Around this time last year, Chungha promoted the disappointing Eenie Meenie when fantastic b-side I’m Ready was just begging for single treatment instead. Artists have every right to explore a variety of genres, but Chungha is such a convincing dancefloor diva that it feels like a missed opportunity whenever her music ventures elsewhere. Thankfully, new single Stress is aimed straight at the club, melding her charismatic performance to an insistent house beat.
I’m still convinced Chungha has yet to find her perfect song, but Stress points us in the right direction. Its energetic kick and wispy strings take us back to the early-90’s, especially when the song dabbles in a Vogue-style spoken word bridge. The instrumental isn’t bringing anything new to the table, but it honors its forebearers well and provides an engaging backdrop for Chungha’s compelling choreo.
Stress is carried by its undeniable energy, but an equally engaging series of hooks would have elevated it. The “stress, stress, stress” chorus is uninteresting and repetitive, failing to land a memorable melody. The same could be said about the verses. If we were to strip away the production entirely, I’m not sure the song itself offers much of anything. This makes Stress a performance piece, which plays to Chungha’s strengths. It would be a decent addition to any dance playlist, easily outshined by bolder songs within the genre.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
For me, I can’t imagine she’ll ever top Gotta Go – it’s peak Black Eyed Pilseung greatness. Her unique vocal tone over that sultry production still sounds so unique.
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I pleasantly enjoyed this…while the dancefloor energy isnt enough to make me feel like strutting down the runway its a good enough bop
now when it comes to strutting this wild gay anthem song was a lot more fitting haha https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=DcyBgPywvuk&si=WjVnaH28Ikcsqhpt that final chorus and choir was unexpected but so much fun
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love her, the beat is correct, but the melodies are soooo boring.
when I think of the best house k-pop song, I immediately think of Rude Love which is unfair for everyone.
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this was so disappointing for me 😔 she can do much better and more exciting things music wise.
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I enjoyed this!! It’s easy dancefloor fun, something to bop along to. Nothing groundbreaking, but a good time to listen to regardless.
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Very yes, and-ish and yes I know it’s a house beat but there’s still other instrument that be leverage on too.
Also the teacher costume in the MV… Mother is mothering and I ain’t complaining.
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I think it would have been a better song it the actual theme was around Stress and not Don’t Stress. The latter doesn’t match the beats or the dance. But if you call it (actual) stress, they could have built up tension in the music and dance and then released it to be Not Stress in a post chorus breakdown with softer whooshier sounds with beat drop out and lyrical arm wavy dance.
A song about actual stress worked well for Bowie + Queen.
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what do y’all think abt the bsides? i really enjoyed salty
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I think they’re fine. Nothing really stood out to me, though. Salty is good but I’d expect something extraordinary from a Chungha/Sunmi collab.
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I liked the song, but my favorite song off the EP is Salty.
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I was quite bored at first but I’m surprised at how much this grew on me, maybe because I heard it right around exam time and I really needed it or something lol? 🤣 anyway when I read “I’m convinced Chungha has yet to find her perfect song” I was really surprised because I thought Stay Tonight was that song for you, Me personally I don’t ever think she’ll top that. Down to the instrumental, the verses, the breakdown in the bridge, the way her voice fits so perfectly, and her performance of it, it always felt like an amalgamation of what she does best
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