Just weeks after rookie girl group KISS OF LIFE found itself gasping for air under the weight of a cultural appropriation scandal, member Julie has finally mustered up the nerve to deliver a long, stammering Instagram Live apology. And let’s be honest: it was more cringe than catharsis.
For nearly seven minutes, Julie stumbled through what could generously be described as a “heartfelt” apology, but in reality, it was a vague, meandering monologue packed with non-committal language, last-minute guilt, and, most disappointingly, zero urgency.
Let’s get something straight. This is not just a PR misstep. It’s a blatant example of how K-pop idols and their companies continue to treat racial insensitivity as an “oopsie,” instead of the systemic disrespect that it is.
A Birthday Bash Wrapped in Stereotypes
It all began in early April when KISS OF LIFE, then supposedly riding high as one of the industry’s most promising rookie groups, decided to celebrate Julie’s birthday on Instagram Live. But instead of a cute fan engagement moment, what the group delivered was a trainwreck. The girls styled themselves in what they called “old-school hip hop” attire, complete with cornrows, Bantu knots, oversized chains, and exaggerated mannerisms that many described as caricatures of Black culture.
In seconds, the celebration turned sour.
The backlash from Black and Latino fans was immediate and fierce. The styling wasn’t just tone-deaf. It was textbook cultural appropriation. It reinforced centuries-old stereotypes, reducing entire cultures to props for aesthetic.
Fans demanded accountability, and S2 Entertainment, the group’s agency, dropped a standard-issue apology letter. But even then, something felt off. Where was the emotion? The urgency? The actual acknowledgment of harm?
Julie’s Apology: A Masterclass in Hesitation
Fast forward to May 31st, and Julie finally decided to speak from the heart. Except what we got was less “from the heart” and more from the PR playbook written in pencil. She mumbled about being “scared” and not knowing when the “right time” to speak was. (Spoiler: it was a month ago.)
“We were really scared and weren’t entirely sure about how to approach the situation,” Julie said during the Live. “But I think it is very important to talk about it.”
Oh, now it’s important? After your comeback flopped and fans started leaving? How convenient.
Julie’s apology was a mess of apologies buried in qualifiers. At one point, she actually said:
“We do realize that what we did was wrong, and we spent a lot of time together on how to learn from this and move forward.”
And yet, she offered no specifics. No mention of why the cornrows and caricatures were offensive. No mention of Black culture beyond a vague nod to “the Black and Latino community.” And certainly no accountability for how long it took to say anything meaningful, if this can even be considered that.
Even worse, the apology came not as a dedicated statement, but as a side note during a livestream. As if the issue was just one more item on a checklist before moving on to the next round of dance practice.
“Live Laugh Love” and the Silent Flop Heard Around the Internet
In a move that now feels like it was doomed from inception, KISS OF LIFE released their latest digital single, KISS ROAD, on May 7 with lead track “Live Laugh Love.” The release was sudden, unannounced, and unsurprisingly unnoticed.
The animated music video has only 1.5 million views in three weeks, a paltry number for a group that had once been climbing the K-pop ranks. The song’s performance on social media has been equally underwhelming, mostly gaining attention from people mocking it for sounding like a Pinterest board in pop song form.
Even their performance on the YouTube music channel it’sLive, which typically boosts visibility for rookie groups, was met with silence. That is, until X (formerly Twitter) users began mocking the track’s tone-deaf lyrics and uninspired execution.
So while Julie wants to promise fans that the group is “working hard to be better,” the public seems to have already moved on.
Trying to Rebrand Before Cleaning Up the Mess
Fans are now speculating whether “Live Laugh Love” was a desperate attempt at rebranding. A pastel-washed pivot to squeaky-clean image-making that conveniently steers clear of the controversy. But there’s one glaring issue. You can’t rebrand your way out of cultural insensitivity. You can’t slap a motivational slogan over systemic disrespect and call it growth.
You don’t get to return to business as usual with a bubblegum beat and a messy livestream apology that feels like it was written on the back of a napkin during vocal practice.
The damage is done. And judging by the silence from the K-pop community that once boosted KISS OF LIFE as “the next big thing,” the industry has taken notice.
Where Does KISS OF LIFE Go From Here?
What was once a promising rookie group with viral energy and a growing international fanbase now faces an uphill climb to regain relevance, let alone respect. Julie’s apology, as late and unstructured as it was, won’t cut it. Neither will silent drops or cute comebacks.
If KISS OF LIFE is serious about growth, they need to do more than just “learn together” behind the scenes. They need to publicly confront what went wrong, talk about what cultural appropriation is, acknowledge the harm it causes, and take visible steps toward being better, not just saying it.
Until then, they remain a cautionary tale. A group that flew too close to virality, only to crash when it became clear they were unprepared to deal with the responsibilities that come with global stardom.
As for the fans who once rallied behind them? Many have moved on. And for KISS OF LIFE, silence might be the loudest message of all.
