Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous

In this lighthearted contemporary romance, a livestream baking blunder dubbed #BrownieGate and #BrowniePorn results in Korean American vlogger Sun-Hee “Sunny” Song, 17, being sent to a digital detox camp in Iowa to placate her reputation-concerned high school principal. While she initially dislikes life at Sunshine Heritage Farms, Sunny befriends mukbang livestreamer Delina, who’s Black, and entrepreneurial Theo, whose white family owns the farm; as Sunny faces her own preconceived notions of rural life, she also pursues a relationship with Theo. The two grow closer through witty banter and assisting regular visitors in a sweet romance that nails new-relationship nerves. But she must choose between stardom and finishing the camp when a social media showcase requires Sunny to make a fresh video using a smuggled cell phone. Some supporting characters are inadequately fleshed out, and a message about social media and genuine relationships being mutually exclusive feels limiting, but Park (The Perfect Escape) offers thoughtful insights about being perpetually online through Sunny’s humorous narration. Ages 14–up. [em]Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US. (June) [/em]