The Summer I Turned Pretty has the internet in a chokehold, and it is without any doubt 2025’s global teen drama obsession. Created by Jenny Han, the author of the bestselling book series and also the creator behind To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, the show stars Lola Tung as ‘Isabel “Belly” Conklin’, alongside Christopher Briney as ‘Conrad’ and Gavin Casalegno as ‘Jeremiah’. With its stunning beachside aesthetics, an addictive soundtrack, and an aching emotional love triangle, the series has captured hearts worldwide.

As fans anxiously await the next chapter in ‘Belly’s’ journey, they continue to debate who she truly belongs with, while many book readers are well aware of the ending, still the ‘What if’ haunts them, especially with the show taking subtle liberties for more drama. However, hidden in plain sight, all throughout the seasons are carefully planted easter eggs that subtly foreshadow ‘Belly’s’ endgame. Whether you’re Team Conrad, Team Jeremiah, or Team Chaos, spoiler alert, here are all the moments that quietly hinted at where Belly’s heart might ultimately land.

The season 3 posters for The Summer I Turned Pretty weren’t just pretty; they were telling a story

The hints were being dropped even before episode one was out. Those stunning Season 3 promotional posters that had fans swooning weren’t just aesthetic; they were subtle spoilers hiding in plain sight. Many close-eyed fans have noticed a pattern in them. Throughout all these posters, Conrad’s gaze is locked entirely on Belly in every single shot, no matter what the setup is. His focus is unwavering, like she’s the only person that matters. In contrast, Jeremiah is always looking away, his eyes often lost in the distance, signalling emotional distance or uncertainty. It’s a visual cue that hints at who Belly’s true endgame really is.

Jenny Han’s signature shot says it all

Apart from being a best-selling author, Jenny Han is a master in visual storytelling, and she has a visual signature that loyal fans have picked up on across her adaptations. It is a specific romantic framing where the leading lady is on the floor, and the leading man looks down at her. This shot has appeared in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, XO, Kitty, and now The Summer I Turned Pretty. It’s a subtle scene, but often enough to know what the couple is meant to be. And for The Summer I Turned Pretty, it’s ‘Conrad’, not ‘Jeremiah’, who shares this intimate scene with ‘Belly’. It’s not just destiny, it’s direction, Jenny Han-style.

Carrots, cake, and childhood clues in The Summer I Turned Pretty

In Episode 3, Last Supper, a seemingly innocent comment made by ‘Laurel’ opened the door to something deeper. While going through old photos for ‘Susannah’s’ memorial, she recalls young ‘Conrad’ telling ‘Belly’ that eating carrots would give her X-ray vision. On the surface, it’s a sweet, playful memory that highlights their shared childhood bond. However, in a scene earlier, ‘Taylor’ and ‘Belly’ are revisiting a wedding scrapbook from their youth, where a photo of carrot cake appears. Many believe it is a nod to those early dreams and maybe, ‘Conrad’s’ lasting place in them. In the world of Jenny Han, even dessert preferences tell a story.

Sunlight, windows, and yellow, ‘Belly’s’ joy shines brighter with ‘Conrad’

Throughout the series, sun imagery and the colour yellow subtly but powerfully align ‘Belly’ with ‘Conrad’. Whether she’s sticking her head out of a car window in pure joy or reaching toward the sunlight, it only ever happens when she’s with him. Episode 5, which is told from ‘Conrad’s’ perspective, paints ‘Belly’ in golden light, surrounded by sunflowers, yellow tones, and his lockscreen is also that of the sun. 

All of this hints at how ‘Conrad’ sees ‘Belly’, radiant, life-giving, impossible to ignore. In contrast, her moments with ‘Jeremiah’ are shaded, restrained, or closed off.  If ‘Belly’ is ‘Conrad’s sunshine, he is also her sun. As ‘Laurel’ had once said, ‘For ‘Belly’, ‘Conrad’ is the sun, and after three seasons, the story has been guiding us toward this glow all along.

Red vs Blue: Taylor Swift lyrics are never just songs for The Summer I Turned Pretty

Taylor Swift’s discography plays a very important role for the show and has been a fundamental part of it from season 1. When Red by Taylor Swift played in the trailer for season 3, it wasn’t just a catchy soundtrack; it was a colour-coded spoiler. “Losing him was blue, loving him was red” becomes a direct visual motif in the show. 

‘Belly’ is often seen wearing blue when she’s with Jeremiah, representing her slowly losing him, but with ‘Conrad’, red dominates her wardrobe. In a standout scene after ‘Belly’ returns from viewing her wedding venue, a single red hydrangea blooms among a sea of blue, with ‘Conrad’ standing right beside it. It’s subtle, and then not-so-subtle, he is the red hydrangea. The show’s colour theory is loud, deliberate, and completely romantic.

Taylor Swift’s songs are basically ‘Belly’s’ emotional GPS

If there’s one thing The Summer I Turned Pretty doesn’t play around with, it’s song choices and no artist maps ‘Belly’s’ emotional arc quite like Taylor Swift. Fans have noticed a stark contrast in the music that plays during ‘Belly’s’ moments with ‘Jeremiah’ versus ‘Conrad’, and it’s clear, ‘Conrad’s’ soundtrack is where the heart beats strongest. 

In a key ‘Jeremiah’ breakup scene, “You’re Losing Me” plays, with devastating lyrics about a love fading away. But in Episode 6, when ‘Conrad’ gently rests his head on ‘Belly’s’ shoulder, her heartbeat literally returns, and we’re ushered into False God, a sultry, electric track that screams tension, history, and undeniable pull. It’s as if Jenny Han is using Taylor’s discography to underline Conrad and Belly as endgame.

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