Mark StefanosHigh Up Entertainment’s powerhouse six-piece girl group STAYC is bringing their second world tour, STAY TUNED, to the YouTube Theater tonight, October 7, for what promises to be a high-energy night of nonstop dance, killer vocals, and the signature Teen-Fresh vibe they’ve owned since day one. The group, which consists of members Sumin, Sieun, ISA, Seeun, Yoon and J, has risen quickly from a promising debut to a global name in K-pop, and this show will be a showcase of growth, magnetism and connection with fans — their SWITHs, “WITH STAYCs.”
Seeun (Courtesy of HighUp Entertainment)
“The energy and cheers from the audience at our last show in LA stayed with us for a long time!” Seeun tells LA Weekly about her excitement for tonight. “Those happy memories made us want to come back to LA even more. We’ve been looking forward to this show, and we’re so thrilled to be here again. We can’t wait to see our LA fans!”
Getting to this moment is an underdog story in fourth-gen K-pop. STAYC burst onto the scene in November 2020, with their debut single album Star to a Young Culture — the spell out of their acronym name — and the lead track “SO BAD.” As their name suggests, they stand for leading the charge in pop trends with fresh, unfiltered youthfulness. From there, it was viral magic — 2021’s “ASAP” and “STEREOTYPE” brought catchy hooks and tight harmonies, earning them rookie awards and a spot as the scene’s next big thing.
They kept the momentum rolling with “RUN2U” in 2022, a smash that showed off their dance-pop prowess, and then “Teddy Bear” in 2023, which became a global earworm, peaking at No. 2 on Melon’s real-time chart while racking up international streams. That same year, they wrapped their first world tour, “TEENFRESH,” hitting stages across Asia and North America, including an LA stop at The Novo where they threw in a surprise cover of Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the U.S.A.” for the crowd.
Yoon (Courtesy of HighUp Entertainment)
Their first full-length album Metamorphic dropped in July 2024, a 14-track showcase of versatility that landed on Spotify’s “Top Albums Debut” global charts and proved they could evolve without losing that spark.
STAYC is the first girl group for High Up Entertainment, a boutique agency led by hitmaking producer duo Black Eyed Pilseung in partnership with CJ E&M. High Up operates outside of K-pop’s “Big 4” agencies — HYBE, SM, YG and JYP — who have large rosters and budgets, and global infrastructure. As a nimble mid-tier player, they’ve leveraged producer-driven hits to punch above their weight. STAYC, with their chart success and consistent releases, has been a major part of that story.
STAYC’s STAY TUNED tour, in full swing now across North America after conquering Asia and Australia earlier this year, exemplifies their buzz and growth. “We believe we’ve been able to lead youth culture by constantly experimenting with different musical styles,” says leader Sumin, “We feel that our musical range has grown and we’re able to take on a wider variety of genres and sounds than before.”
Sumin (Courtesy of HighUp Entertainment)
This tour is the story of that evolution. “STAYC has always enjoyed taking on new genres, so we plan to continue exploring different sounds while keeping our own unique color,” ISA says. “We want to show both the timeless charm that defines us and the new sides we’ve yet to show.”
As they progress, they will be balancing maturity with their roots: “Our signature line, ‘STAYC girls, it’s going down!,’ has become inseparable from our identity. Sometimes I feel like our fans get more excited than us when they shout it out during our performances!” says Sieun.
For tonight’s setlist, expect a mix of their timeless bops and fresh twists. Sumin’s personal favorite to perform is “Teddy Bear,” because, she says, “The bear motif is easy for everyone to follow along with, so fans from all over the world really seem to enjoy it. We get so much energy from the fans every time we perform it.”
And get ready for some amped up performance skills, which J says have even surprised her — “They were already great before, but they’ve improved so much for this tour that I was honestly amazed. As a fellow performer, I feel so proud of my members, and it also motivates me to do better.”
Sieun (Courtesy of HighUp Entertainment)
Seeun added that while not on the setlist for the US leg of the tour, they performed covers of “Cruel Summer” and “Cheap Thrills” for the Asia stretch. But you can anticipate more covers in the future — “I’d love to try more legendary songs that we can sing together with the whole crowd!” she says.
Prep for the tour has been intense, but Yoon says they lean on each other amid the chaos. “It’s not easy to see our families often when we’re on tour. But since the six of us spend so much time with each other, even more than we do with our families, we’ve come to rely on one another a lot.” Sumin says the thing that unites them through the slog is delicious food. “We all love eating, so during tours, we try various local dishes in each city. It’s our way to unwind and recharge together.”
J says they had a month in between the US and Asia leg of the tour, where they practiced individually and rested. But now that they’re back on the road, she wants to “enjoy every moment with the audience and make as many great memories with SWITHs as possible!”
J (Courtesy of HighUp Entertainment)
So what will they be getting into while here in LA? One of the last times they were here, ISA loved visiting the Griffith Observatory, one of our city’s most prestigious landmarks, which she said “left such a strong impression on me.” She plans to explore more this time, even if it’s not the trendiest of spots, “I’d just like to experience more of the city’s culture.”
Of course, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to talk with STAYC without getting a dash of their kooky charm.
I asked Yoon to imagine what roles STAYC would play if they were cast in a school K-drama — “Sumin and J would be the top students because they’re good at staying focused. ISA and I would be the social butterflies since we love hanging out with people. Sieun and Seeun would be in a dance team because they’re artistic and athletic.”
And Sieun tells me all about their animal alter-egos — “Sumin would be a rabbit, I’d be a poodle, ISA a cat, Seeun a fox, Yoon a tiger, and J would be a Maltese or a deer. We’ve had these animal matches since our debut based on our looks or personalities and they’ve stuck with us ever since,” she says. “The more you think about it, the more fitting they feel, so both our fans and we really love them!”
ISA (Courtesy of HighUp Entertainment)
For STAYC, tonight’s show in the cultural hub of Los Angeles is their moment to prove that they’ve grown beyond the debut and are worth the hype that is sustaining their popularity in a demanding international market.
It will offer longtime fans a chance to witness how far the group has come and to be part of this next chapter in real time. For newer fans, it’s a chance to see the full version of STAYC, with all the layers and strengths they’ve been building up. And for the casual K-pop follower just getting their first buzz on STAYC, the tour name says it all: STAY TUNED.
For details about tonight’s show and more information on STAYC, visit highup-ent.com/en/stayc.
STAYC (Courtesy of HighUp Entertainment)