So, you’re trying to pin down exactly when the world fell for Kitty Song Covey all over again. It feels like she’s been part of the Netflix furniture for ages, but the timeline is actually tighter than you might think.
XO, Kitty officially premiered on May 18, 2023.
That Thursday morning, every single one of the ten episodes in the first season dropped at once. If you were a fan of the To All the Boys trilogy, this was the moment the "Covey-verse" expanded. We went from watching Lara Jean’s letters cause chaos to watching her younger sister, Kitty, fly halfway across the world to Seoul.
When Did XO Kitty Come Out for Season 2?
The wait for more drama wasn't exactly short. After a massive cliffhanger that left us all screaming at our TVs, Netflix finally brought the show back.
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XO, Kitty Season 2 came out on January 16, 2025.
It feels like yesterday. Honestly, the gap between the seasons was widened by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, which put a temporary freeze on production. But once the cameras started rolling again in Seoul in April 2024, things moved fast. By the time January 2025 hit, we were back at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS) dealing with the aftermath of Kitty being expelled—and then un-expelled.
The Fast-Track to Season 3
If you're looking for the very latest news, here's the kicker: Netflix didn't wait around this time. Because the show performed so well in early 2025, they greenlit Season 3 almost immediately.
Current industry buzz and production schedules suggest we are looking at a March 2026 release window for Season 3.
Why the Release Date Actually Mattered
When May 18, 2023, rolled around, it wasn't just another teen show release. It was a test. Could a spin-off survive without the original lead?
Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) were the heart of the original movies. By moving the spotlight to Kitty—played by the brilliant Anna Cathcart—Netflix took a gamble. It paid off. The show hit the Top 10 in 90 countries within its first week. People weren't just watching for the To All the Boys connection; they were watching for the K-drama vibes.
Real Places You See in the Show
A big part of why people obsessed over the release date was the aesthetic. The show looks expensive. It looks like a dream version of Korea.
- KISS Campus: Most of the school exteriors were filmed at Kaywon University of Art and Design.
- The Library: Those gorgeous, sweeping shelves where Kitty and Dae argued? That’s the National Library of Korea in Sejong.
- The Airport: The big emotional finale of Season 1 actually used KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Center) to double as an airport terminal.
What People Get Wrong About the Spinoff
A common misconception is that XO, Kitty is a direct adaptation of a book. It’s actually not. While Jenny Han wrote the To All the Boys books, this series is an original story she created specifically for the screen.
Another weird detail? Some fans thought the show was filmed in a studio in LA. Nope. The cast lived in Seoul for months. Anna Cathcart even mentioned in interviews how they’d spend their off-days at karaoke bars and eating fried chicken in Gangnam.
The show also broke ground by being a "reverse-hybrid." It’s an American-produced show, written in English, but set entirely in Korea with a mostly Korean cast. This led to some debate among critics in Seoul. Some loved the global attention; others felt the "pink-tinted" version of Korea was a bit unrealistic.
The Numbers Behind the Hype
To understand why we keep getting more seasons, look at the data.
In its first four days, Season 1 racked up 72.1 million hours viewed. That is staggering for a half-hour dramedy. By the time Season 2 launched in January 2025, the completion rate—the number of people who finish the whole season—was one of the highest on the platform.
- Season 1 Total: ~107 million hours in the first year.
- Season 2 Peak: Hit #1 globally, even beating out some heavy-hitting action series.
Moving Forward with Kitty
If you’re caught up on everything through 2025, you know the stakes have shifted. We aren't just looking at a "Who will she choose?" triangle anymore. The show has leaned heavily into Kitty’s self-discovery, exploring her bisexuality and her complicated family history.
What You Should Do Now
If you’re waiting for the next drop, now is the time to do a re-watch of the original trilogy. There are tons of tiny "Easter eggs" in XO, Kitty that reference Lara Jean’s letters. Also, keep an eye on the cast’s social media. Since they often film in Seoul during the spring and summer months, that’s usually when we get the first leaked photos of new characters.
Check your Netflix settings to ensure "Remind Me" is toggled for Season 3. With production wrapping up in late 2025, the March 2026 date is looking more solid by the day.