How Minho is hinted to be endgame since XO Kitty S1?
(And they didn't randomly change the direction of S2 or suddenly made Minho important in S2)
Because since the very beginning, it is emphasized that Kitty has 3 main love interests, Dae, Yuri, and Minho, she will end up with one of them. XO Kitty is not very very obvious from the start like TATBILB and not back to back between brothers like TSITP.
Disclaimer: I have a job, I'm writing this on the weekend, please
1. S1 episode 1 Kitty-Minho-Yuri-Dae Relay
Series, or at least kdramas, always introduce the characters that will be the focus of the season in the beginning of the 1st ep of S1.
In 1x01 first 15 minutes (half the ep duration)
-Kitty is re-introduced: her current situation, her background aka family, her next goal, how to get to her goal, her first step to reach the goal which is arriving in Korea and then KISS
-Yuri is introduced: her current situation, daughter of a rich family, influencer, famous, potential to be a close person to Kitty cus she drove Kitty to KISS
-Dae is introduced (properly for the first time): his current situation, smart student, scholarship, not from a rich family, still in love with Kitty
Then the 2nd half of the first episodes, minute 15 until 28, Kitty and Minho and Q introduce themselves to each other, then Kitty meet Dae and Yuri again.
But the ODD ONE out of this formula, the first character Kitty met was not Dae nor Yuri, but Minho. He bumped into her at the airport and then she bumped into Minho again at the party. The full introductions that we got were Kitty, then Yuri, then Dae, no Minho and yet Minho is the first person Kitty met and they bumped to eo TWICE, at the airport and then at the party. So in this case, Minho's presence is also very important to the story, foreshadowing that with the focus being these 3 characters: Kitty, Yuri, Dae first, Minho will eventually "bump" his way in to the story, he is not just Dae's friend or side character bcs he had the FIRST INTERACTION WITH KITTY.
and this whole relay in S1E1 parallels the airport relay in S1E10.
2. S1 episode 10 Kitty-Dae-Yuri-Minho Relay
In the last episode of season, we know:
1. Kitty is over Dae, but Dae still has feelings for her
2. Kitty likes Yuri who is in a relationship with Juliana
So this brings us to the obvious airport relay, first Dae runs to the airport to confess to Kitty that he still has feelings for her but when Kitty meets him, she turned him down without him confessing and they officially break up. But they both said they are eo's first love, so they still care for eo.
Then Kitty turns back and meets Yuri, she wants to confess to Yuri but they get interrupted bcs Yuri is waiting for Juliana. Yuri and Juliana reunite and Kitty walk in to the boarding gate. Yuri called her mom to convince her not to expel Kitty, showing that Yuri cares a lot about Kitty (but she ofc loves Juliana very much yes).
Then Kitty arrives at her seat, sitting down while reading her mom letters and seeing the name "Simon" but then suddenly someone beside her nudged and it's Minho. Unexpected for both Kitty and the audience. They both talk and laugh showing their good relationship, a development from their 1st meeting at the airport. This scene is pretty long and has the longest duration compared to Kitty-Dae and Kitty-Yuri at the airport earlier. Then Minho confessed his love to Kitty. Kitty was shocked and the season ends.
This last ep relay scene is actually enough as proof that Minho will be endgame and how XO Kitty will do their love triangle/hexagon/rhombus or whatever.
XO Kitty is not the usual balanced love triangle but instead, the main character (Kitty) will experience a "relay" in her love life with the 3 main love interests, to simplify it they basically gonna take turns. First love is Dae, second love is Yuri, third love is Minho.
And this concept was actually mentioned in one of the episodes in season 1 by well.. Minho himself.
3. S1 Ep 9 a reason, a season, or a lifetime
Second to last episode. Before we have that episode 10 airport relay. Opening scene.
"A reason, a season, or a lifetime. Every relationship fits into one of those categories. I read this in a magazine. The point is, Madison and I are over. And looking back, I believe I was with her for a reason. No, she showed me I was ready for something real."
This is one of the biggest foreshadowing ever in new TV era like... ok when people watched this scene the first time they prob didn't think too deep about it, including me, because the convo is random and not that necessary? Minho can just talk about him and Madison being over without throwing a relationship quote. BUT THAT IS THE POINT. The point is that quote is random yet it was the opening scene for Ep 9. If we compare it to other opening scenes in the 1st season, the opening scenes always indicate something important for the characters' story. And most opening scenes in Season 1 are about Kitty, Yuri, and Dae then in 2nd half Minho start to show up in opening scenes.
Ep 5 opening: Kitty Dae start officially become friends and roommates
Ep 6 opening: Minho Kitty (Minho's dream)
Ep 7 opening: Kitty Yuri (Kitty's dream)
Ep 8 opening: Kitty Dae start dating
Ep 9 opening: Minho's quote
Ep 10 opening: Dae cornering Minho about Kitty
Minho said being with Madison made him realize he was ready to commit into a relationship not just hook ups or one night stand, he was serious with Stella despite her being a rebound, but sadly his first committed relationship was "fake".
While with Dae and Yuri, Kitty fell in love with Dae first and dated for more than 4 years, a season, then she liked Yuri and discovered more about her being bi, a reason.
Minho's a reason is Madison, season is Stella, lifetime is Kitty
While Kitty's season is Dae, Yuri is reason, lifetime is Minho
All left is a lifetime for both Minho and Kitty.
So Minho's quote is definitely an important foreshadowing. And Ep 9 really shows how Minho is over with Madison, but actually he went through a failed rebound, and still cares so much for Kitty.
4. The whole episode 9 of Season 1: Kitty Dae, Kitty Yuri, Kitty Minho altogether
-This ep is meant to emphasized how these 3 are Kitty's main love interests like Kitty keep having moments with them in this ep but there is this specific scene:
Foreshadowing can be through many things, characters' lines or actions are two of them, but then it's better if cinematography supports it like in this scene where Minho is standing up alone facing Kitty sitting with Yuri and Dae while calling out Yuri and Dae & defending Kitty.
It's in 1x09 where Kitty already likes Yuri while still forcing herself to date Dae and Dae still loves Kitty, means these 3 are in a love triangle rn and Yuri sitting on the floor in between Kitty and Dae, makes their sitting formation like a triangle. In 1x09 Minho alr broke up with Madison and still very much in love with Kitty, meaning we now know he IS one of Kitty's 3 main love interests.
And he is standing up while Kitty is sitting down with Yuri and Dae as a foreshadowing that Minho will have the "upper hand" after S1. And ofc he will get the "upper hand" by treating Kitty better (he defended her in this scene which is right).
"I wouldn't do that to a friend or someone I care about."
And in S2 Minho still cares so much for Kitty and also 2 of them become closer as friends.
5. More about Dae Yuri Minho as the 3 main love interests and their "relay" with Kitty or "switch up"
First half of season 1 Ep 1-5: Kitty loves Dae but Dae is fake dating Yuri and
Ep 6 (the middle ep of S1, the first switch up)
1. Minho dreams about Kitty
2. Minho realized he fell in love with Kitty at the party (Minho switch up from not liking Kitty to loving her)
3. Kitty fell in love with Yuri at the party (Kitty switch up from Dae)
And that's why in S2 Ep 5 (the middle ep of the season) there's another switch up from Yuri-Minho to just Minho
S1 Ep 1-5: Kitty liking Dae
S1 Ep 6-9: She still dated Dae while being denial about Yuri
S1 Ep 10: Kitty tells Dae the truth about her feelings for Yuri
S1 Ep 6-10: (switch up) Kitty start liking Yuri
S2 Ep 1-4: Kitty still likes Yuri
S2 Ep 5-6: Kitty and Yuri trying to fix their friendship
S2 Ep 5-6: (switch up) Everyone ignoring Kitty and she spends time with Minho only, rain scene
S2 Ep 7-8: Kitty realized her feelings for Minho
6. The Families of the 3 Main Love Interests
Many people complained π "why S2 is about minho's family and everyone else's families suddenly don't have problems"
Let me break it down for you sweetheart... the keyword is "family home"
Focus: Kitty, Yuri, Dae families + Minho's mom cameo
-Kitty: We saw her parents, Dan and Trina, opening scene of Ep 1 is at TATBILB house
-Yuri: We saw Yuri's mom right away on Ep 1 (Jina), then her dad (Sungjin Han) in Ep 2 and then her house, and throughout season 1 there are scenes at her house
-Dae: We saw Dae's father (Mr. Kim) on Ep 1 bcs well he is Yuri's driver and he works for Yuri's father, later on we saw Dae's little sister (Bora) and just like Yuri, there are scenes at his house too
-Minho: There are 2 scenes of him face timing his mother (Dami) and we saw Minho's mom face, and there is a scene where Minho telling specifically about her mother being an actress, there are scenes of Minho telling details about his family not just "my parents are divorced"
Juliana: mention of her parents, no faces
Q: told about his conservative family background, no faces of his fam, no names
Florian: told about his family problem which is the divorce of his parents, no faces of his fam, no names
Focus: Kitty, Minho families + a few scenes of Dae's father, mentions of Jina
Kitty: Jiwon, her great aunt Soonja, Margot, and Peter appearances throughout the season
Minho: Minho's dad (Young Moon) appearance from S2 Ep 1, one episode of the characters at Minho's dad ski cabin, one episode of the characters at Minho's dad house, Minho's step brother (Joonho), mention of his step sisters (Bianca, Soojin)
Dae: a few scenes with Mr. Kim as Yuri's driver then the accident/hospital scene, Bora cameo
Yuri: mention of Jina (i feel like Jina actress was planned to make a cameo but maybe scheduling problem)
Juliana: mention of her parents
Q: mention of his family being doctors who are strict, no names, no face
Jin: mention of his dad being athlete too, he got pressured from his dad in being athlete, no face, no names
Stella: mention of her parents wanting her to come back to Ohio, no face, no names
Praveena: mention of her parents and their job
Then in S2 last ep we know that Han family is going through lawsuit and Mr. Kim is affected positively by the lawsuit. Then Kitty is joining Minho's family summer tour.
So... Kitty, Yuri, Dae families are the focus of Season 1 and Kitty and Minho's families are the focus of Season 2. With Kitty's 3 main love interests: Dae, Yuri, Minho families are being introduced in details with their names and faces and background and specific jobs since SEASON 1. And of course in S1 we got Kitty, Yuri, and Dae houses and S2 Minho house and Kitty's family's house in Korea :)
Fake dating between Yuri and Dae are related to their families, Yuri's Dad saving his face by using Dae and Dae is trying to help his family by paying tuition on his own (and his job is fake dating Yuri) and also so he wants to be a good son and brother.
Minho's father Young Moon is helping the school by being the new donor and opening art classes for the students, hold a kpop competition at the end of the season.
Kitty helping Dae, Yuri, and Minho with their families:
Dae, Minho, and Yuri all 3 have their family stuffs they can relate with Kitty's....
-Dae lost her mother like Kitty, Kitty gave him her mom's necklace permanently
-Yuri knew nothing about her mother like Kitty, together they found out about their mothers' friendship and Kitty helped Yuri reconcile with her mother and find her step brother
-Minho felt rejected by his family like Kitty feels rejected by her great aunt and Jiwon at first but then Minho helps Kitty and Kitty also helps Minho reconnect with his family
All 4 characters' (Kitty, Minho, Yuri, Dae) families are important to the story
8. Fate vs Minho-Kitty natural development
Kitty always talk about love as this big grand thing, sparks, MEANT TO BE, FATE.
With Dae and Yuri "fate" keep being mentioned, how she met Dae during her first Seoul trip and turns out he goes to her mom's school, how Yuri's mom is Kitty's mom best friends.
They made Minho and his family don't have any direct connection to Kitty's family. Minho and Kitty can relate to each other without having direct past connection. In Season 2, Minho understands Kitty's feeling of being rejected by her family because he felt that throughout his life. That's also one of the reasons why he keeps helping Kitty especially in the market scene. And at the end Kitty also help Minho reconcile with his dad and brother.
When Kitty met Minho, no fate no sparks. No direct family relation. They donβt have a crazy connection that forces them together because it happened naturally just based on their time together and their own values. And they both can relate to each other's family issues which bring them closer.
Minho and Kitty happen naturally and that is the whole point. He's the only one who doesn't have a specific perception of her. They met, they misjudged each other, they disliked each other, they got closer and knew more about each other through daily lives, they became friends, they finally understand each other, they fell in love.
No strings of fate, just their choices leading them to where they are now.
Minho and Kitty are breaking the kdrama's past connection trope πββοΈπββοΈπββοΈ
9. Minho for Kitty Moments
Minho is already written as a character who helps, saves, and do sacrifices for Kitty since season 1.
-He also once again kept defending Kitty when he found out how Dae and Yuri fake dated and lied the whole time in S1.
-Minho will always be in love with Kitty. He had two rebounds (Madison and Stella) and at the end, he realized he will never be over Kitty.
-Minho's long plane confession scene with the iconic line "a little bit or a lot" which Kitty used as her line when she realized her feelings for Minho.
-Minho always hosting events in both seasons, 1st season is his party and 2nd season is the ski trip so he has always been an impactful character since S1. And both times Kitty kinda "ruined" his events and yet he still cares so much about her.
10. Mooncovey Direct Parallels with TATBILB in SEASON 1
Minho calling Kitty "Covey" like Peter calling LJ "Covey"
The first ever parallel was in fact in S1, Kitty-Minho Chuseok and Eve Song-Daniel Covey March Thanksgiving.
Minho fell in love on Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving, emphasized by Kitty too on 1x05) just like Dr. Covey fell in love with Kitty's Mom on Thanksgiving.
1x05 XO Kitty is lit the episode that changed everything about mooncovey and it's a whole parallel to Kitty's parents love story, Minho made the homemade food and Kitty brought the odd one, mashed potato, her canned green beans.
Then the parallels continue until S2
Other than the crazy parallels in 1x05 chuseok episode. Audience who often watch kdrama must have known how impactful is Chuseok as a Korean holiday. And they gave this whole important event episode, 85% of it to mooncovey. Like..... I don't even have to explain. They literally gave the whole Chuseok to mooncovey??? And people watched this ep thinking oh they prob just gonna be closer as friends at the end??? Mind you there is no episode special whether in S1 or S2 where 85% is Kitty-Yuri or 85% Kitty-Dae like they will always be mixes with other Kitty pairings. But this Chuseok ep is lit here you go Minho with Kitty and Yuri with Dae, done. And even in this ep Dae said Kitty hasn't contacted him at all during Chuseok, like damn girl enjoying time with Minho much??
12. Lastly, Kitty-Minho having their own theme, or The Mooncovey Leitmotif
All these songs have the same leitmotif in it and they have been played for mooncovey scenes since S1 until S2
(Kitty-Dae's leitmotif only in S1 is sad/bittersweet, Kitty-Yuri don't have any)
