In season certainly one of Netflix’s coming-of-age collection XO, Kitty, Minyeong Choi received the web’s coronary heart by enjoying Dae, a hardworking and candy first boyfriend to the present’s titular predominant character.
“Kitty was all the time his first precedence,” Choi tells The Hollywood Reporter about his character’s season one motivation. “I really feel like for this season, he’s discovering himself somewhat bit extra and making an attempt to determine what he truly likes and what he desires.”
After a breakup between Dae and Kitty (Anna Cathcart) within the present’s season one finale, Dae’s path has ventured out from the love curiosity story to certainly one of his personal, specializing in household, friendships and, most notably, music. His character’s love of singing is thrust into the highlight this season — it even allowed Choi to ship a enjoyable efficiency of BTS member Jungkook’s summer season hit, “Seven.”
Beneath, Choi chats with THR about attending to carry his musical expertise to the present, the distinctive setting of engaged on a U.S. present in his hometown of Seoul and the way he’s feeling after enjoying the character for 2 seasons.
You’ve starred in musicals up to now, what was it wish to carry that have to season two of XO, Kitty?
To be sincere, I believe it was sort of a bizarre feeling as a result of it felt actually particular, however on the similar time, it was probably not particular as a result of if it had been a musical film or a musical episode, I really feel like that could possibly be significant indirectly. On this context, in season two, I’m not performing by singing. I’m simply singing as a personality, so it simply felt like one other scene and I simply needed to sing. Which I’m fairly snug with. It wasn’t that irritating. However on the similar time, I really feel prefer it’s certainly one of my first moments as an actor to sing in entrance of a giant viewers. That was undoubtedly particular.
Your character’s arc this season revolves round many relationships that aren’t Dae and Kitty, which, as you mentioned, is totally different from the primary season. Dae’s story may be very tied to his relationship with Minho and the strain that develops between the buddies. What was it wish to lean into a unique sort of pressure all through the season?
It was undoubtedly totally different and it was actually enjoyable to deal with totally different components [of his character] as a result of I had to determine the connection between Kitty and Dae, largely for season one, and possibly his household. However this time, it’s extra concerning the relationship between my buddies — like Q and Minho — and my new love Curiosity, Eunice (Han Bi Ryu). And about my dream. I needed to deal with a very totally different factor, so I needed to do the work once more. However that’s what makes it fascinating and makes the character [come] alive.
XO, Kitty is presumably an fascinating expertise for somebody such as you who had completely labored on Korean tv reveals earlier than this function. You’re nonetheless working in Korea however on an American TV present. Do you discover many variations there?
It’s undoubtedly a singular setting and manufacturing to work [on], however I don’t know, I believe I solely noticed the great components as a result of it felt like the great components had been blended. I acquired to have the possibility to expertise a brand new setting and a brand new approach of working a manufacturing, which was actually enjoyable and fascinating. However on the similar time, I used to be fairly snug as a result of I used to be in my hometown, so it wasn’t that irritating. Though every little thing was new, it sort of felt acquainted on the similar time. I believe it was a extremely good combination for me.
XO, Kitty has a big solid of younger actors, what was the setting like as a younger actor your self?
I’m fairly positive that for season one, everybody acquired possibly too shut [Laughs], and I all the time get assist loads from Sang Heon [Lee], Gia [Kim], Anna [Cathcart] and Anthony [Keyvan]. They helped me loads, and I needed to assist them loads on the similar time. In the event that they helped me with English, I may help them with determining easy methods to catch an Uber or easy methods to discover a restaurant or issues like that. We spent a whole lot of time [together], we acquired actually shut. For season two, since we turned actually shut, I really feel like we relied on one another loads for season two. That was actually useful and comfy on the similar time.
Now that you just’re completed with season two, how are you feeling about your character Dae?
That’s a extremely fascinating query. I believe, I don’t know why, however for season one, I really feel like I used to be extra linked with the character. However for season two, I really feel like I acquired to know him extra and see him from somewhat little bit of distance in a great way. Whenever you’re dwelling life, it’s actually arduous to know who you might be since you’re going through too many issues and also you don’t know what you’re doing. I really feel like that was what I used to be like in season one, and for season two, now, I’ve more room, and I really feel like I can see him not stumble round all over the place.
I really feel like Dae most of his scenes and connections had been with Kitty for season one, and now as we talked about, he’s looking for his dream and his relationships along with his buddies and discovering totally different components [of himself]. I really feel prefer it modified loads and that was certainly one of my favourite components from for season two for Dae as a result of that’s what truly occurs in life. [For a] few years, you’re into one thing and also you’re simply loopy about that and you’re feeling such as you’re by no means going to vary. However in some unspecified time in the future, you don’t even know, however you alter loads, and I believe that’s what occurred to Dae.
Season two of XO, Kitty is presently streaming on Netflix.