[#STAYC] "POPPY", which is going viral on TikTok, finally debuts in Japan! To commemorate, Japan's first long interview Part 1

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STAYC, whose debut in Japan has been eagerly awaited, has officially launched its activities in Japan with the single "POPPY" bursting with positive energy! They are once again in the limelight.

The girls, who already have a huge following as a girl group representing the fourth generation of K-POP, debuted in Korea two years ago under the leadership of Black Eyed Pilseung (Rado Kyu-sung), the producer unit responsible for TWICE and other hits by Apink and SISTAR. So far, they have released two mini-albums and made big hit singles such as "ASAP" and "SO BAD". Riding the momentum of their debut, the six members have now arrived in Japan, where many of their fans (SWITH) are waiting for them. Since the coverage of "SPUR" was the first job in Japan, we will deliver plenty of words from Sumin, Sieun, Isa, Seeun, Yoon, and J, who were quite excited.

| Activities in Japan seem to be more promising than expected

---- First of all, please tell us your impressions of today's shooting.

Yoon: I feel like I was able to get some really good photos from the unit shoot with J. It was the first shoot we did in Japan, so I was very nervous (laughs).

J: It was my first time working in Japan, so it was both new and nerve-wracking, but I think I ended up with something really good. I am looking forward to the release of the magazine to see how it will come out.

Sumin: This was the first schedule for our activities in Japan, and although I had high expectations, I feel that I was able to take even better pictures than that. I think that my future activities in Japan will be even more promising than I had expected, and I can't wait to work in Japan (laughs).

Sieun: To put it in briefly, I'm really looking forward to it, and my heart is pounding. It's my first time shooting for a magazine in Japan and working with Japanese staff. The interview will be the first time for us to deliver our words to the Japanese people, so I am very excited and nervous. The clothes were also very nice.

Isa: It was my first time shooting for a magazine in Japan, so I was really excited. It was similar to shooting for Korean magazines, so I was there for the shoot without being so nervous, and since I'm often shot with Seeun as a unit, I felt like I could take it easy.

Seeun: It was our first activity in Japan, so we had high expectations. When I first debuted in Korea, I had a photo shoot for a magazine, and I was really nervous, but this time I'm used to it, so I think I was able to get a good shot. Now, I'm looking forward to seeing how the fans will react.

---- It's been two years since you started your activities during the pandemic, and you have made a big breakthrough and built a successful career. When you look back on your progress so far, what event or song makes you feel like you have made a big step forward?

Yoon: Talking about the vocal aspect, there is a song called "RUN2U," which is a song that makes it hard to breathe. At first I felt like I was at my limit, but now I can sing it with total ease. "BEAUTIFUL MONSTER", my comeback song in Korea, was even more difficult than "RUN2U", the key was higher, and it was hard during the recording. But now I can sing it easily on stage. So I feel that I am growing every time.

J: I think "STEREOTYPE" is my biggest song. At the time I was at my limit, lost my charm, and I felt that my abilities would never grow for a long time. That period was the hardest for me, but I got used to it little by little, and I think it was the song where I found the solution to how to overcome the slump I was in. I knew that I could overcome it by thinking, "It's okay, I'm doing my best."

Sieun: I have two things to say. I have recently been to many places overseas to perform, and I felt that we have grown as we have performed more and more. And the time when I felt the most growth was when we held our first fan meeting in Korea the other day. We made a lot of mistakes, and I thought, "Oh, no, we can't do this," but when I saw a full house and a lot of fans there, I felt that we had worked hard and that our career had advanced that much.

Sumin: I also have two things. Similar to Sieun, I have been performing a lot recently, and I think that the manners of performances, especially in live performances, have changed. When shooting the jacket and the music video, it is totally different from when we debuted. Each one of us knows how to look cute and how to make a good product. I feel that we have grown in this way.

Isa: I think I grew the most when we released the album "YOUNG--LUV.COM". I really felt that the members were in tune with each other, and I think it was at this point that all my fears about performing live disappeared.

Seeun: I used to get nervous when I appeared on the radio, and tended to leave it up to the members, but now I'm able to talk properly. When I started to feel that I could do it on my own, I thought, "I have grown up".

| The bright energy that appears in "POPPY" is the essence of STAYC

---- On November 23rd, you will be making your debut in Japan. You already have a large number of fans, but could you tell us frankly how you feel about your debut in Japan? (Interview conducted before November 23)

J: While we were preparing for our debut, I think our Japanese fans were waiting for us with great anticipation. Now that I am here in Japan, I would like to build an even larger fan base.

Isa: We have had many Japanese fans who have supported us since our debut in Korea, and I am happy to be able to come to Japan and meet Japanese fans and communicate with them up close like this.

---- Please tell us about "POPPY", your Japan debut song. What kind of message does it contain? Also, is there anything that you are particularly conscious of in Japan?

J: I think "POPPY" contains the atmosphere of encountering something new. I felt like the song contained the aspirations of our entire team.

---- Were there any aspects of Japan that you were conscious of?

Sieun: I think there are a lot of them. To tell you the truth, when shooting the music video, I was worried. The way we shoot in Korea is to express what we feel when we listen to music through your facial expressions. I was a little worried when shooting the individual scenes, but it turned out well in the end (laughs).

---- This time, you are also playing the Japanese version of "ASAP," one of STAYC's most popular songs. How was singing in Japanese? What was the most difficult part?

Yoon: Pronunciation was really difficult (sigh). It had the atmosphere of the original song, but by changing it to Japanese, the atmosphere changed a little depending on the part. It's a little awkward, and there are times when I get stuck in my mind (laughs).

J: It was difficult, but I really enjoyed it. My part was not that difficult. On the contrary, "POPPY" was difficult!

Sumin: It was a lot harder than I thought because it was the first song I sang in Japanese. With the help of the staff, we were able to finish the recording without incident (laughs).

Sieun: My Japanese pronunciation was fine, but when I listened to the final version, I think the details in my chorus were a little different from the Korean original. I thought I could make the Japanese version similar to the Korean version. However, I was able to complete the song by taking advantage of the changes made in the Japanese version, so I accepted it as "I see, this is Japan." On the contrary, I thought it was very Japanese, and I think I was able to show a different charm of STAYC. It's a really detailed story, so you might think, "Where is it?"

---- These days, with the fourth generation of K-POP girl groups all competing with each other, what do you think is the "STAYC character" that sets you apart from the rest?

Yoon: I think the concept of "TEEN FRESH" is what makes STAYC unique. Recently, there are many seniors and juniors who are full of individuality, so we would like to express our concept well.

Sumin: I think it's bright energy. I feel like "POPPY" shows that very well.

---- Is there a healthy sense of competition that is stimulated by each other's activities?

Yoon: Every group has completely different personalities, so there is always a lot to learn. I think we need to show our colors more strongly.

J: I would also want to work hard together while watching other teams.

Sieun: All the members often watch the video of the stage, and we get inspired by talking about things like "This group has such kind of color" or "We can sing in this kind of atmosphere". On the other hand, I also think, "What would it be like if we sang this song?" or "What if another group sings STAYC songs?" I think I'll do my best to get our colors out. We are the only ones who have our own colors, so we want to value the colors that only STAYC can produce.

| Maintaining Good Relationships with "Understanding and Consideration"

---- From your point of view, are there any values or musical orientations that are common to the 4th generation groups?

Yoon: For example, I feel that songs that are easy to imitate and catchy enough to make people want to dance to them are selling well, as was the case with our song "ASAP".

J: I also feel that there is one thing in common where you get hooked just by watching it once.

Sieun: I think the common denominator is honest and confident songs. Both the lyrics and the choreography, they live honestly in life and in love, believing in themselves without fear.

---- I feel like you're emphasizing those things. It's the kind of song that asserts your existence.

Sumin: Songs that are addictive and easy to imitate are popular on TikTok, and I think that's the most common denominator.

---- What are some of the important aspects of maintaining a group partnership and friendship among six members of slightly different ages, personalities, and hometowns?

Yoon: We often talk about "Understanding and Consideration". That is our first priority. We are all very different people with different personalities, and at first we didn't always get along, but now we are fine because we understand each other and give consideration to each other.

J: I feel that I should take good care of my members. When I think about it deeply, everyone is an important person who is unique in the world, so I want to treat them well when we are together.

Sumin: The most important thing for me is "consideration". I understand that everyone has a different personality, so the most important thing now is to be considerate of each other.

Sieun: I have the same idea. I think the important thing is to respect each other. By understanding their differences, I think we have to respect those different parts.

---- What do you think is the appeal of the songs produced by Black Eyed Pilseung, a team of producers who have made great achievements in the K-POP world?

Yoon: In Korea, there is a four-on-the-floor rhythm called "Pong," which you can hear in Enka songs, and I really feel that. In a sophisticated way, though.

J: I really feel that the producers have a lot of skill in their work. It is a little difficult to put into words, but if you listen to many of their songs, you will understand.

Yoon: They write songs with us in mind, so when I listen to a demo with a tentative song, I know who will sing which part. For example, this part was written for Yoon, this part for J, and so on. I can tell, "Oh, they probably wrote this part for me.

Sieun: We've been working together since our debut, so they really understand our songs. That's why it's the most appealing thing that they think of us when they compose and write lyrics. They understand not only how we sing, but also our personalities and composes songs and writes lyrics. Also, I think they are able to make good use of the most important part of the song, which is called the "Killing Part" in Korea.

Sumin: I would say that the song attracts me from the intro, and I never get tired of it.

---- I think you received a lot of advice from them. Any advice that sticks out in particular?

J: In Korea, there is a saying, "Geniuses cannot win against those who work hard, and those who work hard cannot win against those who have fun". I was once advised to "Always have fun on stage." I am always told not to be nervous, not to worry, and to do whatever I want to do on stage.

Sieun: I was very happy when someone recently told me, "I believe in Sieun. Just have fun." Recently I was told, "I believe in Sieun. Just have fun," which made me very happy.

Sumin: Recently, I was told, "Take it easy". Also told "You are a bit of a perfectionist, it might be better to relax." It was really helpful for me a lot.

---- When did you realize that the popularity of STAYC is spreading around the world?

Yoon: Before our debut, there were a lot of comments in Korean on SNS. But these days, Japanese, English, Chinese, and many other languages are being used, and I feel that people all over the world love us.

J: We have performed overseas a lot and recently went on a tour in the U.S. When I was walking around in private, many people noticed me and said, "Oh, it's STAYC! It was very strange and made me very happy, and it made me want to work even harder from now on.

Yoon: We went to Disneyland in LA, and even though they didn't know we were there, I was surprised to see someone wearing a handmade T-shirt with the members' faces printed on it. I waved and said "Hello!"

Sumin: We did a tour in the U.S., went to Saudi Arabia, we've come to Japan, and we can really feel that by coming and performing there. What impressed me the most was that they sang our song together in Korean from beginning to end. I felt like we were having fun together on stage. I would like to perform in various countries in the future.

Sieun: Every song has the phrase "STAYC girls, it's going down" at the beginning, and no matter where we go. They knew it as if I had taught it in advance, so there is no language barrier. I really felt it at that time.

---- I think there will be more opportunities for you to come to Japan in the future. Is there anything you would like to do or look forward to?

Yoon: Besides meeting fans, there are many places I would like to visit, such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan and Tokyo DisneySea (laughs).

J: I love matcha desserts and I would love to try the matcha gelato from Suzukien[壽々喜園]. I have known about it since I was a child. There are seven levels of bitterness, and I would like to try the darkest bitter one once.

Yoon: The first Japanese words I said when I arrived at the airport was "I want to eat HARBS cake!" (laugh).

Sumin: I want to have fan meetings and autograph sessions with Japanese fans. And if I were to talk about my big dream, I would say a dome tour (laughs).

Sieun: I also want to make good memories with everyone in Japan. I'm really curious about the reaction when "POPPY" is released, and at the same time, I would be very happy if everyone sings along with me and imitates my dance moves.

Seeun: We held our first fan meeting in Korea a few days before (this shoot). I would like to have a fan meeting in Japan as well.

Isa: I've seen a lot of K-POP artists appear on Japanese TV programs for a long time, so I'm interested. Also, I would like to show the stage to the Japanese people.

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