The neon lights of Seoul flicker against the night sky, K-pop beats pulse through crowded streets, and Kitty Song Covey stands at a crossroads that could shatter everything she’s built. Netflix has just dropped an exclusive preview clip for XO, Kitty Season 3, and it’s already sending shockwaves through the fandom. In a dimly lit family moment that feels ripped from the most emotional K-drama, Kitty—played with heartbreaking vulnerability by Anna Cathcart—freezes as her father, Dan Covey, delivers a line that changes everything: the decision about her future in Korea is no longer hers to make.

“She waited. She hesitated. And then her father made the decision for her.” These words, whispered in the preview’s haunting voiceover, encapsulate the darker, more mature chapter awaiting fans when Season 3 premieres in early 2026. This isn’t the bubbly, love-letter-sending Kitty from To All the Boys. This is a young woman grappling with independence, family expectations, cultural identity, and the agonizing pull between her American roots and the life she’s fallen in love with in Seoul.

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The preview, released quietly on Netflix’s social channels just before the holidays, opens with sweeping shots of Kitty back at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS) for her senior year. But the joy of reunion quickly gives way to tension. After the explosive Season 2 finale—where Kitty finally confessed her feelings to Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee) and asked him to “wait” over summer—the new season picks up with the consequences of that slow-burn romance colliding head-on with reality.

Anna Cathcart, now 22 and more confident than ever in the role that launched her into stardom, brings a new depth to Kitty. “This season is about growing up,” Cathcart shared in a recent Tudum interview. “Kitty has always been the matchmaker, the optimist who believes in grand gestures. But now she’s facing choices that don’t have easy happy endings. Freedom versus family. Love versus obligation. It’s messy, and it’s real.”

The pivotal scene teased in the preview centers on a family video call gone wrong. Kitty, surrounded by her friends at KISS, hesitates when discussing her plans post-graduation. She’s thriving in Seoul—deepening her connection with Min Ho, navigating complicated dynamics with Yuri (Gia Kim) and Dae (Choi Min-yeong), and exploring her Korean heritage more profoundly than ever. But back home in Portland, her father Dan (John Corbett, reprising his role from the To All the Boys films) and sisters Lara Jean and Margot sense her drifting further away.

In the clip, Dan’s voice is gentle but firm: “We’ve given you this incredible opportunity, Kitty. But it’s time to think about coming home. College applications, family… your future is here.” Kitty’s face crumples—she waits for the right words, hesitates as tears well up, and then the screen cuts to black as Dan makes the call: pulling her back to America.

Fans are already spiraling. “This is NOT the fluffy rom-com anymore,” one viral tweet reads, with over 100,000 likes. “Kitty losing her freedom in Seoul? Min Ho heartbreak incoming? I’m not ready!” Another theorizes a potential crossover: “What if Lara Jean flies to Seoul to fight for Kitty’s dreams? We NEED a Covey sisters reunion!”

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Creator Jenny Han, who remains deeply involved as executive producer, has promised that Season 3 will lean into “darker, more emotional territory” while preserving the show’s signature charm. “Kitty’s journey has always been about discovering who she is beyond her family’s shadow,” Han said. “In Season 3, that shadow looms larger than ever. Her father’s decision forces her to confront what she’s willing to fight for—and what she’s willing to lose.”

The romance isn’t sidelined. The slow-burn between Kitty and Min Ho—#MoonCovey to the shippers—takes center stage. Sang Heon Lee teases “electric tension” as Min Ho grapples with his own family pressures. “Min Ho has walls built high,” Lee hints. “But Kitty is the one person who makes him want to tear them down. When her world starts crumbling, he’ll have to decide how far he’s willing to go.”

Meanwhile, Yuri’s arc explores self-acceptance and new beginnings, with Gia Kim delivering what insiders call her most powerful performance yet. Q (Anthony Keyvan) navigates long-distance drama, while new characters add fresh chaos: Marius (Sule Thelwell), Yisoo (Soy Kim), and Gigi (Christine Hwang) promise rivalries, alliances, and unexpected romances.

Filming wrapped in Seoul this past July, capturing the city’s vibrant energy one last time for Kitty’s senior year. The cast’s behind-the-scenes videos show tears, laughter, and heartfelt goodbyes—mirroring the emotional rollercoaster ahead. “This season broke us in the best way,” Cathcart posted on Instagram alongside wrap photos.

Visually, Season 3 promises to be the most stunning yet. From sun-soaked summer escapades (yes, the show finally dives into a full summer episode) to rain-drenched confessions under Seoul’s skyscrapers, cinematography elevates the stakes. Costume designer Shirley Kurata evolves Kitty’s wardrobe: bolder colors symbolizing confidence, mixed with nostalgic pieces echoing her Portland roots.

At its core, XO, Kitty has always been about the messiness of young love and self-discovery. But Season 3 raises the question: What happens when dreams collide with reality? When the people who love you most make choices that limit your wings?

The preview ends on a gut-punch cliffhanger: Kitty alone on a Seoul rooftop, phone in hand, staring at a plane ticket home. Voiceover: “Some decisions aren’t yours to make. But how you fight them… that’s what defines you.”

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As the early 2026 premiere approaches (rumored for March), anticipation is at fever pitch. Will Kitty defy her father and stay in Seoul? Will Min Ho become her reason to fight? Or will she return home, forever changed?

One thing is certain: this isn’t just another semester at KISS. It’s the moment Kitty Song Covey stops waiting and starts choosing her own path—even if it means breaking hearts along the way, including her own.

The chaos queen is evolving. And we’re all here for the heartbreak, the hope, and the inevitable happy-ish ending that only Kitty could orchestrate.

Get ready to XO even harder. Season 3 is going to change everything.