Did you realize? When walking on every path we take in life, there’s just that fine line we could never cross no matter who we are or where we came from. It doesn’t matter if it’s for the sake of creativity and popularity, these lines are sacred and simply untouched just because we know that as mature and caring individuals, we must treat them with the utmost respect. Unfortunately, KISS OF LIFE failed to understand this notion, creating the biggest scandal ever due to Julie birthday live in 2025.
So, if you’re wondering what happened behind this KISS OF LIFE scandal and controversy, let’s dive deeper into the issue. How exactly had they affected the group and what can we really learn from their mistakes? Join us in a complete discussion below.
KISS OF LIFE Julie Birthday Live Scandal – All You Need to Know
When walking any path in life, especially in the spotlight, there are certain lines you don’t just tiptoe near and around. For these lines, you must recognize, you respect, and you stay far away from them. After all, these lines weren’t drawn out of nowhere. They came from real history. Real pain. Real people.
Unfortunately, in 2025, KISS OF LIFE didn’t just cross one of those lines—they danced across it, broadcast it live, and left thousands of international fans heartbroken in the process. What started as a light-hearted birthday livestream for member Julie quickly became one of the most controversial moments in K-pop that year.
What REALLY Happened?
On April 2, 2025, KISS OF LIFE went live on YouTube for a special stream titled “Happy JULIE Day.” Just as they teased previously, the concept centered around “old-school hip-hop vibes.” And yet, what fans saw that day went far beyond music homage, it hit a nerve for many fans, instead.
At Julie birthday live in 2025, KISS OF LIFE members showed up wearing cornrows, Bantu knots, oversized gold chains, and baggy ‘90s-style clothing. Belle wore bandana-print accessories and rapped lyrics from “Pound Town” by Sexyy Red. Natty stacked two caps on her head. The group adopted exaggerated hand gestures, stylized speech patterns, and poses heavily associated with outdated and harmful portrayals of Black hip-hop artists.
Instead of a celebration, for many people, this portrayal felt like they were cosplaying a caricature of Blackness. KISS OF LIFE members turned a culture rooted in history, struggle, and resistance into a mere costume for Julie birthday live fun.
And to make it worse, KISS OF LIFE actually posted on Bubble the day before.
“This year’s birthday live was so much fun… Please look forward to Julie unnie’s birthday content too, and promise you won’t leave the fandom after watching it.”
One message, but it then became a massive turning point for KISS OF LIFE Julie birthday live scandal. Because with this message, fans became more emotional as they felt everything was premeditated. KISS OF LIFE knew there would be issue, but they went with it still.
That is why fans then started asking: If you knew it might hurt people, why do it at all?
KISS OF LIFE Faces Massive Backlash for Julie Birthday Live Scandal
Afterward, it didn’t take long for the videos from KISS OF LIFE Julie birthday live to circulate, creating a massive scandal in the K-pop industry in 2025. Within hours, they flooded TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and worldwide fan communities.
International fans—especially Black K-pop fans—were shocked and furious. They even called it a disrespectful party that simply cosplaying the Black community. Meanwhile, others asked how a group with such a heavy hip-hop and R&B foundation could treat the culture that shaped their sound so carelessly.
Moreover, there are also other facts beyond KISS OF LIFE Julie birthday live that made this scandal worse. And not only the Bubble message, but also the fact that Julie and Belle are both American-born themselves.
How were they supposed to claim that “they didn’t know” when they came from the very country where everything started in the first place?
KISS OF LIFE members deliberately claimed that Julie birthday live party as fun. And it was even worse when they knew that the elements they chose had long been flagged as problematic within global K-pop spaces.
That is why Julie birthday live celebration became a massive scandal for many KISS OF LIFE fans. Not because they wanted to make commotion or drama, but because everything was basically personal insults for them, especially those who had supported the group with the hope that they’d be different.
S2 Entertainment’s Apology – And Why It Didn’t Work
On April 3, a day after the livestream, S2 Entertainment released an official statement across social media platforms.
They admitted the content “could be perceived as reinforcing stereotypes” and apologized “to anyone who felt uncomfortable.” They stated their goal was to “celebrate hip-hop culture” but acknowledged that the execution had fallen short.
The livestream was then promptly deleted. Fans visiting the original link were met with a “Video Unavailable” message.
But the apology, while immediate, didn’t do what fans needed it to. It felt vague, corporate, and distant. The company didn’t mention Black culture or Black communities directly. And they didn’t explain why the concept was approved in the first place—or what steps the agency would take moving forward. To many, it sounded like damage control, not responsibility.
KISS OF LIFE’s Handwritten Apology – Was It Really Too Late?
After days of growing backlash, on April 5, the group posted a handwritten apology letter on their official social channels. Each member wrote a paragraph. They expressed regret, admitted they had gone “too far,” and took “full responsibility” for the culturally insensitive content.
“We truly regret the choices we made and are genuinely sorry for any pain and distress we have caused our fans.”
KISS OF LIFE handwritten note
The tone was softer, more emotional. And it aligned with the K-pop tradition of direct, personal apologies to fans. But the letter arrived three days after the initial incident. And for most facts, it felt more like a reaction to numbers—not remorse.
By then, fan anger had already shifted from confusion to deep hurt. And it got worse when they realized that the letter still didn’t even mention the Black community by name.
The Impact of Julie Birthday Live Scandal on KISS OF LIFE’s Reputation
That is why KISS OF LIFE then faced massive and brutal consequences for Julie birthday live scandal. The group immediately lost over 200,000 followers in just a few days. Many longtime Kissys— fans who had promoted the group tirelessly, made translations, organized fan events, and supported every comeback—shut down their fan accounts, leaving the fandom for good.
And for a rookie K-pop who debuted on July 5, 2023, suffice to say that the damage was too enormous. With approaching only 2 years of career, KISS OF LIFE fanbase shrank, hitting hard on their global reputation. Even their ongoing content then received minimum responses and more backlash.
After all, cultural controversy in K-hallyu has been a concerning issue for a long time: with Ahyeon’s racial slurs, “King the Land” disrespects, Crush’s previous issue, Chaeyoung’s t-shirt issue, and BLACKPINK’s circulating videos, fans believe it’s about time the industry learn.
What We Can Learn from KISS OF LIFE Scandal 2025
Now that it has turned into one of the biggest issues in 2025, what can we learn from KISS OF LIFE Julie birthday live scandal?
One thing most K-pop companies and artists must have now realized is that being inspired by a culture doesn’t mean you truly understand it. And if you don’t understand it, you should never perform it.
Yes, KISS OF LIFE may have meant no harm. None of the previous artists did. However, it was the impact that matters, not the intent.
And in 2025, with the world more connected and informed than ever, fans expect more than just pretty stages and apologies. They demand growth, and they want honesty. They want artists who understand that respect is no longer just important—it’s the very core of the fandom culture of K-pop. We can’t undo the livestream. But we can choose what happens after.
So, to all the artists reading this: when you draw inspiration from another culture, make sure you’re not just borrowing the appearance. Learn the weight behind it. Learn the story and learn the people. That’s how you show real love.
And to every fan who felt hurt, unseen, or disappointed: your voice matters. Your expectations aren’t too high. They’re exactly where they should be.
So, let KISS OF LIFE Julie birthday live moment be more than a scandal for new generation K-pop. Make this a turning point—for accountability, respect, and a new K-pop industry that truly embraces the cultures it draws from, not just their aesthetic.
Don’t you agree? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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