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I Became An Idol To Pay Off My Debt
Type
Web Novel (KR)
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Rating(4.2 / 5.0, 172 votes)
5    71% (122 votes)
4    8% (14 votes)
3    2% (4 votes)
2    5% (8 votes)
1    14% (24 votes)
Language
Support Book (#ad)
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Status in COO
Status in Country of Origin. One entry per line
238 Chapters (Complete)
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Completely Translated
No
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One entry per line
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English Publisher
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Release Frequency
Every 918 Day(s)
Activity Stats
[Graph]
Weekly Rank: #6034
Monthly Rank: #8372
All Time Rank: #2742
Reading List
[Graph]
On 1312 Reading Lists
Monthly Rank: #2834
All Time Rank: #7130

Description

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“Huh? How much debt do we have?”

I became an idol to pay off the debt my parents incurred.

Associated Names
One entry per line
빚을 갚기 위해 아이돌이 되었습니다.
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
I Want to Be a VTuber (2)
Daddy, Please Let Me Be Your Fan! (2)
Academy Saintess of My Chūni Writing Days (1)
Cursed Villainess’ Obsession (1)
Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy (1)
I See Comments In The Apocalypse (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. New yuri
  2. Idol novels
  3. StaleRiceCrackers Peak
  4. We love male yanderes
  5. Funneymonkeys Favs :)

Latest Release

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Review
18 Reviews


Bobby Dingo
Bobby Dingo
Sep 05, 2024
Status: c146
Pretty unlikeable MC to be honest made worse by the insanely useless reincarnation thing that seems to serve no purpose other than making her look even more pathetic. Somehow, a person with over 40 years life experience is more naive than a 5 year old. She constantly takes things at face value despite having a status window that straight up tells her when a person is good at acting/lying, likes leeching off people, or is willing to sacrifice others.

... more>>
Spoiler

Her parents use her for her entire life, stealing her money, lying, basically being tr*sh parents. Her father gambles away their entire fortune while her mother buys luxury goods using money the MC earns from part time jobs. Neither of the two parents work. They just borrow money or take it from their daughter. She sees that they have a super high acting stat like 70+/100 and a parasite trait which basically means they'll want to leach off people. What happens? After she tries to put her foot down they act nice for a bit and suddenly she just instantly believes they love her again.

[collapse]

You ever see someone do so many s*upid things that you start to root against them? Props to the author because I can't think of the last time I wanted a character who isn't a bad person to fail this much. If she was a genuine teenager it'd at least be more palatable. <<less
22 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Sareza00
Sareza00
Nov 27, 2024
Status: c80
I've got to say, The top review really misses the mark. Yerin does try to distance herself from her parents, it's not like she's just sitting there letting them ruin her life. The only reason she can't fully cut them off is because of the trauma she carries from her past life as an orphan. Sure, her parents are parasitic tr*sh and a total disgrace as human beings, but they were the only ones who gave her any kind of familial love during her childhood. That's a complicated situation to... more>> navigate. As I will mention later, Yerin is actively trying to avoid and cut ties with them. Bobby Dingo's take is just a major misinterpretation of her character and actions

I've got some mixed feelings about this one. On the bright side, it's a pretty solid idol novel. It does a great job showing how brutal the entertainment industry can be, the crazy demands, the physical and mental toll, all of it. Considering being an idol in Korea is basically being a s*ave, and selling your human rights for money, it's a pretty good portrayal. But at the same time, it's not all doom and gloom. The story also shows the importance of friendships, favors, and having people who've got your back, which is refreshing.

Now, the downside. Yerin's parents? Oh man, they're supposed to be funny, but they're just straight-up annoying. Every time they pop up, I'm rolling my eyes. The story also gets kinda repetitive after a while. It feels like Yerin's just being dragged through things rather than chasing her own goals, which makes it hard to stay fully invested.

The premise is a bit like Debut or Die, but honestly, I wasn't a fan of that one, and this novel actually hooked me. Even with its flaws, it's still enjoyable overall. I'd give it a solid 4.5/5, definitely has its moments, even if it can be frustrating at times.

PS. I'm using an alt account, my review didn't get accepted, it's literally the same <<less
18 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Isaacbai
Isaacbai
Sep 18, 2024
Status: c27
Enjoying this one a lot so far. The MC is an enjoyable character and its (at least for me) a fresh concept that I haven't seen in the Yuri genre. All of the notable "main girls" initially seem pretty hostile to the MC and that seems prevalent in the idol setting so I'm interested to see how that can be turned into a romantic relationship. As for the translation, it's Greenztl so there's no problems at all, the stuff they translate is always extremely well done.
12 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
coures
coures
Nov 05, 2024
Status: --
I don't get why authors like this always make a guy turn into a girl and turn it into Yuri. Why not just reincarnate a girl who likes girls? Is this some kind of self insert where this author wants to be a girl in real life? Are these authors sadists who loves to make guys uncomfortable by turning them into a different gender? Or are they that uncomfortable with the fact that homosexuality exists and they have to make a guy play this role to even consider the possibility... more>> of a girl liking another girl? Because this girl isn't really a girl, right? I think the third one is the reason and it's sad.

Whenever I read these novels, there's never a point in which I thought this character was a guy in the past at all. They don't have the habits of a guy. Nobody thinks of them as strange for not knowing about girl things or doing guy things. They adapt instantly to being a girl; they think like a girl, dress like a girl, and their overall personality is like a girl. Like why was this here? Shouldn't this guy struggle with being a girl? Why did you write this in, it has so much potential, but you're not using it? Annoying! I'm not in here for your delicate sensibilities or propaganda of "homosexuality only exists if it's heterosexual".

Also, what's the point of reincarnation here? Nothing. There was no point. <<less
11 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
MooseReader3
MooseReader3
Sep 05, 2024
Status: --
Good so far. Well written. There is a system but it seems to be a minor aspect of the novel (half the chapter isn’t useless system notifications). Also seems to be Yuri, which I think is somewhat rare afaik (if I’m wrong please send them to me lol). Overall definitely has potential but a bit too early to leave a full review. Will watch this going forward for sure.
11 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Pelouch
Pelouch
Sep 18, 2024
Status: c27
Lots of potential here, idol plus yuri? Sign me in!

It's fairly straightforward her parents are bad people so she has to run cover for them, if this was a Chinese novel I could say with 100% certainty those are not her real parents but I'm not sure about Korean, usually eastern novels don't do filial slander like that but who knows, they're very obnoxious but her choices are understandable albeit wrong and the reincarnation aspect is indeed necessary. I do wonder why child protective services didn't step in, gives S.... more>> Korea a bit of a bad wrap lol

An unfortunate side-effect is that it makes our MC look a little dense but to a manageable degree, like how would you feel as a man stepping into a girl's world? I think a novel like "Daddy, Please let me be your fan" does it better though, regardless, I do look forward to her growth, hope she can get rid of them leeches and find a honey filled romance <<less
8 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
chairlight
chairlight
Oct 16, 2024
Status: c55
What can I say? This is a well written and well told story. It's not super flashy or bold, but it sticks to its strengths and is consistent throughout.

Moreover, the story is fairly immerssive and the characters are pretty realistic.

The story is primarily dramatic, focusing on the hard ships the MC and other characters face as they go through a competition to be selected as idols. But it also has good moments of smart humor, and a number of really heartfelt moments.

The author is really good at focusing in the... more>> main thing for the right length, cutting away to other characters/scenes, and changing the mood with new scenes. It really is an excellent textbook example of how to write a story well.

The premise of the story is MC was a male orphan who died and was reincarnated as a woman. She was born with a status window in Korea and two parents who were decently well off (initially). However the parents ended up going into great debt, and leeched off MC who worked part time jobs just to help her lazy ass parents pay their bills.

Eventually MC ends up being recruited by the debt collectors, who were looking to branch into more legitimate business, opening an idol agency. MC with her stunning looks, becomes their first idol in training in order to pay off her parents debts. The agency decides to have her debut in a idol training competition program, that is basically a battle Royale where the 6 members who get the most votes in the end will debut as an idol group.

The status window comes into playat that point, where MC can see her skills listed as stats such as dancing, singing, acting, stamina, etc with a numeric value. She also has a number of limited points she can freely allocate to improve her skills without effort (basically like character creation in games let's you do that). The mechanism plays a role, but isn't overpowered or broken, just more of a shortcut.

When it comes to the genderswap aspect, I can't really say it has been important, this is one of those stories that at least at the current moment, could be substituted by MC always being a woman in past life. That said there has been at least one clear cut moment where having been a male previously plays a role in song selection, which captivates and appealed to the comedic platoon that periodically appears as an audience.

The translation is great and reads well to native English readers, with only the occasional error that slips in. And the clever use of ad breaks in broadcast present in the narrative is that little bit extra that makes the transition enjoyable, kinda like how Cash Money Chiyo does when translationing the manga about a shojo mangaka named Nozaki.

Final note: Since patreon instantly froze my account when I tried to comment and wants me to provide all of my personal information to reinstate it, I am unable to comment on chapters.

But holy crap is MC parents complete and utter scum. Like I am one who thinks a lot of people who tr*sh talk their parents and cut them off entirely are ungrateful regardless of the legitimacy of their perceived flaws/transgressions against their kid. I'm someone who roots for bad people to realize their wrongs and change, stuff like Endeavor in MHA.

But these people have basically no redeeming qualities. They spend frivolously and gambled away immense inherited wealth, going into deep debt. Then they push their daughter to basically doing everything for them, from cooking to cleaning to being the breadwinner of the house, and continue to spend recklessly. While guilt tripping MC into continuing to support them, using a nice facade to manipulate her.

Like the dad literally begged his teenage daughter for spending money to upgrade his graphics card to a 4090. Both parents the first thing after she got back being gone a week, after saying "welcome home", immediately jumped to how they were suffering having to eat takeout while she was gone, how the kitchen is a mess with the containers and dishes, and requesting her to cook something for them. If you look up the dictionary definition of parasite, you will find their picture censored since if they are shown in full detail it would be overwhelmingly disgusting.

Like I legitimately am having trouble deciding if these parents are better or worse than parents who are abusive or drunk. They are the most narcissistic pieces of s*um in perhaps any story I have read. They make the Dursleys in Harry Potter look like model parents in comparison.

Anyways, the fact of how bad they are does make the found family aspects of the story more touching and impactful. <<less
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Crimi
Crimi
Nov 20, 2024
Status: --
Honestly, this story is very good given the context that the reader knows about Kpop. I can see how it might not be a good read for those that don't. It is supposed to be a slice of life but also show the darker sides of the industry. The MC's parents do not play a large role in the story and serve as comedic relief,

so I think some low reviews are overanalyzing things.
4 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
NotCoockie
NotCoockie
Nov 10, 2024
Status: c80
Pretty great novel. I would give it a 4.25 stars. And in the idol genre it is one of my favorites. Maybe just a few points under Debut Or Die the godfather of this genre.

Characters4.5/5: I like the characters, most of them feel pretty unique and there is a lot of development going on. Although the some of the less important side characters still feel a bit underdevelopment and would be nice to get to know them better, besides that there is very little to critisize on this part. But... more>> there is one thing, and this also ties a bit into the world development part. It wouldn't be bad if the cast was larger.

World Development4, 5/5: Like I said before, because of the smaller cast the world feels a bit empty. And I don't mean in like the xianxia wuxia sense, but I wouldn't mind if there was more development of how the current idol scene in that world is. But for a novel like this this is definelty a less important aspect.

Plot4/5: It's nothing amazing, unique but it's definitly entertaining. Like the idol show genre has been done quite a few times. Although this is the second one I have read where it is about female idols. But because the characters are entertaining and withouth needing a grand mystery you are curious what will happen this novel always makes me want to read it. One plus point is that there will maybe be romance in the future. Something most idol novels lack for me. And althoough I have someone I would prefer to be the love interest, there are definitly other people that the MC could end up with. But one small thing is that there does feel a lack of grander plot. Its not a big problem since its only 80 chapters but with most other novels you have this feeling of building up to a climax. Its hard to describe but with this novel it doesn't really feel like the MC has something they want to achieve or the plot is going to not per se a ending but some kind of climax.

In conclusion, I would reccomend this to most people and definitly reccomend it to people that like idol genre. <<less
3 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
rcpsycho
rcpsycho
Oct 17, 2024
Status: c56
I was positively surprised by how much I enjoyed the novel, despite caring relatively little about its predictable plot - well, at least most of the talent show is foreshadowed somewhat blatantly; any experienced reader will anticipate events long before they happen.

I don't know how the plot will develop after that or if there will even be another major arc, though I suppose that since the goal of the talent show is to debut an idol group (and on the meta level develop the characters of its members, who by... more>> measure of how much attention they receive in the novel seem almost guaranteed), the story might continue to cover at least that initial period if not more.

But predictability aside, it was actually funny. And even if I can see through the device, the tragic backstory of being an orphan in the past life and getting deadbeat parents in the second does invoke some empathy towards the MC.

The whole status window seems unnecessary in theory, and basically works as a cheat code for the author to enable describing the talents and improvements of the characters' skills without needing to depict it in detail to seem convincingly realistic. Instead characters are assigned numerical values and game-like traits / titles that make the story extremely accessible without the necessary writing to convey the details.

That said, for those looking for a story that takes itself seriously or look for immersion into the world of entertainment, that aspect may be disappointing.

Most of the characters aren't particularly deep, but somehow all end up somewhat likeable despite or in some cases perhaps even because of their flaws. I wouldn't bother rooting for real idols or anything, but somehow the story makes me hope it works out for them (although I care more about their personal development and their interactions and not their professional success - they're fictional anyway).

This review felt like I was rambling, but I thought I should at least try to express why I received the novel positively despite its obvious shortcomings. <<less
3 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
foreigntimes2
foreigntimes
May 15, 2025
Status: Completed
I don't usually write reviews, but I feel like this was unfairly rated by some just because of the parent issue.

Overall, I really like Yerin as a protagonist. She's honest and sincere to a fault, hard-working, and her greed for growth is especially charming. She's not a stagnant character, none of the main cast is, and I find that really nice to see. I loved it so much I binge-read the whole thing in one day, lol.

... more>>
Spoiler

As for her parents, I think the way she reacted to everything made enough sense. I know it's usually expected that since she reincarnated, the mental age is supposed to add up. Personally, while I don't think it resets either, I think starting all over again as a child will still affect her mindset in this life. Especially since she used to be an orphan and has parents who started off loving her, something like this, as a person who used to not have been loved in any way at all, would definitely be hard to let go of no matter how manipulative that parental love eventually grows to be.

[collapse]

If there was something I found to be a little regrettable, other than the somewhat rushed ending that the author admitted to, I also had my hopes up for more GL. It's still there, but the focus is more on finding love, being loved, and loving everyone else, I think. So I suppose it's shoujo ai at most. Either way, this was a really good read and I loved the characters, their growth, and the way Yerin's relationships develop. <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
TypeAxiom
TypeAxiom
May 05, 2025
Status: c227
Genuinely one of the most enjoyable novels I've read in a while. It's got everything I like.

Yerin is an amazing protagonist. She's kind, she's skilled, she has her moments of weakness. Yes, she's kind of overpowered, but it's not to such an extent that she's invincible or unbeatable. She's dealt a great hand in this life, but she was the one to play it to victory.

It's not like everything was smooth sailing for her. The novel can be quite tense at times, and it keeps the reader on their toes.... more>> When things get resolved, it's to great relief, and it has quite a few really emotional moments where I really resonated with the characters.

It also helps that there are actual story arcs. In most novels, it feels like it's just going from one event to another, chaining endlessly to potentially thousands of chapters. Not so for this; it feels like an original anime with a clear end, and as you approach the end, you can feel a sense of finality as the characters get ready to say goodbye.

Honestly, I think the biggest flaw is how cartoonishly evil the antagonists are, but I don't think its necessarily unrealistic. It shows the darker side of the K-Pop industry and contrasts it with the efforts that Yerin and the others put in to survive and even thrive.

On the other hand, I think the novel is best at drawing out the human aspect. It's not really though her skills or beauty that Yerin succeeds, not really. Both aspects are huge contributors, but it's how much humanity she shows that makes her so loved, and helps her through the toughest parts of her life. The times when her humanity leaves her are by contrast her darkest moments.

I came out of the latest chapter loving Yerin and her friends from the bottom of my heart, wishing the best for them, and cheering for them. It's really amazing how emotionally they make me. <<less
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Sarynne
Sarynne
Feb 04, 2025
Status: c239
I loved the story from beginning to end.

Before the story even reached its conclusion—back at the beginning—I realized that the author didn’t care much about the "system" and even less about the fact that "he was a man who became a woman." In the end, she even has her "period, " and he acts like she’s sick. I laughed so hard at that part!

Anyway, the story is wonderful, addictive, and emotional. The protagonist isn’t overly dependent on the system—thankfully. By the end, you’ll understand why.

Some might say, "If the system... more>> exists, it should have been used more." Well, true. But the author chose to make the protagonist not rely on it too much, meaning she wasn’t completely dependent on it. This makes the true purpose of the story obvious: people—connections. The author didn’t care about the system at all. Nor did they care about the fact that the protagonist was suddenly 19, without showing the process of adapting to her new life.

That’s because IT’S NOT IMPORTANT. Maybe the author will reveal more about it when they release the extras—which I hope happens soon because I’m eager to know more. Hahaha.

There are still many other questions and explanations I could give right now. But by doing so, I’d be giving unnecessary spoilers, which might cause some people to give up on reading.

But in the end, this story captivated me from start to finish. It made me cry, laugh, and want to read more and more. I stayed up late reading it, and I will read it again in the future to relive the moments that, to me, were truly unique.

I loved this story.

I hope to see more from you, Ha Ye-rin, and from all the others as well!

Please keep translating!

That way, more and more people will be able to feel what I felt.

Thank you! <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Hikazuki
Hikazuki
Jan 25, 2025
Status: c146
As usual with these kind of stories, the reincarnation part is always ignored making the MC infantilized middle aged with mental age of a teenager. The kind of drama that this novel had would work if the MC isn't a reincarnator but without being a reincarnator, the author is unable to justify how sometimes MC is smart. The TS part is also non-existant, it's just there.

... more>>
Spoiler

The other commenters might tell you that this novel delve into the inner working of idol industry but that's just simply not true? Everything is basic and very surface level. Everyone loves MC because of "cheat". The more interesting parts, like the relationship between characters were underutilized because everyone just loves MC in the end. There are no point where MC choices actually impact her heavily except the relationship with her parents, which is also underexplored but overutilized.

[collapse]
<<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
moranedward15
moranedward1
Jan 02, 2025
Status: Completed
It's a great novel that completely tackles about our MC, Yerin, faced with her simple yet complicated life made the start a bit more like stock trading, either it go up or down, but it went well with the execution so it's a plus.

What I like a bit is how it tries to give every member their own unique ways to be fleshed out such as the financial problem, anorexia, pride and sloth. As you read you have the sudden click in your head that will go as "I feel... more>> that this would happen" thought, great execution but you have to be attentive.

Lastly,
Spoiler

my only problem was chapter 200 above, I like the python vs rookies but what comes next is what I find really despairing as it talks about the disbandment of the group but there is still no sign of romantic interest when there is a tag YURI, which is really different from shoujo ai, I might be too early for the side chapter but still, this will kill some of the emotions I had built up as I have go wait a long time before the side chapter will come up and by that time I would have forgot the story already. And that's it

[collapse]

All in all, I give this a 8.9/10

Didn't talk about the family as I find it relatable and might get too biased <<less
2 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
funneymonkey
funneymonkey
Feb 14, 2025
Status: c238
Genuinely a well written story, while the TS is skimmed over. It's not important to the story, and I think surviving the hell that is emotionally abusive parents would take precedent. Also people adapt. Besides that, an actual human protagonist with flaws, anxieties, doubts and genuinely makes mistakes; only to be helped by her family (friends) and that's the point. Like the second person who reincarnates but tries to shoulder everything alone. Leading to her being antagonistic. Aka being a villain lol. All in all, a fun story. Would recommend.
1 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
MaeDiablo
MaeDiablo
Dec 15, 2024
Status: Completed
The story itself is quite good. If you want to read the intricacies of growing as a K-pop trainee. It has its moments of satisfaction and moments where the MC grows to realize that family is through bonds most of the time. There's a lot more to say to this story but since most of it has already been mentioned by other comments I won't dwell on it. But side note, the story isn't much heavy on romance and at best should be considered as shoujo-ai. That's all.
1 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
di2857295
di2857295
Nov 05, 2024
Status: Completed
Quite a good novel with enjoyable characters that have persistent flaws helping to humanize them.

The major dock for this story is addressed by the author in the afterword - that is, it got fairly rushed and underdeveloped towards the end. It’s a shame because it would’ve been a very solid novel otherwise.

Despite the ending (which isn’t bad), I still think it’s worth taking a look at.
1 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
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