Oh, Kitty (Anna Cathcart), what kind of chaos have you gotten yourself into this time? It’s her final year at KISS, and she’s ready to cross everything off her Senior Sunset list (yes, of course Kitty has a list). That includes making some unforgettable memories with her friends, bonding with her extended family in Korea, and also defining her relationship with Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee). All while trying to pass her midterms and apply for college. Except we all know what happens to the best laid plans, right?!
It’s not just Kitty who has a lot going on this year: Yuri (Gia Kim) finds herself fallen from grace after her family’s scandal, and must work hard to rebuild her future. Dae (Minyeong Choi) is busy helping his dad launch a new restaurant venture, while considering his own dreams. Eunice’s (Han Bi Ryu) star power is on the rise, and she’s facing an enormous amount of pressure and media attention.
Juliana (Regan Aliyah) and Praveena (Sasha Bhasin) navigate how their relationship fits into the complicated friendship group dynamic. Q (Anthony Keyvan) finds himself caught between a secret and some tension when an old classmate comes back to KISS. Kitty’s cousin, Jiwon (Hojo Shin), also joins KISS as a staff member, giving Kitty more chances to connect (and perhaps more scrutiny).
XO, Kitty is back for more rom-com shenanigans, growing ever more tangled by the second. It’s much more enjoyable when you stop trying to make sense of some of the KISS crew’s decisions, and instead focus on the very real, very intense emotions that come from high school life and first love. Scored by a glorious alt-pop soundtrack—the hold the TATB franchise has over our playlists is unmatched—XO, Kitty S3 is a hot mess in all the best ways.
Anna Cathcart remains brilliant in her blend of comedic timing and endearing charm as Kitty. Even when Kitty makes some huge blunders, you’ll still find yourself rooting for her, and watching her figure out how to fix things is a huge part of that. Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho and Gia Kim as Yuri, in particular, get their chances to shine this season, capturing your emotions in different but equally striking ways.
The writing ebbs and flows between soap opera dramatics and fun rom-com tropes, reeling your attention back in every time with heartfelt moments of joy and love. This is definitely a binge-worthy show where the sensationalized hooks will keep you hitting next episode, but the best moments come when the season takes a breath and allows the bonds of romance and friendship to take center stage.
If you’ve come this far with our girl Kitty Song Covey, there’s no doubt you’ll have a good time with XO, Kitty S3; even if things sometimes get a little too soapy, there’s still a whole lotta fun, feels, and fabulousness to enjoy.
Rating: B
Level of Enthusiasm: 100%
