STAYC STEREOTYPE era

Blue and white are the colors of the first fan song from STAYC’s 2024 first full-length album. They are the colors of the sky and clouds. The clouds were expressed as the fandom logo in 2025. In the trailer, Seeun is depicted as the basis of STAYC. She receives a book filled with dreams from Sieun and shows it to Sumin.

STAYC is rare among idols after the third generation, as - except for Sieun - the other five members graduated from regular high schools rather than arts high schools. In the trailer, ISA brings Sieun into STAYC. In the third chorus of the MV, ISA realizes her identity as a singer while receiving STAYC’s congratulations.

In the trailer, Sumin reads the book of dreams from Sieun. In the MV, when Sieun leans on her, Sumin smiles with satisfaction.

In the MV, JJ depicts STAYC’s nostalgia. The members often followed JJ’s part. JJ became a sanctuary for STAYC’s childhood memories.

Yoon simultaneously took on both the lead and main vocal roles. In the MV’s first chorus - the green field scene, which is the most important moment in STAYC’s history - Yoon expresses TEENFRESH. In the MV’s second chorus, Yoon dreams of her identity as a star.

This song, long awaited before its release, clarified STAYC’s identity.

Resources in the Korean popular music industry have shifted toward the K-pop idol sector, and the proportion of idols among singers has increased. As time passes, the demographic cliff reduces the inflow of new fans. Singers must expand their fan base: first, by attracting fans of other genres of Korean popular music; second, by drawing in the general public indifferent to music. Singers from small labels cannot engage in cutthroat competition to seize the existing pie. Even if they adjust the sensibility of their songs to new targets, another barrier remains difficult to overcome: the prejudice of being a “girl group.”

The easy stereotypes about “girl groups” are as follows. As you can tell in conversation, there are many people who need their own prejudice to be true. * Idols cannot sing well. Idol songs are not subject to judgment. * Becoming a fan of a girl group is for their appearance. Saying you like them as singers is a lie.

Beyond that barrier, people have no intention of becoming fans of girl groups, yet at the same time they are eager to judge girl groups’ appearance through stereotypes. They want unrealistically slender figures and aloof fashion that cannot truly be understood or evaluated. For them, what matters is that the looks and specs of the object they pretend to know are not belittled by others; whether the songs or the singers match their own taste does not concern them. To such people with these stereotypes, Sumin rolls on the floor and meets their eyes. Sumin is the leader, and in my own imagination, such a leader cannot tolerate STAYC being insulted.

There are many masterpieces that require a big stage, cheers, repeated listening, context, and concept in order to be truly enjoyed. However, this song makes itself understood through its melody alone, in any situation. It turns STAYC into precious singers of that time and space.

This senior girl group member watches the music video nervously until the chorus. From the chorus that begins on the green field, she smiles. Similarly, many reactions at that scene decided, cheered, and felt relieved.

STAYC won on a music show for the first time, 11 months after their debut. From that point on, personal cell phones were allowed.

At this time, Yoon’s hairstyle perhaps received the biggest debuff in the history of girl groups.

This song is composed solely of melody, without any rap or dance break.

On that day, ISA sang like a cat.

It looks like a music show performance video inside a movie or drama.

Most of the lyrics of this song are in Korean.

“STEREOTYPE” was released in Japanese in April 2023.

“STEREOTYPE” was released in Chinese in February 2026.