The third season of "XO, Kitty" has concluded its production run in the vibrant city of Seoul, South Korea, with Netflix unveiling an exciting array of casting updates and behind-the-scenes shuffles. The streaming giant has announced the incorporation of three fresh talents—Sule Thelwell (renowned for "Saint X"), Soy Kim ("Like a French Film, Sorry Not Sorry"), and Christine Hwang ("Law and Order: SVU")—into the ensemble, alongside the elevation of Hojo Shin, who embodies Jiwon, to a series regular status. Moreover, Valentina Garza has stepped into the pivotal role of showrunner for the upcoming season, succeeding Jessica O’Toole, who helmed the second season with great acclaim.
The shift in showrunner position comes as a minor surprise, considering O’Toole was prominently featured in the February announcement heralding the series' renewal, tantalizing fans with hints of what Season 3 had in store. At that time, scripts for the new season were already in the works. Garza, who penned the Season 2 finale, assumed the role of showrunner in the spring, just as production gears were revving up for Season 3 in May, according to insiders.
Thelwell joins as a series regular, portraying Marius, a character with an intriguing past intertwined with Q's (played by Anthony Keyvan) narrative. Kim and Hwang, meanwhile, will recur as Yisoo and Gigi, respectively. For keen-eyed viewers, Marius's name may ring a bell as Q's former roommate, hinting at deeper, untold stories yet to unfold.
Returning favorites include Anna Cathcart as Kitty Song Covey, Minyeong Choi as Dae, Gia Kim as Yuri, Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho, Regan Aliyah as Juliana, alongside Hojo Shin, Peter Thurnwald, Joshua Lee, Sasha Bhasin, Michael K. Lee, Philippe Lee, Jocelyn Shelfo, Han Bi Ryu, and Sunny Oh, reprising their roles with enthusiasm.
Season 2 concluded on a tantalizing note, with Kitty expressing her desire to accompany Min Ho (Lee) as his family embarked on a musical tour for the summer. This hopeful vignette hinted at a potential blossoming romance between the two, after Min Ho confessed his love for Kitty at the Season 1 finale, only to find her recently out of a relationship with Dae (Choi), who had been a key factor in her decision to study abroad in South Korea. Her journey to Korea was initially spurred by burgeoning feelings for Yuri (Kim).
Last season also welcomed new faces such as Sasha Bhasin's Praveena, Philippe Lee's Mr. Moon, and Joshua Lee's Jin, with Noah Centineo making a memorable cameo to offer Kitty a pep talk amidst the season's events.
The renewal of "XO, Kitty" for Season 3 was sweetly timed for Valentine's Day this year, arriving almost a month after Season 2 premiered on Netflix.
