K-Pop Group Kiss of Life Apologizes for Hip-Hop Parody Controversy, Vows “Cultural Respect”

K-Pop group Kiss of Life issued a formal apology after their hip-hop-style content sparked controversy over cultural sensitivity. On March 29, during a live stream celebrating member Julie’s birthday, the group released content in an “old school hip-hop” style that drew criticism. During the controversial live stream, the group’s four members—Julie, Nati, Bell, and Haneul—danced to 50 Cent’s 2003 song “In da Club.” The members imitated rappers’ attire by wearing hats tilted to one side and gold necklaces. While the group’s intention was to express their love for hip-hop, international fans labeled it cultural appropriation. In particular, the members’ use of Bantu knots, a traditional black hairstyle originating from South Africa’s Zulu kingdom, became a focal point of criticism. Additionally, one member being jokingly referred to as “Lil Taco Belle” also contributed to the controversy. Fans and online community users criticized the content on social media, arguing it reinforced harmful stereotypes about Black culture. Their agency, S2 Entertainment, initially explained in a statement that the content was created based on “old school hip-hop style,” but later admitted they overlooked the risk of reinforcing stereotypes. S2 Entertainment stated, “The members and the team will approach future cultural references with greater caution and respect,” and announced that they had removed the relevant content from all platforms. Under continued criticism from fans, on April 5, the members of Kiss of Life released a handwritten apology letter. Starting with the phrase, “To all Kishi (the official fandom name), we sincerely apologize for the content that disappointed you,” the members admitted that their response was delayed. They explained in the apology that their intention was to express their love for old school hip-hop, noting that hip-hop has played a significant role in Kiss of Life’s musical inspiration. However, they explicitly acknowledged that “they took the concept too far” and that “the content was inappropriate from a cultural sensitivity perspective.” The group promised to “keep working hard to educate themselves and gain understanding,” and recognized that “no words we speak or actions we take can magically fix the harm already done.” While some fans are willing to accept this apology, others remain dissatisfied and continue to push for the group to be canceled on social media.