K-pop girl group Kiss of Life pose for a photo with the audience during the Manila leg of their 'Kiss Road' tour at the UP Theater, April 4, 2025. Photo from Kiss of Life's X account

Halfway through the recent Manila leg of Kiss of Life’s road trip-themed “Kiss Road” tour, the K-pop group’s leader Julie turned to the crowd with a question. “A car needs gasoline for it to run, right? What does Kiss of Life need for us to run more properly?” she asked through an interpreter.

The four members briefly paused in thought, with Natty and Haneul tapping their temples playfully. “Kissys’ fan chant?” Julie guessed, referring to their fandom.

“Kissys’ finger hearts?” Belle answered, pouting and placing her hands beside her cheeks in a “cheek heart” pose. “Kissys’ love?” Haneul added, offering a finger-heart gesture of her own.

“All of those are correct,” Natty said. “We can keep running because of the love, cheers and screams of our Kissys.” 

And those—love, cheers, and screams—were exactly what the Filipino crowd showered the quartet with throughout the show, which not only marked the group’s first concert in the Philippines but also kicked off the Asian leg of their world tour.

The screams began the moment Kiss of Life entered the intimate UP Theater, strutting down the aisles and giving fans an up-close glimpse of them right from the start. As they reached the stage, the beats and guitars of “Get Loud” kicked in, setting the tone for the evening as the concert opener.

The songs, which leaned heavily on hip-hop and R&B, were undeniably catchy. The vocals carried a strong R&B influence, delivered with soul and attitude. Belle especially stood out, hitting high notes and adding adlibs every now and then, such as in “Bad News” and “Nobody Knows.”

The stage production was almost bare compared to other K-pop shows, with minimal set pieces aside from the background visuals on the screens at the back. This stripped-down approach kept the focus on the charismatic foursome, whose performances were mostly accompanied by choreography that shifted effortlessly between powerful and smooth, cool and flirty.

Highlights

Among the highlights were the viral “Igloo,” where the girls donned shades and delivered the iconic dance challenge; “Winehouse,” an unreleased track inspired by Amy Winehouse that even borrows a line from her hit “Rehab”; the Latin-kissed “Te Quiero,” featuring choreography with feathered fans; and “Gentleman,” with its bouncy reggae groove.

In “No One But Us,” the girls surprised fans by descending the stage and roaming the theater, closely interacting with the audience. Meanwhile, in “Nothing,” their solid vocals shined as they sang about the realizations that follow a breakup.

Throughout the two-hour show (presented by Three Angles Production), the Kissys maintained their enthusiasm, which didn’t go unnoticed by the girls. 

“I expected that our Kissys would love [our performances], but you guys gave even louder reactions, so I was really surprised,” Natty remarked.

The cheers, the members said, were especially encouraging during the solo numbers, which allowed them to highlight their individual skills and charm. For instance, vocals were at the forefront of Belle’s rock-leaning “Countdown.”

“I felt pressured because I had to fill a song with my own voice alone, but because of your energy, I felt like I was a rock star,” Belle said.

Julie showcased sultry moves and her rapping in “Kitty Cat,” while the youngest, Haneul, clad in a cheerleader outfit with a pom-pom in hand, roamed the venue as she dished out the playful “Play Love Games.”

Dressed in streetwear, Natty proved she could command the stage on her own with “Sugarcoat,” her smooth vocals gliding through the R&B track’s groove.

“Actually, I was very nervous,” the Thai K-pop idol later admitted in the show. “In our Seoul concert, we had backup dancers. Here in Manila, I had to fill everything alone.”

The loudest sing-along of the evening was arguably for “Sticky,” a summer anthem with an Afrobeat sound, paired with twerk-filled choreography. 

Toward the end of the main show, the group also performed the 2000s pop-inspired track “Midas Touch” and their debut single “Shhh.”

Haneul said she “truly felt that Kiss of Life’s stage was complete because of the Kissys.”

Turning sentimental, Natty looked back on the group’s “happy moments” since debuting in 2023. “You guys were always part of those happy moments. I think our happy moments come because of you guys, Kissys,” she told fans.

“Moving forward, we promise to be the Kiss of Life who gives sincerity through music,” Julie said. “And of course, we’re ready to run to you if you call us again,” Belle added.

Hours after the concert, the group took to X to share photos from the event, calling the Manila show “truly unforgettable.”

“Sharing laughs, singing together, and hearing your cheers gave us so much energy. Thanks to your love and support, we were able to shine even brighter on stage. Mahal namin kayo (We love you),” they wrote, addressing Filipino fans.

Controversy

The Manila concert came just as Kiss of Life faced accusations of cultural insensitivity towards Black culture due to an “old school hip hop”-themed livestream, for which their agency issued an apology a day before the show.

Days after the show, the group issued a handwritten, joint statement to “sincerely apologize” for the incident, acknowledging they took “the concept too far.”

“We realize now that our content was culturally insensitive and take full responsibility for our actions and can only promise to do better,” they said in the statement posted on their social media accounts.

“We’ll continue to educate ourselves and show our sincerity through our actions rather than words,” they said. “Our Kissys’ support means the world to us and we will continue to honor you all in every way possible.”