Peniel Shin's XO Kitty Cameo Explained: BTOB Rapper's Joon Ho Role Breakdown

Peniel Shin made a prominent appearance in XO Kitty Season 2 as Min Ho's brother, Joon Ho.

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Posted:
Peniel Shin

XO Kitty Season 2 introduced major K-pop star Peniel Shin as part of its stacked cast. 

Throughout the Netflix show's sophomore season, Min Ho's family drama is one of the major storylines, involving his famous talent manager father, Mr. Moon, and his K-pop star brother Joon Ho. 

While his brother was only mentioned in the first seven episodes of XO Kitty Season 2 (read more about the cast here), Joon Ho finally made an appearance in the finale, and he was portrayed by none other than BTOB member Peniel Shin. 

Peniel Shin's Role in XO Kitty Season 2 Explained

Peniel Shin as Joon Ho in XO Kitty Season 2, Episode 8
Peniel Shin

In XO Kitty Season 2, Episode 8, Peniel Shin's Joon Ho is set to appear as a special guest in Mr. Moon's KISS Talent Show. However, there is a lingering issue that still needs to be addressed. 

Before his eventual appearance, Mr. Moon told Min Ho that his brother had one of his backup dancers pregnant, and he was looking for a way to keep the girl quiet since he didn't want to ruin Joon Ho's career. 

Elsewhere, a scheming Esther (who poses as Stella in XO Kitty Season 2) wants to use this information to blackmail Mr. Moon and Min Ho to make her win the talent show so that it could launch her K-pop career. 

Joon Ho points out to his father that he is actually in love with the backup dancer, and he is willing to risk everything to be present in his kid's life. 

Given that the revelation happened in front of Kitty, she manages to put a stop to Stella's blackmailing attempt against Mr. Moon by helping Joon Ho reveal the truth to the public about his pregnant girlfriend (aka the love of his life).

As a result, Joon Ho confesses his love to his girlfriend in front of his fans while also proposing to her. 

With no more information to use to blackmail Min Ho's family, Stella's evil plan in XO Kitty Season 2 is thwarted as she gets deported back to the United States. 

Who Is Peniel Shin? BTOB Rapper's Career Explained

Peniel Shin performing Daydream in a live clip from BTOB's official YouTube channel
Peniel Shin

Peniel Shin is a South Korean rapper and musician best known for being one of the vocalists of the seven-member K-pop group, BtoB (Born to Beat). 

He was raised in Chicago, Illinois before moving to South Korea to pursue his passion for music. He made his debut as part of the group on March 21, 2012. 

Some of BtoB's notable hits include "Insane," "Heart Attack," "Neverland," and "I'll Be Your Man."

In 2013, Peniel served as the main host of the reality series, Pops in Seoul. His other acting credits include guest star appearances in Episode 4 of The Heirs in 2014 and Dae Jang Geum is Watching in 2018. 


All episodes of XO Kitty Season 2 are streaming on Netflix.

- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.