Jenny Han and Lola Tung Discuss the On-Set Magic of ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ [Interview]

After taking the world by storm with To All the Boys I Loved Before, Jenny Han is back to shake up the teen romance genre with a TV adaptation of her popular book trilogy, The Summer I Turned Pretty.

It’s a milestone for readers desperate to see Belly’s (Lola Tung) summer oasis come to life in a whirlwind of young love and somber growing pains. But it is also a landmark moment for Han, who is helming her first project as showrunner, and for leading-lady Tung, who will make her TV debut with this series.

During a press junket for The Summer I Turned Pretty, I had the opportunity to speak with Han and Tung about their magical on-set moments, the delicacy of adapting Belly’s world, and the art of shipping.

The show, filmed in North Carolina, boasts stellar sets and beach backgrounds. This magical atmosphere plucked straight from the blissful summer haze of Han’s novels left a lasting impression on the cast and crew while filming.

For the author, there was one particular set that took her breath away. “It was the house,” Han revealed.

“I stepped on that stage, and I definitely teared up. It was like something taken right out of my brain. Certain things were really important to me with the house, and one of them was it felt like a real lived-in space that people spent time in,” Han explained.

Watch the full interview with Jenny Han and Lola Tung:

Han and Tung continued praising the beach house’s finer details, ensuring it will feel like a tangible setting for viewers to visit this season.

“There wasn’t a false note to me. There were so many little details in that house. So I was so excited for you guys to see it because I was like, ‘Wow, this beautiful set that you get to play on and act on is a real privilege,” Han said. “Our production designer Teresa Mastropierro delivered on what I asked her to do.”

Tung recalled a moment when the set’s realism surprised her, “I remember walking around the set one day, and I stumbled across this music box. I opened it and didn’t expect anything really, and it just started playing this beautiful music. I was like, ‘Wow, this is such a special little detail.'”

“We never see this music box, but it’s there and it adds to the feeling that the house is lived in — it’s very magical,” Tung said.

It wouldn’t be The Summer I Turned Pretty without some old-school shipping.

Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad? It’s a question fans will face when the series premieres, and Han is eager to see all the ships thrive. “I hope there’s equal representation amongst the teams,” she proclaimed.

Tung agreed, adding that each relationship is worth falling for as viewers explore the series. “I think you fall in love with each of them a little bit through the journey of this show because they all do such a good job of capturing your hearts like they are doing with Belly at each stage.”

Also, fans should strive to go into this series with an open mind and heart as the showrunner teases it is “just the beginning.”

“We have been greenlit for a second season, and this season is a real arc for everyone to evolve as the show goes on,” Han explained. “So even though you might be on one team now, you could change teams next season.”

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The The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 1 is now streaming now on Prime Video. Want even more cast content? Check out our interview with Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, and Sean Kaufman!

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‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Renewed for Season 2 by Prime Video