Jenny Han’s XO Kitty returns for its third season with its awkward romance, and exaggerated high school drama that makes it such a cringey guilty pleasure. As a spin off of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, XO Kitty brings out the signature teenage cringey charm — love triangles, awkward confrontations and moments so cheesy that they somehow become entertaining.
Season 3 picks up during the final months before Kitty’s senior year at K.I.S.S., where after a summer of comforting big sister Lara Jean during a rough patch with Peter Kavinsky, she is determined to make the most of her final year by following her Sunset bucket list. Between planning for college (specifically her dream of attending NYU just like Lara Jean), strengthening her connection to her grandmother’s part of the family (including Kitty’s determination to speak in fluent Korean with her halmoni) and defining her relationship with Min Ho, Kitty quickly becomes overwhelmed. As always, the season spirals into drama.
Kitty’s academic pressure takes an interesting turn as one of the classes she’s required to take to graduate is taught by her cousin Jiwon and quickly becomes one of her worst nightmares. Along with the academic pressure, the season follows Kitty as she balances family expectations and relationships that are constantly shifting. Her romance with Min Ho blossoms from prolonged awkwardness into an official relationship. However, misunderstandings and insecurities create a distance between the two lovebirds. That being said, the friend group faces their own conflicts, from Q and Jin’s struggles that take shape due to the special appearance of an old friend, to Yuri’s journey of rebuilding herself after losing her wealth and status. The new characters add lots of chaos, giving the season the XO Kitty feel, with drama arising from start to finish.
The season succeeds in doing what XO Kitty does best – delivering cringey rom-com moments and payoffs. Its biggest strength is the long-awaited romance between Kitty and Min ho, as the couple has had quite a large fanbase since 2023 (including me). Their relationship gives the season its heart, and keeps viewers emotionally invested. The pacing keeps the story engaging, and there is almost never a dull moment. Every episode introduces new conflicts and misunderstandings that make the plot twists more interesting.However, this season leans too much into romance, even for my taste. The relationships and romance come at the expense of stronger substance and character growth. Overall, I give it a 4 out of 5.
