KISS OF LIFE Issues 2nd Apology Amid Escalating Racism Controversy
K-pop girl group KISS OF LIFE (Julie, Natty, Belle, and Haneul) has issued a second apology following accusations of racism during a recent live broadcast. On April 6, the group shared handwritten letters in English on their official social media channels, addressing the backlash from fans worldwide.
What Sparked the Controversy?
The controversy began on April 2 during Julie’s birthday live broadcast, where all members adopted a concept inspired by Black rapper styles. The broadcast included mimicking African American speech patterns and using exaggerated expressions, which drew criticism from international fans for reinforcing racial stereotypes. The group was accused of cultural appropriation and disrespecting Black culture.
In response, S2 Entertainment issued an initial apology on April 3, stating:
“We sincerely apologize for using expressions and styles that follow stereotypes of a specific race in the birthday content. The concept was based on old-school hip-hop culture, which we deeply respect. However, we failed to recognize how this could reinforce stereotypes and cause discomfort. We will delete the related content immediately.”
Second Apology: KISS OF LIFE Handwritten Letters
Despite the agency’s apology, criticism persisted, prompting the members themselves to release handwritten letters on April 6. Addressing their fans, known as “Kissys,” they stated:
“We deeply apologize for uploading content that disappointed our fans. While our intent was to express our love for old-school hip-hop—a genre that has greatly influenced our music—we now realize that we overextended the concept in a culturally insensitive way. We take full responsibility for our actions and promise to do better moving forward.”
The members added:
“We regret our choices and sincerely apologize for the pain and discomfort caused. We will continue to learn and show sincerity through actions rather than words.”
[Netizens’ Reaction] to KISS OF LIFE Handwritten Apology
However, it seems that not everyone is appeased by the apology. A tweet calling KISS OF LIFE ‘KLAN’ has garnered over 8.737 million views and over 180,000 likes.
@lalalaliry
i hate these bitches as much as the next but im observing behavior that is so insane that i genuinely think yall actually have to turn off ur phones, step outside, and BREATHE.
@yawnnielzzn
kiof did very wrong stuff but calling them Klang is a big thing pls don’t do this
@heatstrokedv8
everything is a concept. including asian cultures too. that’s not the problem. the problem is about how much the artists wanna appreciate the culture that they’re using as the concept for their art.
@txtzluvr
Like insane thing to say that “hip hop concept” was what they were going for
Some fans criticized calling the group “KLAN” is too much however some were saying the group KIOF was too much first.
What’s your opinion about KISS OF LIFE racism controversy?
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