As someone who’s read (and loved) all the books and watched all the films in the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” series by Jenny Han, I was surprised and excited when it was announced that Kitty, the younger sister of Lara Jean from the original series, would be getting her own spin-off series. Of course, there’s always the fear when a filmed adaptation becomes independent from the original books that it won’t quite be up to par — see “Game of Thrones” seasons seven and eight — but “XO, Kitty” manages to be a fresh and dynamic installment in the series while keeping the heart and spirit of Han’s original story.
The show follows Katherine, or Kitty, Song-Covey (played by Anna Cathcart) as she studies abroad for her junior year of high school to be with her long-distance boyfriend Dae and follows in her mother’s footsteps by attending the same school she did. The prestigious fictional South Korean boarding school is called KISS, or the Korean Independent School of Seoul — a very aptly named setting for this rom-com. In typical “To All the Boys” fashion, once Kitty arrives at KISS she is presented with a few nasty secrets and surprises, not only about her relationship with Dae, but also about her mother’s past. And once school begins, Kitty is thrust into an environment where she constantly finds herself in the middle of most of the KISS drama — and the drama is juicy.
The multilayered subplots in “XO, Kitty” and the many romantic relationships in the show are what truly makes the series shine. In this first season, Kitty has not one, not two, but three love interests, and her relationships with them are all complex and intimate in their own ways. Love triangles, or squares in this case, can be pretty annoying, but in this case it was handled quite delicately and comes off very natural. I found that each serves to help Kitty grow as an individual and blossom in new ways. Other relationships are depicted similarly, with characters learning from each other and growing together.
Also, it wouldn’t be Kitty’s show without seeing her matchmaking skills put to use, which was the catalyst of the first “To All the Boys” movie when she sets up Peter and Lara Jean (who are still together by the way, it’s confirmed!). And, while the matches she makes this season seemingly hit it off, she can never quite seem to get it right herself.
Something I really appreciated about the relationships in “XO, Kitty” was the depiction of LGBTQ+ relationships and the representation of queerness in the show. As it takes place in Seoul, queer relationships in the show are handled delicately, as South Korea is less accepting of the LGBTQ+ community than in the United States and thus a few characters feel the need to hide their relationship status from their peers at KISS. This is addressed multiple times in the show; but, in spite of this, the queer relationships in “XO, Kitty” are celebrated and centered. Queerness and figuring out one’s sexuality is treated as a part of growing up and is depicted in such a natural, wholesome way — something Han is known for in her novels and shows. At multiple points while watching, I had to rub my cheeks because I was smiling so hard. The show really is that endearing.
So if you’re still getting over those end-of-the-semester blues and looking for something sweet and exciting to start summer off right, Netflix’s “XO, Kitty” is cute, queer and the perfect light binge for a cozy day in.