The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 1

This show is absolutely incredible, isn't it? It's such a perfect sweet drama, totally a "good-for-you" main character, and I haven't seen something this enjoyable in a long time. Every episode is great, and even though some parts seem a little far-fetched, they still feel believable.

At first, I thought the main character was going to end up with all three guys, but she got to experience all of them. Here, I don't mind the polyamory!

I originally liked the second brother the most, but by the end, I just thought, loving yourself is the best. Men really don't matter.

"Guys may come and go, but the best friends are one in a million."

The most touching part of the whole show was the friendship between the women. The relationships between the mothers and their daughters, the arguments and sharing between the female lead and her best friend, are all even more precious than love itself.

Apart from the main character's brother, I really liked every character, so let's talk about them one by one.

The brother, I couldn’t stand him from the beginning. There was nothing to like about him—he exposed the female lead's past, mocked her, and later interrupted her romantic relationships. I really couldn’t stand him. He’s a hypocrite too: messing around with the female lead’s best friend, but when it comes to his sister dating, he says it's disgusting. It’s such toxic masculinity! But luckily, it’s a fun drama, so he got what he deserved in the end—lost all his money to gambling, and the girlfriend he had wasn’t really into him. The second brother warned him about it, but he didn’t listen. I was just wishing for more of this show, and then I found out there might be a second season. I think in the second season, the brother will probably get dumped.

As for the female lead, she’s absolutely living her best life, huh?

She was first flirted with by the supermarket guy, then they ended up at the beach and started dating. He was so sweet and thoughtful—like the perfect second male lead from a novel. He helped the female lead get over awkward situations, but she still had feelings for the eldest brother, of course, because she liked him since she was ten. But when they broke up, he was totally supportive of her and her true love. That kind of relationship is just perfect—no obsessive clinging, only letting go, because true love is about freedom.

Then there’s the second brother. The hottest in the show, definitely. With that fishing net vest, he’s the pure wild boy—tanned, muscular, full of masculinity, so sexy! And those big eyes—such exotic charm. The only issue is that he swings both ways, which I’m still trying to accept.

Finally, the eldest brother. He’s so hot and cold; honestly, he’s the one I like least and don’t think is a good match for the female lead, but she loves him! In the end, he had to chase her back, which was a little painful, but I guess it fulfilled the female lead's wish!

He was also worried about his mom’s illness the whole time. The fear of losing her led to a panic attack, but thankfully, the female lead's mom's partner helped him. If the female lead's mom and the writer ended up together, they’d be a family—nice! But in the last episode, it seemed like the female lead’s mom might get back together with her ex-husband. But none of this explains why he treated the female lead the way he did. Honestly, he’s even worse than her elementary school classmate.

I didn't really feel like the other three guys were moral role models. A 16-year-old girl can’t figure out who she loves, and it drives all the self-righteous people crazy. They call her all sorts of names like "bitch" and "promiscuous."

The eldest brother is just a soft, weak, trashy guy. He says one thing to the female lead but lies to that black sister, clearly weak and incapable, but man, he's good at lying.

The younger brother says he’s loved the girl for a long time and has been waiting for her, but we don't see him staying loyal at all. He’s out there playing the field, not caring about gender, and I’m just not okay with his double standard. I’m a bit of a clean freak, so I can't handle him being with both men and women.

After watching the first episode of Season 2, I feel like the story should have ended with Susannah’s part. Honestly, I felt uncomfortable with the part where Cleo and Connie were chatting in the morning. I didn’t expect that, after knowing Susannah’s condition and Jerry possibly being vulnerable, these two would still have the mood to talk about love…

I really liked the part with Susannah in the last episode. When Polly said, “I feel so stupid, I’ve been so focused on myself the whole summer, and Susannah was sick but I didn’t know,” I cried with her. The emotional bond between the two families was so touching, and Susannah and Laurel’s friendship was also moving. It’s true, boys come and go, but friendships are rare... In fact, by the last two episodes, I wasn’t as excited about the romantic parts. Nicole’s stability and charm, Shelly’s choice of her brother, and Laurel taking on so much support for Susannah really moved me. When we have a crush, our attention narrows, and we get caught in the uncertainty of our emotions, only seeing the person we like and forgetting everything else. But we actually have so much — family, friendship, and most importantly, we have our youth, our health, and endless possibilities. Even though we have so much, our shyness in love makes us feel like beggars craving someone’s attention, as if we can’t live without that person.

I really like Nicole, her confidence is something I lack. I see my own hesitation and cowardice in Polly (of course, Polly is beautiful and doesn’t have my self-esteem issues, so she’s not as insecure). When I look at Polly’s unspoken love from an outsider’s perspective, it feels like looking into a mirror. What did I feel when I had a crush on ZK in middle school? Or on LYC in high school? There was no particular reason, it was just that the other person was kind to me and I liked them. Writing this down makes me feel a bit ashamed, I was so insecure, like a bottomless pit, hoping for a lot of kindness to confirm that I was good, that I deserved to be loved. But if I deeply doubt my worth and don’t think I’m lovable, no amount of kindness from others will be enough. I can always find evidence to prove that I’m terrible.

I habitually focus all my attention on them, whether they’re happy or sad, I notice everything related to them. But by the time graduation came, I didn’t know them at all. I couldn’t be open with them, I just watched from afar, wanting to be noticed by them. It was painful, having a crush is both happy and painful.

It feels like I’m always standing still, not just in my love life, but also in pursuing the life I want. I’ve gathered a lot of courage and tried everything, but I always retreat back into my little shell. I can’t believe I can do it, I can’t believe I have charm, I can’t believe I can improve myself little by little. I just stay in my little shell, hating myself but still craving something.

But now, I can say loudly, firmly, and confidently: Having a crush is nothing special!

Having a crush is nothing special!

Having a crush is nothing special!

I haven’t met anyone I like yet, but if I do, next time I’ll face it with curiosity and openness. I won’t stay in one place anymore. There’s nothing that can hurt my heart, because now I have a stable core like Nicole’s. Thank you to myself, thank you to everyone who loves me.

P.S. I feel like Western TV shows handle love in a more realistic way than domestic shows. I’ve lost some of my idealization of “sacred love.” There’s no such thing as “one life, one love.” Not all love that lasts until old age is valuable. When we give our hearts, the universe rewards us with important life insights that help us understand who we are.

"I thought at the end that the younger brother would be the final love interest, so happy! But then the female lead delivers the final blow. Maybe that's the kind of mood that adolescent girls like – cold, hot, brooding, and mysterious. I'm getting old, I prefer the younger brother's cheerful golden retriever type, always giving positive feedback, always happy. But dear younger brother, why do you always mess up? The volleyball and dancing are things the female lead has been dreaming of completing, and you always mess them up. Doesn't that give the enemy a chance? I’m so anxious, I can’t do anything from outside the screen!

I saw in the comments that someone said the older brother might have bipolar disorder and the younger brother might have manic depression, which sounds pretty reasonable."

I'm so glad I watched this series in the summer and finished it on an ordinary weekend.

Every single romance line was so satisfying to watch! The relationships between the kids and their mothers were especially heartwarming.

The moms are so cool, seriously!

The actors are all gorgeous, and their acting is fantastic — no awkwardness or forced moments. Their expressions and eye contact are so captivating!

The moral standards in domestic dramas are way too high, though. If a domestic romance series could portray even a fraction of the emotional depth in this show, it would be a huge achievement.

Also, you can trace each character’s emotions through their personality. The older brother, being the eldest, was taught to take responsibility and care for his younger siblings. But the eldest is still a kid too. He can't always hold it together, and has nowhere to vent his frustrations, so he ends up looking weak and defeated.

The younger brother, on the other hand, is lively and loves to flirt. Personally, I’m not that into it. I prefer the older brother’s personality — the slow and steady journey of self-discovery is amazing.

Steven is so handsome, a total protective older brother! His relationship with Sheila is so sweet. That volleyball scene was absolutely stunning! Even though his younger brother warned him not to get too deep, he still went after Sheila and opened up about his insecurities. Later, when he was broke after gambling, he learned to admit his situation with confidence. That’s really impressive. Sheila also gave him the security he needed. Wow, they’re such a great couple!

Kam is adorable, but he’s kind of just a sidekick. It makes him seem a little pitiful at times.

The female lead is just a kid who hasn’t really grown up yet. Even at the end, I still felt that way. Although I ship her and the older brother, it was a bit unreasonable for her to suddenly force a kiss. She still can’t escape the grip of love! Maybe it’s a setup for the next season.

The female lead’s mom is someone I’ve fallen for completely. She’s independent, clear-headed, and really knows how to raise her kids. I hope to be like her when I become a mom one day!

Summer’s here, and this light summer romance drama is the perfect fit. Looks like my teenage heart is still alive and kicking! 😺

And lastly, this series has a high “Thai-factor”!!