Every ‘XO, Kitty’ Callback to ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ & ‘To All the Boys’ So Far
If there’s one thing we know about Jenny Han, it’s that she loves a parallel. Across XO, Kitty‘s three seasons so far, Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) has fallen in love, just like her older sister Lara Jean (Lana Condor) did in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movies. While their stories have some drastic differences, they do have quite a few things in common. And though its main character isn’t related in any way to the Coveys, XO, Kitty shares a few tropes and moments with Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty show, too.
Some of XO, Kitty‘s callbacks are blatantly obvious — some scenes are nearly frame-for-frame, as you’ll see below — others are a little more subtle. So, Swooon has created a nifty guide to all of XO, Kitty‘s references to its counterparts in the Jenny Han Cinematic Universe. We have side-by-side photos for your viewing pleasure, too. Let us know your favorite in the comments section at the end of the page!
XO, Kitty, Seasons 1-3, Streaming Now, Netflix
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Streaming Now, Netflix
The Summer I Turned Pretty, Seasons 1-3, Streaming Now, Prime Video
"You what?"
Who could ever forget Peter Kavinsky’s (Noah Centineo) To All the Boys love confession? Granted it has been a few years since the movie came out, so we don’t blame you if you missed XO, Kitty‘s reference to it in the Season 3 finale. When Peter says those three little words to LJ at the end of the first movie, she asks, “You what?” In the spinoff show, Cathcart had the idea for Kitty to have the same reaction to Min Ho’s (Sang Heon Lee) own declaration. “I was so grateful that they were on board, and they were like, ‘Let’s do it,'” the actress told Cosmopolitan.
Literally falling for each other
It’s fair to say that this one is pretty much impossible to miss. Kitty emulates her sister when she “faints” on the school track in the second episode of Season 2. Though, one big difference is that Kitty doesn’t actually pass out, which is LJ’s reaction to finding out that Peter received her secret love letter. When Jin (Joshua Lee) switches off Q’s (Anthony Keyvan) alarm, Kitty collapses in attempt to delay the track meet. Min Ho, however, doesn’t know it’s just an act, so he rushes to Kitty’s aid.
Min Ho stands over his collapsed love interest, just like Peter does in To All The Boys. A similar shot appears in The Summer I Turned Pretty, during Season 3’s Christmas flashback. Belly trips and falls to the floor and Conrad (Christopher Briney) peers down at her. You might say each of Han’s leading ladies literally fall for their love interests.
The train station run
This one’s more a common trope than an exact reference, but it still counts. In XO, Kitty Season 3’s finale, Min Ho runs after Kitty, who’s en route to the airport, to get her back. He makes his love confession in the middle of Seoul’s subway station. In the Season 3 finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Belly makes her own train station run, catching Conrad before he leaves Paris. Min Ho and Belly both grab absolutely nothing before they pursue their love interests, so they’re two sides of the same spontaneous coin.
The nighttime hot tub moment
How many people can say they’ve had a nighttime encounters with their love interest in a hot tub whilst on a ski trip? At least two, and they have the same last name. LJ’s (which takes place in the first TATBILB movie) is significantly steamier than Kitty’s. In Season 2’s fourth episode, Kitty is moping in the hot tub alone after fessing up to kissing Yuri (Gia Kim). Both of their respective girlfriends, Juliana (Regan Aliyah) and Praveena (Sasha Bhasin) react poorly, obviously.
"About Love" needle drop
In To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, LJ and Peter hit a rough patch, with the former even getting a new love interest in the form of John Ambrose McClaren (Jordan Fisher). LJ and Peter’s breakup is mercifully temporary, and they mark their reconciliation with a kiss, all while MARINA’s “About Love” plays. In XO, Kitty‘s Season 3 finale, Kitty and Min Ho get back together and kiss while the same exact song plays.
