Korean and American pop culture merge for Netflix’s XO, Kitty! But before the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before spin-off kicked into gear in the city of Seoul, Hallyu’s up-and-coming figures have already made their cameos in the franchise. Case in point: Kitty’s very own love interest, Kim Dae-hon, who was originally played by K-pop idol hopeful Jeon Ho Young.
READ: “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” Actor Jeon Ho Young Was Once in K-Pop Survival Show “Boys Planet”
Before South Korea-based actor Choi Min Young stepped into the shoes of Dae, the cross-ocean pen pal of Kitty (Anna Cathcart) had an entirely different face behind the character. In the trilogy’s final film To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Dae made his first appearance when he stumbles upon Kitty and her family during a trip to Seoul.
The character was then portrayed by newcomer Ho Young, whose previous K-drama credits included Yumi’s Cells and Lady Cha Dal-rae’s Lover. But the now-18-year-old actor’s fame had a quick boost upon joining Boys Planet, a survival show that sought young talents to form a new K-pop boy group called ZEROBASEONE.
In a clip from the reality series, Ho Young revealed that his time at an international school was the reason for his English proficiency, which led him the role in the popular Netflix film.
Unfortunately, Ho Young was eliminated during Boys Planet’s fifth episode after ranking in the 71st place. As for the To All the Boys franchise, Dae was eventually recast due to a potential conflict in schedule, with Choi Min Young portraying the character in the spin-off series. Still, we’re crossing our fingers that we’ll see the talented Ho Young again soon!
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