In XO Kitty, the titular character moves to South Korea and attends the Korean Independent School of Seoul (abbreviated KISS), but is this boarding school real?
While the beloved To All The Boys film trilogy may have come to an end with 2021’s Always And Forever, Netflix is continuing the rom-com franchise in the form of a spin-off TV series.
Titled XO, Kitty, the series follows Lara Jean’s younger sister as she moves to South Korea to attend the Korean Independent School of Seoul, also known as KISS, but fans of the series have been left wondering if the educational establishment is real.
Kitty, XO moves to Seoul
Kitty Song Covey had largely been a supporting character in the To All The Boys film series but Anna Cathcart’s character takes center stage in XO, Kitty.
Kitty’s journey begins when she is admitted to an elite boarding school located in South Korea. She hopes to discover more about her Korean roots, learn more of her mother who has passed away, and reunite with Dae, her longtime boyfriend.
As Kitty reaches the Korean Independent School of Seoul (KISS), her plans quickly change, particularly when she learns that Dae has been hiding a new girl.
Does the Korean Independent School of Seoul from XO Kitty exist?
It is not true that the Korean Independent School of Seoul exists in Seoul.
The school in the XO Kitty series is a fictional one.
However, while KISS may not be a real boarding school, it’s highly likely that writer Jenny Han was inspired by the real-life Korea International School, which shares both a similar name and acronym, KIS.
Although they share similar names the schools aren’t related.
What school was filmed in?
The XO Kitty team used a real high school to film the movie.
Namely, Kaywon University of Art & Design in Uiwang provided the backdrop for many of the school’s exterior scenes.
In addition to the school itself, film crews were also present at a variety of locations around Seoul including Ssamzigil, Gyeongbok Palace or the Bukchon Village.
Now you can stream XO Kitty on Netflix. Netflix After releasing Thursday, 18 May 2023.
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