Novels like Korean Showbiz: Fighting to Survive, One Day at a Time
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Korean Showbiz: Fighting to Survive, One Day at a Time, best match first.
- 51 Korean Entertainment: A Spring That Never Looks Back 韩娱之不回头的春天 This is a fictional story. The timeline and events involving other Korean entertainment celebrities do not reflect reality and are only for the sake of the plot. The characters are heavily out of character. Idol romance; if that’s not your thing, please steer clear. The female lead is BLACKPINK’s fifth member, and the male lead is BTS’s Jeon Jungkook. At thirteen, An Yu crossed the sea from China to Seoul, South Korea, as she faced the growing pains of adolescence. Her mother’s death was soon fo 133Reads—Score—14d adds
- 52 My Neighbor, Top-Tier Idol Byun Baekhyun 邻居哥哥是顶流爱豆边伯贤 He is a genius idol from South Korea, K-pop’s only solo artist to sell two million copies. Gentle and handsome, he seems perfect, but what lies beneath that flawless exterior? He has been plotting this for a long time, all for you. Step by step, you walk into the trap he has laid. Will you fight back, or let yourself fall? 47Reads—Score—14d adds
- 53 My Tough Road to Debuting in K-Pop as a Silk Reeler 韩娱之我在缫丝艰难出道 As a little girl, Liu Yuyu watched her idol perform and planted the dream of becoming an idol in her heart. She later passed an audition and joined Silk Cocoon. After failing to debut again and again as a trainee, she finally made her debut with LE SSERAFIM and began promoting enthusiastically! Key point! The heroine’s early story is not a power fantasy (and maybe the later part won’t be either; I haven’t decided yet)! After debuting, she’s great at promoting herself and charming her fans!!! Aft 33Reads—Score—14d adds
- 54 The Everyday Life of Ji Xia in South Korea 南韩知夏的日常 A story about a funny girl finding success in both her career and love life in South Korea. The heroine, Bae Ji Ha, is a singer under IU’s agency who believes in marrying her first love and staying together forever, like the sun. The hero is Seventeen’s Choi Seung Cheol. My writing is limited, so the characters may be out of character. If that bothers you, please don’t read. 101Reads—Score—14d adds
- 55 The Most Beautiful Rain Shower 最美那场阵雨 If that summer shower had been more beautiful, what kind of light would have blossomed in the end? This is a fanfiction about Produce 101 and I.O.I set in a parallel universe. P.S.: 1. Many characters in this story aren't well known, so readers need a strong grounding in Korean entertainment survival shows. 2. This parallel universe is the same one as the author's previous Korean entertainment novel, Korean Entertainment: Changing Fate. The fates of many girl groups differ from reality, includin 108Reads—Score—14d adds
- 56 Lee Soo-hyuk: About Us 李洙赫：关于我们 A slow-to-warm, easygoing micro-influencer / a male celebrity who seems gentle but is actually dark-hearted A story about a rabbit and a wolf As a little-known micro-influencer, Chi Canyan never thought the idol she’d liked for years, Lee Soo-hyuk, would ever confess his feelings for her. But that day really did come. Everyone calls her Yanyan, but only Soo-hyuk likes to use her pet name. And only Soo-hyuk holds her on quiet nights, gently whispering, “Canyan.” “Our Canyan really is an incredibl 97Reads—Score614d adds
- 57 Korean Showbiz: I Just Got Addicted to Being a Sister-in-Law 韩娱：只是犯了嫂子瘾 This is a fictional story. Please don't conflate the characters with real people! You can transmigrate just by scrolling through a fancam of G-Dragon? Tang Zili has landed the 2011 transmigration package! She's rich and beautiful, and she's even been gifted a whole brain full of future entertainment-industry plotlines. This golden finger is rock solid! She gets to watch the King of K-pop rise to fame in real time and catch the agency president at the peak of his youth. It's a total win! And what 353Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 58 Korean Showbiz: The Slacker Girl Group Is Forced to Work 【韩娱】摆烂女团被迫营业 [Girl group / group darling / universally adored / entertainment industry] Warning: The group-darling, universally adored setup means there are many male leads. If you can’t handle ambiguous relationships, please don’t read on. (Sorry!) To make a splash, P Entertainment carefully selected seven Chinese members to form a girl group. At first, they were only meant to go through the motions. The company was small, and competition among fourth-generation girl groups was fierce. The girls themselves 48Reads—Score—14d adds
- 59 Korean Showbiz: Becoming a Top-Tier Star Idol 韩娱：成为顶流爱豆 (Transmigration + Korean entertainment + Chinese entertainment + girl group idol + singer and actress) From China in 2023 to Huaguo in an alternate 1995. Tian Sisi is shocked, furious, and utterly lost. She just can't accept it. But~ life has given her another chance to choose, and this time, with a wealth of experience in a young body, she's determined to make the most of it. As it turns out, a lifetime of experience makes this second life full of surprises. So, why not become an idol? Give it 4.4kReads—Score55214d adds
- 60 I Entered a Game and Debuted in a Boy Band 穿进游戏后在男团出道了 1. Female-oriented novel told from the male lead's perspective. No romance within the boy band, set in an alternate Korean entertainment industry. 2. The protagonist is a stunningly handsome idol and a top member by popularity. Includes lots of forum-style posts and many original details. 3. This is my take on the entertainment industry. The protagonist is not based on anyone. Do not associate him with real people. 4. The game System is just window dressing and barely features. 5. The plot is pu 17Reads7.2Score—14d adds
- 61 Peninsula: Turns Out They're the Main Characters 半岛：原来她们才是主角 After an inexplicable rebirth, Park Myeong-u decides to enter the entertainment industry for his younger sister’s sake, so he can protect the idols he once loved. But he soon realizes there’s something strange about this entertainment industry. Why do all the girls around him have superpowers?! By the time he figures it out, he discovers that his presence has brought miracles to the idols he once admired. But at the crossroads of love, he has no idea which way to turn. In the end... My dears, do 426Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 62 The Truth Is Out: I'm Killing It in Korean Entertainment 摊牌了之我在韩娱嘎嘎乱杀 Song Qichi went viral before his debut, hailed as “the next generation’s god-tier beauty” after a candid photo leaked by a passerby swept Korean forums. Even as everyone marveled at his looks, they couldn’t help wondering: Could someone this beautiful really be a useless pretty face who can neither sing nor dance? Yet within its first hour, his debut music video broke that year’s viewership record and shot straight to number one on every music chart! On the music show stage The instant the mus 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 63 Breaking into Showbiz: Why Does the Land-Rent Boy Favor Me? 勇闯娱乐圈，地租少年偏爱我？ No problem, I’ll just dive headfirst into K-pop. Why does NCT DREAM, the dazzling group on stage, always seem to crowd around me in private? The aloof main vocalist secretly brings me milk tea, The scheming dancer shields me from every bad match, And the youngest member is so clingy he wants to cuddle with me every day. Fans: ??? Have our Landlord Boys been possessed or something? A certain top-tier boy band: Don’t ask. We only have eyes for her. I charged headfirst into the entertainment indust 24Reads—Score—14d adds
- 64 Reborn as Aespa: My Idol Journey 重生aespa：我的偶像之路 Twenty-seven-year-old Jiang Minya, an avid aespa fan, gets into a car accident on her way to a concert. When she wakes up, she has been reborn as Jiang Yayan, a sixteen-year-old girl of Chinese and Korean heritage, back in 2017, before aespa has debuted. Determined to take control of her fate, Jiang Yayan draws on her memories of her past life and her bilingual skills to pass an SM Entertainment audition and become a trainee. During the brutal training, she meets Ning Yizhuo, a Chinese member. F 66Reads—Score—14d adds
- 65 My Girlfriend Is Ahn Yujin 我的女友是安宥真 [Korean Showbiz] + [Pure Romance] + [Ahn Yujin] + [IVE series] Chen Jingxing came to the peninsula to pursue his career. His days afterward were aimless and uneventful, until an uproarious IVE concert came to an end. Chen Jingxing held up his phone to take a photo with the stage in the background. As he awkwardly made half a heart for the camera, a girl-group member who had just finished performing happened to pass by the side of the stage. Ahn Yujin noticed his gesture and reached out, gently c 495Reads—Score—14d adds
- 66 Shocking! A Talent Show Turns into a Dating Show 震惊！选秀爆改恋综 [K-pop story + two male leads] Setting: Planet of Boys In a nutshell: A college student dives headfirst into K-pop! There are a thousand ways to win Zhang Hao’s heart. There’s only one Zhang Hao, so let’s see who’s quickest. First come, first served! [Park Gunwook x Zhang Hao] A heart-thumping romance with a broad-shouldered miner “Hyung, I have a fierce competitive streak in everything, but when it comes to you, I’m more than happy to bow down and surrender.” [Sung Hanbin x Zhang Hao] A destine 86Reads—Score—14d adds
- 67 The System Wants Me to Rule the K-Pop Scene 系统让我称霸KPOP圈 My favorite idols shine onstage. Could I get a little closer to them? An utterly ordinary college student dares to chase his dream and break into the K-pop scene, aided by a mysterious System from beyond the heavens. Watch me climb step by step to the very center of the stage and become the most successful fan! 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 68 Korean Showbiz: Love Loop 韩娱：恋爱循环 Male Lead: Jin Zaizhong “This is a love story that keeps repeating. Time changes, identities change, but every time, we fall in love all over again.” Female Lead: She possesses the power of a god, and her identity keeps changing. 1. Rich Girl and First Love: Quan Xunzhen [Trainee Era] (Complete) 2. Convenience Store Big Sister: Mako Gongsi Zhenzi [Trainee Era] (Complete) 3. Celebrity Stylist: Vera Lim [After Debut] (Complete) 4. Actress with a Godlike Face: Xunzhen [After Debut] A beautiful, 32Reads—Score—14d adds
- 69 A Cheat-Code Life in Korean Showbiz 韩娱之开挂人生 My new work is out! You're welcome to read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you'll enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 70 From the Start as a Trainee, I Became an International Superstar 开局练习生的我成了国际巨星 [System + Wish-Fulfillment + Entertainment Industry Overlord + No Heroine] Mu Xinghe, a trainee who unexpectedly gets the Superstar Training System, decides to take the center spot at his debut and dominate the entertainment industry. That year, a dazzling new star appeared out of nowhere in the entertainment world. One song, "The Lonely Brave," praised the many warriors pushing forward against the odds. One song, "Tenderness," brought countless lovers to tears. One song, "Blue and White Porcela 1Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 71 Peninsula: It All Begins with Feeding Liu Zhimin 半岛：从投喂柳智敏开始 [Multiple Heroines] Zhao Miyeon: So, oppa, have you fallen for someone else? Kim Minjeong: Mianhae, unnie. I've fallen for oppa too. Jang Wonyoung: Oppa, what kind of girl do you like? 12.8kReads6.5Score1.2k14d adds
- 72 Leading the Team to Korea: We Conquer North America 带队闯韩，我们红遍北美 A public-domain fanfic. An all-Chinese girl group takes on Korea and becomes a sensation in China, Korea, and North America. An all-Chinese girl group ventures into the Korean entertainment industry alone, with not a single foreign member. At first, they face rampant industry prejudice and are starved of resources. Shen Jin, the group’s formidable, cool-headed core member, outshines her peers in every way. She leads the group to break through with original performances rooted in Chinese style, w 295Reads—Score1714d adds
- 73 After the Young Lady Returns, Someone Sweeps Her Off Her Feet 大小姐归来后，就被拱了 I'm Lu Han, Lu Qianqian's biological older brother! I've been looking for her for thirteen years, and who would have thought that once I finally found her, my whole world would come crashing down? As soon as she came back, she got snatched away by some punk named Park Chanyeol! 144Reads—Score—14d adds
- 74 BTS: A Letter from Spring 【BTS】春日的来信 After completing 999+ quick transmigration missions, Lin Jiayi is sent by the System to a parallel world to retire and rest. But the original owner of this body has an overpowering conviction: she is determined to become a superstar. With no other choice, Lin Jiayi has to put her vacation on hold and return to her old line of work to fulfill the original owner's wish. [I'm no good at writing introductions. This is a Korean entertainment story set in a parallel universe. The author isn't especial 155Reads—Score—14d adds
- 75 He Says He Doesn't Want to Be BTS Anymore, He Just Wants to Stop Me from Finding a New Husband 他说不想防弹了只想防我找新老公 Ye Qianqian was swept up in the sudden-death trend too. In this life, she knows she has to start grinding from a young age. The job market will be brutal in the future! She’s even studying traditional Chinese medicine! Anyone who’s died suddenly knows why! By a twist of fate, she becomes the assistant to a future top-tier star boy band, except she’s a solo stan. Gradually, she realizes something is a little strange. Do they sell her homemade health products in Korea too, like “Petty Pills,” “If 262Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 76 My Boy 我的男孩啊 [I don't know how to write a synopsis, okay? It's just a love story with Oh Sehun. Pure fiction, please don't project it onto the real person!!!] This story is about a member of a popular boy band who goes traveling alone and meets an ordinary girl. By chance, the two cross paths, and before they know it, feelings develop between them that they can't talk about... 70Reads—Score—14d adds
- 77 Korean Showbiz: A Dream Within a Dream 韩娱：南柯一梦 As the heir to her family, Li Hela has lived as if she were in The Truman Show, never once leaving the castle where she has spent her entire life. The first family rule: The heir is forbidden from taking part in any recreational activities. Hoping to secure more of the family’s interests for her own son, Li Hela’s aunt signs her with a Korean entertainment agency as her legal guardian. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 78 Korean Showbiz: Don’t Mess with This Mom 【韩娱】别惹女宝妈 SM threw me away? That was only the beginning of my life [What do you think of Utopia’s Top, the ungrateful wolf?] Top comment: More popular than Run 2, but she has a boyfriend who’s a lovesick fool like Run 3 [How did Five Girls One end up in Xiao’s pocket?] Top comment 1: You probably want to see the five million-view fancams of Five Girls One’s Lin Yuanshu. Yuanxiao’s mom is about to hit the battlefield, so hide your husbands ;-) Reply: The most popular one is still the fancam with her brot 254Reads—Score—14d adds
- 79 Reborn! The Stunning Trainee Debuts at His Peak 重生！神颜练习生他出道即巅峰 [Stunning Looks]+ [All-Rounder]+ [Trainee] Xu Hexing's idol career in the Chinese entertainment industry ended amid illness and public disgrace. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the age of sixteen. This time, he didn't hesitate to blacklist the shady talent scout. While catching up on the studies he'd neglected for years, he took the experience he'd gained in his previous life and made his way into the Korean entertainment industry. He debuted at his peak, with over ten billion 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 80 Korean Entertainment: Don't Fall for My Photographer Boyfriend 韩娱，不要喜欢上我的摄影男友 [Liu Zhimin] [Sapiosexual] [Love at First Sight] Shen Yubai is an independent documentary filmmaker, commissioned to shoot a documentary about the idol industry. He enters SM Entertainment with a critical eye, turning his camera on aespa's leader, Karina: the girl who painstakingly perfects her moves in the practice room at three in the morning, hiding her exhaustion behind a flawless performance. He thinks of himself as an observer, a documentarian standing apart from it all. But gradually, 3.1kReads—Score31814d adds
- 81 Korean Entertainment: I Became a Genius Composer 韩娱之我成了天才作曲家 K-pop + writing by copying + genius producer + no romance Ever since middle school, Shin Jae-ho has been able to hear sudden musical melodies, fragments of songs from the future. From then on, he sets out to pursue those notes, with the stage name Foresee accompanying him for the rest of his life. It is both foresight and a gift. 746Reads—Score—14d adds
- 82 My Boyfriend Is Jeon Jungkook 我对像是田柾国 ❤️ If you like it, remember to send gifts, like, bookmark, and follow! Become a “member” or send “coins” for bonus chapters~ 158Reads—Score—14d adds
- 83 A Chaotic Neutral Troublemaker Crashes a Girl Group 混乱中立乐子人勇闯女团 Post-00s girl takes on Korean entertainment + chaotic-neutral troublemaker + no System, no rebirth + forum format In 2001, Australian citizen Cheng Zhiyuan happened to audition for a talent show held by the Korean company SM. After the company invited him, he went to Korea to become a trainee. A true Australian teenager, he appeared to follow the company’s rules, but behind the scenes he refused to put up with anything. The company messed with him by adjusting his mic during a concert? He simply 74Reads—Score—14d adds
- 84 BTS: The Seven CEOs' Wild Little Wife BTS：七总裁的野性小娇妻 [Completed novel] 59Reads—Score—14d adds
- 85 Oh My God! Taeyeon Can Hear My Thoughts 天呐！泰妍偷听我心声 A twelve-year fan stays by Taeyeon through her darkest days. One-sided mind-reading can’t hide his deep devotion. With Girls’ Generation playing matchmaker and both hearts reaching for each other, they embark on a journey of redemption and romance across time… 25Reads—Score—14d adds
- 86 Peninsula: An Actor's Reborn Journey 半岛：影帝的重生之旅 On New Year's Day 2022, Qinglong Film Emperor and Asian superstar Jin Chengyu announced his relationship with Kim Taeyeon, the former leader of a top girl group. Social media immediately crashed, the entire Korean entertainment industry erupted, and the Jin-Tae couple took Asia by storm! The two had been secretly dating for years. After going public, they even appeared on a variety show together, setting a new ratings record! But during a flight abroad, they unexpectedly returned to 2013, and bo —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 My Celebrity Boyfriend, Chanyeol 我的明星男友灿烈 Adapted from the game My Celebrity Boyfriend. A chance conversation on a phone and a performance onstage unintentionally bring him and her closer, and love quietly takes root in their hearts... 81Reads—Score114d adds
- 88 Korean Showbiz: From Trainee to Legendary Superstar 韩娱：从练习生到巨星传奇 In 2025, the unappreciated singer Lin Yunsheng unexpectedly transmigrates back to South Korea in 2002, becoming a trainee at SM Entertainment. Faced with a brutal seniority-based hierarchy and tangled relationships, he relies on his knowledge of future pop trends to make hit songs that have yet to be written his own. From the sensational "Lies" to the career-defining "The Tri-Angle," he fights his way through ostracism and doubt, shaking the industry with music that turns the era on its head. On —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 89 A Gloomy Female Ghost Debuts in Korean Showbiz 阴湿女鬼在韩娱出道了 Strong female lead / genuine female ghost / supernatural mysteries / System / K-pop / fun-loving troublemaker / no fixed pairing / some forum-style posts and dark humor Shu Wei is a good ghost with strong morals and firm principles. Kindhearted and always happy to help, she never scares anyone. She hangs from trees to point lost people in the right direction, helps gym guys relax their muscles, washes long-haired girls' hair in the bathroom, hides in mirrors to warn pretty girls when their eyeli 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 90 (BTS) I Don’t Know What to Call This （防弹少年团bts）不造该叫什么 7V1 A semi-realistic entertainment industry novel BTS vs. an all-around female former celebrity turned producer The first book in the What Should This Series Be Called? series! It will never end! A new story just started next door: What Should This Be Called 2. It's a Namjoon 1v1 romance. Don't miss it! 328Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 91 A Sweet Couple: A Korean Entertainment Fanfic 韩娱同文之甜蜜夫妇 “Noona, what’s your name? I’m Jeon Jungkook.” “Kim Minji.” “Nice to meet you.” When they meet again years later, long-buried memories come rushing back. Even after many years apart, seeing the person you fell for at first sight can still make your heart flutter. “Noona, will you be my girlfriend?” “I thought I’d made it pretty obvious.” 647Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 92 The Witch of Showbiz 娱乐圈魔女 [Lots of forum-style posts]+ [Timeline moved up]+ [Subjective stream of consciousness] (Not your thing? You might want to skip this.) On Earth, Han Lina, a famous veteran artist in the entertainment industry known as Sister Na, floored the gas pedal and sent herself hurtling to Blue Star, into the body of Nana, a Korean trainee with a green card who had been dismissed despite never officially debuting. Watch her use all the skills she honed in her past life to trade on her beauty and live it up 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 93 Korean Showbiz: Moonlight Without a Cloud 韩娱：月色无暇 Huh? It’s over just like that? I haven’t even been to the concert yet! I went to so much trouble to get tickets, and the fun hasn’t even started. Why did it suddenly end? 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 94 Korean Showbiz: I'm an Idol in South Korea 【韩娱】我在南韩当爱豆 [Showbiz + girl group + coming-of-age female lead] Lin Wenya × Choi Yeonjun She joins the girl group (G)I-DLE, but things will diverge for Soyeon and Shuhua. Soyeon’s story changes because I don’t know enough about her, though she will debut solo, just not under CUBE. As for Shuhua, I’ve seen too many brainwashing posts while digging through old content. Her stance really is ambiguous, and I don’t know how to write her. There may not be much romance, but there will be some. After searching for h 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 95 Reborn in Korean Entertainment: A Path Strewn with Thorns 重生韩娱之荆棘塞途 Please read the blurb before you start reading!!! This is important, so I’ll say it three times: This book is entirely fictional. This book is entirely fictional. This book is entirely fictional. (I wrote it because I’m a fan of f(x) and EXO [OT9]. The heroine might not be to your taste. Repeating the same mistakes is just part of her personality.) Warnings: You may find the heroine melodramatic and prone to self-delusion. Important note: If the above bothers you, please leave. I write for love, 358Reads—Score—14d adds
- 96 Park Chanyeol: Evening Star 朴灿烈：晚夜玉衡 At first, the silly, big-hearted Piao Piao latched onto Su Tangqian. Later, he realized... he might actually be unable to live without her! Zhang Yixing: I thought you were my best friend, and you’re hitting on my sister? I’m gonna crush you! Park Chanyeol: Lay, you’re my big brother! You’re my only big brother! Oh Sehun: No, he’s not her only big brother. She also has a biological cousin who’s ridiculously good at fighting. Good luck! An accident once made Su Tangqian “die” at the very moment w 170Reads—Score—14d adds
- 97 Korean Showbiz: The Girl Group’s Road to Glory 韩娱：女团的辉煌之路 [No romance + satisfying read + fanfiction author + Korean entertainment] An accident sent Lin Yuxi, a girl who adored Ning Yizhuo, to the world of Korean entertainment. As a wealthy and influential Chinese-Korean woman, she had plenty of advantages. But with talent and hard work, she also earned a spot in the popular girl group Aespa. She is the group's producer, creating songs that set trends. She's also its visual, with a beauty that captivates, and its all-round ace, excelling at both singin 34Reads—Score414d adds
- 98 Reborn Idol: We Met on the Stage 重生爱豆：相遇在舞台 Korean entertainment! Reborn and transmigrate, with a gender swap. The main focus is on fifth-generation groups: (G)I-DLE, Lightsum, Aespa, Itzy, NewJeans, and Izone. TripleS from the sixth generation and fourth-generation group Red Velvet also feature. Career-focused, with light CP elements and no System. Female leads: Bae Joo-hyun, Yoo Ji-min, Jang Won-young, Kim Yu-yeon, and Kim Min-ji. I'm a newbie, and this is my first book. Please show it lots of love! In 2025, Jiang Yuchen and Zhou Xinyu 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 Elegy of a Loner in Another World 异世界孤魂的悲歌 A Korean entertainment story featuring Shinbi, Seohyun, and IU. A lone soul from another world arrives here, embarking on a journey. Along the way, they find a kindred spirit, a younger sister, and close friends. The companionship of friends fills the emptiness within and gives this wandering soul the strength to say goodbye to their former life and begin anew. 113Reads—Score—14d adds
- 100 Korean Showbiz: From Near Bankruptcy to a Top-Tier Girl Group 韩娱：从濒临破产到顶流女团 [Original Korean entertainment story + girl group growth + no CP] The year she debuted, Lin Xiayue awakened to memories of transmigrating. It turned out she had been a web novelist in Huaguo before being born into the body of a little girl in the Kimchi Kingdom. Like so many girls in the Kimchi Kingdom, Lin Xiayue dreamed of becoming an idol. She became a trainee and successfully debuted in a girl group. But fate wasn’t on her side. Just three months after their debut, the company was on the ver 2kReads—Score14914d adds
