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| ▲ K-pop girl group KISS OF LIFE pose for photos at the media showcase for their fourth mini-album "224" held in Seoul on June 9, 2025. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, June 10 (Yonhap) -- "We hope to become a group that reminds people of a ‘summer queen’ when they think of the season." (Belle)
The girl group KISS OF LIFE, who debuted in July 2023, has strong ties to summer, having made their comebacks in June or July each year. After gaining popularity last year with the refreshing "Sticky," they are now challenging the competitive summer music scene with a 2000s-style R&B hip-hop track titled "Lips Hips Kiss."
At the showcase held on Monday afternoon in Gwangjin District, Seoul, for their fourth mini album "224," the group expressed, "Last year, we came with a fresh and bubbly image. This time, we took on a different challenge. We'll show you a sticky and new kind of 'hot' energy."
The album title "224" stands for "Today, Tomorrow and Forever." The album presents a narrative of a person’s self moving from repression to liberation over time.
It features seven tracks, including the title track "Lips Hips Kiss," the Afrobeat and house genre fusion "Tell Me," the Y2K-inspired "k bye," and "Painting," which conveys the excitement of a summer day.
Member Natty participated in the lyrics of "Tell Me" and "Painting," while Julie contributed to the lyrics of "Heart of Gold."
Julie said, "I try to increase my involvement in every album. I'm inspired by my own experiences and our fans," adding, "It was fun discovering new sides of ourselves while preparing for this album."
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| ▲ K-pop girl group KISS OF LIFE pose for photos at the media showcase for their fourth mini-album "224" held in Seoul on June 9, 2025. (Yonhap) |
"Lips Hips Kiss" captures the feelings of falling for someone in a sensual atmosphere.
Belle explained, "Our members are good at digesting various genres, and we always struggle when selecting a title track because we have so many good options. After much discussion about direction, we decided to go with an R&B hip-hop song as the title."
KISS OF LIFE, despite being from a small agency, has successfully stood out in the fiercely competitive K-pop market, winning the Rookie of the Year award at the Korean Music Awards and topping music TV programs.
Belle emphasized, "Each of us is a natural-born singer who is truly sincere about music and singing. We give our all in every performance and have a deep understanding of music, which is the secret to our popularity."
She recalled, "The first time we felt our potential explode on stage was at the MMA (Melon Music Awards) ceremony. It felt like a ‘spark’ lit up and our potential burst forth."
Having completed their first world tour—an unusual feat for a rookie group—with stops across Asia, North America, and Europe, they are now preparing for encore concerts at Jangchung Arena in Seoul on July 19 and 20.
"This world tour was especially meaningful because it happened within just a year of our debut. Like our group’s name, we want to give people the strength and breath to live through our music." (Belle)
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