Once upon a K-Prom

By: Kat Cho

Narrated by: Jackie Chung

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

What would you do if the world's biggest K-pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K-pop world straight to high school.

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. Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants—even if she can't stop thinking about Robbie's smile...right?

©2022 Kat Cho (P)2022 Disney Hyperion

My heart SWOONED 💕

I LOVED how the narrator brought these characters to life! The beautiful stringed sentences depicting the romance and breath of young love was captivated by the narrator. It was like I was watching a Kdrama! I binged this audiobook and I wish I slowed down to enjoy it longer; no regrets 🥰

Awesome new title from a master of YA

Really fun story with good pacing and details... great for any boy band fans, current or past, especially the BTS lovers in your life. Get it!

Loved it!

What a fun book to listen to! Loved the storyline about love, friendship, family and KPOP!

I liked it

We’ll written, great narration, and likable characters. I would like to read more from Kat Cho. We’ll done.

Quick Read

This was a cute quite read, I found myself thinking of BTS and their struggle to fame and how they stand up and talk abut the hard times in their lives and allow us Army to relate to them. But it also reminds me of how toxic the industry is or could be. How we get so involved in their lives that we (Army) think that we are entitled to dictate who they should date and if they should date. Also, I like the fact that it showed how our insecurities or our own way of seeing things could be wrong and could create this perspective of how things are that are truly comply different, and that we give up on things or people whenever things get hard instead of fighting through things in order to find happiness.

Very sweet, straightforward

This author isn't breaking new ground, if that's what you're looking for, but she did write a very thoughtful love story that I could recommend to anyone.
This book made my heart feel warm and fuzzy. It strikes a delicate balance of teenage angst and blooming love without things feeling out of order or forced. I found Elena's anxiety (between school, her family, the future, and Robbie) very relatable and Robbie's POV felt grounded and insightful-- I especially love that it didn't shy away from showing his insecurities as well. Their personal growth and love felt very natural and I love that it's based in avoiding absolute truths and remembering that the world is not back and white.
If I do have one concern (not complaint) it's that the kpop references feel dated in a few years, but that's not a deal breaker for me.
The narrator brought a lot of life to all the characters and I'd love to try other books she's narrated.

It’s okay.

I started this book because I was curious. It was my first time hearing and reading about a kpop love story and while I read a lot of fan fiction… this to me was a bit lack luster. There where chapters that I skipped through since I felt like it was dragging on, and I was reading this with my best friend and we both have the same thoughts, awesome writer and beautiful idea, some parts of the book was better than others, but overall I think I just felt like something was missing you know, and that could just be a hundred percent me!!!