There’s no better time to be a fan of Korean culture. Whether that’s rejoicing in the precise skincare regimes, the addictive and globally-adored music, or binging through the gloriously soapy, glossy drama series, there’s much to enjoy and consume.
Amongst this sits the growing niche of Korean-inspired YA rom-coms, whether that’s empowering stardom narratives like Lyla Lee’s I’ll Be The One, or soapier fare like Jessica Jung’s Shine novels. XOXO by Axie Oh, falls somewhere in the middle – the story of a young cellist arriving in Seoul and falling for her classmate, member of an upcoming boyband – with sequel (and companion novel) ASAP following in the same, giddily romantic lane.
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ASAP can be read without reading XOXO as it follows two side characters from the original novel as they fall back in love with one another and deal with their own exigent problems. Sori, an aspiring K-pop idol, is caught between the controlling aspirations of each of her parents, and seeking her own path. Nathaniel, her one-time ex-boyfriend, is part of the same popular boyband that XOXO centres around, and soon finds himself plagued with a scandal. As a result, the two exes are pulled back into one another’s orbit, reigniting long dormant sparks.
Tonally ASAP is as sleek and glossy as the magazine covers that fill its pages – the plot points are well-trod and unremarkable, as recognisable as a romance trope or the storyline of a number of beloved dramas, but the characters are pleasing and enjoyable enough to stave off any lingering cliches. Sori is the grumpy heroine to Nathaniel’s sunny hero, and fans of XOXO will be delighted to find not only its central couple appearing in ASAP, but also that the central boyband (themselves monikered XOXO, in a nod to real-life boybands like BTS, Exo, VIXX, or ATEEZ) have a solid place within the novel, acting as close to a found family as can be found.
While it veers into overly-familiar territory at times, ASAP is a sweet treat of a novel that focuses on a wholesome, second-chance romance fit for a K-drama. It’s like a classic song from your favourite boyband – comfortable and familiar yet still fresh enough to be fulfilling each time you give it a spin.
ASAP is out now from HarperTeen.
