Girl group says it couldn't miss the season that helped define the members' rise as K-pop's 'summer queens' Kiss of Life poses for a photo before a roundtable interview in Seoul, July 29. (S2 Entertainment) For most K-pop groups, a four-month gap between releases would be considered a rapid comeback. For Kiss of Life, it was simply too important not to miss the summer.The quartet returned Tuesday with its third single, "Sweat," just four months after releasing its second single, "Who is She." During a joint interview in Seoul on Wednesday, the members said they deliberately accelerated preparations to capitalize on the season that has become synonymous with the group's identity."We've always released music that fits the summer, so we wanted to prepare quickly and return with something everyone can enjoy during the season," Belle said.Summer has become a defining season in Kiss of Life's career. "Sticky," released in July 2024, became the group's breakthrough hit. It earned Kiss of Life its first music show win and helped the group secure the Korean Music Awards’ rookie of the year honor while cementing its reputation as one of K-pop's emerging "summer queens." Even its debut single "Shhh," now one of the group's most successful releases, arrived in July 2023.That seasonal identity shaped the group's latest musical direction. "Sweat" combines Afro-house with Latin pop influences, drawing on rhythms the members felt best matched Kiss of Life's performance style."We thought the passionate feel of Latin pop really suits our color," Belle said. "The rhythmic groove of Afrobeats is also something we can express well."Beyond its upbeat sound, Belle said the song carries a personal message inspired by the group's own journey."The phrase that best sums it up is 'Don't let them see you sweat,'" she said. "We worked incredibly hard to get where we are today, and that's what I kept telling myself throughout our trainee years.""Of course we want to show only our best side, but we're not perfect. We also have moments of uncertainty. We wanted to say that even those imperfections can be beautiful, and we hope people can relate to that," Belle added. Concept photo for Kiss of Life's third single "Sweat" (S2 Entertainment) While the message is heartfelt, the performance embraces the carefree energy of summer.Belle said the song immediately brought to mind "dancing barefoot on the sand beneath a summer sunset," an image that ultimately inspired both the choreography and the music video."We even have choreography where we wipe sweat away or flick it off," she said. "It's simple enough that anyone can follow.""If you're heading to the beach this summer, we hope you'll dance along to 'Sweat,'" Haneul said, encouraging fans to join in.The B-side, "What!," takes the group's energy in a different direction."It's an EDM track you can jump and dance to at festivals," Belle said. "It's a side of us we've never shown before, and I think it'll really shine at concerts and large festival stages."Thai member Natty believes the song will resonate particularly well with fans in her home country."The song's energy really matches Thailand," she said. "It fits festivals perfectly." Kiss of Life poses for a photo before its performance at the Waterbomb Seoul festival at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, July 24. (S2 Entertainment) She pointed to Thailand's Songkran festival, which she described as having an atmosphere similar to Korea’s Waterbomb, where the girl group first revealed “Sweat” on July 24."When we performed for Songkran this year, fans loved our songs," Natty said. "Next time, we'd love to perform 'What!' there and have everyone jump along together."Three years after their debut, Kiss of Life has released about 10 albums, including its Japanese releases, while maintaining one of the busiest schedules among groups that debuted around the same time."Three years may sound short, but we've packed so much into those three years," Julie said. "People often tell us, 'Has it really only been three years?' Hearing that makes me proud because it means we've accomplished so much."The group's relentless pace has also earned it the nickname "the miracle of a small agency."Julie said the nickname means more to her now than it did when she first heard it."I hope we're remembered not simply as the miracle of a smaller agency, but as a group that continues to create new miracles," she said.