"Hugs & Kisses" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Jisoo. It is the fourth track on her debut extended play, Amortage (2025), which was released on February 14, 2025, through her label Blissoo and Warner Records. Blending elements of electropop, pop-rock, and bubblegum pop, the song conveys a woman's woman's feelings of growth and resilience following a romantic disappointment. The track was written by Jisoo, Jack Brady, Jordan Roman, Austin Wolfe and Chloe Copeloff. Production was handled by Blissoo and The Wavys.
"Hugs & Kisses" peaked at number 43 on the Circle Download Chart in South Korea, and has charted in Singapore and New Zealand. Critics lauded the lyrics, production, and Jisoo's confident delivery, highlighting the song's vocally demanding structure and her expanded vocal range.
Background and release
Jisoo announced her departure from YG Entertainment for solo activities in December 2023 and established her own label named Blissoo in February 2024.[1] On January 26, 2025, she revealed that she would be releasing her debut extended play Amortage on Valentine's Day.[2] She announced on January 28 that she had signed a global label deal with Warner Records for her solo music.[3] On February 4, Jisoo unveiled the tracklist and credits for the EP, including the track "Hugs & Kisses".[4][5] On February 6, she released a concept poster for the track, which provided a hint with the phrase: "Funny you’re wanting me back."[6] "Hugs & Kisses" was released worldwide alongside the rest of the EP on February 14.[7]
Lyrics and production
"Hugs & Kisses" features a "classic pop-rock production" that conveys "a range of emotions" as Jisoo confronts an uncommitted lover.[8] While Jisoo considered performing the song in Korean, she felt the English lyrics were "well-crafted to capture the mood" and ultimately recorded the track in English. She "thoroughly analyze[d] the hidden meanings" to ensure that the lyrics’ essence was "well conveyed during the recording".[9]
Critical reception
Crystal Bell of NME praised "Hugs & Kisses" for bringing "bouncy energy to the mix" in the overall context of Amortage. Bell felt the song paired "agile wordplay with sticky synths" as Jisoo "wink[ed] at the classic tale of falling for a heartbreaker, brushing him off with a sharp miss me with that XO".[10] Jeff Benjamin of Billboard named it the standout track on Amortage, commending Jisoo’s "ongoing evolution as a musician." He applauded its "pop-rock production" and "slightly haunting, distorted vocal sample," contrasting it with her previous work on Me. While that project leaned on instrumental-driven moments, Benjamin noted "Hugs & Kisses" as a shift, incorporating "a full, sass-packed chorus before the EP’s catchiest dance hook as a noticeably emotional Jisoo shouts throughout." He also praised Jisoo’s belt before the final chorus as a sign of her artistic growth and increased confidence as a performer.[8]
Live performances
Jisoo is set to perform the song on Lights, Love, Action!, a fanmeet tour spanning seven cities across Asia.[11]
↑ Kim, Ji-hye (February 21, 2024). 블랙핑크 지수, 개인 레이블 설립 공식화 "새 시작 지켜봐달라"[전문][Blackpink Jisoo formalizes establishment of private label, "Please watch for a new beginning" [Full text]] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024– via Naver.
↑ Jeong, Ji-won (February 4, 2025). '14일 컴백' 블랙핑크 지수, 타이틀곡은 'earthquake'…전곡 작사 참여['14-day comeback' Blackpink Jisoo, title song is 'earthquake'... Participated in writing lyrics for all songs] (in Korean). Joy News 24. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
↑ Lee, Seung-hoon (February 7, 2025). 블랙핑크 지수 솔로 컴백 D-7..타이틀곡 스포 오픈[Blackpink Jisoo Solo Comeback D-7..Title Song Spoiler Open] (in Korean). Star News Korea. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
