I absolutely adored Lyla Lee’s I’ll be the One. I’ve already read it twice so I was so psyched to read her second novel delving into the world of K-dramas and it did not disappoint!

Just as before I devoured this one eagerly that I sped through to 200 pages in one day. It didn’t feel like much had happened yet the characters were so engaging that it made me want to read one more page and then another and then another.

After moving four years ago to Seoul from small-town Florida in order to pursue acting, Hana has finally gotten the lead role in the most highly anticipated K-drama of the year, Fated Destiny. Opposite K-pop sensation, Bryan Yoon. Unfortunately the premiere recieves lackluster viewership so the higher-ups pressure Hana and Bryan to fake-date and drum up publicity.

This goes predictably as you can imagine as Bryan’s superstardom (and Brybabies fans) shoot Hana to new realms of celebrity and hate she wasn’t prepared for in her first big show. But the real meat of the story comes when they drum up a new angle, a love triangle featuring Hana’s best friend/acting nemesis Minjee.

Not only does that tap into Hana’s insecurities that she’s such a subpar actress that they had to bring in another co-lead and that they are slowly pushing her out of the show. But Minjee is so wonderful, so pretty, so talented, so. . . yeah Hana has a big ol crush on her best friend. That puts a cramp on the fake dating Bryan Yoon thing.

Lee does a great job in positioning how difficult it is for Hana and Minjee and Bryan to be queer in the Korean entertainment industry. The culture is different, the older generation has more sway and it does make it seem like they are against impossible odds.

But Lee also drops in the positivity and inspiration that comes with being brave about who you are, and the need for the new generation to speak out and to show others they are not as alone as they believe. That together, they can make an impact.

The characters are absolutely lovely. Hana is a good protagonist, hard working yet sassy with how she calls out double standards in society especially in regards to the reaction to her and Bryan “dating.” She’s also understandably pressured and eager to please as she tries to help make her show a success. So very relatable protagonist even as she gets to live the acting dreams only so many could dream of.

Each dynamic Hana had was unique and engaging like her wonderfully close bond with her parents. It’s super sweet how much they cherish their time together, and how supportive they are of her even as she feels that they’ve sacrificed so much just for her dreams.

Bryan was an entertaining, egotistical goofball with a sweet side. I loved him, just loved him.

Minjee was an interesting other side to the coin. While Hana is a Korean American with very supportive parents and acting dreams, Minjee is born K-drama royalty with distant celebrity parents. Nonetheless, she is sweet, edgy and their relationship is adorable. Relationships built on friendships are always the best.

Plus I love the little shout-out she gave to her other book by mentioning Skye Shin’s K-pop success. Gotta love a good cameo.

So another fantastic feel-good fiction from Lyla Lee. 5 K-stars! (Or whatever they use to rate K-dramas)