"ASAP" by Axie Oh

ASAP (Feb. 6, 2024) by Axie Oh.

<This is a sequel novel to XOXO.>

As the daughter of Joah Entertainment’s CEO (her mother) and politician father, Min Sori is no stranger to the spotlight and scandal and the pressure of maintaining a flawless, perfect daughter image. Between her mother’s stringent running of her company and her father’s extramarital affairs, Sori’s years of being a Joah trainee for her mom and her dad’s political ambitions for her, her relationship with her highly-motivated (ruthless), absentee parents is tense at best. Sori’s admitting to herself that her dream isn’t to be a K-pop idol, and her mother, surprisingly, accepts this, and she accepts her mom’s request to help train Woo Hyemi. Hyemi will be debuting with ASAP, Joah’s first female idol group. Sori’s thoughts keep straying to her ex-boyfriend, XOXO’s Nathaniel Lee (Korean name: Lee Jihyuk). Before XOXO became one of the world’s biggest K-pop groups, their whirlwind romance almost caused a scandal. Fortunately, Sori was referred to as an anonymous trainee, and her name was left out of the tabloids. But more and more are noticing their natural chemistry, and she invites Nathaniel to stay with her when he needs refuge from the prying paparazzi outside XOXO’s house. It’s hard for either to deny their feelings. Will Sori pursue a second chance at love? Or will she sacrifice her happiness for Joah Entertainment and her mother?

            “XOXO” was originally meant to be a standalone, but the popularity of that novel prompted this one, and I’m so glad, as a reader, to read Sori’s story, too. Oh’s “ASAP” is a YA contemporary romance that is a literary K-drama with K-pop elements. This dynamic bildungsroman for Sori is a charming, swoony companion to “XOXO.” It’s an approachable novel even for those unfamiliar with K-pop, K-dramas or Korea. The story is richly written and the main characters, wealthy through family money or as earned as an idol, remain surprisingly relatable. They’re characters you’d want to befriend for their goodness and defend from bullies. Should I hope that “ASAP” is popular enough that Oh gives readers another story? Perhaps Oh Sun’s?

            Book One: XOXO