13 Books Your Favorite K-Pop Idols Loved And So Will You
We love our favorite K-pop idols for their singing, dancing, and rapping skills, but as it turns out, their interests don't stop there. Some of them are avid book lovers, and they haven't hesitated to share some of their favorite reads on fan meets, variety shows, interviews, and during V Lives.
1.The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, recommended by IU
Release date: April 29, 2003
IU was seen reading the second volume of The Brothers Karamazov during the third episode of the JTBC reality show, Hyori's Bed And Breakfast back in 2017. Producer Kim Hak-min of Hyori's Home Stay said that IU had chosen the book as the best book she had read in her life. IU has also recommended other books like A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman and Alain De Botton's Essays In Love.
What it's about: Set in 19th-century Russia, The Brothers Karamazov is a passionate philosophical novel that explores the ethical debates of God, free will, and morality. After the murder of landowner, Fyodor Karamazov, the lives of his sons change drastically: Mitya, whose bitter rivalry with his father immediately places him under suspicion for parricide; Ivan, the intellectual, is driven to breakdown and the spiritual Alyosha tries to heal the family's rifts. The Brothers Karamazov evokes a world where the lines between innocence and corruption, good and evil, blur, and everyone's faith in humanity is tested. While this book may take a longer time to read because of the myriad of characters and philosophically dense passages, Dostoevsky inserts wit and humor with appropriate, light-hearted commentary on characters and situations while ensuring that each page of this is devoted to thought-provoking moral and ethical ideals, making it worth your time!
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
2.Kim JiYoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo, recommended by Irene from Red Velvet
Release date: March 2, 2021
Red Velvet's Irene recommended the book to a fan during a meet up, stating that she had read the book while on vacation.
What it's about: Cho Nam-Joo tells the story of the psychic deterioration of Kim Ji-young, a Korean woman who recently quit her job to take care of her new-born daughter full-time as is expected of many Korean women. But something is wrong, as she starts to impersonate the voices of other women who are alive and dead, both known and unknown to her. What follows is the account of Ji-young's life which is recounted to the psychiatrist where we are introduced to the systemic misogyny that has shaped Ji-young's entire life. A fierce best-seller that gave birth to Korea's new feminist movement, Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 evokes the defeat that is experienced by the protagonist in a society where patriarchy reigns in every aspect of a woman's life.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
3.The Devotion Of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino, recommended by Kai from EXO
Release date: February 28, 2012
Kai, who's said multiple times how reading is one of his favorite pastimes, mentioned that his favorite book was The Devotion Of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino during the show, The Human Condition in 2013. The EXO singer remarked that the book had left a deep impression on him.
What it's about: The third book of the Detective Galileo series revolves around Yasuko, a divorced mother who lives with her daughter, Misato. Yasuko's ex-husband, who has been extorting money from her, shows up unexpectedly at her house one day, and as things get out of hand, Yasuko ends up killing him with the help of Misato and her neighbor, Ishigami, who helps to cover up the incident. When lead Detective Kusanagi tries to piece the unfolding together, he finds himself confronted by one of the most puzzling circumstances he has ever investigated. With a surprise and twist at the end, this book is a battle of two geniuses and is a must read for anyone who appreciates police procedures, mysteries, math, Japan, and literature.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
4.Demian by Hermann Hesse, recommended by Jisoo from Blackpink
Release date: September 8, 2009
Blackpink's Jisoo is said to have recommended this book during Blackpink's Reality Show, Blackpink House. She has also recommended Carol by Patricia Highsmith and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
What it's about: Emil Sinclair is a teenager who was raised in a middle-class home in Germany during pre-World War I. His entire existence is a struggle between two worlds: the show world of illusion and the real world of spiritual truth. During the course of the book, Sinclair is caught between good and evil, represented by the light and dark realms. Through his mysterious and mature classmate, Demian, Sinclair learns of the individuals with the "Mark of Cain" and he is eventually guided to understand the true meaning of his dreams, which results in finding his true destiny and revolting against the superficial ideals of the world. A book full of philosophical meanings, Hesse does a great job of crafting a mythic language to map the inner life of Sinclair.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
5.1984 by George Orwell, recommended by RM from BTS
Release date: July 1, 1950
During a 2017 interview, RM from BTS said that 1984 was a book that he liked re-reading. RM, who is known to love books and draw literary influences from them, has also recommended The Stranger by Albert Camus and Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin.
What it's about: Set in Airstrip One, the book follows the story of Winston Smith who lives in an alternate history where everyone is under constant surveillance. All freedom is gone, all pleasures are forbidden, all information is propaganda, rebellion is unthinkable and your relatives will not hesitate to betray you. Even thinking of rebellious thoughts is a crime bound to get the attention of the Thought Police and a harsh punishment, making everyone live in constant fear because they know that Big Brother is watching them. Orwell embeds multiple debatable themes like politics, nationalism, and surveillance, making this book an absolute must-read for everyone.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
6.The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, recommended by Jaehyun from NCT
Release date: May 8, 2018
NCT's Jaehyun is fond of talking about his favorite books during fan signs and has recommended various non-fiction books, including the self-help book, The Courage To Be Disliked by Ishiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga.
What it's about: This book explains the tenets of the famous psychologist, Alfred Adler, through a back and forth dialogue between a young and an older, philosophical gentleman. Over the course of the five conversations, the philosopher helps his student to understand how each of us is able to determine the direction of our own lives and be free from the shackles of our past. Adler proposes that one is happier and free if one lives from moment to moment, working on one's own task in life instead of doing other people's tasks. The Courage To Be Disliked is a liberating way of thinking as it allows you to develop the courage to change and ignore the limitations that you might be placing on yourself.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
7.Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, recommended by Jinyoung from GOT7
Release date: September 12, 2000
At a fan signing in 2016, Jinyoung revealed that his favorite novel was Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami and that he read it whenever he was feeling depressed. Known by fans to be an avid book lover, he has also recommended The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer by Patrick Suskind.
What it's about: Set in the late '60s in Tokyo, the novel follows Toru Watanabe, a college student who is still trying to come to terms with the death of his high school best friend, Kizuki. Even though he's devoted to Naoko, her retreat into her own world as she tries to adapt to campus life draws him to the fiercely independent and self-confident, Midori. The latter ends up reciprocating his feelings and their friendship grows during Naoko's absence. A brilliant coming-of-age romance, Norwegian Wood is for anyone who has experienced the awkwardness of being a teenager and the pain and heartache of love that comes with it.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
8.The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, recommended by Suga from BTS
Release date: April 15, 2014
BTS's Suga, who is allegedly a big fan of Paulo Coelho, recommended the book on the BTS Official Fan Club 5th Army Kit. On June 24, 2020, the author also took to his official Twitter handle and shared photos of signed copies of the book to give to members of BTS.
What it's about: Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. Along the way, he meets a Romany, a man who calls himself a king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the right direction of his quest. His quest will lead him to riches far different and far more satisfying than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and most importantly, the book teaches us to follow our dreams.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
9.The Seventh Day by Yu Hua, recommended by Wonwoo from Seventeen
Release date: January 26, 2016
Wonwoo, who was seen reading the book, has also recommended Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and Four Great Tragedies by William Shakespeare.
What it's about: The Seventh Day is told from the perspective of Yang Fei, a 41-year-old Chinese man who has just passed away. The book covers the first seven days of his experiences in the afterlife, where he encounters the souls of various deceased people he lost in his life: his adoptive father, his neighbors, and even his ex-wife. Yang Fei's passage maps the contours of the Chinese nation โ its absurdities, its sorrows, and its soul. The characters he encounters, and the way in which they died, chronicle all the inequities of modern Chinese society, but it's Fei's relationship with his adopted father that makes this book a tender and insightful read packed with magic realism and macabre comedy.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
10.The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger, recommended by Jae from DAY6
Release date: May 1, 1991
In 2018, Jae from DAY6 tweeted that he wanted to get back into reading and that one of his favorite books was The Catcher In The Rye. He also mentioned The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky as one of his favorite reads in the same tweet.
What it's about: The Catcher In The Rye tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a teenager from New York City who is living in an unspecified institution in Southern California. After leaving his school as a result of yet another expulsion, he goes underground in New York City where he seeks solace in fleeting encounters like wandering alone around Central Park, getting beat up by pimps, and shooting the bull with strangers in dive hotels. Holden passes through the city whilst thinking of his sister, Phoebe, who was the only person who truly understood his determination to find a life of true meaning. Filled with teenage angst that many young adults can relate to, and Holden becoming an icon for teenage rebellion, the book also deals with the complex issues of innocence, identity, belonging, and loss. The splash of Salinger's use of sarcasm and irony makes the book a worthwhile read.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
11.Kafka On The Shore by Haruki Murakami, recommended by JayB from GOT7
Release date: January 3, 2006
Got7's JayB has gained popularity in his love for reading, and one of the books he has recommended is Kafka On The Shore by Haruki Murakami which he was also spotted reading once. He mentioned during a 2019 interview with Korea's Arena Homme Magazine that he loved the book and had read it six times. He also remarked that every time he read it, the feeling was different and he had received lots of influence from it as a reader. He has also inspired the hashtag, #ReadingWithJaebom where his fans share their love for books.
What it's about: Comprising two distinct but interrelated plots, the narrative runs back and forth between both plots, taking up each plotline in alternating chapters. The odd-numbered chapters tell the story of 15-year-old Kafka as he runs away from his father's house to escape an Oedipal curse and embark upon a quest to find his mother and sister. After a series of adventures, he finds shelter in a library in Takamatsu where he spends his days reading until the police begin inquiring about his connection with the murder of his father, which he doesn't know he committed. The even-numbered chapters tell the story of Nakata, who is the only child who becomes illiterate and without any memory after an incident where children collapsed in the woods. After killing a man named Johnnie Walker, he takes a gigantic leap of faith and goes to the road for the first time, unable to read a map and without knowing where he will end up.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
12.The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, recommended by Xiaojun from WayV
Release date: March 5, 2013
Xiaojun, who was seen reading the book during his relay cam in 2021, said during a Weibo Live that he had even watched the movie with fellow K-pop idol, The8 from Seventeen, who is known to be a fellow book lover. Xiaojun has also recommended How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
What it's about: The Kite Runner is the first novel by Afghan-American author, Khaled Hosseini. It revolves around the friendship of Amir, a wealthy boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, and Hassan, the son of his father's servant. The two of them are as close as brothers, but, beset by bullies, an event occurs that changes Amir's life. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan's monarchy, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime. Packed with emotional richness, this moving tale is a one-of-a-kind classic.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.
13.Letters To Lily: On How The World Works by Alan MacFarlane, recommended by Jessica Jung
Release date: September 01, 2006
During a tour of her bookshelf with Marie Claire, Jessica labeled Letters To Lily by Alan Macfarlane as her all-time favorite book with themes that are relatable at any chapter of your life.
What it's about: In a series of 30 letters, Alan MacFarlane answers his granddaughter's questions about how the world works and where she fits in. Lily's questions range from the personal to the moral and political: How can I truly be me? What is religion? Is democracy a good idea? Macfarlane responds to Lily's questions from a lifetime's experience as a teacher, anthropologist, and historian. This one-of-a-kind informative book will leave you reflecting on various aspects of your life with an engaging worldview from an insightful academic.
Get it from Bookshop or your local bookstore via Indiebound here.