Though it wasn’t everyone’s preferred style for the group, I loved STAYC’s transformation into bubblegum pop last year. It provided a nice counter to many of the year’s subdued, cooler-than-cool trends. Judging by its title alone, Cheeky Icy Thang seemed poised to continue this run. I’d love nothing more than a campy summertime anthem from the group — sprinklers and ice pops included!
Instead, Cheeky Icy Thang delivers a hybrid of 2022’s RUN2U and some wacky spoken-word K-pop poem. Much of the track feels streamed in from another universe, with the girls adopting an almost alien-like persona. There’s very little singing to be found, but I wouldn’t call Cheeky Icy Thang a rap song either. Its strutting electro beat provides forward momentum and STAYC largely trace its groove with a halting rhythm that rarely changes as the track goes on. This single-minded structure is unusual for a K-pop title track, and a bit disarming on first (and second!) listen.
Cheeky Icy Thang‘s production is by far its strongest asset. You can almost hear the song that might compliment it if Black Eyed Pilseung had put as much care into the melodies as they did the cool synth textures. The song cruelly teases us with a few jagged stabs of distorted electronics mere seconds before Cheeky comes to an unceremonious end. Moments like this point toward the total banger this could have been. Instead, it feels like an unfinished work — a stylish instrumental with a rough guide demo over the top.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Im always going to be hard on stayc because they are my ults, and this, did not eat, the melodies sound so goofy I thought It was a try not to laugh challenge, majority of the song was them talking so that doesn’t aid them at all😕7.5/10☹️💔
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They have such an amazing discography and of course there is going to be that one song and I think this is it, and I hope the only one.
But the album actually surprised me!! It’s pretty good! 😍
Album – 8.5/10😍❤️
My aalbum standouts are Find, Stay WITH Me, Gummy Bear, And Trouble Maker😍
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I would also like to know why we are still making songs under 2:40 and why they have no bridges😊
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Why? Why is there no bridge and third chorus? Why? .°(ಗдಗ。)°. (And just in case WordPress decided to fuck the kaomoji over cause I prefer kaomojis but whatevs, here’s an emoji version: 😭) There should be a worldwide law that NO title tracks should be without a bridge and third chorus (¬_¬) (emoji version: 😒)
Anyhoo, the production is Run2U’s bratty little sister, and I admit the vocal effects made me feel a bit iffy, but at least it ain’t that bad unlike whatever the hell KQ’s doing with their autotune game. I find it fine, wish there was less sing-talking AND a bridge and third chorus, but ofc, we know that’s gonna be a rarity now (thank you so fucking much, streaming culture for ruining everyone’s attention span! ಠ_ಠ or 😑)
Anyways, rating’s perfect.
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You ate up this review😍
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They really did, I was thoroughly entertained
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STAYC title track didn’t feed me enough as I expected, so I had to eat up my review instead 😞
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Pop off queen! 😍👑
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I love their first five singles (So Bad, Like This, ASAP, Stereotype, Run2U); and b-sides like Young Luv and Love Fool were strong enough to be singles in their own right. But since that amazing run, they don’t even sound to me like the same band (or the same producer) anymore. Oh well.
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same sentiments, BEP used to make HITS even pre-STAYC. it makes you wonder.
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I love the stuff BEP did with the more mature APink; and I kinda heard STAYC as a newer version of Apink. But maybe that was the problem? STAYC might’ve felt they were too young to be making sophisiticated/sultry-sounding tunes, so they switched to bubblegum fare with preschool songs like Teddy Bear and Bubblegum and whatnot?
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Of all bands to make the “they don’t sound the same anymore” complaint about StayC is a strange one. Especially in relation to all other active kpop groups
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As mentioned, the production is great. Everything else though, questionable. The delivery is so jagged and feels first draft. The obnoxious use of slang makes the delivery stiff and lacks any flow. The chorus felt underwhelming, and can honestly pass off as the end of a verse. I feel like there’s no build up and no resolution with the melodies, and ultimately feels flat.
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Didnt even finish the song yet but whoever wrote this song should honestly look for a new job because what on earth are these lyrics. These sound like they were written by elementary students…
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The whiskey ring a ding dong part😭
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every part-
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the first two verses are actually pretty fun but the pre-chorus and chorus are just unlistenable. at this point I’m confused what happened to the person who made SO BAD.
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Gonna give it a few more listens but this might be the first dud from them…bleh…
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It’s too short, sounds like it has no chorus at all, just other song parts looping around in a confusing and boring figure eight..
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I am intrigued by the instrumental, as it references 70’s 80’s pop with uncommon samples. As a child of the 80’s this matters to me. The bass is from somewhere faintly recognizable, the synth chords in the chorus is from another minor hit. Or at least using a Yamaha DX7 type keyboard with that button. Thus I will hit replay until I figure it out.
As for the song, the lyrics, whatev. I wasn’t mentally processing the lyrics anyway. On my “Kpop lyrics” ranking, it feel like it will fall somewhere in the middle of the muddle.
… … AH, found it, the scale.
As a reminder, the scale is:
Intelligible English good lyrics that rhyme
Intelligible English good lyrics
Unintelligible English of any quality lyrics
A single lyric line that is so craptastic it is great
Mispronounced but decent lyrics
Cringey but campy lyrics
Oh so bland lyrics
Really, What does that mean lyrics
A single word said over over like that will make it mean something
Well-pronounced lousy lyrics
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Its faintly “One Night in Bangkok” or “Obsession” by Animotion, but that’s not it. There is something closer, I just know it.
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OK I give up, if anyone learns on some forum, please let us all know.
But I did have a great tour through all the remixes of Steve Winwood’s “Valerie” which uses the same DX7 setting as the chorus here. Great song.
I found this gem remix by Daft Punk which I hadn’t heard before, which seems to mimic raising the pitch the old fashioned way by setting the speed on 45rpm for a 33rpm record. I am sure they did it digitally, but the effect is appreciated.
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the song is decent overall 7.5/10
Also it appears in tags you listed this post as “Kim Jaehwan” instead of STAYC
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lol using old drafts as templates… 👀
(thanks for catching that)
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diet run2u
8/10 for me
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what did you give run2u?
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i dont think I’ve ever commented on the run2u review but its currently a 9/10 for me
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The vocal effects could have been their Abracadabra but the lyricism is too childish and elementary maybe to reflect with the girls’ age and voices. I don’t see them having a mature vibe with their voices until 3 years later maybe so I can’t take this song seriously. If I do, it’s cringy as heck. Can’t believe STAYC out of all groups got hit with the Tiktok curse. They should have known by now that their streams aren’t from there and it was because they actually did good music and amazing choruses.
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A clever yet gimmicky track, very BEP-esque, that radically continues the POPPY turning point.
I would probably like it a bit different too (clearer voices, different second verse, longer bridge) but they did exactly what they wanted to – and they did very well! The beat and arranging are excellent; the pre-chorus & chorus are super catchy; the voices are audacious but fit the mood. It’s really a “cheeky icy thang”!
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Ok: as usual, this is a grower. We don’t need to change anything actually. This is just conceptual: a dry yet hyperactive song (please listen carefully to the arranging and the crazy amount of details) that constantly raises the tension bar during 1:10 min. Then repeat – with some slight changes plus a crazy mini-bridge. They took ASAP, RUN2U and POPPY and radicalized them for the TikTok era. Brilliant and daring!
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When people say “I miss when K-Pop used to be fun” this is what I imagine. I really love this, it’s camp, it’s unserious, and yet it’s very well produced. I tend to enjoy K-Pop (and I guess any song to an extent) when it’s not afraid to be dumb and wears it proudly on its sleeve. Plus that breakdown is just ❤
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i LOVE stayc and i LOVE black eyed pilseung… i want to love “cheeky icy thang” but it’s so weird, making you anticipate a banger chorus that will never arrive
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The song is so tense that the chorus sounds like it simply extends what happened before. In my opinion, the pre-chorus & chorus are actually phenomenal on a musical point of view.
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This is STAYC’s first (and hopefully last!) fail for me. I really love all their discography but I could not get through this title track.
At least there are some decent songs on the album that I do appreciate.
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tbh I kinda feel like this song ends up being a waste of a really REALLY cool instrumental. The choices with the vocals are… questionable.
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I really like this but it needs to be longer.
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I actually think this is fine?
It’s biggest crime is that it feels like a song that’d be play in a sunglasses commercial or for like, Zara.
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this is a lot of fun. I agree with you on production but I love the approach with the vocals. Am I curious what this could’ve sounded like with fully sung melodies? Yes, but I think what we have works
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Strange…I like the track, but this is really a nonsense song with a certain amount of charm provided by the women. This is more suited to be an intro song for a TV show or background music for their vlogs…strange
6.5-7/10
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this is the first time in a long time i find Rado/BEP fashionable, it just feels so different from old STAYC or from the trends.
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I also noticed the demo aspect of this song… It has good things going on, but never explores them, it’s just so sad. We were almost there 😦
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I find it ridiculous when kpop stans switch up on artists who change up their concepts from album to album. You cant have StayC continue to release these bubbly/teen-cheery concepts each time. Sure it hits big on korean charts but the girls artisty and musicality suffers
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When a STAYC track doesn’t instantly land with me (which is pretty uncommon), I think about how much I trust BEP’s decision-making and producing choices and wait until I “get it.” I almost always do, and appreciate what they were going for, but this one looks like a tough pancake to flip (does that expression exist? have I just invented it? Native english speakers, please enlighten me or provide an alternative cooking metaphor).
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i think the closest idiom is probably “tough nut to crack” but i like the pancake one better. if you fail to crack a nut you get nothing, but if you fail to flip a pancake you get a weirdly cooked quasi-pancake that reminds you with every bite how good it could have been … much like this song
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Lol well put!
Though I must say the pancake flipped alright, and I quite enjoy the song. It’s kind of addictive.
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personally i love if a lot. I do wish it was longer and had a bridge but honestly i think the song stands strong on its own without it. it’s super addicting and i think it is still in the range of staycs iconic sound while also adding something completely new to their discography. i think everyone expected staycs songs to stay in the realm of happy bubblegum popish music like their first few songs were, but i think everyone is missing the point of stayc. they’re trying to showcase who they are and their growth and cheeky icy thang was just the next era for them. also it is a little alien like , i don’t think ive ever heard a song that was produced or sounds like this and i love b.e.p. for that
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The B-side songs of this album are obviously better, but maybe they are too easy listening and do not match Black Eyed Pilseung’s requirements for the main song? I don’t understand it, but this album still deserves four stars.
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