Song Review: Kiss Of Life – Lips Hips Kiss

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Kiss Of Life are currently clawing their way back from one of K-pop’s bigger 2025 scandals, trying to assuage the very fans they insulted via a now-infamous livestream. Time will tell if their redemption arc is successful, but this being K-pop they’re chugging along with new music regardless. Title track Lips Hips Kiss comes courtesy of their new album and continues to see them dipping into Western pop trends.

When I first flocked to K-pop, I did so for a counterpoint to the music I could easily find in the West. That’s changed as the industry has become so global, but my ear still searches for unique sounds. Not only is Lips Hips Kiss pretty darn boring on its own, but it feels like a track I could hear from any pop girl in any country. And even then, I’d likely skip it. Kiss Of Life are skilled at this style of track, but this midtempo vibe needs either a bravura performance or killer melodies (preferably both) to stand out. Lips Hips Kiss is smooth as butter, but leaves no mark in its wake.

Last summer, Kiss Of Life found a great balance with the addictive Sticky. Lips Hips Kiss misses those addictive hooks, choosing instead to employ a repetitive sung/spoke refrain that drains energy from an already lethargic track. In this world of crystalline R&B, there are already so many better songs to choose from. By hitching their wagon to such a global sound, Kiss Of Life need even stronger material to compete.