The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Jenny Han Warns Fans About Bullying

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Jenny Han thought you knew that this was not OK. 

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I’m deeply invested in the captivating narrative unfolding in “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” the Prime Video series graced by the exceptional talents of Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, and Gavin Casalegno. As we approach the climactic moments of its third and final season, the showrunner, executive producer, and author of the original books have come forward to address the regrettable hate directed towards the characters and their portrayers.

In his Instagram Story on August 26, Han made it clear that the show’s enthusiasts are fervent and have good intentions. However, he emphasized that sharing pictures depicting a woman being slapped or strangled, even as a joke, is not amusing.

Despite the passionate responses from fans on social media, the show itself has reiterated its initial stance against such passion devolving into negativity, by reposting their original “no tolerance” policy towards bullying and offensive language, which was initially shared at the start of the series.

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to share that in a recent post dated August 26th on platform X, the official show account served as a gentle reminder: “Just in case some of us might have forgotten, here are those initial photos from the season kick-off back in July.

Later on, the program not only heeded the warning but also went a step further. They joined in on a social media trend initiated by the show, sharing a picture with the caption, “The Summer We Became Normal Online.

Next to the picture, the post was titled, “Though the series isn’t genuine, the actors portraying the roles certainly are.

Throughout the series, fans have openly expressed their emotions towards its characters, but things escalated during episode seven, released on Prime Video August 20th. This was when Conrad (Briney) confessed his ongoing feelings for Belly (Tung), who is in a popular ship with Conrad. When Belly rejected him at the end of the episode, fans criticized her online. Given that Conrad and Belly’s relationship (the “ship”) is one of the show’s favorites, even competing against Belly and Jeremiah (Casalegno), it sparked intense reactions from viewers.

Tung hasn’t openly shared how personal online reactions impact her, but she’s humorously dismissed the strong response to her character’s contentious decisions.

She noted that when viewers become emotionally invested in the characters, they long for a satisfying resolution. She expressed gratitude for their passion but cautioned against extreme reactions. She pleaded, ‘Please, refrain from making threats of violence if things don’t go as desired-rest assured, it’s not a matter of life and death.’

Embracing a healthier lifestyle for both mind and soul, I’ve chosen to curb my time spent on social media to shield myself from harmful criticism directed towards me personally, known as Jeremiah.

In an August 22nd interview with The New York Times, the 25-year-old actor expressed sentiments similar to his costar’s, stating, “I believe it’s crucial to acknowledge and comprehend that this is a work of fiction – and it isn’t representative of me.

For more on The Summer I Turned Pretty season three keep reading… 

In contrast to how it seems in “We’ll Always Have Summer,” Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) is wrapping up her freshman year at Finch University, but the events of season three of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” transpire at the conclusion of her junior year instead.

It implies that when Gavin Casalegno’s character, Jeremiah Fisher, is unfaithful to his partner Belly with Lacie Barone in the series, it was actually after four years of their relationship, contrary to what was initially portrayed as only two years.

Before starting her freshman year, Belly’s dorm room door was already labeled with “Belly”, a nickname hastily written by her brother Steven Conklin (Sean Kaufman) instead of her full name Isabel. Throughout the series, her college friend Anika Johnson (Sofia Bryant) refers to her as Belly.

However, in the book, Belly didn’t correct anyone who called her by her government name.

In the book, she mentioned that she hadn’t intentionally decided to go by Isabel. Instead, it just came about naturally, as she recalled fumbling with her key and looking up to see ‘Isabel,’ written in glittering rhinestones on her door.

Afterward, Isabel introduced herself to her roommate Jillian Chapel, and from then on, everyone at Finch knew her by that name.

Jenny Han’s novel “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,” which kick-started a trilogy and eventually found its way onto Netflix, was published three years after “We’ll Always Have Summer.” However, in an affectionate nod to the past, the series subtly included small tributes or Easter eggs that honored the earlier work.

Instead of that, consider this rephrasing: For example, there was a picture of Belly and Jeremiah, dressed as Peter Kavinsky and Lara Jean Covey, hanging on her dorm room wall. Hints for the sequel of the novel, titled “P.S. I Still Love You,” were found in a crossword puzzle that Conrad Fisher (Chris Briney) was working on with Belly during Christmas.

As a devoted fan, I found myself immersed in the first season of the TV series, where it delved into the mental health battles faced by the character Conrad, such as anxiety attacks. This unfolded amidst his attempts to stay strong following the news that Susannah Fisher, played brilliantly by Rachel Blanchard, was diagnosed with cancer once more.

By the third day, the Stanford University student could be found meeting with a therapist prior to his decision to return to Cousins Beach for an event dedicated to Susannah. During this session, they discussed his apprehensions about attending the event, but didn’t delve into the intricacies of his love triangle situation. At least he’s planning on being there, yes?

In the TV show, it’s revealed that Belly has been moved from the waiting list for studying abroad in Paris the next semester. As a result, she won’t be able to share an apartment with Anika during fall season, since Jeremiah hadn’t proposed yet at that time.

In the book, she alteres her travel arrangements due to an unforeseen engagement. Anika comprehends this situation, as she communicates to Belly, “I’m not angry. To be honest, it’s disappointing that we won’t be sharing a home anymore, but I’ll find a solution.

In contrast to their past absence from the storyline, Taylor Jewel’s (Rain Spencer) relationship with Steven takes a back seat and becomes secondary in the most recent season. Despite both Taylor being involved with Davis for her part and Steven dating Mia, their secret affair had been ongoing since they reconnected during spring break in Manhattan – coincidentally, the same week Jeramiah was unfaithful to Belly.

While on a drive with Taylor, Steven shares that he ended things with Mia, hoping to rebuild their relationship. Overwhelmed, Taylor orders him to stop the car immediately. As she steps out, Steven gets hit by another vehicle while making a U-turn, causing him to slip into a medically induced coma. Fortunately, he recovers fully in the end.

Although the same can’t be said for their relationship—at least at this point in the season.

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2025-08-27 17:48