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KPOPPED with STAYC: A Conversation on Creativity and Connection

September 19, 2025 | 344 Visits

Fresh off their participation in KPOPPED, STAYC sat down with KCrush for a written interview to share their thoughts on the experience and what it means for their ongoing journey. Known for their dynamic performances and unique vocal colors, the members opened up about growth, challenges, and their hopes for connecting more with their global fans.

KPOPPED with STAYC

Source: High Up Entertainment

KCRUSH: Hello, STAYC! Kcrush is excited to speak with you today. Congratulations on participating in KPOPPED. KPOPPED showcases the hard work behind the scenes. What motivated you to take part in this program, and what do you hope global fans learn about you through it?

SUMIN: It’s not just about showing the final stage, but also the preparation and effort behind it, which I thought would give the audience a fresh impression. That’s why I decided to take part in this program. I hope more people can see the charms and talents of each STAYC member, and that other artists will also feel inspired to collaborate with us.

SIEUN: To begin with, the opportunity to share a collaboration stage with a legendary POP star is truly an honor. I also believe it’s a chance to promote K-POP and support STAYC’s growth, so I joined with gratitude~! I hope you can see that there are no limits to STAYC’s challenges and growth, and that you’ll enjoy our attempt at a new genre through this collaboration with a POP star~

ISA: In fact, we don’t often get the chance to perform with other artists. I believe there’s so much to learn through collaboration, and this opportunity taught me a lot. It was also a huge honor to perform with a singer I’ve admired since I was a young girl, so I had been waiting for this day with great excitement. I hope many of you will watch the stage and realize that STAYC can take on many genres, while also appreciating the unique charm of each of our voices.

SEEUN: Every new experience is exciting and meaningful for us, both now and in the future, so I chose to participate, hoping it would be a big help going forward. I also hope to show that we can perform seamlessly as one team, no matter who we share the stage with.

YOON: I decided to participate because we’ll have the chance to meet fans around the world and collaborate with amazing POP artists. I think fans will also enjoy seeing what goes on behind the scenes as we prepare for our performances.

J: I thought that being able to create a performance with international artists was a great opportunity in itself, and I wanted to use this stage to showcase STAYC’s variety of charms. Since chances like this are rare, I couldn’t wait to take on the challenge.

KCRUSH: Sumin has shown leadership qualities in STAYC as the eldest. How did participating in KPOPPED challenge your leadership or teamwork skills in new ways?

SUMIN: We split into units this time and collaborated with another artist for the first time. At first, the members were both excited and a little nervous, but we prepared the stage while supporting each other. I think it’s a new challenge for us to showcase our own colors even while collaborating with other artists!

KCRUSH: Seeun, how did it challenge your leadership or teamwork skills in new ways from participating in KPOPPED?

SEEUN: It was our first time meeting Boy George, and although the time to build teamwork was short, we were still able to create wonderful memories and form a strong bond. Despite differences in nationality, age, gender, and culture, I realized that sincerity toward each other and the stage is what truly makes this kind of teamwork possible. Boy George was especially kind and friendly, which made it easy for us to get close to him.

KCRUSH: Isa and Seeun, your growth has been visible since debut. Was there a particular moment during filming when you felt especially proud of how much you’ve developed as artists?

ISA: I was delighted to be able to perform with them and have conversations together as someone who loves R&B and always listened to TLC’s songs. It was a moment where I felt most proud of my debut.

SEEUN: I was proud that by collaborating with another team, we could preserve the beauty of the original track and at the same time infuse it with our own unique color.

KCRUSH: [To Yoon & J] KPOPPED requires participants to surprise not only judges but also fans. How did you prepare to showcase a side of yourselves that people might not expect?

YOON: I think this stage will feel fresher than ever since we tried a style we’ve never shown before. We’ll be bringing you many diverse performances, starting with our upcoming U.S. tour, so please look forward to them a lot.

J: I’d love for everyone to see sides of STAYC that we haven’t shown before! I hope you enjoy the unexpected charms 🙂

KCRUSH: The global K-pop scene is constantly evolving. How do you balance staying true to STAYC’s identity while also trying new concepts or performances?

SUMIN: I believe STAYC’s identity comes from the individuality of each member. The key is that all six of us unite our distinct characters to create music as one, while continuously making efforts in different ways to grow and preserve balance.

SIEUN: We work hard to recreate performances in our own unique way. Each member focuses on showcasing the vocal colors or genres they’re most comfortable with, or we design a stage concept by imagining ourselves as the narrators of a story. However, I believe the most important thing is to keep improving our fundamentals and skills so that we’re always ready to take on new challenges~

ISA: We constantly think about what the fans like while we prepare for our promotions. We perform often so I think we also think a lot about the kind of music we can enjoy together.

SEEUN: We try not to get affected by negative feedback or criticism and come together to take on new challenges.

YOON: We try to keep balance in our musical color. We try to maintain STAYC’s identity, like the songs you hear and realize they’re STAYC’s immediately.

J: I think STAYC has a strong character. We have our own distinct color so I hope we can move forward as artists who can influence the public in a positive way.

KCRUSH: Performing on programs like KPOPPED requires courage. What personal lessons did you take away from this experience that you can apply to your career moving forward?

SIEUN: This performance reminded us once more that music has the power to unite us all beyond nationality, gender, age, and culture. We’ll keep challenging ourselves without fear if it means bringing K-pop and our music to more people~ Above all, seeing Boy George sing part of Karma Chameleon in Korean really made me feel how much K-pop has grown. I hope it keeps spreading around the world and becomes even more influential in the future~

SEEUN: As it was my first collaboration performance and rehearsal time was limited, there were naturally many unexpected factors. It was a valuable experience that taught me how to adapt to those situations.

KCRUSH: [To Isa & Yoon] Your vocals often stand out in performances. Did KPOPPED give you the chance to try new vocal colors or styles that you hadn’t shown before?

ISA: Personally, I really enjoy covering pop songs, so it was even more exciting to be able to sing one alongside the original artist. Since we usually perform dance songs with a lot of choreography, it felt fresh to create new choreography for a different genre this time.

YOON: I usually sing the high notes but there wasn’t a high note this time. That felt new to me and that made it more fun! It felt like taking on a challenge.

KCRUSH: [To J & Sumin] STAYC has a strong following worldwide. How do you hope this new exposure through KPOPPED will connect you to fans in different countries?

SUMIN: I hope to promote K-pop further by covering songs from different countries and building a strong bond. I also hope our genre can feel approachable to people all around the world.

J: STAYC will always work hard as a K-POP artist so we can unite through K-POP!

We wish you success and that your unique colors shine through!

 

Ashley Borjon, Host & Historian

Ashley is a content creator, educator, and public speaker. As an authority on the Hallyu phenomenon, she has collaborated on projects and events with various domestic and international companies and brands as a music historian. As the host of An Album a Day, she leads an English-language podcast promoting commentary on South Korean pop music. Learn more about her at https://www.a3daypodcast.com

 

#STAYC #J #KPOPPED #SUMIN #YOON #ISA #kcrush #SEEUN #HIGHUPENTERTAINMENT #kpop #hallyu #kpopidol #koreanpop #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #kcrushinterviewwithSTAYC #BOYGEORGE #TLC #Psy

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