The premiere of XO Kitty season two in January 2025 has led to intense discussions surrounding the show’s portrayal of romance, particularly between the characters Kitty and Yuri, a sapphic couple, and Kitty and Min Ho, a heterosexual pairing.
Fans have been vocal about their preferences for these ships, and the resulting debate has taken a contentious turn following comments made by Gia Kim, the actress who plays Yuri.
In a recent interview, Gia Kim offered her thoughts on the direction of the show and the potential for Kitty and Yuri to become an endgame couple.
When asked about the future of the relationship, Kim noted that based on fan feedback, she felt the Kitty/Min Ho ship was likely to be prioritized over the Kitty/Yuri pairing. She remarked,
“I think the Kitty/Min Ho shippers are very dominating… There’s a higher chance of Kitty/Min Ho shippers getting what they want than Kitty/Yuri shippers.”
Her statement sparked a wave of backlash, particularly from fans invested in the queer representation of Kitty and Yuri’s relationship.
The comments ignited a passionate debate, with many fans accusing the show’s writers of catering to mainstream audiences and sacrificing authentic storytelling in favor of appeasing a broader, predominantly heterosexual fanbase.
Some felt that the show was undermining the significance of queer narratives in favor of fan service for the majority audience, a sentiment that resonated particularly with LGBTQ+ viewers who felt disappointed by the possible sidelining of the sapphic romance.
Critics of the show’s direction pointed out the growing trend in the entertainment industry of prioritizing straight characters and relationships in queer narratives, fearing that this would ultimately result in the erasure or shallow representation of LGBTQ+ relationships.
Fans expressed frustration, with some saying that the fear of offending mainstream audiences was a sign of creative weakness and a lack of courage in writing meaningful queer content.
This controversy over the show’s direction has highlighted broader tensions in the representation of LGBTQ+ characters in media, as fans continue to call for more authentic, unapologetic queer stories that don’t bend to the whims of the majority.
The discourse surrounding Gia Kim’s comments shows that this issue is unlikely to fade quickly, and XO Kitty’s handling of its romantic pairings will continue to be a topic of heated debate among its fanbase in the coming weeks.
