Say what you want about XO, Kitty, but there is one thing people cannot deny: it’s pretty entertaining.

If you’re a rom-com film lover, you’ve probably watched To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. And if you were a fan of that film, then you’ve at least heard of the spin-off series XO, Kitty, which follows Kitty Song Covey (Lara Jean’s younger sister, played by Anna Cathcart). In season 1, Kitty moves to South Korea to study in the same school her late mother attended, the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS), and to be closer to her Korean boyfriend, who also studies at KISS.

The second season has aired, and it is filled with even more clichés and romance than the first season. It is positively cringey, relying on played-out romance tropes and the beauty of the Hallyu Wave.

And yet, I loved every second of it.

Yes, ‘XO, Kitty’ is cringe

(Netflix)

Spoilers ahead for XO, Kitty season 2.

I can understand why people say XO, Kitty is cringe. In fact, I agree. The story makes use of tropes we’ve all seen before: love triangles, hidden identities, and extremely attractive students who are also friends and attending the same boarding school. All of that with K-pop blasting in the background? It’s like a Koreaboo’s fantasy.

People have also pointed out that Kitty herself is a cringey character. She’s meant to come off as cute and quirky, but instead, she often appears arrogant and overly confident. She meddles in other people’s lives, thinking she’s making everything better, but only makes issues worse. She comes off as pushy, which can definitely be more annoying than endearing.

Others think the show paints an unrealistic portrayal of South Korea. The show barely scratches the surface of what it means to be in Korea, and this is because most of the show is set within the premises of KISS, an international boarding school. The series also has many South Korean characters speaking in English, even sometimes with each other, as it is an English show with a majority international cast.

I agree; XO, Kitty could have used a few more episodes to flesh out Kitty getting in touch with her Korean heritage as she searches for her mom (Kitty’s journey for her family’s truth is one of the best parts of the show). Instead, the story tends to focus on her many situationships, especially between Yuri, Min Ho, Dae, and Praveena.

And yet, the cringe works

(Netflix)

Normally speaking, this level of cringe would cause me to switch shows, yet I remained seated for both seasons of XO, Kitty. Thankfully, the show doesn’t take itself too seriously; that’s why it leans so heavily into these cliché tropes. In fact, these tropes are meant to mix what we see in Western shows and K-dramas, making them relatable to fans of both genres.

XO, Kitty is a show that allows viewers to escape from their regular lives and immerse themselves in the lives of the KISS students. Despite the cliché tropes, there are genuinely heartwarming scenes between the cast members, like when Kitty and Yuri discover a tape filmed by the former’s mom when she was a teen, or when Min Ho embraces Kitty in the rain as she grieves over her failed attempt at reconnecting with her family. The show provides romantic escapism with heart-fluttering moments; knowing who to cheer for is tough.

Kitty’s character can be pushy, yes, but it’s not hard to understand why. She’s a hormonal teenager trying to juggle her studies, friendships, and love life, all while trying to find out more about her mother and family in South Korea. She tries to remedy every issue she causes, and while she does succeed at times, there are also instances where she messes up. Kitty also gets into trouble when protecting her friends. She’s an emotional teenage girl with a complicated life; let’s go easy on her! At least the show and Kitty herself acknowledge when she’s done something wrong.

I also love how, despite being set in South Korea, XO, Kitty has a diverse cast. The cast has characters hailing from different places and has massive LGBTQ+ representation. Kitty herself is bisexual, while Yuri and Julianna are lesbians. Don’t get me started on Q and Jin, two track-and-field players with an adorable enemies-to-lovers side plot.

(Netflix)

On top of that, the show still tries to honor Korean customs; in season one, we saw Kitty and her friends perform a traditional fan dance, while season two revealed that Kitty’s family in Korea are traditional matchmakers (which fits right into Kitty’s reputation of being a matchmaker herself).

Is XO, Kitty cringey? Yes. But does it still tell a heartwarming story of love and identity while allowing viewers an easy watch to escape their everyday lives? Absolutely. So, please, give XO, Kitty a shot during your next Netflix binge-watch marathon.