fromis_9’s Reading List

Saerom, fromis_9’s fantastic captain, has proven herself to be a thoughtful and caring leader for the group. Her ability to reflect on herself allows her to see the world through a unique lens, which would fit well with the historical fiction genre! This genre contains a mixture of real-world places and events while being creatively reimagined to tell a whole new story. Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore is a story of one woman’s fight for the suffrage of all women in England. The author delightfully intertwines the historical fiction genre with the excitement of romance to create a story that is both enthralling and surprisingly fun. The main character, Annabelle Archer, is a brilliant and fierce leader for her fellow women, much like fromis_9’s Saerom. For these reasons, Bringing Down the Duke is a great match for Saerom!

The science-fiction and fantasy genres are home to some of the most imaginative and creative stories people have ever come up with. From the boundless possibilities of magic to the mind-bending limits of physics, these genres have limitless creativity within them. And there is not a fromis_9 member more known for her creativity and imagination than Hayoung. All Those Explosions Were Someone Else’s Fault by James Alan Gardner is a humorous and exciting science-fantasy crossover that is the perfect fit for our goofy and artistic Hayoung!

Gyuri has stated that she finds movie genres such as action and fantasy to be boring. Thriller films are much more likely to hold her attention. In terms of literature, Gyuri would mesh well with gripping, heart-pounding mystery and thriller novels which are impossible to put down. Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine is a dramatic and dreadfully compelling story that hooks the reader from the very first chapter. A suspenseful, psychological thriller such as this is surely a good fit for Gyuri or any reader who is looking for a break from the mainstream of action and fantasy.

fromis_9’s main vocalist is known for her resounding voice and bright, bubbly energy. However, her favorite genre is not so bright and happy… Horror! Some of Jiwon’s favorite movies include “Split” and “I Saw The Devil”, both of which are terrifying and dark films. A fitting novel for a horror-enthusiast such as Jiwon would be The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs. This story, which utilizes the age-old proverb to “be careful what you wish for”, touches on the instinctual impulses present within every person and offers one of the most indelibly chilling stories ever told…

Jisun is known for her skillfulness in the kitchen! Jisun’s cooking prowess has been showcased in countless fromis_9 contents. She was even cast as the inn-keeper in the web show Welcome to the Heal Inn, a role which highlighted her skill as a chef in nearly every episode. A suitable book for a star in the kitchen such as Jisun would be Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. This book, while about cooking, is far from the average cookbook. The cooking process is broken down into the 4 basic elements highlighted right there in the title, and provides tips using these elements in unique ways that will be valuable to professionals and amateurs alike. It provides an impressive 100 recipes (with dozens of variations) to practice with but, most importantly, this book provides you with the skills to improve any meal you make!

fromis_9’s resident sleepy panda, Seoyeon, is known for her desire to cuddle and secretly seek out affection. A fitting genre for such a tender sweety is the romance genre! She has even stated that her favorite movie is “The Notebook”, so she is surely no stranger to romance. A reader searching for yearning emotional tension would be quite satisfied by Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer. While romance novels are known for their, at times, larger-than-life characters, Morning Glory presents characters that the reader finds themselves relating to on a personal level. The main characters are flawed and far from their innocent youth but, through the bittersweet arc of the story, they learn that they too are worthy of love and a place to belong.

Unlike Seoyeon, Chaeyoung finds herself bored with “sappy” love stories. Chaeyoung is much more enticed by action and adventure, and for that reason an apt book for her would be Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. This novel, originally published in 1883, is often credited for being the origin of all the typical pirate tropes we think of today, including peg legs, adventures upon tropical islands, and even treasure maps marked with the classic “X”. This epic tale of the highs and lows of the pirate life will leave every reader singing along: “Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!”

The self-proclaimed gamer of fromis_9, Nagyung is certainly the primary popular media mogul of the group. A fitting literary format for Nagyung would be graphic novels! Comic books and graphic novels are an impressive mixture between the beautiful allure of film and art, and the vivid and palpable nature of written language, especially that of dialogue. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, which is placed on Time’s Top 100 Novels list, is a unique comic series that explores the very history and purpose of the “superhero genre”. Where many comics offer an escape from the real world, Watchmen is a journey that connects the reader to the real world and shows that superheroes may be deceived into thinking they are gods, and yet cannot escape their inherent humanity.

Jiheon is always proud to admit that she is nothing short of a scholar when it comes to her academics. She is a straight A student, and despite being young, can easily keep up with other students several grades above her. An erudite pupil such as Jiheon would certainly be a fan of a thought-provoking and timeless classic such as 1984 by George Orwell. The book, though fictional, touches on the very real threat of totalitarianism in governments and societies. A hard-hitting and chillingly relevant story whose influence and significance transcends its covers would be the perfect novel for a studious person such as Jiheon!