The Band

A psychologist with a saviour complex offers shelter to a recently cancelled K-pop idol in this “first great K-pop literary phenomenon” (Debutiful) that is perfect for fans of Mouth to Mouth and Black Buck.

The Band tells the story of Sang Duri, the eldest member and 'visual' of a Korean boy band at the apex of global superstardom. However, when his latest solo single accidentally leads to controversy, he’s abruptly canceled.

To shield the band from fallout with obsessive fans and overbearing management, Duri vanishes from the public eye, hiding out in the McMansion of a Chinese American woman he meets in a Los Angeles H-Mart. Yet, his rescuer is both unhappily married and a psychologist with a saviour complex, a mix that makes their potential union seductive and incredibly problematic.

Meanwhile, in Seoul, the band’s music producer, Pinocchio, reminisces about his first creation: a girl group that tragically disbanded under mysterious circumstances.

The past and present merge to spark a series of violent interactions that could alter the fates of both the band members and the music industry.

In its “gripping exploration of the complexities that accompany fame” (Booklist), The Band delves into the myriad ways in which love and celebrity can degenerate into something far more sinister.