K-pop has hit hard in the music scene of the 21st century, but we have only recently had that reflected in the (English-language) romance book market. XOXO captures the sparkly, sugary energy of the genre and translates it into a charming YA love story.

The letter from the judges is burning a hole in Jenny Go’s pocket. She had given an outstanding technical performance on her cello in the competition, winning the top prize, but the feedback said she lacked passion and spark. What does that even mean? Confiding in her Uncle Jay isn’t much help since he pretty much agrees she’s talented and technically skilled, but lacks star power. Which, according to him, comes from her lack of a life. Studying, cello practice/recitals, and working at his karaoke bar apparently don’t constitute living. Be more fun, he advises. Have new experiences, make new friends, take some risks. So when she goes upstairs to notify a customer his time is up and he needs to clear the room, only to have him refuse, she challenges him to a karaoke duel. That’s risky and fun, right?

Jenny knows she has a win in the bag. Karaoke is all about hitting the right notes and getting good numbers, not sparkling performance. Her work experience has given her plenty of practice to make grade with the machine. She has to admit, though, that Bae Jaewoo’s performance outshines hers in every way but points. After her big win, he amiably packs up and heads out. She’d spent the last few moments of her shift playing with him, so she packs up and heads out as well.

They run into each other on the bus and anger a group of older, bigger teens when they insist that those boys treat an elderly passenger with some respect. While their intervention ensures that the lady will have a more comfortable ride, it doesn’t offer the same guarantee to them. Sensing the situation is about to escalate and anxious to avoid further trouble, they get off at the very next stop, far from their intended destinations. As luck would have it, they land right in the middle of the LA Korean festival, and end up spending a magical evening eating, laughing, playing, and having exactly the kind of frivolous night Jenny never indulges in. Jaewoo is all she could want in a companion – incredibly handsome, kind, funny, intelligent. But he also lives in South Korea, so they more or less know this enchanted episode will be all they’ll ever have.

Only it’s not. Jenny’s grandma, who lives in Seoul, is sick and needs someone to be with her while going through chemotherapy. Initially, the plan is for Jenny to stay home while her mom commutes between Seoul and LA. Jenny, however, doesn’t want physical distance added to the cooling relationship that grief caused between them when her dad died. A little bit of internet research later, and she finds the Seoul Arts Academy, an international school that has transferable credits to her own high school and an outstanding music program that will support her dream of someday playing in an orchestra. They’ve also got a dorm where Jenny can live while her mom and halmeoni share that lady’s small apartment. Jaewoo has ghosted every text she’s sent, but she figures South Korea is big enough that she will never see him.

Meeting her grandma in person for the first time, exploring Seoul, and spending time with her mom are all great. And after a few initial bumps, the school winds up being a good fit for Jenny –until she’s introduced to the superstar student. It turns out Jaewoo also attends Seoul Arts Academy – when he’s able to. His real commitment is being the lead singer for the K-pop sensation XOXO.

If you’re a fan of XO, Kitty of Netflix fame, you’ll probably love this story. This tale is simpler and sweeter, but contains a lot of similar elements – meeting your friendship tribe, finding love, and exploring another culture.

Jenny is a great guide to the latter. As the Korean American daughter of an immigrant, she knows the language and a few of the customs, but still has some adjusting to do as she gets to know the country and its people. I loved her openness about experiencing new things and her positivity about embracing the differences. Since her dad died, her mother, a lawyer, has been working long hours, and Jenny has been on her own a lot, so she was independent before landing in a strange school and city, which is handy for adapting. Her mom closed off after the tragedy of her dad’s passing, and I appreciated that Jenny had made the trip around the world to both stay connected to her and to spend time with the grandmother she barely knows. While she has the typical teen absorption with her own life, she also has that desire for connection and family that we all do. The novel does a nice job of showing us a young woman reasonably balancing both.

I also loved how Jenny is kind without virtue signaling or taking dramatic stances. Her friendships with Sori, Angela, and Gi Taek are lovely to watch develop and show that it is enough just to try and get through the day without also having to save the world. Her practicality and independence are a nice match for Jaewoo’s fun-loving, edgier nature.

Jaewoo is a great character—a nice guy caught up in an unbelievably glamorous and challenging experience. I liked how his fame is a struggle for him as he tries to figure out how to just be himself in a world that expects him to be more.

My only quibble is that the romance is a bit of a stretch. Most K-pop contracts contain a no-dating clause, and the fans are harsh towards younger idols who break this taboo. Jenny and Jaewoo have a lot going on, so I struggled to believe they even had time for each other. In the story, they are both finishing high school while he is also at the start of establishing his career and on the brink of phenomenal success after having experienced a few early hits and some online popularity. He is a celebrity crush; young, hot, and in K-pop culture viewed as ‘married’ to his fans and fellow band members, and his whole career could easily be derailed if news of his relationship were to get out. Jenny is in no position to be his perfect secret girlfriend – she plans to go to school in New York before pursuing a rather challenging career. She would have to sacrifice too much in order to sustain a relationship with him given his punishing schedule. The magic of fiction works it out, but the HEA put a serious strain on my suspension of disbelief. To be clear, it’s their ages and the timing of the relationship that is bad, and they would have been perfect for each other if they had been a bit older.

That said, XOXO is fun with some sweetly poignant moments. I recommend it if you’re a fan of author Jenny Han, K-pop, or are just looking for a light, romantic young adult read.