KISS AND TELL

HIGH SCHOOL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BREEDING GROUND FOR DRAMA, BUT SEASON THREE OF XO, KITTY, SET IN THE FICTIONAL KOREAN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF SEOUL, MAY DELIVER THE MOST EMOTIONALLY CHARGED STORYLINES YET. IN WHAT PROVES TO BE THEIR MOST CHALLENGING YEAR, FAR BEYOND ACADEMICS, PRAVEENA, JIN, AND YURI (PLAYED BY SASHA BHASIN, JOSHUA LEE, AND GIA KIM) ARE FORCED TO CONFRONT THEIR EVOLVING IDENTITIES.

WHILE THE FIRST TWO SEASONS FOCUSED ON ESTABLISHING THE CHARACTERS, THIS THIRD INSTALMENT DIVES DEEPER INTO THEIR PASTS, STRUGGLES, AND PATHS TOWARD SELF-REALISATION. THE RESULT IS A MORE INTIMATE AND LAYERED PORTRAYAL OF EACH CHARACTER’S JOURNEY.

BTB SPOKE WITH THE CAST, WHO, DESPITE THEIR DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND LIFE EXPERIENCES, SHARE A STRONG BOND, MUCH LIKE THE FRIENDSHIPS PORTRAYED ON SCREEN. THEIR TAKEAWAY? IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. EMBRACE YOUR EMOTIONS, RECOGNISE SENSITIVITY AS A STRENGTH, AND LEARN FROM BOTH THE DRAMA AND YOUR MISTAKES. BECAUSE, IN THE END, NOTHING LASTS FOREVER.

From left to right:
Sasha: Full look **MM6**
Gia: Dress **6397**, Vintage underwear, boots Gia’s own
Joshua: Full look **CELINE HOMME**

Hey guys, tell us about where you’re currently calling in from?

Sasha Bhasin: I’m coming in from my favourite place and greatest city in the world, New York City. Living here is so inspiring, surrounded by art and culture makes being an artist a bit easier!

Joshua Lee: I’m calling in from Lima! I’m here for my best friend’s wedding, and I’m heading to Machu Picchu after, so fingers crossed the altitude sickness doesn’t get me.

Gia Kim: I'm currently at my apartment in Los Angeles.

You recently came together for the release of XO, Kitty’s third season earlier this month. What was it like being back on set? Did it feel a bit like a family reunion?

SB: Going back to the set reminds me of starting school after summer vacation. Everyone comes back with such a rejuvenated energy, and we all immediately fall into sync again. It’s such a treat to get to work with folks you actually really love spending time with.

JL: It’s always so good seeing the cast, and I feel like we’re always running into each other in random places all over the world. I see Sasha all the time because we both live in New York, and I FaceTime Gia almost every day. So being back together in person honestly felt like no time had passed.

GK: Yes, we are like family. I've found so many soul tribe members through this show, and that's one of the biggest blessings for me personally.

Left Full look **MM6**
Right Shirt, shorts ans shoes **MM6**, hat **6397**

Between the love triangles, enemies-to-lovers arcs, and hidden pregnancies, which storyline was your personal favourite to watch or film this season?

SB: I loved that there was an almost love triangle with Praveena, Juliana, and Yuri. It’s so rare for interracial sapphic storylines to be depicted on screen.

JL: I love watching Dae and Eunice – they’re so cute. And honestly, anything involving the Yuri-Sasha-Juliana triangle... I want more of that!

GK: Probably biased, but I loved Yuri's storyline. She already had such major life milestones in season one, like coming out to her parents about her sexuality. And in season two, she made mistakes, loved and lost. This season, we have her diving into her personal passion projects and what she is fuelled by outside of her interpersonal relationships.

Let’s be honest, things get pretty messy on this show! With each season, XO, Kitty introduces new hurdles, but there’s a real honesty in how the characters navigate them. How does each of your characters approach problem-solving, and what have you learned from playing them?

SB: Praveena is so mature and knows her worth, so she’s not going to stay in relationships that no longer serve her. I’ve learned a lot about setting boundaries from Praveena, and I always approach playing her with a strong sense of self.

JL: I love how honest Jin is with his emotions. His friendships with Q and Kitty push him to be more present and open. Because of that, he can be very direct, even confrontational at times, and I really admire that about him.

GK: Yuri definitely moves more boldly through the world than she actually feels inside. She puts on a hard front, and she's a "fake it till you make it" type of person. It definitely helps in a lot of situations where she doesn't know where she's going, but still does it anyway. And most times it works out. She bounces back from hurdles and challenges quite quickly, and that's one of her strong suits. I've learned to take up more space through Yuri and just be more unapologetic about who I am.

Jacket and pants **Issey Miyake**, shoes **Asics**

Every season features moments where the friend group truly unites, like the fashion show this season, which brought everyone back together after being so divided. How do these ensemble moments empower your characters, and in what other new contexts would you love to see the whole group team up?

SB: I do feel like when the entire cast gets to come together, like in Busan or at Kitty’s sunrise party, it’s very special, and the message of friendship and growing together comes through. I’d love to see the whole cast graduating. I think a graduation would be so special not only for the characters but for us as actors as well.

JL: That fashion show was so fun to film. Our costume designer absolutely crushed it. We shot it toward the end of production, and even though we were filming late into the night, the energy was so high, and everyone was hyping each other up. I don’t know what the writers might cook up if we get a season four, but I’m down for anything. A summer vacation moment? A heist?

GK: These ensemble moments – although from a logistics sense are the hardest to shoot – are the foundation and gem of this show. It's about friendship and love. I like how we zoom out to see how everything and everyone is interconnected throughout. The power of community is something I'm learning to appreciate in my personal journey, so it feels really aligned. It would be fun to see how they handle friends in conflict as a big group and how they can help navigate the situation. We kind of see this with the boys at the ski cabin, but I would like to see more of that.

Your characters showed a lot of new layers this season: Q and Jin navigating heartbreak and building trust, Yuri rebuilding herself after her family scandals, and Praveena learning that love shouldn’t be forced. How did you navigate portraying these new sides of your characters? Did you have to tap into your own personal vulnerabilities to play these storylines?

SB: Praveena and I have very different approaches to love, and I wish I were more like her in a way. I’ll “date’ em till I hate’ em”, but Praveena doesn’t operate that way, which is so inspiring. I think you shouldn’t have to hit rock bottom with a partner to end a relationship.

GK: Although I haven't gone through exactly what Yuri's gone through, I love that she can still pursue her own path without having all the drama be a hindrance to her. She won't be held back by anything, not even a huge public scandal about her family, which can be crushing, especially for a teen. I love that she got her friends to help her through her journey because that's something I'm personally learning to do more – to ask for help. So that was really healing for me.

Left Dress **6397**, Vintage underwear
Right Full look **Celine Homme**

Fashion plays a central role this season, and each character has a distinct style identity. What does your character’s style represent for you?

JL: Jin’s style especially feels like a reflection of his growing confidence. There’s one look, a “365 party girl” tank, that I was really feeling.

GK: When Yuri was in her earlier “influencer” journey, I’m sure there was a degree of "I have to present a certain way" as her public persona. But in essence, she's a creative person who will express herself in numerous ways. In earlier seasons, fashion and luxury designs may have been an "armour," but I think now it's definitely an outlet for her creative energy.

The show is set in Korea, and you even travelled to Busan for season three. Do you have any favourite local spots to share? Where is the best place for K-BBQ, the most fun karaoke spot, or the best setting for a romantic date?

SB: I’m obsessed with Kyochon (Korean fried chicken). I feel like every time we’re having a cast hang, someone orders a whole bunch, and it’s definitely a highlight for me.

JL: When I have a free day, I’ll just get off at a random subway stop and wander. I find all of Korea so beautiful. One of my favourite memories was filming in the mountains during season two – we found this small restaurant run by an elderly couple who lived there. The table next to us kept insisting we try their food, and that’s where I really felt “Jeong” – that deeper sense of warmth and connection.

GK: There are very few ways you can go wrong with food in Seoul. It's such a competitive place that you'd go bankrupt very soon if the food quality isn't there. There's literally karaoke every two blocks if you go to any food streets, and they're mostly clean and nice. For romantic dates, I'd say I prefer the scenic spots north of the river near the old towns and old palaces for walking around, gallery hopping, and eating.

From left to right:
Sasha: Dress **Vaquera**, hat **Heather Huey**, shoes **Vaquera x Nike**, socks **Calzedonia**
Joshua: Jacket and pants **Issey Miyake**, shoes **Asics**
Gia: Full look **Malene Specht**

Since season one, XO, Kitty has featured queer characters in settings where being queer hasn't always been openly celebrated. With your characters representing Asian queer relationships, how important is it to you to bring this specific representation to the screen?

SB: I think a show like XO, Kitty that is not afraid of depicting queer POC living life, being messy, and having fun is really important. This level of representation didn't exist a few years ago, and on-screen representation matters. I’m so grateful to have been cast in a show that values queer and diverse stories.

GK: Even when I saw the breakdown of characters in the audition, I thought, “Wow, this is amazing. A queer Asian queen bee? That is ICONIC.” I'm not just saying this because I ended up playing her, but I always thought Yuri was going to be iconic because she is not only the first Asian queen bee I'd seen in a major TV show/ film, but also a QUEER Asian queen bee. Even if it wasn't me playing Yuri, I'd have thought the same. The fact that she is this "cool girl" who has this journey of embracing her sexuality and wanting to be accepted for who she is, I hope, makes it easier for other girls who watch her to build the courage to do the same. So yes, VERY IMPORTANT.

From left to right:
Gia: Full look **Malene Specht**
Joshua: Jacket and pants **Issey Miyake**, shoes **Asics**
Sasha: Dress **Vaquera**, hat **Heather Huey**, shoes **Vaquera x Nike**, socks **Calzedonia**

We see a lot of family pressure placed on the characters regarding their futures. Did you experience anything similar growing up, or were your parents always supportive of your choice to pursue acting?

SB: I come from a family that places a really high focus on success and being the best, so pressure is definitely the norm. My family wasn’t necessarily against acting; they just wanted to protect me because the industry can be a dangerous place for kids.

JL: My parents were always supportive as long as I gave something 100%. I feel really lucky in that way. If anything, I put more pressure on myself growing up, and they were actually the ones telling me to slow down and take breaks.

GK: Definitely not. Their parents are war-generation, so my parents had to prioritise stability and security. Even getting higher education was a luxury. So for them, to see their firstborn, who was walking such a studious path, try to turn to the most unstable artistic route must have been very unsettling, and rightfully so, because there are more people who don't make it through the industry than those who do. They just didn't want me pursuing something for nothing. But now obviously they're more than supportive. At the end of the day, they just want me to be happy and be able to take care of myself.

If you look back at your own high school years, which character from the show were you actually the most similar to?

SB: I got in so much trouble in high school, but somehow managed to pull it together enough to get into NYU, so I guess Kitty?

JL: I am most similar to Dae! I studied a lot, loved to sing and dance, and I was always just vibing and helping my parents at their dry cleaners.

GK: Maybe Dae? Because I put a lot of pressure on myself to be an A-student and took part in all the things that would look good on my university admissions resumé. I was class president, and was in like ten different clubs and teams.

Season three dives deeper into K-Culture by exploring idol life and scandal management. XO, Kitty does a great job of merging Korean and Western cultures for a global audience. How do you think the show successfully strikes that balance without feeling like a critique of either culture?

SB: The show manages to pull off this balancing act because it’s based on the reality of so many of us who juggle our heritage with our current national identities. I think Kitty exploring her Korean heritage with a true curiosity is a big part of that balance because it allows her to fully embody who she is – a Korean American!
GK: I think it's easy to portray one side of any industry or culture, and sure, there's light and dark in everything. But because this is a more light-hearted YA show, the writers did a really good job of balancing and mixing the darker flaws of humanity with the levity and innocence that come with coming-of-age stories.

We’ve had some amazing cameos and guest stars throughout the series, from LJ and Margot to BTOB’s Peniel and Ahin from Momoland. Who would be your absolute dream guest star for season four?

SB: I’d love for Charli XCX to be on next season. I know she’s not related to the world at all, I just really love her.

GK: As a millennial, I'd have to say it'd be AMAZING to get a member of Big Bang or 2NE1 on our show.

Left Dress **Vaquera**, hat **Heather Huey**, shoes **Vaquera x Nike**, socks **Calzedonia**
Right Jacket and pants **Issey Miyake**, shoes **Asics**

The season ends on a cliffhanger with Minho and Kitty flying to Portland together. So far, the core group has only been together in Korea. Could we see the cast travelling internationally next season? If so, what is your dream destination for the characters?

SB: I’d love to see some sort of senior trip to Bali or maybe Tokyo? They do go to a fancy private school, and I know private schools don’t play around about senior trips.

JL: A dream destination would be Brazil. I don’t know how this may fit in the storyline, but selfishly, I just really want to go to Brazil. So I guess this is more of a dream destination for me.

GK: Yuri definitely wants to go to Reykjavik, Iceland. Maybe that's her next story for pursuing music alongside fashion.