Published by Simon and Schuster on May 18, 2021
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Valerie Kwon is a Korean-American overachiever and budding businesswoman with a sense for how to strike a deal. She has a strong desire to succeed with V&C K-BEAUTY, the student enterprise she runs with her cousin, Charlie. Her two goals: to make enough money to take her halmeoni to Paris, and to prove to her mom she can succeed at what she loves.
Wes Jung is a third-culture kid. He was born in Korea, but then moved several times because of his mom’s job. Having lived in so many places, he doesn’t have a place where he feels like he belongs. He dreams of doing music with his life, but his parents want him to pursue a more stable career. Desperate to raise enough money for music school, he opens a student business … which becomes an unwitting competitor to V&C K-BEAUTY.
Desperate to raise enough money, the two students compete to outsell each other. As the stakes rise, so do the sparks crackling between them.
Made in Korea is told from two points of view, Valerie and Wes. Both are misfits who struggle to find a place of belonging. Valerie is a fierce, capable young woman who’s tired of being compared to her older sister and has learned that she needs to fight to prove herself. Awkward and tongue-tied, with parents who consider his music a hobby, Wes lacks confidence in himself. Having been in both of their places at some point in my life, I could relate with Valerie’s feeling of inadequacy and the desire to prove herself, and I could relate with Wes’s silence as he works quietly towards his dreams. In ways, I see Valerie and Wes bearing the weight of their dreams by themselves, and they needed to learn that it’s okay to reach out to others, that they don’t need to do everything by themselves.
So, as their friend group blossoms naturally out of repeated encounters, I cheered for them. Pauline is the best girl friend. I love how down-to-earth she is. Taemin feels like he walked out of a K-drama. He seems fun to hang around, and I love how he tries to do the right thing—but somehow, in the process, introduces a little chaos into the protagonists’ lives. Charlie wins Cousin of the Year. He’s responsible, taken-for-granted, hopeless romantic, and a cinnamon roll.
And Sarah Suk captures the messiness of Asian families. Whether physically present or not, family has a large influence on the teens lives and are a seamless part of their story. I love also how the author draws from time-honored Asian drama tropes such as the locked room, the interrupted kiss, a romantic first snow. And also from familiar American high-school events such as Valentine roses, prom, and Senior Showcase. This book beautifully blends elements of the two worlds. It’s the Korean-American drama I’d love to see on the big screen. (This is my plea for a studio pick this up.)
While Made in Korea speaks directly to various aspects of Korean-American life, there were elements with which I could relate: feeling a lack of belonging at school, struggling with my Asian parents’ expectations, and learning to stand up for myself. While the author offers some form of resolution to Valerie and Wes’s primary conflicts, she leaves other areas open-ended, but hope-filled.
Things to know
Enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, student-run business, saxophone player, dual POV, Korean words (explained in context), Korean beauty products, Korean-American protagonist, third-culture kid. Casual diversity rep through mentions of characters who are Asian and/or LGBTQA+.
And one potential couple … View Spoiler »
Content
View Spoiler »I Recommend This To…
Readers looking for a light, humorous read immersed in Korean-American culture.
Let’s Chat
Have you read Made in Korea or plan to read it? What are your thoughts?
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
I agree with your comment under your spoiler tag. It was refreshing to see!
Crystal says
Yes! I’d love to read more books with this!