The Cast of 'XO, Kitty': Your Guide
Time to meet (and follow) the stars of the 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' spinoff.
Calling all rom-com fans: It's time to return to the adorable, heart-fluttering world of the To All the Boys I've Loved Before franchise! Netflix has revived the hit series with the brand-new spinoff show XO, Kitty, following everyone's favorite matchmaker, the youngest Song Covey sister, Kitty. The new series is everything you expect from the descendant of one of the buzziest rom-coms of the past decade, as the charming show presents an international take on high school love.
The new series created by book author Jenny Han takes place four years after To All the Boys: Always and Forever, which saw 12-year-old Kitty begin a sweet long-distance romance with Dae, a boy she met during the Song Coveys' family vacation to Seoul, Korea. Through a series of star-crossed coincidences, Kitty gets the chance to attend the elite Korean Independent School of Seoul, where she'll join Dae and bring their relationship IRL for their junior year. Of course, there will be plenty of romantic drama and intrigue as Kitty adjusts to her new adventure on a whole other continent.
For the series filmed primarily in Seoul, Han has tapped a cast of up-and-coming actors from the worlds of American television, Korean dramas, and even international theatre. Read on to meet (and follow) the cast of XO, Kitty.
Anna Cathcart as Kitty Song Covey
Kitty is 16 years old when we catch up with her in the spinoff, and still living in Portland with her dad and stepmom. She's been virtual pals with Dae since they met at age 12, and the pair are now in a committed long-distance relationship. All of that changes when Kitty gets the chance to attend KISS, where she'll learn more about both her deceased mother and her adoring boyfriend.
Cathcart has played Kitty since the first To All the Boys film came out in 2018. The 19-year-old actress has also starred in the PBS Kids series Odd Squad, and the Disney films Descendants 2 and 3, as well as appearing in a short role on the ABC series Once Upon a Time.
Instagram: @annacathcart
Minyeong Choi as Dae Heon Kim
Dae and Kitty have been long-distance dating since they met at Namsan Tower four years ago. The Seoul native is now one of the top students at KISS and completely devoted to Kitty, but taking a relationship from online to IRL can bring a lot of drama.
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Choi got his start as a child actor in stage musicals and several beloved K-dramas, including W: Two Worlds Apart, Strong Woman Do Bong-soon, Chicago Typewriter, Mr. Sunshine, and Itaewon Class. The 20-year-old most recently starred in Twenty-Five Twenty-One as Baek Yi-jin's younger brother Yi-hyun.
Instagram: @choi_minyeong
Gia Kim as Yuri Han
KISS queen bee and social media star Yuri is the daughter of a successful CEO and the principal of the school. She's a magnet for paparazzi and is used to putting on a show of perfection, even when her family and romantic lives are in turmoil.
XO Kitty is Kim's first major role. The actress previously appeared in stage productions in Beijing, Seoul, and Los Angeles.
Instagram: @thisisgiakim
Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho
Wealthy and privileged Min-ho seems cold and bratty on the surface, but he's fiercely loyal to his friends and family, including his longtime friend Dae. He doesn't have the best reaction when Kitty shows up and becomes changing the dynamics of his friend group.
26-year-old Lee is making his acting debut in XO Kitty. The Korea-born, Hong Kong-raised actor is next set to appear in the action film Gran Turismo later this summer. (Also fun fact, he and his co-star Gia Kim are real-life siblings!!)
Instagram: @sangheonleesh
Anthony Keyvan as Quincy "Q" Shabazian
Q (above, left) is an international student at KISS and one of Dae's best friends, though he quickly becomes confidants with fellow American Kitty. He's also one of the few openly gay students at the school.
22-year-old Keyvan was born in Orange County, CA, and started his career as a child actor. The TV veteran has appeared in shows including iCarly, Grey's Anatomy, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, NCIS, and Fresh Off the Boat. He recently starred in the HBO Max series Genera+ion and the Hulu series Love, Victor.
Instagram: @anthonykeyvan
Théo Augier as Florian
Florian (above, right) is another international student at KISS, who struggles with balancing his personal life with his studies.
Augier grew up in Athens, Greece, and moved to Paris at age 18 to pursue acting. He has appeared in several French-language projects, including teen series Grown Ups and Endless Night.
Instagram: @theo.augierbonaventure
Jocelyn Shelfo as Madison
Madison is a new student at KISS this year, joining the school thanks to her parents, who are working on a business deal with Yuri's father. The teen also is a huge K-pop fan (to a sometimes cringey effect).
This is Shelfo's second time working with Jenny Han, as she previously appeared in the creator's TV adaptation of The Summer I Turned Pretty. According to her LinkedIn profile, she's a current student at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. The actress next set to appear alongside Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore in the Todd Haynes film May December.
Instagram: @jocelyn.shelfo
Yunjin Kim as Jina Lim
Jina Lim (above, right) is the principal of KISS and Yuri's mom. The administrator is an alum of the school, who attended at the same time as Kitty's mom.
Kim is a Korean-American actress who starred in all six seasons of Lost and the ABC soap Mistresses. She also appeared in several hit Korean movies, including Shiri, Ardor, Seven Days, and Ode to My Father. Most recently, she starred as negotiator Seon Woo-jin in the Netflix remake Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area.
Regan Aliyah as Juliana
Playing Yuri's best friend Juliana, Aliyah is an LA-based rapper and actress, who previously appeared in the TV miniseries Club Mickey Mouse and various shorts. Next up, the 23-year-old will appear alongside Dominique Thorne in the Disney+ MCU series Ironheart.
Instagram: @reganaliyah
Peter Thurnwald as Alex Finnerty
Alex (above, right) is the friendly new chemistry teacher at KISS, who just moved to Seoul from Melbourne, Australia. He and Kitty quickly bond over adjusting to the new environment at the boarding school.
Thurnwald grew up in Australia and began studying acting after working as a featured extra on several films, including Kong: Skull Island and Thor: Ragnarok. He's best known for appearing on the Australian series Bump, the Paramount+ series Players, and NBC's Young Rock.
Instagram: @peterthurnwald
Michael K. Lee as Professor Lee
The fictional Professor Lee is a long-time KISS teacher and much more stern when it comes to disciplining his students. His sky-high expectations give Kitty a rough wake-up call about the different standards between KISS and her US high school.
The real-life Lee is a stage and screen actor born in the U.S. who now resides in Seoul. He's best known for his work in musical theater, including roles in productions of Miss Saigon, Pacific Overtures, Rent, and Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as his supporting role in the fantasy drama A Korean Odyssey.
Instagram: @michaelkleeofficial
John Corbett as Dan Covey; Saraya Blue as Trina
Corbett (above, left) returns as Kitty's loving and supportive father Dan. In addition to the To All the Boys trilogy, the actor's best known for his roles in Northern Exposure, The United States of Tara, the My Big Fat Greek Wedding films, and Sex in the City. He's next set to reprise the role of Aidan Shaw in the second season of And Just Like That... this June.
Blue (above, right) also returns as Trina, the Coveys' neighbor who later joined the family as Dan's wife and the girls' stepmom. She's starred in several movies and shows, including NBC's I Feel Bad, Apple TV+'s The Shrink Next Door, and Netflix's Never Have I Ever.
Lee Hyung-chul as Mr. Han
Yuri's father is a successful businessman and head of a hotel chain, who demands perfection from both his daughter and his wife, Jina. He's played by Lee, a South Korean actor who's known for his appearing in several dramas, including Scent of Man, Sisters of the Sea, On Air, City Hall, War of the Roses, and Good For You. He also played Henry Higgins in a production of the stage musical My Fair Lady.
Lee Sung-wook as Mr. Kim
Dae's caring father (above, left), who works as a driver for the Han family, is played by South Korean actor Lee. The K-drama and film veteran has appeared in recent dramas including Misty, Forecasting Love and Weather, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, and Decoy. He also had supporting roles in two Netflix original dramas: The Silent Sea and Black Knight.
Han Chae-young as Dami
Min Ho's mother Dami happens to be an international movie star, who makes time to video-call her son while she’s filming a movie in LA. The supporting role is played by Han, a familiar face to fans of classic K-dramas including Autumn in My Heart, Sassy Girl Chun-hyang, Only You, and My Girl. The 42-year-old (who's been nicknamed "Barbie Doll of Korea") most notably appeared in the Hallyu hit Boys Over Flowers.
Taecyeon as Ocean Park
In a mid-season surprise, 2PM member Taecyeon makes a brief cameo as Ocean Park, Madison's favorite idol, during a KISS camping trip. The 34-year-old idol and actor debuted as the main rapper of 2PM in 2008, followed by his acting debut in 2010. His best-known acting credits include the dramas Dream High; Bring It On, Ghost; Save Me; Vincenzo; and Secret Royal Inspector & Joy.
Instagram: @taecyeonokay
Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar, where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost, The A.V. Club, Elle, Vulture, Salon, Teen Vogue, and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama, recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.
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