Made in Korea

April 1, 2021
A rivalry between two entrepreneurial teens becomes a team effort that enables them to fulfill their aspirations. Korean American high school senior Valerie Kwon runs a wildly popular K-beauty business at school with the help of her cousin, Charlie Song. But when new student Wes Jung enters the picture, he inadvertently becomes a rival when he brings to school K-pop-branded lip balm; he soon realizes that there's a market for the branded merchandise he has access to through his advertising executive mom. A wager ensues: Whoever makes the most money during the school year gets both businesses' earnings. Both Valerie and Wes feel unseen at home. Valerie's parents don't take her passion for business seriously, instead constantly negatively comparing her to her older sister, Samantha. Valerie dreams of earning enough to take her beloved grandmother to Paris. Wes, a dedicated jazz saxophonist, plans to use his earnings to attend music school despite his parents' disapproval of this seemingly impractical career plan. Over the course of the competition, the two fall for one another and also make progress in addressing their innermost dreams with their families. The alternating first-person narration moves skillfully between Valerie and Wes, and peripheral characters are well rounded and realistically portrayed. Details about contemporary Korean American life and culture ring true, adding texture to the story. An engaging, fast-paced romance between two teens longing for acceptance. (Romance. 13-18)

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May 1, 2021

Gr 8 Up-In this enemies-turned-lovers #OwnVoices romance, two students will compete to rule the Korean beauty products scene in their school. Senior Valerie Kwon and her cousin Charlie rule the school business field with their K-beauty products sold out of Val's locker. All is well until new student Wes Jung poses a threat by selling merchandise and products from the hottest K-pop band. Both are desperate for money, as Val hopes to take her rapidly ailing grandmother to Paris, and Wes needs registration funds to apply to his dream music school, although his parents know nothing of this. Competition is fierce, and neither business is above spying and sabotage. As they get to know each other more deeply, feelings arise on both sides, but much is at stake to cave into something as inconvenient as love. Suk keeps the story moving fast with alternating narrators, and the dialogue and circumstances are believable. Readers will relate to each main character as they both struggle with parents, friends, school, and dreams. VERDICT A great romance that depicts Asian American and international identities.-Carol Youssif, Taipei American Sch., Taiwan

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