I wonder if you’d be more interested in one of the other Linux Mint flavors: Cinnamon or MATE. here is screenshots of all 3 to compare: https://www.linuxmint.com/screenshots.php
KDE doesn’t come pre-loaded but you can install any DE on any distro. Here are KDE screenshots: https://kde.org/screenshots
Anyway have fun and good luck :)
mint
generally a solid choice
you have a friend who uses it! big advantage
people who make memes about linux distros are in a lot deeper than you want to be. they have different goals.