This honestly just reads like a really long post on a fan blog--disorganized, overly informal, unsubstantiated, and ultimately pointless beyond some fairly cringe fangirling. ("Jungkook is pretty. Like, really pretty." Top notch writing, there!)

You're much better off reading BTS' actual, authorized book if you want a look at their history and behind-the-scenes moments.



***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***

As an ARMY, I appreciate works about the members that are scholarly in nature, but this missed the mark. There were parts that read like a fan fiction or were speculative in nature, and there were also parts where I was thinking “how did the author get this information?” which I didn’t particularly like.

A thorough, admiring analysis of Jungkook: his rise, his talent, and his appeal to the masses. It's clear that the author thinks highly of her subject, but the tone doesn't verge into hagiography - it's very grounded. In particular, the book does a great job of contextualizing Jungkook, BTS, and Kpop in Korean culture as well as Western/American culture.

The book takes a very granular approach - new fans will be gratified to learn seemingly all there is to know about JK at this point, but longstanding ARMY might find it repetitive. Kpop skeptics will likely come away with greater understanding and appreciation of BTS' impact.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!

The author is obviously very respectful of her subject without bordering on the obsessiveness of some authors that write about well-known celebrities. This is a great overview of Jungkook's talent and work. I appreciated the insight into the larger K-pop industry and the culture of South Korea, which foreign audiences are often unfamiliar with.