Plus Magazine

STAYC is the epitome of TEENFRESH! The girl group STAYC, which delighted global K-pop fans with songs such as ‘ASAP,’ ‘Stereotype,’ and ‘Teddy Bear,’ has released their new mini-album [TEENFRESH]! From their debut, they've held onto the keyword ‘TEENFRESH’ as their group's identity, so this comeback seems to hold great significance for STAYC. Just like the bubbly charm of their title song ‘Bubble,’ we, M Countdown Magazine, have had the pleasure of interviewing them.

Hello STAYC! Please greet the readers of M Countdown Magazine.

SUMIN: Hello! We are STAYC, back with our 3rd mini-album [TEENFRESH].

SIEUN: Hello~ We are STAYC, having made a fresh and invigorating comeback.

ISA: Hello. We are STAYC, returned with the [TEENFRESH] album!

SEEUN: Hello! We are STAYC, back with our new song ‘Bubble’~!

YOON: Hello, we are STAYC, back with ‘Bubble’~!

J: Hello~!! We are STAYC, who have made a comeback with ‘Bubble’~!

Could you introduce your new mini-album [TEENFRESH]? What kind of album is it?

SIEUN: This album truly embodies STAYC's TEENFRESH identity to its fullest! Not only the energy derived from TEENFRESH, but it's also an album where you can experience a wide range of STAYC's charms. It's a mini-album with a total of 6 tracks.

The title [TEENFRESH] stands out on its own. Given that TEENFRESH has long described STAYC's distinct flair, what prompted its selection as this album's title?

SEEUN: TEENFRESH is essentially our identity. This album seems to represent our identity the best, which is why it was named [TEENFRESH].

The lyrics of your title song ‘Bubble’ are witty, starting with “I'm feeling some type of way”. Among the members, who is the real homebody that fits these lyrics, preferring not to leave the house?

SEEUN: I think it might be me..! There's so much I can do and want to do at home that if there's no reason to go out, I usually don't.

YOON: Both SEEUN and I really don't go out much. Once, after I finished my schedule alone and returned to our residence, I noticed SEEUN wasn't there. I thought, ‘That's strange, she should be here,’ but it turned out she was getting her nails done. That's how much both of us are homebodies.

The line “Can't nobody take away my love” is also impressive. Were there any amusing incidents caused by STAYC members' verbal mistakes?

SIEUN: Before our ‘Bubble’ comeback, while doing a live stream, I accidentally sang a bit of Bubble's lyrics and melody. It was an unexpected and massive spoiler, and I was taken aback. Besides that, we had various spoilers like uploading photos with circular shapes to match the ‘circle’ lyrics or revealing spoilers during radio broadcasts!

J: I haven't made a mistake with a spoiler, but we're actually known for being SPOYC (a playful term indicating they often give spoilers)!! Before the ‘Bubble’ comeback, SIEUN thought the song she was singing was ‘STEREOTYPE’ and sang it out loud. It was a legendary mistake, but our fandom, SWITH, found it really endearing. (laughs)

You have shared content where, just like the chorus of your title song, you nag those around you, or conversely, where you are the ones being nagged. Especially the video with the producer RADO and SEEUN was fun to watch. So, among the STAYC members, who is the real ‘Nagging Queen’? Please answer honestly!

SUMIN: I think it's me. I usually play the role of reminding members of things they need to do or things they need to check.

SEEUN: There isn't a member who nags a lot, but if we had to pick one, it would be SUMIN. It's not really nagging, but since SUMIN is the original leader and the eldest member, she talks to us about things we need. Occasionally, very, very occasionally, what she says sounds like nagging to me, so I picked her.

The appearance of multi-entertainer Ms. Hong Jinkyung in your recent music video became a hot topic. How did you feel when you met her in person on the set?

SUMIN: Even before the music video shoot, when she was choosing glasses and sunglasses, her powerful presence was palpable. She passionately participated in our music video shoot, which was really cool.

Your music video depicts a story of escaping from a stifling school dormitory to an amusement park. If the members have a real place they go to for a change of pace, where is it?

ISA: Usually when I exercise, I feel relieved of stress, so I go to the gym or take walks near our residence!

J: Most of the time, I visit my hometown to chat with my family or meet friends I've been wanting to see to uplift my mood!

You actually filmed a performance video in an amusement park. Do you all actually like amusement parks, and if so, which rides do you usually go on?

SIEUN: Of course, most of us really love amusement parks~ Personally, I love riding thrilling and dynamic rides, including roller coasters, rides that drop suddenly from a height, ones that move intensely side to side, and 3D/4D immersive rides. I enjoy all rides that offer a thrill.

YOON: I truly love amusement parks, but I can't handle scary rides. Among them, I especially can't ride the gyro drop or the Viking ship. I also struggle with rides that spin incredibly fast or are too speedy... The feeling of my heart racing scares me..! But, my first roller coaster experience at LA Disneyland was quite fun! Still, the reason I love amusement parks is because of the lively atmosphere with lots of people, the excitement, and everyone being so enthusiastic!

There's a lot of anticipation for you all to showcase the title track ‘Bubble’ on M Countdown.  What are the specific points we should pay close attention to when watching?

J: We have a point choreography this time too! In the part ‘They talkin Bubble Bubble Bubble,’ there's a really cute point dance move. Please make sure to watch out for it><

Many K-pop fans loved the dance moves from your previous title song ‘ASAP’. We have a feeling that the dance challenge for the new song ‘Bubble’ will also be a hit. Could you share some tips to follow the dance moves well?

YOON: For this choreography, the key is to make it as cute as possible! Think to yourself, “I am the cutest in the world!” and if you press your cheek lightly (as if poking a bubble), you should be able to perfectly execute the ‘Bubble’ choreography.

Before the release of your album, all the members participated in the ‘Pronunciation Challenge,’ where you had to voice recognize the phrase “They talkin Bubble Bubble Bubble” for accuracy. Who was the most accurate member and who was the last?

SUMIN: The most accurate member was SIEUN, and I think I was the least accurate.

SEEUN: I heard everyone else except for me and SIEUN failed. However, I succeeded without matching the tune, so I think SIEUN was the most accurate, and the member who got the legendary ‘Babo Babo Babo’ result was SUMIN. (laughs)

Besides the title song ‘Bubble,’ the [TEENFRESH] album also includes ‘Not Like You,’ ‘I Wanna Do,’ and ‘Be Mine’. Which song among them is your favorite?

SUMIN: Personally, I like ‘Not Like You’. I find it cool and feel that my vocals in this song are charming.

SIEUN: My favorite song is ‘Not Like You’. From the moment I first received the guide to the time I received the initial monitoring audio after recording, I've been eagerly anticipating its release because the song was exactly to my taste. It has a hip charm, and the rhythm, bass, and chorus in the song all offer a delightful listening experience. I also really like the choreography~.

ISA: I like ‘Not Like You’. It feels like a type of music I've never experienced in K-pop before, and I really love it. The hip vibe of STAYC is refreshing and makes it even more fun to listen to!

SEEUN: I think I like ‘Not Like You’ the most. I really love the choreography, and it fits so well with the song that I feel great when performing it on stage!

YOON: For me, it's ‘Be Mine’! The song stands out with each member's unique vocal tones, and it's both dreamy and showcases our vocal prowess – highlighting STAYC's distinct charm!

J: I like ‘Not Like You,’ which is the complete opposite of ‘Bubble’! You can feel the mature yet hip TEENFRESH vibe in it!

The English version of your title song ‘Bubble’ is especially included in this album. Given that the lyrics are in English and not Korean, there must have been differences in the recording process. What did you pay special attention to while working on it?

ISA: The English version has some longer lyrical sections compared to the Korean version, so we put extra effort into ensuring they sound smooth and natural. And since it's in English, we also paid a lot of attention to pronunciation.

You all showcase dazzling hair colors with each comeback. Which hair color does each member want to try next?

SUMIN: As autumn is approaching soon, I'd like to try a calm brown shade.

SIEUN: I've thought about going back to black hair. Apart from black, I've considered an atmospheric purple and have also thought about trying bright platinum blonde sometime.

ISA: I want to try purple and also the silver shade that SUMIN once had.

SEEUN: I did blue before my debut! My profile with blue hair was released, and I remember fans really loving it. So, I definitely want to try it again!!

YOON: I want to try the blonde that briefly appeared in the ‘ASAP’ music video! I wore a wig at that time, but I felt it suited me well, so I really want to go blonde.

J: I want to try the pink hair that I had during ‘ASAP’ again!

Lastly, could you give a thank-you message to your fandom, SWITH, who always supports STAYC?

SUMIN: A big thank you to SWITH who always supports us. Let's go through this album with all of us being healthy! I'm so happy that we have more days to see SWITH this year.

SIEUN: SWITH~~ Are you all enjoying your summer while listening to ‘Bubble’~~? Thank you so much for always supporting and worrying about us~ We are also always cheering for SWITH, so take care of your health and have a fun and happy day~ You know that, right?? We cherish you deeply today and always ❤

ISA: Thanks to SWITH, we're feeling energetic and enjoying this promotion. Thank you always for supporting us, and we'll continue to deliver good music and positive influence. Let's be together for a long time! Love you❤

SEEUN: Thanks to SWITH, it feels like we can always do our best~ Always grateful and love you ❤

YOON: SWITH~! We have made our comeback, and we're so thankful for all the love you've given us again ❤   You always love and support us a lot, and in return, we've prepared various content this time and hope you like it a lot! SWITH fighting! STAYC fighting! ‘Bubble’ fighting>

J: SWITH, thank you for always being solidly by our side, waiting and cheering for us! Please continue to watch and support the remaining 'Bubble' stages beautifully><