I'm Out of Books to Read, Folks. Recommend a Boy Band Growth Story, but No Talent Shows 书荒了，家人们，求养成系男团，不要选秀

1. 1 在 I Shipped the Boys in the Boy Band, So How Did I Become the Group’s Darling? 在男团磕cp的我怎么成团宠了 Spring Brings Sunshine春生阳光Modern Romance417k WordsCompleted The rating has only just come out. It’ll go up later. [Entertainment Industry, No Romance, Boy Band, In-House Audition. No romance for anyone, seriously, no secondary couples!] “Hey, kid, want to be a star? Our company’s hiring. Can you sing and dance? Want to give it a try?” A chance encounter at an airport, a business card hurriedly pressed into his hand: this was the beginning of idol Ji Luoli’s story. “Why does this kid always wear gloves? Is he trying to look cool?” One video made Ji Luoli 5.8kReads8.7Score913Shelves

   Reader note

   This one is really good-looking and the main character is very cute.

2. 2 天 Good Grief! The Heartthrob Idol Is Just Too Good at This! 天！万人迷偶像他太会了！ Charcoal-Grilled Wagyu碳烤肥牛Two Male Leads1.1M WordsCompleted [Dual male leads + boy band + entertainment industry + feel-good and sweet story + lots of creative liberties; readers who prefer rigorous details, beware] Cold, calculating, and flirtatious (bottom) & cool, handsome, direct, and cocky (top) Mi Bai closed his eyes, then opened them to find himself back in the year a talent scout discovered him. By chance, he became bound to the Idol Heartthrob Development System. [Ding! Idol Heartthrob Development System successfully bound! Please choose a direc 16.1kReads9.5Score2.6kShelves

   Reader note

   Story summary: Mi Bai closed and opened his eyes, returning to the year when he was found by a talent scout and was accidentally bound to the idol male god development system. Bite! The idol male god development system has been successfully bound! Ask the host to choose the direction of developing an idol male god: A, a lively, cheerful and sunny male god, B, a gentle and tender male god, C, a flower of the mountain, a cold male god, D, a domineering and outgoing president male god] Mi Bai closed his eyes and said loudly: "I choose C!" Protagonist relationship: two men Character characteristics: cold-hearted, black-faced guy (sufferer) & cool, handsome, straight-ball guy (attacker) Theme category: Developing a ten-boy group Recommended star rating: Gypsophila ⭐

3. 3 懒 The Idol Life of a Laid-Back Trainee 懒系选手的爱豆人生 Tea Terrace茶砌Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [No romance, no romance, no romance] [Not based on real people! Unrelated to reality! Feel free to consider it a parallel world!] Zhou Yijin had always been lazy, so his mother sent him to TN to train as an idol. He only wanted to quietly finish his trainee days and leave, but he was so dazzlingly handsome that he accidentally debuted. At first, he just wanted to be an obscure little idol and keep a low profile. Who knew his older brothers would dote on him, his older sisters would spoil him, hi 9.5kReads9.4Score961Shelves

   Reader note

   Men's team draft, no female lead, C position debut, top-notch. Recommended star rating: full star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

4. 4 重 Reborn! The Stunning Trainee in a Boy Band Audition 重生！神颜练习生在男团选秀 Two Five Eight Seven二五八七Modern Romance386k WordsCompleted (This is a female-audience story!!!) [No romance + boy-band survival show + debuting in the center position + top-tier star] Li Xingchen, a nobody idol from a company with a hundred-and-eight tiers of obscurity, was tricked by his unscrupulous agency into signing a twenty-year “slave contract.” As a result, he missed the survival show that could have changed his life. Reborn, Li Xingchen learned his lesson the hard way. He immediately gathered evidence, broke his contract with the scummy company 2.8kReads9.2Score285Shelves
5. 5 全 The All-Round Top-Tier Star Starts with Free Food and Lodging 全能顶流从包吃包住开始 Lazy Cat's Laziness懒猫的懒Urban1.1M WordsCompleted [Showbiz + career-building + secret identities + no heroine + one male lead] [A novel aimed at women!!! Lots of interaction between idol and fans!!!] After returning to China, Chu Yu has no idea where to go, so he joins an audition show that provides meals and lodging. To his surprise, he becomes a sensation! From forming a group on a talent show to going solo after the group disbands, From an all-around idol to an all-around entertainer, Singing, dancing, writing lyrics and composing music, the 4.2kReads9.3Score431Shelves
6. 6 空 I Dropped into the Group and Became Its Beloved Center Thanks to My Stunning Looks 空降入团后盛世美颜的我成了团宠 Loves Three Years爱吃三年Urban781k WordsOngoing [Boy band + no CP, no heroine, beloved by the whole group + entertainment industry, A-pop + reborn (?) + comedy] (Maybe geared more toward female readers, with an ensemble cast) In his previous life, Tian Tan worked hard for ten years but never got to debut because of his looks. Then, in a twist of fate, a car accident turned him into Tian Fangtan, a handsome member of the same company who was about to debut! Tian Tan's response: "I'll live the life my little brother doesn't want! I'll stand up 444Reads8.9Score—Shelves
7. 7 养 Rising Star: Oh No, I've Become a Superstar! 养成系：糟糕，我成巨星啦！ Hen Xing很行Two Male Leads281k WordsOngoing [Dual male leads + idol growth + bottom-led romance + minor golden finger] Liu Xin, once a nobody on the fringes of the Korean entertainment industry, wakes up in the body of Song Yao, an idol trainee on a development-focused program. The environment of this kind of trainee program gives him quite a shock. What? Teachers restrict them from practicing basic singing and dancing after class! What? Trainees get so much exposure through stages and variety shows! What? So having a good-looking face re 565Reads8.4Score102Shelves

   Reader note

   This is a training series. It's very beautiful. If you are interested, you can go and take a look~

8. 8 重 Reborn as a Top-Tier Star’s Trainee 重生之顶流练习生 TsukiiiiiiModern Romance225k WordsOngoing In his previous life, Shen Jingming was an orphan. He became a trainee at eighteen, trained for seven years, and was eventually dropped by his agency. Then he opened his eyes and found himself reborn as Hua Yan’an, a newborn baby. His father is a wealthy businessman in Jiangcheng, his mother is one of Huaguo’s foremost classical dancers, his older brother is a financial genius, and his older sister is a partner at Huaqing Law Firm. Will he still pursue the trainee path in this life? This time, h 137Reads6.6Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Nurture system, no CP

9. 9 顶 Top-Tier Idol, Dating Within the Group 顶流偶像，队内恋爱中 Ying Cheng应程Two Male Leads306k WordsCompleted [Reborn + boy band + sweet romance] In his previous life, He Ran debuted with a major company. He had both the looks and the talent, yet became a scapegoat because of backroom dealings among the executives. He was plagued by rumors of unspoken rules and had countless haters. Reborn overnight, he wastes no time packing up and switching agencies, joining a small company on the verge of bankruptcy. Everyone is ready to laugh at him, but only He Ran knows the company is about to be acquired by a maj 2.7kReads9.4Score375Shelves
10. 10 伤 No More Heartbreak, I’m Taking Down the Entertainment Industry 伤心暂停，姐要干翻娱乐圈 AT0MModern Romance442k WordsCompleted One-line pitch: If I can't be an idol, I'll be the boss who rules the industry! [Idols of all genders + ensemble cast + entrepreneurship + no romance] [A young person's dream is summer fireworks] After ten years as a trainee, Xu Jialan still failed to make her debut in the cutthroat world of show business. Furious, she packed up and went home to live off her parents as soon as her contract expired. She casually opened a dance studio to make ends meet, and somehow it became a hit. Was she born wi 4.2kReads9.3Score437Shelves
11. 11 糟 Oh No! The Little Brother I Raised Is a Two-Faced, Possessive Yandere! 糟糕！养大的弟弟是白切黑病娇！ Cola Xiao Qi可乐小七Modern Romance227k WordsCompleted [Both inexperienced in love, warm, sunny heroine x sweet on the surface, dark and obsessive hero] Mu Wanwan has a younger brother named Ling Li. He's handsome, gets good grades, and is so well-behaved and lovable that she's sworn to protect him for the rest of her life since childhood. Ling Li has a little angel named Mu Wanwan. She's sweet-smelling, warm, optimistic, and brave, and ever since he was young, he's wished to keep her by his side forever. When his obsessive feelings are finally expo 1.6kReads8.9Score211Shelves
12. 12 睁 I Woke Up as the Villain’s Stepsister? Don’t Panic, Just Get Along 睁眼成反派继姐？不要慌搞好关系 Words of the Returning Son子归辞Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted I have no idea. I opened my eyes and found myself transmigrated as the villain’s stepsister. But I wasn’t worried, because my dad had transmigrated here too. After Ji Xiaoxiao and her dad transmigrated into a book, her goal was to reform the villain, protect him, spoil him, and care for him so he wouldn’t turn evil. Her dad’s goal was to protect and spoil her, and give her the very best of everything. But one day, the villain, who she thought had grown into an upstanding young man, still turned 165Reads9.0Score—Shelves
13. 13 狂 Sobbing! I Ran Away, but My Yandere Brother Pinned Me Down and Kissed Me Furiously 狂哭！逃跑后被病娇弟弟按住狂吻 Mu Nian牧念Modern Romance1.5M WordsCompleted [A top-tier star who’s a lovesick villain × the strongest heroine with a System! The male lead is utterly devoted and incredibly possessive! Sweet and clingy!] All the fans of top-tier star Ling Qianhe know that he owns a beautiful doll as tall as a person. But they don’t know that late at night, he tenderly kisses the doll on the cheek. “My dear Mu Ci, when will you come back?” Lin Muci is the most accomplished quick transmigration agent, and her next challenge is the villain Ling Qianhe, t 1.6kReads8.8Score231Shelves
14. 14 死 After Faking My Death and Returning, the Darkened Male Lead Forces His Love on Me 死遁回来后，黑化男主对我强制爱 Just Write One写一篇吧Two Male Leads681k WordsCompleted [Main story complete] [Quick transmigration + System + corruption + unhinged romance + fragmented attack personas + mutual devotion + 1v1 + happy ending] What should I do when my husband forces me to love him in every world? Qin Shi is a quick transmigrator who completes his villain missions perfectly every time. Just as he is about to finish the mission in his final world, the villain System tells him that the male leads in every small world have turned evil. He must return and clear their c 17kReads9.0Score1.5kShelves

    Reader note

    I recommend "Ordinary Brother", "Black Market Divination Master" and the following books are also good!

15. 15 快 Quick Transmigration: Emperors, Ministers, and Generals All Fall at My Feet 快穿：帝王名臣将相，皆是裙下臣 A Salty Fish Who Loves to Turn Over一条爱翻身的咸鱼Ancient Romance1.3M WordsOngoing (Quick transmigration + System + golden finger + feel-good wish fulfillment + sweet romance) [The rating has just opened and is still rising] At her lowest point, Su Ningxue was bound to a System and began a journey through three thousand worlds. Good grief! Every time, I think the beginning is the end. 1. Qin Dynasty: Ying Zheng Meow? System, what did you say? Who did you say was going to fall in love with me? Say that again! Su Ningxue had already assumed each transmigration would end as soon 8.5kReads8.7Score684Shelves
16. 16 病 The Reborn Flirtatious Darling of the Possessive Lord Li 病娇厉爷的小撩精重生啦 Three Hundred Million三亿Modern Romance542k WordsCompleted In her previous life, she was blind to the truth and foolishly took the word of a scumbag and a wicked woman, secretly drugging Li Jinhan's meals every day. Li Jinhan knew perfectly well that she was tampering with his food, yet he accepted it willingly. Then, after she was kidnapped and tortured, she heard that Li Jinhan had died from poisoning while trying to save her. Jiang Siyue wept until her heart nearly broke. Only then did she realize that Li Jinhan had cherished her with his life all al 595Reads8.8Score101Shelves
17. 17 岁 Spring's Joy, Year After Year 岁岁春欢 I Really Love Little Crabs超爱小螃蟹Ancient Romance669k WordsCompleted [The print edition of Years of Spring Joy is now available on all platforms] [Heroine and scumbag reborn + male lead transmigrates + mutual salvation + play the pig to eat the tiger] At seventeen, Shen Jiasui married Lu Yunzheng. The Shen and Lu families were both military dynasties, making them a formidable match. Two years into their marriage, Lu Yunzheng defeated the enemy kingdom and won renown across the land. But the Shen family was condemned for treason and executed to the last member. On 319.1kReads9.6Score40.4kShelves
18. 18 春 Spring Banquet 春日宴 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance664k WordsCompleted She kept male favorites and toyed with powerful ministers! For eight years, the arrogant and tyrannical Princess Danyang, Li Huaiyu, wreaked havoc across the court and country. She died on the day the new emperor ascended the throne, bleeding from every orifice in a truly gruesome death. The officials celebrated and the people rejoiced: Evil gets what it deserves! Good riddance! Yet on the seventh day after her death, Princess Danyang returned to life in the body of the Bai family’s Fourth Mis 16.1kReads9.4Score2.7kShelves
19. 19 薾 The Season of Er’er 薾薾时节 Lala from the Corner旮旯角的拉拉Modern Romance321k WordsCompleted CEO × College Student | Age Gap | Foster Care | Secret Crush | Older Man, Younger Wife He is twelve years older than her, the feared “Mr. Jie” of Yancheng’s business world: cold, sharp-tongued, and heartless. She is just a little ray of sunshine living under his roof. She doesn’t dare tell him that the moment they reunited during her high school entrance exams, a little tree began to sprout in her heart. A wily older fox raises a younger one, and the younger fox sets out to win his heart. He lay 1.5kReads8.8Score121Shelves

    Reader note

    It was average at first, but after reading a few more chapters, I decided to pursue it.

20. 20 坏 Bad Dog: Moral Decay 坏狗：道德沦丧 Kongdu Thirteen Forks空渡十三叉Two Male Leads263k WordsOngoing [Younger Man, Two Strong Leads + Angsty Romance + Over-the-Top Urban Drama + The Ex-Chasing Crematorium] Fake-sweet, scheming, unhinged dog-type gong x short-tempered, sharp-tongued, beautiful, strong, tragic queen-type shou In a nutshell: The stray dog I've raised for eleven years suddenly says he loves me. I call him insane, only to find myself... getting screwed and ending up on the bottom??? Yan Chuan grew up without a mother, and his father died when he was eight. Jun Dui took rough care of 5Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    After reading so many novels, I really feel that this one is talented, clear and has a certain cultural foundation.

Other lists with I Shipped the Boys in the Boy Band, So How Did I Become the Group’s Darling?