“STAYC girls, it’s going down.” That’s right, our girlies STAYC are back with their new EP, TEENFRESH, and it’s the cutest EP ever. STAYC is a girl group under High Up Entertainment and has been serving since 2020. The six members, Sumin, Sieun, Isa, Seeun, Yoon, and J, all show their bright and quirky personalities in this new comeback, and it is so adorable to watch. The EP contains four unique tracks and two versions of the title, and each is a delight to listen to.

Tracklist: 

1. “Bubble” (Title Track) 

2. “Not Like you” 

3. “I Wanna Do” 

4. “Be Mine” 

5. “Bubble” (English Ver.) 

6. “Bubble” (Sped Up) [English Ver.]

Title Track - “Bubble”

STAYC’s new release "Bubble” is the perfect mixture of cute and fun. I have been singing “Bubble” all day because it’s so catchy. While this summer feel-good pop track is super happy and lighthearted, the meaning is really deep. The lyrics of the song talk about how they feel trapped in a bubble. They are always deemed a troublemaker or challenging, when in fact they aren’t; they just want to break free from the bubble they were put in. It’s a powerful message in such a joyful song. 

The choreography is definitely one I will try to learn. My favorite part of the dance is when they spelled out STAYC in the beginning with their arms. It is a new turn from their iconic “STAYC girls” opening. It looks really fun and it’s so addictive, I can’t help but want to dance along. 

The video is so delightful. The bright colors, quirky outfits, and good spirit of the song brought a smile to my face. There is even a part of the video when they are trying to escape to get to the party. It’s a hilarious bit in the video and fits the concept of the song perfectly. The big party at the end would make anyone want to join in—I know for sure I wanted to. It’s another great title track from STAYC that will be added to the list. 

B-Sides

The first B-side to play is their track “Not Like You.” In the lyrics, they talk about how they aren’t like the person they are referring to. They like to do different things and live their life the way they want to. It honestly matches the title track when talking about how they don’t like being trapped and want to be their own person. It’s a really good B-side that gives us that pop and R&B feel as well.

The next track is “I Wanna Do,” and this is my favorite. This fairytale-like R&B track sounds like it came out of an early 2000’s Disney original film. The moment the song starts, I can’t help but move along. In the lyrics, they talk about how they just want to be with their partner. They want to be close to them, to look at them, and to hug them. It’s a really good love song, and will definitely be added to my playlist. 

“Be Mine” is a confession written into a song. In the song, the girls talk about how they can’t help how they feel, and how they caught feelings so fast. They only ask why their crush won’t be theirs. The synth sound in the background gives the EP a nice retro touch. All in all, it’s a really sweet song.

The next two tracks, “Bubble” (English version) and “Bubbly” (Sped-up English version), were both great ways to end the album. With the new trend of sped-up songs making an entrance, it was nice to see STAYC incorporate it into their EP. Both songs stick to the bright and bubbly concept and make me and many listeners want to jump and dance all over again. While I personally would have loved to get a ballad as the last song, I think ending the EP with a fun, upbeat track is great as well. 

In conclusion, STAYC has once again wowed us with another iconic EP that many will be singing forever. I can already picture the dance covers we will see soon. While the anticipation for this comeback kept rising, I saw many SWITH excited for TEENFRESH, and now that it’s here, it will be on repeat for a while. It’s always great to hear from STAYC, and we can’t wait to see all of the content and stages from this fun comeback. 

“Bubble” Title Track Score: 9/10 

“Bubble” Music Video Score: 8.5/10

TEENFRESH Album Score: 8.5/10 

Total Score: 8.7/10

Edited by Aleena Faisal