XO, Kitty: Surprisingly very gay!
After two years since its announcement, the TV series XO, Kitty, the long-awaited spin-off of the To All The Boys trilogy, finally hit Netflix on May 18, 2023. We’re going to be completely honest and confess that we didn’t have this TV show under our gaydar, as the trilogy it comes from doesn’t exactly have significant LGBTQ+ representation.
But to err is human, and after the internet took it upon itself to let us know that XO, Kitty was, in fact, a very gay show, we stopped everything we were doing and binged all its 10 episodes. And what a surprise we got, because the rumors were absolutely and 100% true. XO, Kitty is gay… very, very gay. And thank the gay gods for that, because by the time we got to watch the show, Netflix had already announced its renewal, so we consider this a win for the gays.
But let’s talk in more detail about it all, shall we?
XO, Kitty the 411
First off all, we think it’s important to mention that, despite being a spin-off series, XO, Kitty is a stand-alone show. It’s not necessary to have prior knowledge of the universe in which it takes place to understand and enjoy it. Obviously, having watched the To All The Boys trilogy helps to give some background to the main protagonist of the show, but it’s not essential to be able to follow the story.
XO, Kitty focuses on the character of Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart), the little sister of the protagonist of the aforementioned trilogy. Created also by Jenny Han, this spin-off series takes viewers on a roller coaster of emotions as Kitty navigates love, friendship, and self-discovery away from home. In Seoul, South Korea, to be precise.
The plot kicks off when Kitty decides to join the Korean Independent School of Seoul, also known as K.I.S.S, to reunite with her long-distance boyfriend Dae (Choi Min Young). However, her dreams of a happy reunion with the boy she loves at the school of her dreams are all shattered when she discovers that Dae has apparently been lying to her and he already has a girlfriend: Yuri (Gia Kim) – a character with her own complex struggles and of whom we’ll talk later.
Throughout the series, Kitty’s journey unfolds as she finds herself in many unexpected situations. Starting with the fact that she’s in a country that, although she knows and has visited before, is completely different from the one she comes from. Kitty is half Korean but her knowledge of her country’s culture is very limited, which gets her into trouble one too many times.
There’s also the fact that due to a clerical error, she is assigned to the wrong dorm room and is forced to share a room with her ex-boyfriend Dae and his friends Q (Anthony Keyvan) and Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee), which at first brings a lot of tension. The show also delves into Kitty’s quest to uncover her mother’s past and the intriguing connection between her mother and Yuri’s mother, adding layers of mystery to the narrative.
An inclusive love triangle polygon
In the original To All The Boys trilogy, Kitty is known for being a matchmaker, she sees love connections where others don’t and has successfully matched couples in the past. So now that the spotlight is solely on her, her abilities shine brighter than ever and she takes it upon herself to find soulmates for her schoolmates.
She helps Q – with whom she forms a deep connection as they are the only Americans in the friend group – get together with Florian (Théo Augier Bonaventure), the cute French exchange student at KISS. Upon learning about Yuri’s secret (spoiler alert: she’s a lesbian y’all) and her fake relationship with Dae, she also helps her reconnect with her girlfriend, Juliana (Regan Aliyah), who was sent to London when their families found out about their secret relationship.
Yuri’s situation, in particular, adds depth to the story, as she struggles with her parents’ expectations (she’s an only child), her strict culture, and the ups and downs of hiding her true identity, leading to a heartwarming coming-out moment that we absolutely loved.
So as Kitty takes on the role of the official matchmaker at KISS, secrets and hidden feelings begin to surface. Kitty thinks she loves Dae, and in a way she does, but once they officially get together, things start to take a turn for the worse when she discovers that while spending time with Yuri, she began to develop romantic feelings for her too.
Yep, you read that right, our girl is bisexual. This particular aspect of Kitty’s character introduces yet another layer of self-discovery and identity exploration that we weren’t expecting from this show, but that we think it’s extremely important. Having bisexual representation on mainstream TV is still hard, but having it on a main characters is even harder, so kudos to the XO, Kitty team for giving us an openly bisexual main character to root for.
But anygays, Kitty’s life in Seul is, simply put, complicated. She’s barely passing her classes, she’s trying to figure out who her mother was and why she and Yuri’s mother fell apart, she’s having a sexual identity crisis, and to top it off, she’s in the middle of a love polygon. Because, yes, folks, this show doesn’t have the usual love triangle where the main protagonist will have to choose between two amazing people (Dae and Yuri), but there’s a third one in the mix.
Who that is? We won’t tell you, you know our strict policy about spoilers, so you’ll have to watch the show to find out. Just know that our team wouldn’t be mad if she ended up with that person instead of the other two because there’s A LOT of chemistry there, but for now we’re 100% team Yuri.
While XO, Kitty may not break new ground in the coming-of-age genre, it does excels at portraying relatable characters regardless of age. Each character is given unique traits and behaviors that add authenticity to the narrative, making it easy for viewers to connect with their individual journeys.
One of the highlights of the show for us is its strong connection to South Korea. For K-drama enthusiasts, the series becomes a must-watch, as it beautifully showcases Korean culture, not to mention the stunning backdrop of Seoul. In our opinion, this cultural immersion adds a refreshing aspect to the overall narrative.
Despite being a teen show, XO, Kitty offers an engaging and emotionally charged story, exploring themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery. While it may not introduce entirely new concepts to its genre, the show’s relatable characters and its vibrant South Korean setting make for a captivating watch. Whether you’re a teen or an adult, the show’s universal themes will undoubtedly resonate with you, making it a worthwhile addition to your watch list.
XO, Kitty is available to stream exclusively on Netflix. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for all queer stuff!
