The Kpop girl group KISS OF LIFE has been at the center of controversy surrounding cultural appropriation after Julie’s birthday live broadcast in April, with the theme of ‘old school hip-hop’ which netizens pointed out to be offensive. Following the heavy criticism and backlash they have received, the group has released not one, not two, and not just three, but four apology statements, to address the issue.
In a recent livestream, Julie discussed the controversy and apologized again for their actions. She explained that the members have been reflecting on their actions and promised that they would do better in the future. She also ensured that each one of them is keen on educating themselves so that any similar incident wouldn’t happen again in the future. Julie also took time to address the specific communities that were heavily affected by the controversy by saying, I want to take the time to use this opportunity to apologize to the Black and Latino communities. We do understand that we’ve hurt and disappointed a lot of the fans. We promise that we are working hard to be better.
julie’s apology to the black and latino community for her recent birthday stream on instagram live (FULL) pic.twitter.com/p6rhiBOr7u
— natty pics (@nattyhourly) May 31, 2025
On June 5th, another apology was posted by KISS OF LIFE’s agency, S2 Entertainment. On their social media account, S2 also explained that the members have received serious harassment and even death threats amid the controversy. With the members’ well-being in mind, the agency announced that they will be taking legal action against malicious posts and comments.
소속 아티스트 관련 악성 게시물 대응 및 보호 안내 pic.twitter.com/b4iVa2u9cF
— S2 Entertainment (@S2ent_official) June 5, 2025
Meanwhile, KISS OF LIFE is gearing up for a summer comeback on June 9th with its upcoming fourth mini-album ‘224’ with the title track ‘Lips Hips Kiss.’
