K.I.S.S. has once again opened its doors for another season of Netflix's XO, Kitty. The To All the Boys spin-off series picks up where it left off, with Kitty (Anna Cathcart) returning to school and tying loose ends with her romantic interests.
Among those who've made a mark on the namesake character—as well as millions of viewers from around the world—was Minho, played by the equally as charismatic Sang Heon Lee. Fans of the heartthrob can look forward to seeing another side to him as season two explores more of Minho's familial ties.
Undoubtedly, one of Sang Heon's aces is his British accent, which has become a topic of speculation given his nationality as a Korean. While tidbits of his upbringing have been shared before, the actor himself has divulged how he developed his speaking voice as a "third culture kid."
Sang Heon Lee on How He Developed a British Accent
Sitting down with Still Watching Netflix, Sang Heon and his sister Gia Kim (who plays Yuri on XO, Kitty) got candid about their international backgrounds. While both were born to Korean parents, both siblings attained their primary education in Hong Kong. Gia says that this makes them "third culture kids," which, in her words, are "people who grew up in an environment that's not necessarily their home of origin."
Sang Heon views this unique upbringing as an advantage, as it allows them to assimilate easily into whatever environment they are in. "I think we're very lucky to [have experienced] that when we were young because we can accept [other] people's cultures quite easily. [As] third culture kids, we are great at adapting to any environment we're thrown in," he expresses. "We belong everywhere, but we also belong nowhere. It's never a disadvantage for us. It's more of an excitement for us."
While Gia pursued acting at the Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles, after brief stints studying filmmaking and journalism, her little brother enrolled at the University of Northhampton in England.
Sang Heon's formative years in England not only shaped him as an actor but also influenced the very way he spoke. He eventually picked up the accent after years of conversing with his classmates and those around them. "I was living in England for university, [so] that [was the time] when I would eat, sleep, and drink with them," he explains.
At the time, Sang Heon was the only Asian person in their university. He recalled instances when someone would randomly take his photo because they had "never met a Korean before." Gia added that his close friends from school would endearingly call him "Korea" as a nickname.
Sang Heon says that he's always been a fan of accents, which makes it easy for him to pick them up. This also applies to different areas in Korea where people speak different dialects, he adds. "I think I just love the way they [have their own linguistics], right? It just sticks with me," he shares.
XO, Kitty season 2 is currently streaming on Netflix.
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