The Summer I Turned Pretty

Every summer, Belly and her family pack up for the Fisher family's beach house in Cousins, where familiar routines and childhood rhythms have always ruled. When Belly turns sixteen, those rhythms start to shift as new feelings surface and old patterns break down. What had been easy friendship gets complicated by attraction and simmering tensions between the people who raised her, and choices about love and loyalty force everyone to rethink who they are. The season follows that single, intense summer of first love and the ache of heartbreak, while family dynamics and friendships change in ways that leave a lasting mark on Belly.

Released in 2022, the series was developed for television by Jenny Han, who wrote the original novels, together with Gabrielle Stanton, turning a popular YA book into a serialized drama.

The series hasn't been a major awards contender so far, it didn’t rack up big industry trophies in its debut season, though it did prompt discussion among viewers and critics about its performances and tone.

On social media the show became a topic for younger audiences, with conversations around its love triangle, seaside setting, and fashion moments. It raised the profiles of several cast members, especially Lola Tung, and inspired fan communities, reaction videos, and online discussion that kept the show in the cultural conversation beyond its episodes.

Critics and viewers generally responded positively, reflected in a strong vote average of 8.108/10 from over a thousand ratings. Reviews often highlighted the lead performance and the show's emotional honesty, while noting its focus on adolescence, identity, the friction between friendship and romance, and how family history shapes choices. The tone leans toward heartfelt and intimate rather than flashy, and it’s the characters and relationships that drive the story.