K-pop group Kiss of Life. Photo from Kiss of Life's X accountThe agency behind rising K-pop girl group Kiss of Life apologized Thursday after the band faced backlash over a hip-hop-themed livestream, which was criticized for allegedly mocking African American culture.

On Wednesday, the four-member group held a livestream to celebrate member Julie's birthday with an "old-school hip-hop" theme. However, they faced criticism for their outfits and behavior, which some online users said appropriated and mocked Black culture.

"We sincerely apologize for causing discomfort to our viewers," S2 Entertainment, the group's label, said in a statement.

"The true purpose of the content was to celebrate hip-hop culture where much of the musical inspiration for Kiss of Life comes from. We apologize for our shortcomings in recognizing the negative cultural implications that our content would be perceived as," it added.

The livestream and other related content have been deleted from the group's social media accounts.

The agency vowed that the group would also "approach cultural references with greater caution and respect moving forward."

The apology comes a day before Kiss of Life performs at the University of the Philippines Theater for the Manila leg of their "Kiss Road" tour, their first-ever show in the Philippines.

Debuting in July 2023, Kiss of Life—whose other members are Natty, Belle and Haneul—has been making waves in the K-pop scene with their hip-hop and R&B-infused sound. Their standout tracks include "Midas Touch," "Sticky," and "Igloo."