KISS OF LIFE are free. Whether on stage or off it, the fast-rising K-pop girl group have an uninhibited air to them. At their NME Cover shoot in Seoul in late-October, they strike poses with an equal balance of elegance and attitude – sometimes staring down the barrel of the photographer’s lens with unflinching confidence and, at others, softening themselves to create shapes and expressions full of grace. Regardless of which mode they’re in, the four idols always feel in control and full of independence.
KISS OF LIFE on The Cover of NME. Credit: Ahn Hongje for NME
“All four of us, generally, have a very free personality,” rapper Natty shares, glancing fondly at her three bandmates – Julie, Belle and Haneul – sitting in a neat row to her left. It’s a few weeks after the shoot, and now, they join us from Silver Spring, Maryland, where they’re a few dates into their first North American tour. Despite having only arrived at their hotel shortly before our chat, they are – true to form – relaxed and easy-going as they gather in front of a computer.
Freedom has been a core part of KISS OF LIFE’s story since they debuted in 2023. They projected assured, liberated energy in their addictive first single ‘Shhh’, shrugging off other people’s judgements (“Whatever someone says, you’re you”) to pursue what they “really want”. Their agency, S2 Entertainment, has also encouraged them to try whatever they want creatively from the get-go. Each member has worked to shape their music since the beginning, with their self-titled debut EP named one of the best Asian releases of 2023 by NME, while also having input on other parts of their whole package.
“I know how good our members are, so I always feel like I want to bring something better” – Belle
“Freedom could be interpreted in many different ways, but for us, not having any restrictions really gives us the opportunity to think beyond what we even could have thought [possible],” rapper Julie explains. “During the process, we find out more about ourselves as well. That really makes us grow stronger as a group and individually, too.”
“Our company helps us a lot to share our opinions and search for new inspiration,” adds Belle, nodding in agreement. “We know that’s not a common thing in this industry, so we’re always really thankful for that.”
On stage, they take the slick, tight choreography expected of a K-pop group and infuse it with personality and looseness. It ends up feeling like the moves they’re nailing come naturally to them rather than steps they’ve drilled into their muscle memory. Their latest EP, the sensational ‘Lose Yourself’, released in October, captures part of why that’s possible for the four-piece – their passion.
Natty of KISS OF LIFE. Credit: Ahn Hongje for NME
“‘Lose Yourself’ is all about the moment we totally lose ourselves to something we love and dream about, and for us, that’s our music,” Belle explains. Julie picks up her bandmate’s point, continuing: “We asked the question, ‘When do we lose ourselves?’, and everyone said when we’re on stage. The whole album really represents the way we look at music and how we present ourselves on stage, so we didn’t need to force anything – it just came naturally because we already lose ourselves [in that].”
In the 17 months since their debut, KISS OF LIFE have regularly been described as “free spirits” in their performances. But that label could overlook the hard work they’ve put in behind the scenes to be able to create that impression. “We take the time to make sure that everything looks clean, looks neat,” Julie says. “We have to get that K-pop down first, and then, once that’s ready and all perfect, we can add our personal colours to it and give each other advice on how to change it up a little bit.”
Julie of KISS OF LIFE. Credit: Ahn Hongje for NME
For the group, everything comes back to the music. Although each of the four comes from different backgrounds – Julie and Belle spent some of their childhoods in Hawaii and Seattle, respectively, before moving to Seoul, Natty left her home in Thailand around the age of 11 to become a trainee (and was even in the running to become a member of TWICE when she competed in reality TV show SIXTEEN), while maknae Haneul grew up in South Korea – they’re united in their driving force having always been the songs, sounds and performances.
It’s why, despite going through plenty of ups and downs in the K-pop system, Natty trained for 10 years to get the chance to debut. It’s also why Haneul was so moved by watching performances at a university festival that she decided to make her hobby of singing and dancing with her friends her whole life. “I felt a lot of emotion from the performance, and I remember crying because I was so touched,” she recalls, pouting and running her fingers down her cheeks like rivers of tears as the translator conveys her words.
“Not having any restrictions really gives us the opportunity to think beyond what we even could have thought [possible]” – Julie
Belle, meanwhile, had a more unusual – but equally passion-fuelled – entry into the group. After her cousin, the R&B singer Cherry Coke, heard her sing when she was still in high school, she introduced her to producer IOAH, who taught her how to make beats. She started writing her own songs and sharing them on SoundCloud and was invited to take part in a songwriting camp by SM Entertainment. Since then, Belle has helped pen tracks for a variety of Korean acts, from fellow girl groups PURPLE KISS and LE SSERAFIM to rapper Kid Milli.
“I was planning to debut as a solo artist,” she shares, “But then I got [told] S2 Entertainment was planning to launch a girl group that consisted of four talented, independent members, and they wanted me in the group in a producer role.” After meeting her future bandmates, she changed her plans and committed to KISS OF LIFE.
Although she continues to write for other artists (her recent credits include VIVIZ’s ‘Hypnotize’ and a song for her father, the singer Shim Shin), the group is Belle’s main focus – and the project she’s hardest on herself about. “When it comes to KISS OF LIFE songs, I’m always unsatisfied,” she shares. “I know how good our members are, so I always feel like I want to bring something better.”
Belle of KISS OF LIFE. Credit: Ahn Hongje for NME
Right now, the four-piece are doing more than well enough. They’ve become increasingly in demand for features on other artists’ tracks, with Julie appearing on Nayeon’s ‘Magic’, Haneul lending her voice to GK’s ‘IDC’, and Natty joining both Adora on ‘Dusk Twilight 2024’ and Jay Park on ‘Taxi Blurr’ this year alone. With each of the group’s own releases, they’ve assuredly levelled up, too. ‘Born To Be XX’ found them at their freest before ‘Midas Touch’ revitalised a classic ‘90s pop sound, followed by the social media-dominating summer smash ‘Sticky’.
The latter, in particular, felt like a turning point. It gave them their highest chart positions – both in Korea and the US – and public recognition in Korea, taking them from rookies with promise to an exciting act capable of great things. “Being able to get recognition for that song meant even more for us because it held a really special place in our heart, even before it came out,” Julie explains.
She notes that as soon as they heard it, ‘Sticky’ was the group’s “immediate favourite song”, so its success came as little surprise to them. “We did [expect it to do well] when we first heard it, actually,” their leader laughs. “That made us extra happy that we were right. We were like, ‘Yeah, we have good ears!’”
Haneul of KISS OF LIFE. Credit: Ahn Hongje for NME
KISS OF LIFE’s group name holds the meaning of a breath of fresh air and, in their time together so far, they’ve provided that for the K-pop scene. You can often find the group doing things a little differently, like when they eschewed the normal route of introducing their members pre-debut via photos and dramatic trailer videos, opting instead for a slow rollout of solo tracks that highlighted their talents and unique personalities. “One of the biggest merits of our group is that we have our individualities and our own distinct charms,” Belle smiles. “So we decided to showcase our capabilities to people.”
The sound they’ve made their niche, too, sets them apart from a lot of their peers. Where other groups have been focused on the Y2K-influenced trend, KISS OF LIFE have dug into ‘90s and ‘00s R&B, hip-hop and pop, taking influence from the likes of Destiny’s Child and Britney Spears. Under that broad umbrella, they’ve been keen to explore and experiment as much as possible, from the sultry R&B lilt of ‘Nobody Knows’ to the alluring, low-slung hip-hop of ‘Igloo’ – yet another viral hit for the group. There’s a curiosity in the four women that pushes them to venture into fresh territory whenever they can.
After a phenomenal 2024, which will wrap up with the remaining dates on the North American leg of their ‘Kiss Road’ tour, they’re keen to keep trying out new things in 2025 as well – whether that’s in their music or in the experiences and opportunities that come their way. “We’ve only done five shows so far, but we’ve already grown so much, and we’re learning so much as artists that I feel like, in 2025, we’re going to become [even] stronger and do more amazing stages with better music,” Belle says, confidence ringing through her voice.
As they continue to push forward, level up and freely explore, they know exactly how they want the world to see them – an unparalleled and special act in the K-pop world and beyond. “I want people to think there isn’t going to be another girl group like KISS OF LIFE,” Haneul says proudly. At the other end of the row, Natty nods and calls back to the message behind their name. “For me, I want people to say, ‘KISS OF LIFE is different,’” she says softly as her bandmates murmur in agreement. So far, that legacy is firmly within their sights.
KISS OF LIFE’s ‘Lose Yourself’ is out now via S2 Entertainment.
Listen to KISS OF LIFE’s exclusive playlist to accompany The Cover below on Spotify or on Apple Music here.
Words: Rhian Daly
Photography: Ahn Hongje
Label: S2 Entertainment
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