes clearly in my head. The scenes in my head tickles me from the inside and I kept on reading for I can't bring myself to release the book from my hands.

The characters, Joy Natividad was very predictable for me. She was that type of heroine you see in most Filipino soap operas and Filipino novels. While Sir, though very predictable with his arrogance and tough personality, remained mysterious for the author never mentioned a name. But clues (or maybe I thought they were clues) can be found in the first few chapters of the book and I there was a name of a Korean actor in my head - Lee Min Ho. I was fond with Kuya Rodel, he was so funny and sarcastic. He does the kind of thing I would do and I would say if I'm there with Joy and Sir. Lola Minerva was such a fangirl, she is the epitome of what will the fangirls of our generation would be like when they reach late adulthood. Love was not the typical type of sister, unlike other sisters who have cat fights with their siblings, she loves Joy. Maybe it's because she was already 18 and less childish than what I'm thinking. Oh yeah, about their age, JP Adrian said that Joy was 11 when their parents died on a car accident, and Love as 5. Then at present time, Joy was 21 and Love was 18. So where did that 3 years go?

I can totally imagine the setting where the story was, familiar places (except for Bulacan and Valenzuela for I have never set a foot there) helped me to just read, imagine and enjoy the story.

The story flow was very light. The introduction was simple, they met on a simple day but in a unexpected way. But the moment she bumped someone I knew that was it. The story was light and I have no problems until the end. I just wish he didn't use a first person point of view, I wish he used third person instead and gave more of Sir's point of view. Nabitin ako dun sa short part under the tree with the fire flies.

The end of the story was fulfilling, but there's a question left in head - "What will happen next?" Perhaps Sir and Joy will have a problem with regards to the life Sir left just to be with her? Maybe JP Adrian will take us to Korea next! I don't know actually.

One little note about the story, it was very similar to Toni Gonzaga and Sam Milby's movie titled "You Are The One."

In summary, the book was good! I definitely would recommend the book to my friends, especially those who loves K-Pop.

- Charles Fred Agustin, writer of Unwanted Fairy Tale Series and Bloodlines and Heartstrings.