XO, Kitty Star Wants You to Give Yuri Some Grace, Manifests Dark Comedy Roles

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Gia Kim, the star of ‘XO, Kitty‘, expresses why she continues with her role by saying that the heartfelt messages from fans about how her character Yuri has impacted their lives resonate deeply with her.

In 2023, the role of Yuri in the “To All The Boys” spinoff catapulted the 32-year-old actress into fame among online fans. This character, a student at the made-up Seoul-based international school KISS, was initially portrayed as being queer and grappling with her family’s lack of acceptance due to their high social standing.

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Fans on the internet adored the 32-year-old actress’ debut in the “To All The Boys” spinoff, playing the character Yuri from the first season released in 2023. This fictional character, studying at KISS, a school based in Seoul, was depicted as queer and facing challenges in getting acceptance from her elite family due to their high social status.

The narrative of Yuri has deeply connected with the audience. As Kim shares with The Hollywood Reporter, “The fans become incredibly emotional with me. This isn’t just some distant concept. It’s incredibly real and tangible. It’s affecting people’s hearts in ways that I can hardly fathom.

Returning for season two, the character of Yuri, played by Kim, finds herself in a challenging predicament as she navigates her relationship with girlfriend Juliana (Regan Aliyah) and the lead character Kitty (Anna Cathcart). In an interview with THR, Kim discusses the intricate love life of Yuri, expressing hope that her choices are met with understanding and compassion. Additionally, she shares insights about upcoming projects she’s planning to work on.

How do you find yourself reacting to Yuri during this current season? She wrapped up season one in quite an intriguing position, and with Juliana back, things seem to have shifted. It must be fascinating for you to explore a fresh aspect of a character that you’ve probably grown accustomed to portraying.

In the second season, Yuri encountered a different set of challenges rather than the familiar struggles with her mother from the first season. While in season one, Yuri’s battles primarily involved her mother, acceptance, and her sexuality, these issues are still simmering beneath the surface in season two. Although her mother isn’t physically present on screen, Yuri’s family relationships continue to cause trouble for her. Moreover, the problems in real-life relationships often escalate when people are physically together, as opposed to maintaining long-distance connections.

This season seems to be presenting a new set of challenges, particularly those related to interacting with Juliana, as our encounters have become more confrontational when we’re in person. Whether it was harder or not, I can’t say for certain. However, I believe that the overall preparation process for season one was tougher. But, because I had the groundwork from season one, this second season felt a bit smoother to navigate.

How do you and Regan [Aliyah] work to make that dynamic between Yuri and Juliana believable?

In the early stages of Season 1, we discussed enriching our characters by creating their backstories, which hadn’t been fully revealed by the writers yet. For instance, delving into how long they had known each other. These details help actors bring more depth to their roles and develop the characters better. So, that’s what we did at the start of Season 1.

Later on, it’s worth noting that, for the most part, we don’t always act together in each scene. This is due to the foundation we established in season one, where our in-person encounters with Juliana were relatively few. However, in season two, there are certainly more scenes involving us physically.

It seems very natural, perhaps because the chemistry between the two actors who’ve collaborated before plays a role. It was as if we instinctively understood the scene and what each of us aimed to achieve without explicitly discussing it. The outcome felt organic, I believe is the right term for it.

In the early episodes of season two, the relationship dynamics among Kitty, Yuri, Juliana, and Stella take center stage. Can you describe what it was like on set during those filming days?

It’s clear that dorm environments can be quite lively, teeming with potential for dramatic events. I didn’t experience this firsthand during my middle or high school years as I didn’t stay in a dorm then. However, given the concentration of people and hormones under one roof, it’s only natural that things can get interesting. I believe the writers effectively utilized this setting. The dorm rooms were scenes of group interactions, yet they weren’t overwhelming like, for instance, a prom scene with hundreds of actors in one space. Instead, it was an intimate yet sociable atmosphere. It offered a blend of group dynamics and personal intimacy too.

At the beginning of the series, Kitty and Yuri exchange a romantic kiss. However, when this is discovered by others, chaos ensues for all involved. What were your thoughts on this plot development for your character? Where do you envision its progression moving forward?

To be truthful, yes, there’s an intriguing event before they head straight to the ski lodge, which is a completely different plotline, filled with numerous occurrences. Oh my, because it’s such a complex situation – the term “infidelity” itself carries quite a strong reaction from people who have encountered infidelity, whether they were the one betrayed or the betrayer.

I had some reservations about using that term initially, as it seems to carry a strong negative connotation. I was worried about how audiences might interpret it, given my character’s role in the story. After all, we all agree that such actions are not acceptable, don’t we?

I believe there’s a certain leniency due to complex circumstances when considering individuals in challenging situations, not because it aligns with my personality, but because I see a nuance to these scenarios. While I don’t advocate for excusing infidelity, I do find it difficult to categorize real-life human issues as strictly right or wrong. Instead, I often find that people rush to judgments, such as labeling the cheater as the villain and the cheated-on partner as the victim, without fully grasping the complexity of the situation.

In my opinion, it seems that there have been instances, even in my recent personal experiences, where I’ve either directly or indirectly encountered various types of relationships – married couples, open relationships, and many others. When considering Yuri’s situation, I believe it was more a spontaneous decision rather than a calculated one, not planned out in advance.

Let’s try to understand her actions better and extend some compassion, knowing that we all make mistakes, even ones we later regret. The true measure of a person often lies in how they handle these situations and learn from them. I hope the viewers can offer her some grace and look forward to witnessing her journey towards growth and improvement.

Clearly, it’s hoped that the series will run for a while. Given the context of XO, Kitty, what aspirations do you harbor as an actor beyond this role? What would you like to pursue after this project?

To be completely honest, I’m not sure if I’ve discussed this before in any interview, but the role of XO, Kitty took me by surprise as a chance for an actor, particularly my debut in a major commercial project. Before landing the role of Yuri in XO, Kitty, I typically found myself drawn to and cast in roles that were darker or more dramatic in nature.

In the world of XO, Kitty, I never imagined myself here – not even my closest friends or teachers at acting school would have predicted it. You see, when we discussed our aspirations and visions for one another, we were all dreaming about political dramas or gritty series where I’d be a cold-blooded killer. But the charming, lighthearted vibe of XO, Kitty is a far cry from those darker expectations.

Experiencing that situation pushed me out of my familiar comfort zone, leading to some truly enriching experiences since I discovered aspects of myself I hadn’t considered before. As an actor, I’ve noticed a tendency to lean towards certain roles, but even though I adore comedy and romantic comedies are my favorite genre, I find myself drawn to trying out something entirely new.

After completing this task, I’m eager to explore a new path and experiment with the full spectrum, from one extreme to another. As an actor, I might be moving towards a unique style, possibly dark comedy or something tonally distinct from “XO, Kitty”.

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2025-02-07 08:25