This post contains spoilers for XO, Kitty Season 2. It’s back to school for Kitty Song-Covey (Anna Cathcart) and her friends, plus a few new students at the Korean International School of Seoul (KISS). Season 2 of Netflix’s XO, Kitty introduces fans to all-new love triangles, K-Drama-worthy plotlines, and cast members, including New York City-based actor Joshua Hyunho Lee.
Lee, who stars as track star Jin, tells Elite Daily being cast in Season 2 of XO, Kitty was “nerve-racking.”
I felt like the new kid on the block.
“I’m joining the cast in a spinoff of a wildly successful movie franchise. I felt like the new kid on the block,” he says. The 26-year-old dancer and Broadway alum is, of course, referencing the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before films, which followed Kitty’s older sister, Lara Jean (Lana Condor), and her romance with Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo).
In XO, Kitty, the youngest Song-Covey takes the lead as she navigates life and love at her mother’s former boarding school in South Korea. “Those movies were a lot of my high school and college life,” Lee says, which is why jumping into the Jenny Han cinematic universe made him so nervous.
Not only that, but Lee’s introduction in Episode 2 isn’t exactly a positive one. His character, Jin, bullies fan-favorite Q (Anthony Keyvan), and it’s revealed he has a history of antagonizing Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee) and Dae (Choi Min-yeong). “I’m so curious what the fans are going to say, especially after it comes out that Jin is being mean,” he says. “I’m scared.”
The relationship between Q and Jin quickly heads into “enemies-to-lovers” territory, though, which Lee is more excited for the fans to see. Below, he dishes on the XO, Kitty group chat, how learning choreography for the show compares to performing with K-pop group Stray Kids, and the ship he’s rooting for.
Elite Daily: Anna Cathcart said the new cast members were immediately added to the XO, Kitty group chat. Is that still active?
Joshua Lee: It is. Whenever it’s someone’s birthday, we’re always sending happy birthday messages. We actually got to see each other recently at an event in LA.
ED: Did you watch the show before joining the cast?
JL: I’ve been a fan since To All The Boys. I watched XO, Kitty [Season 1], so when I got the audition for Season 2, I was ecstatic. It felt like a full-circle, destiny kind of thing.
I met Sang Heon because a mutual friend of mine connected us while he was in New York. When I got the part, Sang Heon was the first person to message me: “Oh, you cheeky man. You weren’t going to tell me that you’re a part of this show.”
ED: When you watched the show the first time, what was your favorite ship?
JL: Is this going to get me in trouble? It was Yuri and Kitty.
ED: And what’s your favorite ship now?
JL: After watching Season 1 and filming Season 2, it’s Min Ho and Kitty.
ED: This season of XO, Kitty has a lot of parallels with the To All The Boys franchise. Do you have a favorite Easter egg?
JL: I was in the scene where Kitty falls on the track. It’s an iconic moment and such a good callback. Filming that scene was super hot — it was like 90 degrees outside. Anthony and I were running on the track for hours, but I remember it being so fun to see her do that.
ED: You play Q’s love interest this season. What was it like working with Anthony?
JL: It was a blast. I watched Love, Victor and his other shows, so I was pretty nervous going in but we became really close friends.
ED: He’s a fan-fave character. Was that intimidating at all?
JL: I see the comments on Instagram about him, and I’m scared. My character bullies him in the beginning, but I love the story arc between Q and Jin. It’s really special and so beautifully done. So, yeah, not too many worries.
ED: Are any fan edits shared to the group chat?
JL: I have seen an overwhelming amount of edits of Sang Heon as Min Ho. We’ll send those back and forth. They’re just so good. I don’t know how people have such a grasp over technology to be able to produce these things in such high quality. I’m in awe.
ED: What was it like filming in Korea?
JL: It was amazing. I’ve only been to Korea twice before, mostly to see family, so this time felt so special. We got to be there for a few months. A lot of it was work, but if I had one or two days off, I spent a lot of my time in museums. I also got to wear a hanbok and walk around the palace, so those memories are very special to me.
ED: Do you have any recommendations for anyone traveling to Seoul?
JL: One thing about Korea is the food is going to be good everywhere.
ED: XO, Kitty featured K-pop performances this season. How did learning choreography for your scenes compare to being on Broadway?
JL: The processes were somewhat similar. It was a little bit more stressful for XO, Kitty because we had such a short amount of time to prepare. We got in there, did our thing, and had so much fun. Also, who knew that everyone in our cast was such amazing dancers?
ED: You performed with Stray Kids at the VMAs in 2023. How does dancing in XO, Kitty compare to that experience?
JL: It’s so different. For TV, we have a few takes to get it right, and for the VMAs, we had maybe a week of rehearsals. I had just flown in from filming another show in Toronto, and I went straight from the airport to rehearsal. We got to practice with the artists a few times, and then they were like, “OK, go on stage and millions of people will be watching.”
ED: Do you have a Stray Kids bias?
JL: It has to be Felix and Bang Chan, but for different reasons. They’re both so talented. Felix is a gorgeous man. His voice is so deep.
ED: Are you a fan of K-pop? Who are your favorite bands?
JL: I love Brown Eyed Girls and SNSD. In terms of the guy groups, I really liked SHINee and EXO. My sisters are 10 years older than me, so I listened to a lot of the K-pop music they listened to growing up.
ED: What’s next for you?
JL: I want to be more involved in my film writing journey and make that a priority. I also booked a one-way ticket to Taiwan, so I’m going to do some meditation and watch traditional theater. A lot of personal projects and personal growth for me in 2025.
ED: What are you manifesting this year?
JL: Prioritizing relationships with my family and friends, and spending more time with them.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
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