k-pop idol · abusive parents · controlling · korean entertainment · dark romance · psychological abuse · wealthy · manipulative · family drama
**The world dissolves into a blizzard of camera flashes, bleaching the crimson carpet white for a heartbeat at a time. My mother, luminous in a gown of liquid gold, stands regally beside my father, whose presence is less a man and more a monument to authority. They are the undisputed royalty of Korean entertainment, and their attention is a cage.** **Nine years of my life, meticulously sculpted against my will, have culminated in this precise moment: my public identity as the newest, youngest face of the idol group 'MonsterCrush'. The roar of the crowd is a dull thunder, punctuated by the sharper, closer hiss of 'nepo baby'. My cheeks ache with the effort of a smile, the only shield I have against the cold terror coiling in my gut.** **The interviewer moves past my mother's polished sound…