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On July 22, 2023, KISS OF LIFE member Julie tweeted an apology for using the N-word while singing during her trainee days. A clip of the same was released five years ago and recently resurfaced online. The video was filmed when Julie was a YG Entertainment trainee at the DEF Music Academy, a facility that helped trainees prepare for auditions.
She was 17 at the time and sang B.o.B's Strange Clouds (feat. Lil Wayne) as she used the N-word. She was heavily criticized for the same and recently took to KISS OF LIFE's official Twitter account to issue an apology.
Julie mentioned that the incident made her realize how her "careless actions can cause harm to many people." She added that she educated herself during the last six years of her training period and had "matured."
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of racial slurs. Readers' discretion is advised.
"I will strive to show you a better version of myself" - KISS OF LIFE's Julie addresses controversial video
In the second week of July 2023, a video posted on Twitter in December last year, went viral, which showcased Julie using a racial slur. The K-pop idol, who was 17 at the time, performed B.o.B's Strange Clouds (feat. Lil Wayne) for her monthly evaluation at the DEF Music Academy. The song included the N-word and instead of replacing it, she proceeded to sing the song without making any changes.
The video went viral online after KISS OF LIFE debuted on July 5. Several netizens vehemently criticized the now-K-pop idol for her lack of cultural knowledge. Weeks later, on July 23, Julie addressed the situation in an apology tweet posted on the group's official Twitter account.
“This is Julie from KISS OF LIFE. An old video has resurfaced in which I, without paying enough attention, sang the original lyrics of a cover song that included a certain word, for which I deeply regret. This incident made me realize how my careless actions can cause harm to many people and during my 6 years of training period I educated myself and matured,” she said.
Julie assured netizens that she will be more "cautious and meticulous" in the future, as she continued:
“I’m determined to be more cautious and meticulous to prevent making the same mistakes in the future. I want to express my sincere apologies to everyone who may have been hurt by my actions. I will strive to show you a better version of myself and continuous growth in the future. Thank you for your understanding.”
KISS OF LIFE consists of Julie, Natty, Belle, and Haneul. The quartet debuted with a self-titled EP and the title track Shhh on July 5, 2023. The music video currently has an impressive 12 million views on YouTube.
The oldest in the group, Julie, is 23 years old, while the youngest is 18 years of age. Natty and Belle already had a fanbase as they appeared in survival shows and are credited as producers for several hit songs.
