‘XO, Kitty’: The Spinoff That Stands On Its Own
"XO, Kitty" is of its own and presents to be completely different from the "To All the Boys" series. It's the perfect mix of messy and engaging.
(Park Young-Sol via Netflix)
The modern teen rom-com world continues to be dominated by Jenny Han with Netflix's new series "XO, Kitty."
The 10-episode series is a spinoff of Han's "To All the Boys" book series and focuses on Laura Jean Covey's little sister Kitty, played by Anna Cathcart. She leaves for Seoul, South Korea to be with her long-distance boyfriend of three years and connect with her late mother.
"XO, Kitty" is filmed as a Korean drama with slow-motion effects, close-ups and pauses, appropriate background music, and of course, excessive drama.
Kitty is grown up in the show, and her character comes to life. She and the other characters go through the trials of being in high school, experiencing their first love, and figuring themselves out.
Kitty gets to attend the international school her boyfriend, Dae, attends and where her mom went when she was her age. While attending this school, she deals with the reality of being lied to and not knowing who her boyfriend is, connecting with who her mom was and her Korean culture, and exploring friendships and her sexual identity.
Other characters in the series, like Yuri and Dae, have their own challenges. Yuri, played by Gia Kim, deals with being honest about her sexuality while coping with her imperfect family. Dae's character, played by Minyeong Choi, centers on getting into a messy situation that affects his relationship, dealing with his mom's passing, and money challenges.
The first season is filled with endless storylines and love triangles and ends on that same note. It feels all over the place since there are so many twists and turns, but it fits its genre type.
"XO, Kitty" is of its own and presents to be completely different from the "To All the Boys" series. It's the perfect mix of messy and engaging.