KISS OF LIFE has faced a backlash on social media, losing nearly 200,000 followers in just two days after a controversial April 2, 2025, birthday livestream. The group tried to showcase “old-school hip-hop vibes,” but critics and fans alike accused them of disrespecting Black and Latino cultures. Member Belle’s Cholo-inspired outfit and her “Taco Belle” nickname fueled the outrage. Meanwhile, the rest of the members dressing up like black rappers caused major controversy.
KISS OF LIFE is facing criticism for cultural appropriation following recent Julie birthday celebration live pic.twitter.com/VU14ntco8j
— Flop Kpop (@TheFlopKpop) April 2, 2025
Within 48 hours, their TikTok was down by 100,000 followers, and Instagram reported a loss of 78,438. By April 3, they had already lost 56,172 followers, followed by another 22,266 on April 4. YouTube saw an 8,000-subscriber drop. Similarly, their fan pages on X and other sites decided to close. Some fans demanded a direct apology from each member, feeling the agency’s official statement wasn’t enough to repair the damage.
accurate translation of the company's apology. (english/spanish)
we can still ask for apologies from the members themselves. https://t.co/DQYYvnCHkP pic.twitter.com/9JTKFTL33V
— kiss of life archive 💋 (@kiofsfilm) April 3, 2025
S2 Entertainment’s apology acknowledged the issue and said they only wanted to honor hip-hop’s influence on KISS OF LIFE’s music. Still, people believe the group needs to address fans more personally. Whether KISS OF LIFE can bounce back from this drama remains a big question for fans.
