Author: Abby Graham
Seattle may be famous for its coffee and clouds— but on October 2nd, the Paramount Theatre traded its drizzle for dazzle as STAYC brought an explosion of color, charisma, and confidence to the city. The six-member girl group — Sumin, Sieun, Isa, Seeun, Yoon, and J — spent the evening proving why they are one of the top k-pop girl groups of 4th gen. I spent the whole night jumping up and down singing along to songs I didn’t even know the lyrics to. I knew STAYC was good, but I didn’t know they were THAT good. Seeing them live was like being struck by a lightning bolt made of glitter and stage presence. Each member has this distinct energy that fits together like pieces of a kaleidoscope. Sumin led the group like a natural leader; Sieun’s vocals hit notes that made my imaginary glass shatter; Isa ate up everyone; Seeun glows with warmth that lights up the room; Yoon exuded this sweet vibe that made everyone around me, including myself smile; and J — with her energy and magnetic smile — is pure popstar.
From the first song to the very last encore, the entire theater was on its feet. Not a single person sat down — not even for a second. Everyone was jumping, waving, screaming, and completely obsessed with STAYC. Right in front of me was the cutest friend group who spent the entire night dancing like they were onstage with STAYC. They didn’t stop to breathe, sit, or even blink during the choruses —and I loved that for them. Their energy matched the group on stage perfectly, and it just added to how alive the room felt.
STAYC’s setlist was stacked with their biggest hits — ASAP, RUN2U, Bubble, Stereotype, and, of course, my favorite song, Teddy Bear. The second I heard the beginning notes of Teddy Bear, I completely lost my mind (ask my friend, Nenet who went with me). It’s one of those songs that just radiates joy, and hearing it live felt like being wrapped in a hug by a teddy bear. The whole audience sang every word, voices echoing back at the group like one big love letter. The members were smiling, clearly feeding off the energy, and it was this beautiful feedback loop of joy — fans giving it, STAYC returning it tenfold.
What struck me most wasn’t just how sweet they are (and they are), but how cool they are. There’s this perfect balance to STAYC — they’re bright and sweet, yes, but there’s also a confidence and boldness to their performance that requires attention. Their transitions between songs were sharp and seamless, their live vocals were strong and stable, and every member had these little moments where their personality really shined through. Between songs, they took time to talk to the audience, their voices filled with genuine gratitude and excitement. They mentioned how happy they were to be performing in Seattle, again, how beautiful the city was, and how thankful they felt to see everyone’s energy. And that’s the thing — their sweetness isn’t just part of their image; it’s real. Even through the roaring cheers, they found moments to connect with fans, wave to the balconies, and have so much fun while being incredibly in sync.
Seattle might run on coffee, but that night, the whole city ran on STAYC. Every moment was cool, colorful, and completely captivating — the kind of show that reminds you why live music feels so special. As I left the Paramount with my ears ringing and my heart glowing, one thought kept repeating in my head: STAYC girls, it’s going down… but somehow, they just keep going up.
Photo creds: STAYC on Instagram
Abby Graham | Digital Media Director