KISS OF LIFE’s Sexiest New Music Video Inevitably Splits Fandom
When KISS OF LIFE teased the release of “Sticky” on June 30, 2024 (KST), fans expected a hot girl anthem…
…as the rookie girl group has come to be known as one of K-Pop’s sexiest.
And, surely, the music video captured the members boasting their unmatched talent, beautiful bodies, and vibrant personalities.
SUMMER IS SO SO BACK! kiss of life you will always be THE IT GROUP of your generation! pic.twitter.com/rdX7rc9C3l
— STICKY 🦋 (@kiofsite) June 30, 2024
Multiple scenes from the music video went viral across social media platforms and online communities where Korean and international fans talked nonstop about the release.
excuse me MOTHER ?!? pic.twitter.com/ft0WToMsyP
— julie pics (@hourlyjuliee) June 30, 2024
As expected, though, the fun and flirtatious music video has split the fandom—mostly the Korean one—in half.
While most international fans are singing praise for KISS OF LIFE “bringing a fresh, sexy, sporty vibe that’s just irresistible” to the scene…
…Korean fans remain fiercely divided.
ㅋㅋㅋ 이제 데뷔한 지 1년된 신인 여돌 데리고 이게 맞음? 안무로 어그로 끌고 촬영 구도도 참……… 적당히 하세요 pic.twitter.com/yyvfBCdsK5
— 파란 (@b2ue5ky) June 30, 2024
LMAO. Doing this with a rookie girl group who hasn’t even been in the K-Pop scene that long… Is this OK? This choreo is asking for a lot, and the camera work isn’t helping at all… C’mon. Know when to stop.
— @b2ue5ky/X
One viral tweet called out the management for over-sexualizing the members to ride out their “hot girl” reputations, with a decent number of fans agreeing with the sentiment being presented in the tweet.
그룹의 대외적인 이미지가 핫걸로 굳어졌으면 님들은 그게 너무 과열되지 않게끔 성희롱으로부터 보호해 주고 그룹 초기 정체성이었던 자유라는 키워드를 잃지 않도록 애써 주어야 합니다… 지금 나아가야 하는 방향성과 정확히 반대로 가고 계세요
— 하트 (@b2lluve) June 30, 2024
If the group’s reputation has been set in stone as the “hot girls” of K-Pop, then it should be the management’s absolute goal to keep that heat under control to protect the members from sexual harassment. It should also be the management who guides the group to keep their original identities rooted in the concept of being “fun and free.” Right now, KISS OF LIFE is going the complete opposite direction that it should be venturing.
— @b2lluve/X
On the other hand, hundreds of theqoo comments have called out the naysayers for hating on the concept for no reason. Some pitched the OG summer queens, SISTAR, in comparison to make point that the alluring music video is, one, not new to K-Pop, and, two, not all that sexualizing.
- “The hottest girls…”
- “I liked it, LOL. The bike scene did throw me off a bit, but all other scenes felt within what the girls have been showing us as part of their performances.”
- “The bike scene caught me off guard, but the MV in general was great. I love the song.”
- “So much backlash for what… I am worried, though, because concepts like this gets worse with time.”
- “Yes, the bike is extra AF. But other than that, the MV looks fine? Maybe it’s because the bike numbed me.”
- “I love it. The members made it look so good, too.”
- “I think people hate the bike scene because it feels too forced and it doesn’t even make the member look good. But overall, the MV is awesome because the members look happy doing what they do. So the revealing outfits and the racy choreography don’t come off as vulgar.”
- “Other than the bike, I think this is fine.”
- “I have no issue with it either… I think they’re very close to ‘the line,’ but they didn’t cross it. Haha. The song’s a bop.”
- “IDK, some of the fans hate it for some reason.”
- “Yeah, the bike part is a bit much. But everything else, I think, is very on brand for KISS OF LIFE so it doesn’t come off as weird.”
- “I thought the bike scene was more comical than sexy. Everything else, I thought it was a part of the concept they’re pushing. And TBH, I think it’s SISTAR-esque. In fact, it’s not even as out-right SEXY as some of SISTAR’s MVs were.”
- “All the members are of age and they also like pursuing this look and concept. So what I don’t understand is why everyone else is so pressed about it.”
Embracing “sexy” in K-Pop, especially for a rookie girl group, isn’t easy. In fact, most girl groups confront some backlash when switching gears and exploring more mature concepts. Seeing from the buzz that KISS OF LIFE has, too, been able to create with “Sticky,” one thing does seem clear: The split is inevitable, so the members should care less and keep doing what they do best.
Watch the full music video below:
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