Caution: Beware of spoilers! XO, Kitty is the new series on Netflix that follows the story of Kitty Song Covey. You may recognize her as the little sister of Lara Jean Covey in To All The Boys I've Loved Before, a former popular Netflix franchise.
XO, Kitty is the spin-off that follows Kitty's journey to Korea to discover more about her mother. We watch Kitty go through a journey of soul searching as she uncovers her mother's secrets, struggles to keep up academically with Korean school standards, and uncovers parts of herself through an entangled love triangle between her boyfriend, Dae, and his fake girlfriend, Yuri. Also, Dae's best friend, Min Ho, falls for Kitty.
So, then it becomes more of a square. It is definitely worth a watch. Let's look into this rom-com a bit deeper.
What does XO, Kitty tell us about teenage romance?
It's complicated. There's often not a simple boy who meets a girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after. Towards the end of the series, Kitty uncovers that whilst Dae was her first love, she will love again as she was becoming interested in other people and ends the relationship.
Min Ho, Dae's best friend, confesses his love to Kitty when he hears of this, as he began falling for her when she came to Korea. Thus, there is often no straightforward answer when it comes to feelings and it is okay for things to be complicated.
LGBTQIA+ in XO, Kitty
Netflix does a great job at openly discussing LGBTQIA+ fluidity. XO, Kitty introduces the character of Yuri Han. Yuri Han comes from a strict Korean family who aren't accepting of her being gay when they uncover her secret affair with her friend Juliana.
Thus, Yuri insists Dae becomes her fake boyfriend to help distract her family. We follow Yuri's journey of self-love as she finally leaves home and comes out to her friends and family.
We also see Kitty's crush on Yuri as they begin to spend more time with each other. Yes, Yuri is the one Kitty had feelings for! Complicated, right?
Whilst this was a first for Kitty, she begins to understand her feelings towards girls and comes out as bisexual. We also follow the relationship of Florian, French elitist, and Q, high-school jock.
Why is family so important to Kitty?
Family is everything to Kitty. I can relate to her on this. It is heartwarming to watch Kitty use her mum's memorabilia to uncover what her mum did whilst she was in Korea.
She finds her mum's old friends, a potential step-brother and a potential ex-lover. This was important to Kitty as her mum passed away when she was young and she wanted to feel connected to her. Throughout the series, learning about her mum helps Kitty learn about herself as she tries to get through the twists and turns she faces at the Korean Independent School of Seoul. She finds she has a lot in common with her mum, including her values and bravery.
Season 2 incoming!
XO, Kitty has been renewed for Season 2! It was very interesting to see a Korean spin on a popular franchise, To All The Boys I've Loved Before and I'm sure the next season will be full of more surprises. It will also be interesting to follow Kitty on her journey of self-discovery.
I think this is a great teenage rom-com with light-hearted views on LGBTQIA+, family, academia and relationships. Being a teenager is not easy! There may be a lot to learn as Kitty pushes through the whirlwind.
