Ever since I began watching XO, Kitty, I’ve started loving it even more each season.
With 3 season now, I feel like there is a lot great with it but some elements I wasn’t too fond of either, which I ended up reviewing, sharing all the best and some questionable moments.
When I first stumbled upon this Netflix series, after To All The Boys, I instantly fell in love with this quirky show about friendship, romance, and Korean culture.
XO Kitty has been created by Jenny Han following the conclusion of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before film trilogy.
It’s the kind of series that’s incredibly easy to binge.
We watch Kitty’s journey through her days at KISS, a school she attends in Seoul, away from America. There’s high and lows and all the messy in between.
So, if you love it just as much as I do, this blog post will give you a rundown of 13 shows you absolutely need to watch if you’re a fan of XO, Kitty.
Rundown of XO Kitty – What you need to know
- Genre: Romance, Coming of Age
- Star: Anna
- Episodes: 8
- Air date:
- Where to watch: Netflix
What is XO Kitty About?
Kitty Song Covey is a teenager who travels miles from her hometown to attend an academy in Seoul, Korea. The spontaneous and determined teen hopes to reconnect with her boyfriend, Dae.
However, she also manages to learn more about her mother, who passed away when she was young.
At her new school, Kitty becomes friends with a group of people who give her comfort and support, including Yuri, Q, and Minho.
But as she enters these new relationships, she discovers that the world around her is much bigger and more difficult than she imagined.
It leads to new experiences and challenges as we witness her growth over the seasons.
Now, let’s take a look at some recs:
Never Have I Ever
- Genre: Comedy / Coming-of-age
- Stars: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Jaren Lewison
- Runtime: ~20–30 minutes per episode
- Creators: Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher
- Where to watch: Netflix
I feel like it’s a must to include Never Have I Ever. The series follows Devi Vishwakumar, who is a likeable but sometimes unpredictable teenager.
She’s navigating the ups and downs of high school life while dealing with grief. Devi is the type of person who easily gets caught in complicated love triangle and friendship fallouts.
Much like Kitty Covey, Devi is a strong and determined female character.
While she can be impulsive and headstrong, she’s also a loyal friend. This series is a must-watch for XO Kitty fans as it’s funny, heartfelt and you’ll want to binge it in just one witty. It first aired in 2020 and quickly became a fan favourite series.
The Summer I Turned Pretty
- Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Coming-of-age
- Stars: Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, Sean Kaufman
- Runtime: Approximately 40–50 minutes per episode
- Creators: Jenny Han
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
This is another show from creator Jenny Han. If you’re looking for a dreamy, teen-angst series that follows the childhood friends-to-lovers trope, this one is definitely for you.
Set at a beach house in Cousins, The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Isabella “Belly” Conklin as she finds herself caught in a messy romance between brothers Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher.
In this series, you can expect stunning locations, emotional storyline, grief, strong friendships, summer parties, and teen romance.
My Life with the Walter Boys
- Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Coming-of-age
- Stars: Nikki Rodriguez, Noah LaLonde, Ashby Gentry, Sarah Rafferty
- Runtime: Approximately 40–50 minutes per episode
- Creators: Melanie Halsall
- Where to watch: Netflix
Another teen romance, My Life with the Walter Boys focuses on its main protagonist, Jackie Howard.
The show features plenty of drama and explores a love triangle.
It also has many cute moments and highlights the importance and strength of family. The episodes aren’t too long so it feels like a breeze watching it. It also includes an LGBTQ+ storyline, similar to XO, Kitty.
Love Alarm
- Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Coming-of-age
- Stars: Kim So-hyun, Song Kang, Jung Ga-ram
- Runtime: Approximately 50–60 minutes per episode
- Creators: Lee Na-jeong
- Where to watch: Netflix
Love Alarm is one of the cutest shows about a world where a mobile app that tells you if someone near by has a crush on you.
The show is about romance, technology, and the choices that shape the future.
It’s a huge Netflix hit and a genuinely enjoyable series that lets you escape from reality.
The plot is engaging, with only a few minor holes. It features a strong romance storyline as the main character deals with her feelings with two very different boys.
Emily in Paris
Genre: Comedy / Romance / Drama
Stars: Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo
Runtime: Approximately 30 minutes per episode
Creators: Darren Star
Where to watch: Netflix
The show centers on a slightly older generation. However, Emily in Paris is all about learning new surroundings and culture.
Emily flies from Chicago to Paris to work at a French marketing agency, where she learns all there is to know about life in Paris and the language.
But not everything is as it seems. She also becomes entangled in a love interest, namely the hunk French chef Gabriel. However, their romance is far from smooth sailing.
Emily in Paris is funny, entertaining and features a lot of drama and mishaps.
Gilmore Girls
- Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Coming-of-age
- Stars: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Kelly Bishop
- Runtime: Approximately 42–45 minutes per episode
- Creators: Amy Sherman-Palladino
- Where to watch: Netflix
Let’s talk about another wholesome drama about growing up.
Rory goes from a high schooler to a Yale University student, and along the way gets involved in romance.
The relationship is particularly with her mom, and it’s inspiring. This is such a comfort show, planned for seven seasons and set in the picturesque town of Stars Hollow.
Ginny and Georgia
- Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Coming-of-Age
- Stars: Brianne Howey, Antonia Gentry, Diesel La Torraca
- Runtime: Approximately 42–45 minutes per episode
- Creators: Sarah Lampert
- Where to Watch: Netflix
So Ginny & Georgia mostly focuses on family dynamics, while also exploring the relationship between Ginny and Georgia and their experiences navigating romantic interests. The series first aired in 2021.
The show definitely has some darker themes. As a teen drama, it has LGBTQ+ representation and discusses mental health.
I remember watching it and thinking how much I appreciate these themes being shown on screen, and I loved how fast-paced the episodes feel.
Extraordinary You
Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Fantasy / Coming-of-Age
Stars: Kim Hye-yoon, Ro Woon, Lee Jae-wook
Runtime: Approximately 30–35 minutes per episode
Creators: Moo Ryoo / Studio Dragon
Where to Watch: Netflix
Extraordinary You is a heartwarming K-drama set in a busy law firm.
A new employee who joins the team but she is treated differently due to her autism.
However, she eventually finds a colleague who truly supports and understands her.
This series is a wholesome and uplifting watch. Although the plot isn’t particularly interesting, it’s great if you enjoy dramas centred on strong characters.
Sex Education
Genre: Teen Drama / Comedy / Coming-of-Age
Stars: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey
Runtime: 45–50 minutes per episode
Creators: Laurie Nunn
Where to Watch: Netflix
Sex Education is about a socially awkward teen named Otis, whose mom is a sex therapist.
This series is basically about him starting an underground sex therapy clinic at school.
The show is funny and also has a few heartfelt moments. It explores sexuality and the insecurities most teens deal with.
Sex Education has a diverse cast and strong LGBTQ+ representation, and feels like warm hug.
Love Victor
- Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Coming-of-Age
Stars: Michael Cimino, Rachel Hilson, Anthony Turpel, Bebe Wood
Runtime: Approximately 20–25 minutes per episode
Creators: Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Disney+
This is three seasons of pure perfection. I loved Love, Simon, so it was an easy choice to watch its spin-off, Love, Victor.
It’s one of the few pop culture films and TV shows that deal with a teenager struggling to come out as gay, while also having the support of his friends.
Dash and Lily
- Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Coming‑of‑Age (holiday romantic comedy)
- Stars: Austin Abrams, Midori Francis, Dante Brown, Troy Iwata (main cast)
- Runtime: Approximately 23–27 minutes per episode
- Creator: Joe Tracz (based on Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan)
- Where to Watch: Netflix
This is a cute little romance series set around Christmas. For those who don’t know, Dash & Lily is based on the novel series Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.
It follows cynical Dash and optimistic Lily as share heartfelt messages in a red notebook around New York during the Christmas season.
This is a very good adaptation of the book series and the relationship between Dash and Lily was so fun to watch.
Young Royals
- Genre: Teen Drama / Romance / Coming-of-Age
- Stars: Edvin Ryding, Omar Rudberg, Frida Argento
- Runtime: Approximately 30 minutes per episode
- Creators: Lisa Ambjörn, Lars Beckung
- Where to Watch: Netflix
This show debuted in 2021. Set in Spain, Young Royals takes place at the fictional elite boarding school Hillerska and centres on a strong queer love story.
Wilhelm and Simon begin a secret relationship, knowing that if their romance got out, it could ruin everything. Despite this, they continue to gravitate towards each other. There’s plenty of drama throughout the show. The show centres around queer stories, much like XO Kitty.
On My Block
- Genre: Teen Drama / Comedy-Drama / Coming-of-Age
- Stars: Sierra Capri, Jason Genao, Brett Gray, Diego Tinoco
- Runtime: Approximately 25–30 minutes per episode
- Creators: Lauren Iungerich, Eddie Gonzalez, Jeremy Haft
- Where to Watch: Netflix
I absolutely love this show. It’s funny and very charismatic.
On My Block follows four close-knit friends who live in a rough neighbourhood.
Things like gangs and violence are their norm, but they try to protect each other as best as possible.
This is a great watch for fans of XO, Kitty, as the friendship and romance elements are very strong. There are also some major plotlines that will leave you hooked.
