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Title: “XO, Kitty” and “Love in Taipei” comparison

 

     Have you ever considered studying in a country that you are completely unfamiliar with? “XO,Kitty” and “ Love in Taipei” both elaborate the story of going abroad to study. They are all adaptation of other resources. “XO,Kitty” is a series of spin-off to “To All the Boys” (Khan, 2023); likewise, and“ “Love in Taipei” was adapted from by Abigail Hing Wen’s New York Times bestseller “Loveboat, Taipei,” (Yee, 2023); However, despite the its similarities, there are still some variances that can be compared.

 

      Although both being an American, the personality and background of Kitty (Main character of “XO,Kitty”) and Ever (Main character of “Love in Taipei”) are utterly different. Kitty is, a half American-half Korean extrovert, who tried her very best to convince her parents to let her enroll in the Korean boarding school.  The purpose of her doing that was to get be together with her long-distance boyfriend, Dae. Additionally, she did that to be in the same school as her birth mother did . Ever, on the other hand, is a total introvert brought up by her Taiwanese parents in America. She was compelled by her parents to take part in the summer program being held in Taiwan. They were attempting to let Ever have a better understanding of Chinese culture and also pick up some Chinese words. Intriguingly, neither Kitty speak Korean nor Ever speak Mandarin. Namely, they both failed to learn the languages beforehand, which had them being deceived very easily. Also, they were constantly confused by the crowd around them. While not entirely alike in terms of their characteristics and upbringings, they all ended up in the country which they had little knowledge about.

 

     Furthermore, despite both having difficulty making their own choices, Ever wrestled with more challenges. The main concern of Kitty was mostly about relationships. She went to the Korean boarding school to reunite with her boyfriend Dae, but later found out she had feelings about the other girl. Overwhelmed by the confusion and guilt, she eventually broke up with him, but still was not sure of what she wanted. Similarly, Ever distressed over this kind of emotional turmoil as well. Having feelings for two boys, she had to decide which one to get together with. Nonetheless, her worries were far more than that. She also struggled with her career pursuits and had fallen into the dilemma of whether to be a doctor or a dancer; In other words, to live up to her parents’ expectations or to pursue her own passion. And the reason why they had the chance to sort out their thoughts was because they were brave enough to step out their comfort zone and chose to live in a different country. Figuring out what we are craving for deeply inside our heart can be really struggling sometimes, but that’s an unpreventable process to module ourselves.

 

     Finally, “ Love in Taipei” seems to convey deeper reflections. “XO,Kitty” tells story about Kitty finding secrets of her birth mother and the romantic relationships developed along with it. She ended up discovering the hidden truth of her mom but broke up with her boyfriend. Whereas, “ Love in Taipei” addresses issues such as how to figure out future path, maintain a healthy relationship and be brave to face the challenges. In the film, Ever was encouraged to enjoy the life she had for now by her Aunt Shu living in Taipei, who also asked her to stop bogging in the worries of the future. (Natasha Alvar, 2023). One of the common emotional state shared by many is agonizing over our inner desire, and thus, the quote mentioned above and this plot are certainly inspiring. The unique mindset portraited has also made “ Love in Taipei” a worth-watching work.

 

     While they are different regarding the character’s backgrounds, the struggles they encountered and the reflections being conveyed, they probably both have made the “studying abroad thing” became more tempting to do. Also, they have provided exceptional mindsets to deal with their struggles in the film. But if you are a person who are constantly worry about the future, “Love in Taipei” would be a better choice.

 

 

References:

 

  1. Alvar, N (2023). Love in Taipei REVIEW.

https://culturedvultures.com/love-in-taipei-2023-review/

 

  1. Yee, L (2023). ‘Loveboat, Taipei’ Adaptation ‘Love in Taipei’ To Stream on Paramount+ This Summer

https://www.thewrap.com/love-in-taipei-loveboat-taipei-adaptation-paramount-plus/

 

  1. Khan, A (2023). 'XO, Kitty': Trailer, Release Date, Cast, and Everything We Know About the 'To All the Boys' Spin-Off Series

https://collider.com/xo-kitty-to-all-the-boys-spin-off-release-date-cast-plot-trailer/

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