Booklist: Books Recommended By K-pop Idols — Part 1
K-pop book club, anyone? 👀
𝗗𝗜𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪: BTS's Wings era—especially 'Blood Sweat & Tears'—was heavily influenced by 'Demian' and its central themes of temptation & growth.
Learning about the inspiration or thematic material behind a K-pop release makes me appreciate the work all the better, and this BTS fact makes me want to dig into other K-pop songs that may have been inspired by books. Learning what books idols read also gives us fans a glimpse into their minds: what their interests are, where their values lie, what inspires them, and sometimes even what makes them who they are.
Books are the windows to the soul and the doors to the world. Happy reading, my fellow k-pop x book lovers!
⚠️ DISCLAIMER: There are some books I have yet to read, so I can't speak to any potential triggers. Please research before reading!
Almond
Author: Sohn Won-pyung · March 2017
Recommended by: J-Hope, Jung Kook, Suga (BTS)
Born with Alexithymia, an emotion-blocking brain condition, Yunjae is isolated after a tragic loss until a surprising friendship with his troubled tormentor Gon leads him to open up and ultimately act as an unexpected hero.
Breasts and Eggs
Author: Mieko Kawakami · 2019
Recommended by: Yunjin (LE SSERAFIM)
Breasts and Eggs recounts the intimate journeys of three women—Natsu, her sister Makiko, and Makiko’s silent daughter Midoriko—as they confront oppressive mores and personal uncertainties in Japan to find futures they can truly call their own.
The Brothers Karamazov
Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky · November 1880
Recommended by: IU
This murder mystery and courtroom drama explores rivalry between the father, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, and his three sons—the impulsive Dmitri, the rational Ivan, and the novice Alyosha—while portraying the social and spiritual striving of Russian life.
Confessions
Author: Kanae Minato · August 2008
Recommended by: Yeri (Red Velvet)
Distraught over the death of her daughter, middle school teacher Yuko Moriguchi delivers a final, chilling lecture that exposes a tragic secret about two of her students and initiates a maniacal plot for revenge.
The Courage To Be Disliked
Author: Ichiro Kishimi · December 2013
Recommend by: Jaehyun (NCT)
Drawing on Alfred Adler’s psychological theories, The Courage To Be Disliked teaches profound lessons that liberate your true self, empowering you to ignore the expectations of others, determine your own future, and find lasting happiness.
Demian
Author: Herman Hesse · 1919
Recommended by: IU, Jisoo (BLACKPINK), Jonghyun (SHINee), Onew (SHINee), RM (BTS)
Guided by Max Demian, young Emil Sinclair struggles between his bourgeois “world of illusion” and the real world, eventually achieving self-realization by revolting against superficial ideals.
The Devotion of Suspect X
Author: Keigo Higashino · August 2005
Recommended by: Kai (EXO)
When a Tokyo bento shop worker’s quiet life is shattered by the unexpected reappearance of her ex-husband, Detective Kusanagi is confronted with a crime of such puzzling, mysterious circumstances that it requires a genius to unravel.
The Gift of Acabar
Author: Og Mandino & Buddy Kaye · January 1978
Recommended by: Seohyun (Girls’ Generation)
Young Tulo sought light and warmth for himself and his sister during a storm but instead captured the star Acabar with his red kite. Acabar delivered a shining, joyful message of changing lives for the better.
The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald · April 1925
Recommended by: Jay B (GOT7), Jisoo (BLACKPINK)
The Great Gatsby is a quintessential Jazz Age novel. It tells the exquisitely crafted story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for Daisy Buchanan amidst the lavish excess of 1920s America.
Recommended by: Jinyoung (GOT7), RM (BTS)
The shocking death of young Dong-ho during a violent South Korean student uprising connects the narratives of victims and the bereaved, illustrating their collective struggle against suppression and for a voice.
