This book was perfect, it was a predictable in a good way, a cute romance with all-around loveable characters and engaging plot, fun writing and interesting dynamics. Such a good read.

Elena Soo and Robbie Choi are childhood best friends. Well, they were until Robbie and his
family moved back to Korea seven years ago. Elena has grown into a different person than he
last knew, she has new passions, like saving the community center, and she is known around
school as her twin Ethan Soo’s Sister. But with prom right around the corner, Elena can’t stop
herself from thinking about Robbie and the promise that he made to take her. Robbie hasn’t
contacted her since he became a trainee, and now that he is a member of one of the most popular
K-pop groups, Elena has no hope that he will fulfill his promise. Except, he shows up at her door
one day after school and pops the question. When she sees the camera that records their
interaction, she says no. But Robbie won't take no for an answer. He keeps showing up and
making a big deal of his promposal. Can Robbie persuade her to say yes? Can Elena raise
enough money to save the community center? Can the two save their friendship, or will it fade
away for the second time?

Kat Cho writes realistically—well, as realistically as one can write about K-pop stars and high
school—and lets us glimpse into the world of K-pop. With discussions of family expectations,
being overshadowed by other siblings, and the struggle to find oneself, Cho gives us plenty to
think about with this book. We get a unique perspective of the overlooked and underestimated
sister, but what we also get to see is how her brother interprets her self preservation as her
pushing him away. Once Upon a K-Prom gives us the under-appreciated childhood friends to lovers trope. We get a behind-the-scenes look into the illustrious world of K-pop. Additionally, we look into the harsh realities of life as a K-pop star, such as no dating, strict diets, and other contracted rules. Once Upon a K-Prom not only explores romance, but the pains of growing up in fame, and inversely, in the shadows.

Once Upon A K-Prom is one book that I did not expect to love as much as I did. I’d read books in this same genre before but I didn’t think I’d really go back to this genre any time soon. When I opened this book, I was immediately ensnared into a world where high school was the most horrid place ever with all the emotions and feelings of teenagers at the forefront.

Elena was a character that is so easy to relate to & the loss she experiences in her short life makes her jaded to a world that always seems to leave her. But when her first crush, her best friend Robbie comes to her doorstep aiming to keep the promise of taking her to prom.. a promise that they’d made when they were just 10 years old before Robbie had moved away to Korea. Since their separation Robbie had grown into a K-Pop sensation and a part of a group that had gone international in their fame. Now.. a Korean idol on her doorstep is not something that Elena is prepared for nor is she prepared for the subsequent things that come from Robbie re-entering into her life.

When life gets bumpy and Elena is forced to come to the realization that people leaving does not have anything to do with her as a person, Elena has to find it in herself to trust that letting her heart be open to love won’t decimate her completely.

Due to COVID, I didn’t get a real prom, so it was bittersweet to read Elena’s own complicated relationship with it. This book is amazing! I love the romance, the friendships, the communication, and all of the K-pop references. (Also that cover is PHENOMENAL.) Elena’s character development and growing confidence were so nice to see as she went through the journey of overcoming her past hurts and her current struggles. Once Upon a K-Prom is also cheesy and sweet in all of the right ways! I would definitely recommend it!

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Okay, this was so stinking cute!!! As an avid K-Pop fan, this really delivered on the vibes I was hoping for when I initially requested it.

Elena is used to feeling invisible. Her super successful older sisters live far from home, her twin Ethan is adored by all and completely overshadows her, her best friend is super fun and outgoing...and Elena's just lucky if her mom gets her name right on the first go. Her childhood best friend moved to Korea when they were 10 and subsequently ghosted her. Despite these obstacles, Elena is super committed to saving her local community center and will do anything it takes to raise the necessary funds. Nothing will stand in her way...especially something silly like prom. Now an idol in a super famous K-Pop group, Robbie Choi suddenly makes a reappearance and asks Elena to prom out of the blue. As a result, Elena's life is completely thrown off balance. Robbie is now an idol in a super famous K-Pop group. Will he finally be the one to accept Elena for who she really is? Will she be able to save her beloved community center? Will her mother ever call her by the right name?

This was my first book by Kat Cho. and I would definitely read more from her in the future. Her writing was so light and relatable, her characters felt true to age, and I loved the way she was able to include a lot of different themes into one cohesive and entertaining story. I read the entire book while blasting my Stray Kids playlist in preparation for their Chicago concert in July...10/10 would recommend.

I love Kat Cho!!!! Once Upon a K-Prom is so cutteeee!!! I'm seriously ready to read anything Kat Cho writes, she's so delightful. I love her writing so much and I'm always obsessed with the romances. She has this way of pulling you in so hard that you fall in love right away!

A fast-paced Disney-style romance. Elena Soo is the youngest sibling in a large family, and a twin. She often feels overshadowed and is struggling to find her own identity within her family and at school. As the traditional school prom approaches, she vows never to attend, however, Elena soon learns that a famous K-pop band is in town and her childhood friend (and crush) is a member of the band.

This is a clean, YA romance which highlights fame and some of the tough aspects within the music industry. The characters are diverse, likable, and engaging.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kat Cho, and Disney Publishing Worldwide for an advanced eBook copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you liked XOXO by Axie Oh, you'll LOVE Once Upon A K-Prom. The writing mirrors each other, as do the characters and their relations. For young teens and fans of kpop, K-Prom will read like the fantasies every kpop fan writes in their head! One nice element of this book was that the idols were not clearly based on any real-life idol group--it was nice not to equate characters with their real-life counterparts, making them feel slightly more 3D. However, I found all characters to be a little flat, with the exception of Elena, who was a bit one-note; however, young readers, and especially those familiar with high-expecting parents, will find her struggles so real. I wish there was a. bit more resolution on this front: with Ethan, with Elena's parents, with Jose & Max's relationship, and even with Elena's absent sisters. Lots of potential was pushed out of the way in favor of this relationship's story, though the relationship itself didn't seem to blossom fully. It took about 60% of the book for the plot to get rolling and then everything happened in quick succession.

My favorite part was the first few chapters where we saw Elena's connection to the community center--it felt truly genuine and will resonate with teens who are passionate about their own communities, though Elena's struggle to commit to hobbies until finally finding one that resonates will hit home, as well. Elena felt truly authentic in these moments.

I will recommend this title to young (and older!) kpop fans, as well as anyone unfamiliar with the genre looking for a fun, quick read that will give them a peek into the rich social culture of Korea.

I love this author, and the premise for this book, but I had a hard time getting through this title. I love K-pop and this is the perfect K-pop prince YA romance, and a lot of other readers are loving it. I had a hard time with the main character, as she initially came off as a little irritating. But I was on her side enough that watching Robbie's fans lash out at her made me super uncomfortable (realistic as those scenes are). There are miscommunication themes (i.e. Robbie trying to make grand gestures when he knew "the Elena he remembered" wouldn't like that) and those always make me sad.
Just because this particular title didn't work for me, I still love the authors other work, and would encourage YA romance lovers to try this one.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Elena has always felt like she was in someone else's shadow. Her twin brother, Ethan, is an athlete and the star of their family. Her older sisters created a path that she's expected to follow. Everyone around Elena has a passion and knows who they are. Above all else, Elena has no desire to go to prom. In fact, she's part of a group that wants to have students donate money to a community center instead of spending thousands on prom. But soon, K-Pop star Robbie Choi shows up at her door asking Elena to prom. When they were children, Robbie promised that one day he would be her date to prom. But now, Robbie seems like a totally different person. Elena wants to believe he is who he was seven years ago, but things are more complicated now.

This book was like a breath of fresh air. I liked how it felt like a love letter to K-pop but also had the same push to become a coming of age novel. Elena is not a super likable character because she's always doubting herself, but she does grow on you after a while. The true joy comes from the characters surrounding Elena. Those who run the community center and the students are my favorite. I also enjoyed the discussion about being an idol. How difficult the life of being a K-pop idol really is. It gave it a heaviness that the book needed to feel more serious.

All together, I recommend this book to everyone who loves the K-pop craze, who loves a little bit of drama, or those who are still trying to find their passion. Elena and Robbie are so fun to read and their reconnection will keep readers captivated.

4.5/5 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

I absolutely adored this book. I give me so much more than what I expected. It was cute and adorable, and I loved the friendships here. I saw this play out like a movie in my head and it was fantastic. I would completely recommend this book. It reads out very similar ( to me at least) like a lighter K drama. My only issue is that I do wish there was just a little more angst but overall I really had a great time. This is one of the first YA books in a while to give me the feels like this.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Kat Cho has proven to me that she can write any genre! I loved her take on bubbly K-Drama books that make readers smile.
Synopsis:

Elena Soo has always felt overshadowed. Whether by her more successful older sisters, her more popular twin brother, or her more outgoing best friend, everyone except Elena seems to know exactly who they are and what they want. But she is certain about one thing - she has no interest in going to prom. While the rest of the school is giddy over corsages and dresses, Elena would rather spend her time working to save the local community center, the one place that's always made her feel like she belonged.

So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.

Cho created wonderful characters that I won't forget, Sooyeon was my favorite and I can't wait for more readers to meet her! The main character Elena is relatable but she also opened my eyes in ways other books haven't.

The childhood romance concept was so sweet! There was amazing chemistry between the two characters and I adored watching them grow together!

The family situation in this book caught me by surprise and was like a bow to top of the gift that this book was. If you need a sweet but thoughtful book to warm your heart, look no further! ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC to read and review honestly!

Once Upon A K-Prom was just released this week. And my brain is still busy going 🥺🥺🥹🥰🥰😍 So please accept this small review of a book that reads like a k-drama story— complete with a k-pop idol and the return of a childhood friend. The addition of fun things like member profiles of the fictional k-pop group make it extra fun. And if you check Kat’s Twitter or site, she has fun things like a quiz to have your bias. Super fun read.

This was a super cute romance read!
I know next to nothing about K-pop or the Korean pop culture (my nieces are obsessed, so I’ve been reading a little to understand their obsession. Ha!) but I enjoyed this book!
Childhood friends to lovers
K-pop stars
Funny band mates
Clean, teen romance
I definitely recommend!

ONCE UPON A K-PROM by Kat Cho is the story of what happens when average high schooler, Elena Soo, is asked to prom by her childhood best friend-turned-Kpop superstar, Robbie Choi. His promposal and their reunion force Elena to question her relationships with her family and friends and to examine her purpose in life.

Reading a romcom that has a fresh lens is always a delight, and ONCE UP ON A K-PROM offers a Korean American perspective combined with Korean pop culture. While the narrative relies on some miscommunication and misunderstandings to create conflict, it shines in the latter half of the book when Elena realizes the role she's played in the rocky relationships with her twin brother, her classmates, and Robbie. The fellow members of Robbie's K-pop group are also a welcome burst of energy when they appear with their goofy banter and antics that push the romantic leads closer together.

This is a fun read for any K-pop or K-drama fan. While it is written for a young adult audience I would recommend it for any age reader looking for a cute prom-themed story.

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything I was hoping for and more. This story was so heartwarming, full of humor, and packed with drama. It kept me in my feels page after page.

I am such a sucker for best friends to lovers, and Kat Cho delivered! Elena and Robbie are absolutely precious, and the bond they have is so sweet and special. Even years after making a silly promise as kids to go to prom together before Robbie became a huge K-Pop star he still wants to uphold it. Regardless to his fame and all that comes with it he comes back home for his best friend, and that speaks volumes to how much she means to him.

I truly love the journey the characters take throughout this story, and how they grow both alone and together. This book seriously made my contemporary YA romance and K-Pop loving heart so happy. I'm so happy I was able to get an arc of this. Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Overall this was a cute book about two childhood best friends and the culture of Kpop. I've been very interested in the world of Kpop since reading another book about the phenomenon and how insane and controlling the training and debuting is for teenagers. The whole culture is so bizarre to me, but I'm fascinated to see how it all works. In that regard, the book was fun and quick. The romance was okay. Predictable, for the most part. But I did enjoy the ups and downs.

Definitely a good one among K-pop themed books and one to pick up definitely! And it definitely felt like the tone was lighter almost but definitely centered on character growth especially for the MC.

As a K-pop fan, I have a love/hate relationship with books that are centered around the music genre. There are times when the stories can come off as stereotypical, but I am happy to say that wasn’t the case with 'Once Upon a K-Prom'. I completely adored this book!

It’s prom season at Elena’s school and everyone is excited about the special night. They’re ready for dressing up, fancy dinners, and massive limos. The entire student population is talking non-stop about prom, besides Elena and her friends. Their club has organized a campaign for students to spend less at prom this year and instead use their money to donate to the local community center.

Saving the community center is Elena’s biggest wish. When her childhood best friend and older sisters moved away, Elena felt lonely until she found solace at the community center. It’s been the one place where she hasn’t felt invisible.

I really enjoyed Elena as a character. She’s very timid with low self-esteem because she’s afraid to show people her true self. She doesn’t want anyone else to leave her like people always have. There were plenty of times that I wished I could be her friend to tell her how amazing she was! This made her journey more entertaining though because I was rooting for her until the very end.

Of course, going to the prom is the last thing on Elena’s mind, until her old childhood best friend shows up at her doorstep. He’s returned so he can keep their promise of attending the dance together. He also happens to be a member of the biggest K-pop group in the world.

It was so fun meeting Robbie and the rest of the group members!

I was happily surprised that we got some chapters from Robbie’s POV because it helped tie in the K-pop aspect of this book, and it was executed well. All of the members were fun! I wouldn’t be upset if Kat Cho decided to write another book in this universe centered around a different member.

The best word to describe this book would be: sweet. All first love stories are, and Elena and Robbie’s was very cute! There were a lot of obstacles between them, but reading about the two of them reconciling was heartwarming.

'Once Upon a K-Prom' is pure escapism and I loved it. It’s fluffy and exactly what I needed to read to feel better. This is a story about love, friendships, and finding the confidence to be yourself! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves YA romances or is a fan of K-pop.