XO, Kitty Season 2 left audiences with lingering romances and friendship-ruining lawsuits. With the very swift release of season three, the first three episodes were filled with vague romances and non-tea-worthy drama.
XO, Kitty season three kicks off right where season two ended. Minho (Sang Heon Lee, Gran Turismo) is getting set to leave on a summer long tour with Eunice (Ryu Han-bi, Come and Hug Me) while Kitty (Anna Cathcart, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) is pining to know if her feelings are reciprocal.
Thankfully, they followed through with the plot. It was filled with that giddy high school love; crushing and not knowing where you stand, the mixed signals yet the obvious affection for one another. Minho was used very strategically as the center of visual attention. The nostalgic effects from K-dramas, where the heartthrob is overemphasized in the eyes of the love interest, were used in such a subtle but complementary way. This gave viewers a real inside look into Kitty’s mind, making it extra wholesome and relatable. Additionally, it is another one of those small details that hones the show’s connection to traditional K-dramas and the Korean media space as a whole.
As much as this viewer wanted their romance to start on a high note with a whirlwind summer around the world, viewers are left on the edge of their seats with Kitty’s surprise shift in location: New York City with Lara Jean, played by Lana Condor. One thing to appreciate about this show is how it honors its roots, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. The movie trilogy, based on the books written by Jenny Han, is the first look viewers and readers have at Kitty’s character. The spin-off does an incredible job of allowing the show to be independent and take on its own wings, developing Kitty even further as she grows up, while also connecting it back to the original films, especially with cameos like LJ this season and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo, The Recruit) visiting KISS in season two.
However, episode two is where this writer’s attention and excitement started to falter. Underneath the passion of Kitty’s new relationship, the emergence of subplots appear in a pre-tangled mess. We have the return of Gigi (The Beast in Me), the return of Marius (Saint X) and the chaos he creates, Eunice’s hook up frenzy, Jiwon (Hojo Shin, Big bet) in mad cousin mode, and Q (Anthony Keyvan, Love, Victor) is a cheater? The subplots all began together and intertwined in a way that made everything seem busy, making it hard to follow or find something to focus on. By episode three, so much is happening you can’t keep track of who’s right, who’s wrong and what the hell is the main storyline anymore.
Though the importance of friendship is still a shining light throughout it all, most prevalent between Q and Kitty, and Dae (Choi Min-yeong, Weak Hero) and Minho. These connections are the backbone of the series.
Plot points aside, the cinematography is always commendable as its Korean notes and film nods give greater depth to the show’s roots and cultural environments. This goes hand in hand with the music selection. This writer’s heart sank a little when hearing “Moral of the Story” by Ashe in Episode 3. It takes you right back to Lara Jean post-break up in PS I Still Love You.
Visually beautiful? Yes. One thing that has to be noted, though, is some of the acting has fallen flat compared to the previous seasons. Whether that comes from the writing, or the lack of interest from the actors, some of Juliana’s (Regan Aliyah, Please Don’t Feed the Children) performance, Marius’s performance, and even sometimes Yuri’s (Gia Kim, Happy Ending) seem a little behind the beat.
As the series continues, this writer is eager to see how these subplots start to unravel, especially Marius’s downfall. All in all, while this writer is not entirely in love, she is, however, excited to see where Kitty’s senior year takes her.
XO, Kitty Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.
