FLIP THE SCRIPT by LYLA LEE
A REVIEW by ALEXA DUNCAN
Flip the Script is author Lyla Lee’s sophomore effort in the YA world, but it follows a similar concept as her first YA novel, I’ll Be the One. Sixteen year old Hana is the lead actress in K-drama (Korean drama), Fated Destiny, but when ratings for the show are less spectacular than the executives expect, they push her into forming a fake relationship with her K-pop idol costar, Bryan. On top of this, Hana has feelings for her best friend, Minjee, but their same-sex relationship is risky in a conservative country like South Korea. Navigating love and friendship all the while starring in a drama, Hana must come to terms with her sexuality while also learning how to be in the very intense public eye.
I liked Flip the Script, but I didn’t love it. I did, however, love all the descriptions of Korea 
and all the food you can get there. I also loved Hana’s date with Minjee at the Kakao Friends store. Kakao Friends is a popular line of cute characters and they’re so popular in Korea that you can buy pretty much anything with their likeness on it. I’m a huge fan of them myself, especially Ryan the lion, who is so adorable.
While the writing was accessible and the story was sweet, I found myself wanting more in terms of plot and character development. The story is focused mainly on Hana’s fake relationship with Bryan throughout much of the novel. Minjee–who is supposed to be the real love interest here–doesn’t come in until halfway through. As a result, Hana’s relationship with her doesn’t feel real or believable and the pacing feels extremely skewed, with most major events happening in the first two hundred pages or so. The plot wraps up a little too nicely at the end–which I understand to an extent because not all stories with LGBTQIA characters need to be bogged down with heaviness. Even so, I wish there was more introspection regarding Korea’s strict social norms as opposed to glossing over it.
Despite these quibbles, I enjoyed reading about the Korean drama industry since I watch a lot of them myself. The book doesn’t go completely in-depth, but it’s a nice primer if you’re just getting into watching them. Overall, Flip the Script is a cute book, something light to read if you’re looking for something quick.