The wait for XO, Kitty Season 3 is officially over, and Netflix has given fans plenty to talk about. The streaming giant confirmed on February 11, 2026, that the beloved teen drama will return on April 2, 2026, with all eight episodes dropping at once. Alongside the announcement came a batch of first-look photographs that have done exactly what Kitty Song Covey does best—created romantic chaos.
While the official synopsis makes it clear that Kitty plans to define her relationship with Min Ho (Sang Heon Lee) once and for all, a single image of Kitty holding hands with Yuri (Gia Kim) has reignited the shipping war that has divided the fandom since Season 1. Fans are now questioning whether the show is heading toward a MoonCovey endgame or if KittYuri still has a fighting chance.
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Netflix Confirms April Premiere With Eight New Episodes
XO, Kitty Season 3 will premiere globally on Netflix on Thursday, April 2, 2026. The season consists of eight episodes, each running approximately 30 minutes, following the same format as previous seasons. The show will be available for streaming in all Netflix territories, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India .
The announcement came with a series of first-look photographs showing Kitty back at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS) for her senior year. Creator Jenny Han shared the images on her Instagram with a simple caption: “First look at @xokittynetflix Season 3. Out April 2!” alongside a love letter emoji .
Valentina Garza serves as showrunner, writer, and executive producer for the third season. Han, Matt Kaplan of ACE Entertainment, and Bradley Gardner also executive produce. The series is produced by Paramount Television Studios .
Returning Cast and New Additions
Most of the main cast members are returning for XO, Kitty Season 3. Anna Cathcart leads the ensemble as Kitty Song Covey. She is joined by Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho Moon, Minyeong Choi as Dae Heon Kim, Gia Kim as Yuri Han, Anthony Keyvan as Quincy ‘Q’ Shabazian, and Regan Aliyah as Juliana Porter .
Other returning cast members include Peter Thurnwald as Alex, Joshua Lee as Jin, Sasha Bhasin as Praveena, Jocelyn Shelfo as Madison, Han Bi Ryu as Eunice Kang, and Sunny Oh as Mihee. Hojo Shin, who plays Jiwon, has been promoted to series regular for the new season .
Three new actors are joining the cast. Sule Thelwell appears as Marius, Soy Kim joins as Yisoo, and Christine Heesun Hwang takes on the role of Gigi .
Official Season 3 Plot: Kitty Finally Commits to Min Ho?
The official logline for XO, Kitty Season 3 puts one thing front and center: Kitty is done playing games with Min Ho. According to Netflix’s official synopsis, Kitty returns to KISS for her final year with everything perfectly planned. She wants to make meaningful memories with friends, grow closer to her relatives in Korea, and make big decisions about her future .
Then comes the sentence that MoonCovey shippers have waited two seasons to read: “And she’s going to define her relationship with Min Ho. For real this time.” .
The synopsis warns that “surprise revelations” will throw her plans—and her relationships—off course. Kitty will have to “learn to embrace the unexpected” .
This direct mention of defining her relationship with Min Ho seemed like confirmation that MoonCovey is endgame. Season 2 ended with Kitty realizing her feelings for Min Ho and asking to join his family on tour. The third season was expected to pick up from that exact moment .
The Photograph That Changed Everything: Kitty and Yuri Hold Hands
Among the batch of first-look photos released by Netflix, one image stands out. It shows Kitty and Yuri sitting closely together, their hands intertwined. The body language appears intimate. It is not a casual hand brush or a friendly grab. It is a deliberate, fingers-laced handhold .
The photograph does not include Min Ho. It does not include Juliana, Yuri’s girlfriend. It is just Kitty and Yuri, and it looks romantic.
Fans immediately flooded social media with reactions. One viewer wrote, “That kitty Yuri handhold got me scared. I thought we were doing MoonCovey endgame why are they holding hands like that” .
Another fan posted, “Netflix really dropped a KittYuri handhold photo after telling us Kitty is defining her relationship with Min Ho ‘for real this time.’ The gaslighting is insane.”
KittYuri shippers, who support Kitty and Yuri as a couple, saw the image as proof that the writers have not abandoned the sapphic storyline. MoonCovey supporters, who want Kitty and Min Ho together, expressed frustration at what they see as deliberate confusion to keep both sides engaged .
The debate quickly spread across Twitter, TikTok, and Reddit. Hashtags including #MoonCovey, #KittYuri, and #Kuri began trending within hours of the photo release.
Gia Kim’s 2025 Comments Resurface Amid Shipping War
The renewed shipping war caused a 2025 interview with Gia Kim to resurface online. In January 2025, Kim spoke with StyleCaster about the likelihood of Kitty and Yuri becoming endgame. Her response was direct .
“Just based on what I see mostly in the comments, I think the Kitty/Min Ho shippers are very dominating. I feel like that’s what the show is gonna give them because we don’t want to piss off too many people,” Kim said.
“There’s a higher chance of Kitty/Min Ho shippers getting what they want than Kitty/Yuri shippers I would say. But I don’t know, I’m not a writer, so who knows?” .
At the time, those comments upset many KittYuri supporters. Some accused the show of prioritizing fan service over authentic storytelling and queer representation. Others called the writing “anti-art” and demanded the network “bring back writers with spine” .
Now, with the handhold photograph circulating, KittYuri shippers argue that the show may have changed direction. They point out that Kim explicitly said she was not a writer and did not know the final plan. They also note that public pressure and representation discussions could have influenced the creative team during the writing and filming of Season 3 .
MoonCovey supporters, however, see the photograph as deliberate misdirection. They argue that the official synopsis explicitly states Kitty will define her relationship with Min Ho. They believe the Yuri moment is either platonic or part of the “surprise revelations” that temporarily throw Kitty off course before she ultimately chooses Min Ho.
What the First Look Images Actually Show
The first-look photo package includes several images beyond the Kitty-Yuri handhold. One photograph shows Kitty and Min Ho standing under a cherry blossom tree, staring into each other’s eyes. The framing is undeniably romantic. Jenny Han used this specific image as the first slide in her Instagram announcement .
Other images show group shots of the friend circle at KISS, Kitty riding a rollercoaster, and individual portraits of Min Ho, Dae, and Juliana. There are no photographs of Yuri with her girlfriend, Juliana. There are no photographs of Min Ho with any other love interest .
The absence of Juliana-Yuri content combined with the presence of a Kitty-Yuri handhold is what concerns MoonCovey supporters. They worry the show is setting up a love triangle that many thought was resolved when Kitty chose Min Ho at the end of Season 2.
The Cherry Blossom Scene and What It Means
The photograph of Kitty and Min Ho under the cherry blossom tree carries special significance. In Korean culture, cherry blossoms often represent the beauty and fleeting nature of youth and love. They are also strongly associated with spring, new beginnings, and romantic confessions .
For a show set in South Korea that frequently incorporates local cultural elements, the cherry blossom setting suggests a pivotal romantic moment. Whether that moment leads to Kitty and Min Ho finally becoming a couple or serves as a backdrop for complications remains unknown.
Some fans have noted that cherry blossoms appear in multiple first-look images, suggesting the season may feature a cherry blossom festival episode. This could provide the perfect setting for Kitty to make her final decision about her love life.
Season 2 Ending Recap: How We Got Here
Season 2 of XO, Kitty wrapped on a dramatic note. Kitty’s love life became complicated as she developed feelings for Yuri while trying to maintain her connection with Dae. Just as she built the courage to act on those feelings, Juliana appeared, interfering with Kitty’s confession .
Kitty decided to leave Korea with the intention of never seeing Yuri again. But that led to a classic cliffhanger and deeper unresolved romantic tension. Min Ho entered with an unresolved arc, as Kitty felt sparks flying with him. At the end of the season, Kitty asked if she could accompany Min Ho on the summer tour he was going on with his father and brother. While there was no verbal answer, his smile confirmed she was welcome .
XO, Kitty Season 3 will reportedly begin with a summer episode, picking up right where Season 2 left off. This marks the first time the show has started a season outside the school setting .
Fan Reactions and Divided Expectations
The shipping war surrounding XO, Kitty Season 3 has become larger than just which couple fans prefer. It now involves conversations about how streaming shows handle romance, representation, and audience expectations.
XO, Kitty made history by featuring Kitty’s journey of discovering her bisexuality. Her connection with Yuri in Season 1 was genuine and emotionally resonant. Many queer viewers saw themselves in Kitty’s confusion and her slow realization that she could have feelings for a girl. When Season 2 shifted focus to Min Ho, those viewers felt erased .
Gia Kim’s 2025 interview confirmed what many suspected: the show’s direction was influenced by the overwhelming popularity of the MoonCovey ship on social media. KittYuri shippers were vocal, but MoonCovey shippers were louder and more numerous .
This is why the Season 3 first look is so contentious. If the handhold is real and leads to a genuine KittYuri storyline, MoonCovey shippers will accuse the show of queer-baiting and changing course last minute to appease a smaller but louder vocal minority. If the handhold is a red herring and Kitty ends up with Min Ho, KittYuri shippers will argue that the show used queer imagery to generate buzz without delivering meaningful representation.
Cast and Crew Remain Silent
As of mid-February 2026, neither Netflix, Jenny Han, Valentina Garza, nor any cast members have addressed the shipping war or explained the context of the Kitty-Yuri photograph. Anna Cathcart has not posted about the Season 3 announcement on her personal social media accounts. Sang Heon Lee and Gia Kim have also remained silent .
This silence is unusual. In previous seasons, cast members engaged with fans, shared behind-the-scenes content, and acknowledged shipping communities. The current radio silence suggests the creative team is either aware of the intense debate and choosing to let the show speak for itself, or they are contractually prohibited from revealing anything that might spoil the season.
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What to Expect When Season 3 Arrives
XO, Kitty Season 3 will premiere on Netflix on Thursday, April 2, 2026. The season consists of eight episodes, each approximately 30 minutes long. It will be available for streaming globally in all Netflix territories .
The season follows Kitty through her senior and final year at KISS. She will balance her academic future, her newly discovered Korean family connections, and her complicated romantic life. The official synopsis confirms that Min Ho is her primary romantic focus, but the first-look images confirm that Yuri remains in the picture .
Reports indicate that the first episode will be a summer episode, picking up right where Season 2 ended. Some first-look images suggest the friend group takes a trip to Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, adding new locations and experiences to the show’s visual palette .
Fans will have to wait until April 2 to learn whether the handhold photograph signals a new direction for Kitty’s love life or serves as one final complication before she chooses Min Ho.
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