Previously portrayed by Hoyoung Jeon, the role of Dae was taken over by Minyeong Choi as Kitty’s Harry Potter-hating long-distance BF. If you’re a K-drama fan, you’ll recognise the South Korean actor from a slew of roles in Twenty-Five Twenty-One, Itaewon Class, and Strong Girl Bong-soon. XO, Kitty is Choi’s first U.S. production, and he’s found himself drawn to the ordinary loveliness of Dae, who is a committed student, brother, son, and friend.
“He’s an ordinary guy. He’s not special. He doesn’t have a crazy talent,” Choi told Teen Vogue‘s Sara Delgado ahead of the premiere. “But what I loved about Dae was that he just had a warm heart. He knew how small gestures are important and how important love is. That was the main idea about Dae for me. He knew how important love is so he could give up things for love. I’m not only talking about Kitty only, but love for his younger sister, his family, his friends, and maybe himself.”
Choi has acting goals that involve musical theatre, as well as dreams beyond acting, including becoming a singer-songwriter and running his own company.
Follow him on Instagram here.
Gia Kim as Yuri
Gia Kim as Yuri in episode 101 of XO, Kitty.COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Gia Kim’s Yuri is an It girl from the moment she enters XO, Kitty — and even Cathcart’s Kitty is a little stunned. Confident, well-dressed, and effortlessly chic, Yuri knows who she is… even though she isn’t always allowed to be that person. Early in episode 1, we discover that Yuri is reeling from her parents discovering a romantic relationship between her and her best friend Juliana, news that made Juliana transfer schools. Underneath the self-assured exterior is a heartbroken teenage girl.
XO, Kitty is Kim’s first major production to date, and the South Korean actor found out about the opportunity through an open casting call, like several of her castmates. “As soon as I saw the breakdown for the character, I thought this was really refreshing. I’d never seen a character like Yuri before,” Kim told Popternative. Yuri is sure to be a fan favourite, so get to finishing season 1 of XO, Kitty ASAP.