There’s a Big Mis around Robbie’s interest in Elena, and once you find out about it, you are just marking time until Elena finds out and triggers the Tragic Separation.The resolution of this occurs only between Elena and her brother (and frankly he gets off too easily) there is no resolution with her parents Elena’s parents treat her unequally compared with her twin, the only boy in the family.The latter is even more bewildering because she isn’t portrayed as that close to the person relocating until the relocation happens. Elena has a weird abandonment fixation around people doing completely normal things, like going to college or relocating for a promotion.(I would have been even more interested if this book had explored the possibility that Elena has undiagnosed ADHD). In fact, her big struggle is not being able to find an activity or a belief in which to anchor her identity, having started and abandoned dozens of hobbies. Elena is not A Brilliant Teen Artist or one of the other exceptionalities often put on YA heroines.The author clearly knows her K-Pop, from its dating bans to its brutal training process and realistically includes social media and fandom culture in Elena and Robbie’s spotlight relationship.This effective representation of the culture of diaspora Koreans and the naming conventions of K-Pop segues nicely into…
WDB stood for 원더별, which meant “Wonder Star” but it was pronounced “Wondeo Byul” … mix of English and Korean so it sounded like “Wonderful.” The band’s name is WDB, and the author explains: The band’s music incorporates Korean instruments, and the performers are multilingual. For instance, the local older Koreans are proud of Robbie for becoming famous, but especially for him becoming famous as a global representative of Korea. making Elena and Robbie former best friends, instead of writing a contrived meeting between ordinary-Elena and famous-Robbie.So when Robbie turns up to honor their childhood pledge to attend prom together, Elena feels out of her depth. And not just a mere idol: Robbie’s group WDB (think BTS) is THE bestselling international K-Pop boy band. While Elena feels adrift, without anything to make her special, Robbie became a K-Pop idol. Elena Soo’s childhood best friend Robbie Choi moved home to Korea when they were both ten. Once Upon a K-Prom is a spin on the “ordinary girl meets famous boy” YA story, incorporating the recent global success of K-Pop.
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