XO, Kitty Grows Up In Its Entertaining, Ensemble-Focused Second Season
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
Growing up is hard to do, which is probably why there are so many television shows about the specific emotional ups and downs of teenage life. But the best of them grow with their characters, changing as they do and reflecting their shifting understanding of who they are. Netflix’s XO, Kitty began as a trope-y spin-off of the popular To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise, a follow-up focused on Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart), the matchmaking younger sister of OG lead Laura Jean (Lana Condor). Its first season was colorful and fun, if somewhat insubstantial, delighting in indulging familiar tropes from romance and K-dramas. But like its heroine, the show has grown up a bit as it faces its second semester.
XO, Kitty returns from its almost two-year hiatus a more confident and self-assured creation, without losing any of the sheer fun that animated its characters. Season 2 jettisons some of the more childish elements (the frequent slapstick comedy) that plagued its first season in favor of leaning more firmly into the series’ ensemble feel and complicating the relationships between its characters in new and interesting ways. Supporting characters are allowed to step more fully into the spotlight, the size of Kitty’s friend group increases, and the show doubles down on the idea that relationships—both romantic and otherwise—come in many shades of gray. It’s a surprisingly realistic approach for a teen drama: Not every crush works out and not every romance is meant to be forever. But these experiences are key parts of this formative period of young adult life—when you’re not only figuring out who you are, but what kind of person you want to be.
Season 2 picks up a month or so after the chaotic events of the first season finale. Kitty’s back at KISS for her second semester, determined to give herself a fresh start. She’ll set aside her unresolved feelings for Yuri (Gina Kim), get back to being friends with Dae (Minyeong Choi), and ignore the awkwardness with former suitemate Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee), who confessed his love for her on the plane home for winter break. Instead, she’ll hang out with bestie Q (Sasha Bhasin), dedicate herself to her studies, and focus on what she came to Seoul to do, connect with her Korean heritage, and learn more about her mother, who died before Kitty was really old enough to remember her. Things certainly start off promisingly in that regard, with the discovery of a school time capsule from the year in which Eve Song attended and a letter that promises to change her understanding of her family forever.
But Kitty’s hardly the only KISS student dealing with the ups and downs of growing up. In the wake of the scandal that rocked the school at the end of last season, Min Ho’s father, Mr. Moon (Philippe Lee), swoops in to save the day with a massive donation. A successful entertainment manager but not a candidate for dad of the year, Mr. Moon winds up teaching several arts-based classes, in which both Dae and Eunice (Han Bi Ryu) excel. His presence complicates things for Min Ho, who longs for the approval of the father who has always treated him as an afterthought, particularly in comparison to his superstar son Joon Ho (Peniel). Elsewhere, Yuri is back together with Juliana (Regan Aliyah), who is now a student at KISS herself and seems uneasy about Kitty’s closeness with her girlfriend. Season 2 also introduces some new faces to round out the central squad, including Kitty’s mysterious new roommate Stella (Audrey Huynh); Q’s uber-competitive track teammate Jin (Joshua Lin), and snarky American classmate Praveena (Sasha Bhasin).
To be fair, some of the season’s subplots are weaker than others. Anything involving the arts classes theoretically being “taught” by Min Ho’s father is fairly ridiculous, as is the competition he ultimately stages for those enrolled in his voice class. A key central mystery, while fun to watch unfold, wraps up incredibly quickly and wildly conveniently. More than one major problem is solved simply because Min Ho is rich. And Kitty’s love life—or lack thereof—is still a major part of the story, for both good and ill. But while you may occasionally find yourself rolling your eyes at her ability to get in her own way and/or unintentionally cause drama, the show is remarkably thoughtful in the way it portrays and prioritizes the various relationships between and among Kitty and her friend group.
Yes, these kids often behave selfishly, lie, or keep secrets when they should just tell the truth. But they also hear one another out when they’ve done something hurtful, apologize for mistakes and bad behavior, and show up when it matters most, even if some of them might not technically be speaking to one another at the time. It’s true, there are more romances than ever in Season 2’s eight episodes (all of which were available to screen for critics), but XO, Kitty is determinedly forthright about the fact that the show’s most important relationships are always the friendships at its center.
Cathcart remains incredibly charming as Kitty, infusing the character with an effervescent charm, plenty of heart, and a fierce loyalty to those she cares about, even when they don’t necessarily deserve it. As her search for answers about her family history continues, Season 2 gives her more emotional material to play—she’s a gorgeous crier!—and while many of the questions raised have surprisingly easy answers, they’re no less satisfying to watch.
Kim’s Yuri doesn’t have nearly enough to do this time around, and an unfortunate amount of her arc this season—especially as concerns her relationship with her mother—takes place off-screen. (Though Kim gets some stellar scenes toward the end of the season that almost make up for it.) Instead, it is Lee who gets the chance to shine this season as Min Ho confronts his difficult relationship with his father, embarks on a new romance, and navigates the awkwardness still lingering with both Dae and Kitty as a result of his airplane confession last season. Lee’s warm chemistry with Cathcart remains an absolute delight and their scenes together are still some of the most authentic and compelling in the show.
With breezy episodes that clock in around half an hour each and a continued dedication to taking the emotional beats of young adult life seriously, XO, Kitty’s second season feels like a natural next step for both the show and its characters. Though multiple connections to the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before Franchise still exist, the show has grown into its own identity. Its final episode wraps up many of the season’s primary stories, but leaves several key emotional and plot threads worth exploring should Netflix decide to greenlight a third season. Given how much fun spending this semester with Kitty and her friends was, here’s hoping we get to see their senior year.
XO, Kitty Season 2 premieres Thursday, January 16 on Netflix.
Lacy Baugher Milas is the Books Editor at Paste Magazine, but loves nerding out about all sorts of pop culture. You can find her on Twitter and Bluesky at @LacyMB
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