After nearly two years since the first season’s release, everyone’s favorite matchmaker returns in XO, Kitty Season 2. The new season, which premiered on Netflix on Jan. 16, follows Kitty as she returns to KISS after a turbulent, to say the least, semester. In Season 2, Kitty continues to navigate budding love interests, figuring out her mother’s history while she was a student, and dealing with friend drama, all while trying to stay focused on school to keep her scholarship — talk about challenges. Kitty also comes across some new faces in Season 2, including Joon Ho, Min Ho’s older half-brother.
Unlike other new characters in the season, Joonho does not appear until the end of the season and is only referenced in passing by Min Ho or their father, Mr. Moon. It isn’t until the season finale that we find out who plays Joon Ho, and it’s none other than K-pop artist Peniel. If you’re a newer K-pop stan, you might not know who Peniel is, but if you’re a huge fan like me, you definitely recognized him right away. For those who are unfamiliar, Peniel is a Korean-American lead rapper and vocalist who’s part of the K-pop boy group BTOB, but that’s not all the singer is known for. Don’t worry, I did some internet sleuthing to pinpoint where you might recognize Peniel.
Peniel is a part of the Boy Group BTOB
Before becoming an actor, Peniel was recognized for a role similar to his character Joon Ho in XO, Kitty. Unlike Joon Ho, who is a solo artist, Peniel began his career as a member of the boy group BTOB. The 3rd gen boy band debuted in March 2012 under the Korean entertainment company Cube. Aside from Peniel, the group currently consists of five other members: Eunkwang, Minhyuk, Changsub, Hyunsik, and Sungjae. The group is noted for its powerful vocals and fusion of ballad, dance, pop, and electronic sounds. If you want to add a song from them to your playlists, I recommend listening to their debut single “Insane” and their 2018 track “Beautiful Pain.”
After 11 years with Cube Entertainment, all of the members left the agency in November 2023 and did not renew their contracts, but the group has yet to split completely.
Peniel is also a podcast host on Dive Studios
While several BTOB members participated in their mandatory military service, Peniel, who did not have to serve due to his American citizenship, was featured in a variety of television appearances. In February 2020, he appeared as a guest on the content channel, Dive Studios, which was created by Eric Nam. Nam, a K-pop soloist, founded Dive Studios, an LA-based media company, alongside his brothers Brian and Eddie. The content channel focuses on the K-pop genre and includes a mix of podcasts, interview segments, variety shows, and games that explore K-pop through a global lens.
In July 2020, Peniel became a Dive Studios host, co-hosting the podcast GET REAL with fellow K-pop artists BM of co-ed group KARD and Ashley Choi of girl group Ladies’ Code. In Season 2, GET REAL added singer/songwriter JUNNY as a co-host on the podcast. According to the series’s Spotify description, the show functions as “a place for these close friends to open up about all the ups and downs of work, love, and adulthood from their perspective.” The show accomplishes just that, offering advice, spilling some major tea, and even featuring some celebrity guests along the way. GET REAL‘s fourth season wrapped in December 2024, and I can’t wait for its return.
I hope to see more of Peniel in a potential Season 3 of XO, Kitty, and maybe even more K-pop stars as special guests!