The official start of summer may still be a few days away, but we’ve already entered the summer season of K-pop music. At its best, this means bright, buoyant fare that conjures images of beach days and sunny nights. My number one wish is that this summer somehow brings back the K-pop producers synonymous with the season (Duble Sidekick, Brave Brothers), but today we’ll have to do with one half of another summertime production team. As with much of their material, STAYC’s 2 L0VE is co-produced by Black Eyed Pilseung‘s Rado.
2 L0VE wastes no time revealing its trump card. The song opens with bright,fizzy synth that goes on to underline the song’s central hook. This “2 L0VE” refrain has a breezy appeal that’s just retro enough to remind me of K-pop classics like Wonder Girls’ So Hot. It’s instantly catchy, employing a simple melody to maximum effect. The rest of the song isn’t quite as sticky, as it feels like we’re constantly trying to navigate our way back to that chorus. However, even in these moments I appreciate the consistent nod to pop melody. 2 L0VE remains giddy and exciting all the way through, which isn’t as common as you might think for modern K-pop.
As much as I complain about songs being too short these days, I actually think 2 L0VE‘s verses are too long and could benefit from some tightening. On the plus side, with a song like this we always know we’ll jump back into its loveable centerpiece eventually. 2 L0VE may not grow to the ranks of “summer classic,” but it’s a strong enough opening salvo for the season.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
Grade: B
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Momma stayc never misses😌
9/10😌
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It’s cute, the production is the best aspect of the song, I wish we got more solid melodies and an extended outro for an extra kick in the butt to make it a true summer classic, but I’ll take what we got!
Rating’s the same.
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is it me or has stayc just been getting a bunch of 8.5’s for your reviews
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They’re very consistently good, but not great.
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Do you mean STAYC never did great, or that they don’t do great lately (if so, what was their latest great song)? Thanks in advance.
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ASAP it’s probably their most popular. “So Bad” their debut title track, is excellent also. Everyone’s taste is a little different, by I think the last “great” song they’ve had is “GPT”.
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it slightly sounds like MOTTO to me but not as compelling.
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Best STAYC release in ages! I’m missing fluffy and energetic TWICE-like songs and this is just it. The chorus is really really good and I love the Kylie Minogue vibe.
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A group that just puts a smile on my face. This is another hit from them, in my book!
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I’m thinking 8.75. Maybe a bit inflated due to desire for a new summer hit, but also all their other songs have held up really well for me.
I think I’ve liked all their TTs…Discography deep dive: It’s going down!
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the way they’ve been so consistent with their discography but have yet to put out a 9+ rated song
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Since SO BAD, RUN2U or BEBE never got a 9, i don’t see how they could get one
But eh, they usually are well-considered on this blog and many people seem to like this comeback again – so, it’s alright!
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This did absolutely nothing for me. Just a mor eboring version of almost all stayc releases. Bebe was 10x better than this reheated Bubble.
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I enjoyed this song. STAYC are the queens of urethral music.
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I think you mean ethereal??
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I do, but there was a joke involving someone misspelling ethereal as urethral when describing a STAYC song, so I was calling back to that, but yes, I do mean ethereal.
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LOOOL do you remember which song
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It was GPT.
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Even if you asked me to edit this comment I never would because this autocorrect is too hilarious! 😂
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yeah pretty nice overall, nothing amazing but pleasant enough for a summery pop song. I give this points for not doing something that always annoyed me in stayc songs, having the girls (sieun and yoon mostly) sing too high, in chorus and adlibs.
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I love the production! It’s bubbly and fun, a bit Carly Rae Jepsen and reminds me of the fun summer Kpop songs of the past. I do agree past the first chorus it’s kinda chugging along but I think it’s nice overall. A 3 minute song! Yay!
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A bubbly type song full of breezy charn, yeah its hard not to love this song in summer. The rap parts are actually so on point it give the song more texture to be enjoyed. The melodic verses are good and the hook is catchy enough, though they should improve the production given the song length at 3 minutes. The other songs in EP are also full of summer charm. A good summer EP indeed, much better than those food-related summer songs (lemonade, ice tea, sugar) we received lately.
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Agree! The 2:LOVE EP sounds very consistent.
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Mmm… I’ve heard a little too much of this kind of music already. Catch The Stars, Rollercoaster, Seoul (Such A Beautiful City), Dangerous In Love. Maybe that’s why I’m feeling somewhat underwhelmed? I mean, it’s good, not great, but definitely good. I feel like I’m in a phase where almost nothing fully satiates me. Maybe I’m doomed to wander among old sounds
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Rado is the master of synthesizer in this industry…for a gg like stayc somehow I don’t count on them to release a “new” or “progressive” song, helping me remind of the 2010s kpop is all I need.
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Now this is FUN!
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The fact STAYC is almost 6 years old, that their little sister GG is now on the road, that it’s been a long time they don’t do good on charts – and let’s don’t talk about Choi Kyusung’s departure; all that could have questionned how the group should evolve.
2 L0VE (with a zero!) is a smart answer, not as bold as BEBE but true to the “teenfresh” classic STAYC sound & themes. Like the other songs on this album, it sounds bubbly & deliciously kitsch, but it’s actually pretty sophisticated: syncopation & chromatism on vocals, advanced arrangement. What a treat!
STAYC is a seasoned group that is debuting again. It makes me feel insecure & enthusiastic at the same time. I love it!
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a nice song, i like it! a typical synthy rado production, what’s not to like?
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I love those little synth stabs. Tickles the brain.
The lyrics “2 love” being part of their tennis concept is quite clever, I didn’t get it until someone else pointed it out lol.
I liked the rest of the EP and downloaded it right away! I especially like “SORRY.”
I am very pleased to have a strong mid-June STAYC release. To me they make music for gay people. I mean, so many idols are catering to this market right now with the slay serve pose work industrial complex, but idk, STAYC are gay icons to ME.
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