How accurately do American TV shows portray Korean teenage life?

'XO, Kitty' captivates global audiences, but fuels debate over portrayal of Korea

By Pyo Kyung-min

TV enthusiasts often find themselves returning to one genre no matter how many times they move on: teenage romance dramas. There's something undeniably addictive about reliving the cringy moments of teenage love, the kind that once sparked both joy and heartbreak, on screen.

Currently, the most talked-about teen drama — whether for good or bad reasons — is undoubtedly Netflix's original series "XO, Kitty." If the name doesn't ring a bell, the series is a spinoff of Netflix's hit teen romance film "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" (2018) created by Jenny Han.

The series premiered on Netflix in May 2023, following the journey of the Korean American protagonist, Kitty, as she travels across the world to reunite with her first-ever boyfriend, Dae. Season 2, released Jan. 16, expands beyond romance, exploring the realization that life is full of challenges greater than love.

The show has gained a strong following among teen romance fans, with the series even surpassing the international sensation "Squid Game" Season 2 to claim the No. 1 spot in Netflix's global TV show rankings upon release.

What sets the American-made teenage romance show drastically apart from K-dramas is its portrayal of its Korean setting.

Kitty is a student at the fictional Korean Independent School of Seoul, abbreviated as KISS, and throughout the series, she and her Korean boyfriend go on dates at iconic locations in Seoul, including Myeong-dong, N Seoul Tower and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

Korean culture is also woven into the storyline, from scenes of eating "samgyeopsal" (grilled pork belly) at group dinners to celebrating Chuseok, the Korean fall harvest festival, by cooking traditional holiday meals and playing folk games like "gonggi" (Korean jacks) and "yutnori" (traditional Korean board game using wooden sticks).

Adding to the immersion, the soundtrack is packed with popular K-pop tracks, making it hard to tell whether you're watching a drama or listening to a K-pop playlist. The lineup includes IVE's "I AM," NewJeans' "Super Shy," BTS' "Telepathy," ENHYPEN's "XO (Only If You Say Yes)" and many more.

Upon its first release, Korean critics were excited to attribute the show's popularity to the growing interest in Korea around the world.

"Interest in Korea seems to be at an all-time high and 'XO, Kitty' arrived at just the right moment to meet that demand, which likely contributed to its popularity," culture critic Ha Jae-geun said.

Drama critic Gong Hee-jung echoed this sentiment, also telling a local media outlet that the Korean setting provides a fresh perspective, particularly to international audiences who are not frequent consumers of K-dramas.

"Korean culture may seem unfamiliar to many foreign viewers, making it feel new and intriguing," Gong said. "It's similar to how we are fascinated by places like the Duomo [di Milano] Cathedral in Italy — there's a strong visual appeal in the show as well."

Reality check

However, not all international viewers were enamored with the series. Some have criticized it for its overly romanticized portrayal of Korea, arguing that it fails to realistically reflect Korean society.

One YouTube commenter wrote, "'Kitty in Korea' felt like 'Emily in Paris.' The least you can do when writing a show is to study the social norms and culture of the country you're setting it in."

Another viewer went further, calling the show blatant "Koreaboo bait." "You cannot convince me that this show isn't a tactic to reel in Koreaboos. Kitty is the epitome of a Koreaboo's self-insert ... She's basically what every Koreaboo imagines they'd be like if they moved to Korea." Koreaboo is internet slang for a Korean culture fanatic.

Even when compared to other highly stylized and fictionalized Korean teen dramas — such as "A-Teen" (2018), "True Beauty" (2020), "Boys Over Flowers" (2009) and "The Heirs" (2013) — "XO, Kitty" has been criticized for its unrealistic elements.

YJ Jun, a fiction writer and graduate of a Korean international school, wrote an article for Medium's Illumination publication titled "How Accurate Was 'XO, Kitty'?" In it, she pointed out several inaccuracies in the show's depiction of life at an international school in Korea — the least of it being wardrobe choices.

"The one thing 'XO, Kitty' got wrong is that nothing (from Korean international schools) was flashy. If you watched 'The Glory,' you might have noticed something: It's the villains who are super expressive, loud and flashy — traits that are valued in the West," she wrote.

"In contrast, the heroine and her boyfriend were cool and stoic, wearing muted and neutral-tone clothes — qualities that are valued in South Korea."

She added that the styling was a "hint that 'XO, Kitty' is an Americanized K-drama," explaining that "bright orange and neon pink would definitely stand out in Seoul and not necessarily in a good way."

While it's important to remember that "XO, Kitty" is a fictional show produced by an American team, critics emphasized that audiences should not mistake it for an accurate representation of life in Korea.

"Korean content did not captivate the world's youth by portraying Korea as some kind of utopian fantasy," pop culture critic Kim Hern-sik noted.

He pointed out that internationally acclaimed Korean works — such as "Squid Game," which exposed the harsh realities of economic inequality, and "Parasite," which depicted the devastating consequences of social stratification — resonated with audiences by revealing — rather than concealing — Korea's social struggles.

For consumers of K-content, he added, "it's important to remember that Korean pop culture isn't about crafting fantasies — it's about breaking them in the pursuit of a better reality."