Stray Kids (Korean: 스트레이 키즈; RR: Seuteurei Kijeu; often abbreviated as SKZ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2017 reality show of the same name.[1] The group is currently composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N, with former member Woojin having left the group due to undisclosed personal reasons in October 2019. The group is primarily self-produced, with 3Racha (consisting of members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) as their main producing team and the other members frequently participating in songwriting.
Stray Kids | |
|---|---|
 Stray Kids in January 2023 From left to right: Felix, Changbin, Lee Know, Han, Seungmin, I.N, Bang Chan, and Hyunjin | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Seoul, South Korea |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Labels | |
| Spinoffs | 3Racha |
| Members | |
| Past members | |
| Website | straykids |
Stray Kids released their pre-debut extended play (EP) Mixtape in January 2018 and officially debuted on March 25 with the EP I Am Not, followed by other two I Am series EPs, I Am Who and I Am You. Their Clé trilogy EPs were issued in 2019, consisting of Clé 1: Miroh, Clé 2: Yellow Wood, and Clé: Levanter. The group's first studio album Go Live was released in 2020, becoming their first platinum-certified album by Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). That year, Stray Kids also made their Japanese debut with the compilation album SKZ2020 through Epic Records Japan.
In 2021, Stray Kids' second studio album Noeasy became their first million-selling album. After signing with Republic Records for promotions in the United States in 2022, the group released the EPs Oddinary, Maxident (both in 2022), and Rock-Star (2023), and their third studio album 5-Star (2023), all four of which topped the US Billboard 200 and entered the UK Albums Chart. 5-Star was certified five-million in album sales by the KMCA, making them just the third group to achieve this in Korean history. As of October 2022, Stray Kids has sold over 10 million albums across both Korean and Japanese releases.[2] In 2023, they featured on Time's Next Generation Leaders list.[3]
Name
The group's name "Stray Kids" was not defined by JYP Entertainment but conceptualized by the members themselves. It originally referred to a lost child who wants to chase their dreams and later evolved to represent the idea of finding a way together out of the ordinary.[4][5]
History
2017–2018: Formation, debut and I Am series
In August 2017, JYP Entertainment (JYPE) officially announced their new reality survival show with the goal of launching a male idol debut project. More details and teasers were released in the next two months, including the show's title, Stray Kids.[6][7][8] Prior to its premiere on October 17, JYPE released Stray Kids' first music video for a song titled "Hellevator", which was later released as a digital single. Two members, Lee Know and Felix, were initially eliminated from the group but returned to the final nine-member line-up.[9][10][11]
Along with the launch of Stray Kids' official website, JYPE announced the release of the group's pre-debut extended play (EP) titled Mixtape. It contains seven tracks co-written and co-composed by the members, including "Hellevator" and other songs that they performed on the show.[12] The EP, along with the performance video of its second track "Beware" (Grrr 총량의 법칙), was released on January 8, 2018, while the performance video of "Spread My Wings" (어린 날개) was uploaded online a week later.[13][14][15] It debuted at number two on the Gaon Album Chart and Billboard World Albums chart.[16][17]
On March 25, the group held their debut showcase of the group, Stray Kids Unveil (Op. 01: I Am Not), at Jangchung Arena.[18][19] They officially debuted the next day with the release of their EP titled I Am Not, along with the music video of its title track "District 9", while the music video of "Grow Up" (잘하고있어) and performance video of "Mirror" were released on March 31 and April 23, respectively.[20][21][22][23] I Am Not debuted at number four on the Gaon Album Chart and sold over 54,000 physical copies in March.[24][25]
On April 14, Stray Kids performed at KCON Japan 2018, the group's first overseas performance.[26][27] On July 12, JYPE announced the group's second showcase, Stray Kids Unveil (Op. 02: I Am Who), for August 5 at Kyung Hee University's Grand Peace Palace. Their second EP, I Am Who, was released the next day along with lead single "My Pace".[28][29][30] On October 4, JYPE announced the group's third showcase, Stray Kids Unveil (Op. 03: I Am You), for October 21 at Olympic Hall. The performance was followed by the release of their new EP I Am You the day afterward.[31]
2019: Clé series and Woojin's departure
Stray Kids began the year by bringing their showcase tour, the Unveil Tour "I Am...", to the Asia-Pacific, starting on January 19 in Bangkok.[32] The group also held their national promotional Hi Stay Tour in Busan, Daejeon and Incheon in March, as well as a finale in Seoul in Olympic Park on April 20.[33] On March 5, JYPE announced Stray Kids would make their third comeback on March 25, 2019, with the release of their fourth EP Clé 1: Miroh in commemoration of the first anniversary of the group's debut.[34] The group earned their first music show win on April 4 on M Countdown for the album's lead single, "Miroh".[35] On June 19, they released their first special album Clé 2: Yellow Wood, along with lead single "Side Effects" (부작용), between the American and European legs of their first world tour.[36]
Stray Kids released a digital single titled "Double Knot" on October 9 and announced their District 9 Unlock World Tour, beginning with shows at Olympic Hall in Seoul, South Korea from November 23–24. Their fifth EP Clé: Levanter was initially scheduled for a November 25 release; however, on October 28, JYPE announced that Woojin had left the group due to personal circumstances, and the release date would therefore be postponed.[37] On November 13, the group released the music video for "Astronaut," their first single as an eight-member group,[38] followed by Cle: Levanter on December 9. Stray Kids held the Japanese shows for the Hi Stay Tour on December 19 at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo with an audience of 8,000 people.[39] The group released the digital single "Mixtape: Gone Days", the first single of their Mixtape Project, on December 26.[40]
2020: Japanese debut, 生 series and All In
Stray Kids released the first English versions of "Double Knot" and "Levanter" as digital singles together titled Step Out of Clé, along with a performance video of the English version of "Double Knot" on January 24.[41] They officially debuted in Japan on March 18 with compilation album SKZ2020, which contained new recordings of previous songs and included Japanese versions of "My Pace", "Double Knot" and "Levanter", through Epic Records Japan.[42] The group released the second Mixtape Project digital single "Mixtape: On Track" (바보라도 알아) on March 26.[43] On June 3, Stray Kids released their first Japanese single, "Top", and its B-side "Slump". The former was used as the theme song for the anime Tower of God, and the latter as its ending theme;[44] a Korean version was released on May 13,[45] and an English version on May 20.[46][47] The single debuted atop Oricon Singles Chart, making them the fourth foreign male artist in history to debut at number one on the chart with their first single, after Jang Keun-suk, Exo, and iKon.[48]
On June 17, Stray Kids released their first studio album Go Live alongside lead single "God's Menu" (神메뉴),[49] including on the tracklist the Korean versions of "Top" and "Slump" and previously released singles "Gone Days" and "On Track". Go Live became the group's best-selling album at the time, debuting atop the weekly Gaon Album Chart and selling 243,462 copies by the end of the month to reach number five on the monthly Gaon Album Chart.[50] The album was certified platinum by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) in August 2020, the group's first album to achieve this.[51] "God's Menu" became the group's first single to be certified gold by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[52] Three months later, the group reissued their first studio album as In Life on September 14.[53] During promotions, the group received two music show wins: once on MBC M's Show Champion and once on Mnet's M Countdown.[54][55] Lead single "Back Door" was recognized by Time magazine at eighth on its list of the 10 Best Songs of 2020, the only song by a Korean act on the list, and described as "an artful Frankenstein that's as catchy as it is complex".[56]
On November 4, Stray Kids released their first Japanese EP, All In, with title track "All In" serving as lead single. The EP also included Japanese versions of "God's Menu" and "Back Door", as well as their first Japanese single "Top".[57] On November 22, the group held their first online concert, titled "Unlock: Go Live In Life", via Beyond Live, which was considered a continuation of their "District 9: Unlock" Tour that faced postponement and cancellation due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. During the concert, the group performed the Korean version of their song "All In" for the first time, which was eventually released on November 26 as a digital single.[58][59]
2021: Kingdom: Legendary War and Noeasy
At the 2020 Mnet Asian Music Awards, it was announced that Stray Kids would be joining Ateez and The Boyz on the inaugural season of Kingdom: Legendary War, a Mnet boy group competition show;[60] BtoB, iKon and SF9 were later confirmed as participants as well.[61] On May 28, 2021, the group released a song for the final round of the competition titled "Wolfgang", which marked the group's first appearance on the main Gaon Digital Chart, at number 138.[62] They won the program on June 3, earning them their own reality show and a Kingdom Week special show for their comeback.[63]
Stray Kids held their first official fan meeting, Stray Kids 1st #LoveStay 'SKZ-X' on February 20, 2021, via V Live[64] and their first Japanese fan meeting—STAYing Home Meeting—for the first anniversary of their Japanese debut on March 18.[65] The group collaborated with Swedish producer Alesso and Chinese DJ Corsak on the Korean version of the song "Going Dumb" for the mobile game version of PUBG, released on March 19.[66] The song debuted at number 13 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, the group's first appearance on the chart.[67]
Stray Kids surprise-released the third single for their Mixtape Project, "Mixtape: Oh" (애), on June 26.[68] It debuted atop Billboard World Digital Song Sales, their first number one on the chart.[69] The group released their second studio album Noeasy on August 23.[70] It debuted atop Gaon Album Chart,[71] selling over 1.1 million copies as of August 2021 and certified million by the KMCA,[72] making them first act under JYP Entertainment to sell more than one million copies of an album.[73][74] Lead single "Thunderous" (소리꾼) peaked at number 33 on Gaon Digital Chart[71] and number 80 on Billboard Global 200[75] and earned six wins on music programs.[76] The accompanying music video on YouTube reached 100 million views in 55 days after release, the group's fifth and fastest video to reach this mark.[77][78]
The group released their second Japanese single "Scars"/"Thunderous (Japanese ver.)" on October 13.[79] The single entered at number two on both Oricon Singles Chart[80] and Billboard Japan Hot 100, selling over 180,000 CD copies.[81] A Christmas-themed "special holiday" single album titled Christmas EveL was released on November 29, featuring both the title track and "Winter Falls" as lead singles.[82] It peaked atop Gaon Album Chart,[83] selling over 743,000 copies in 2021 alone,[84] and was certified double platinum by KMCA.[85] The group concluded the year with the digital release of SKZ2021, a compilation album including re-recorded versions of previous songs and the Korean version of "Scars", on December 23.[86]
2022: Oddinary, Circus and Maxident
On February 10, 2022, it was announced that Stray Kids signed with Republic Records for promotions in the United States as part of JYPE's strategic partnership with the label, alongside labelmate Itzy.[87][88] The group held their second fan meeting 2nd #LoveStay 'SKZ's Chocolate Factory' from February 12–13 at Olympic Hall; the second day was also broadcast via Beyond Live.[89] Stray Kids released their sixth EP Oddinary on March 18.[90] The EP topped charts in South Korea,[91] Finland,[92] Poland,[93] and the United States,[94] selling over 1.5 million copies in March.[95] It became Stray Kids' first album to appear on the UK Albums Chart,[96] and Billboard 200. The latter made them the third Korean act in history to top the chart, after BTS and SuperM.[97] Its lead single "Maniac[98] became the group's first song to chart the UK Singles Chart at number 98,[99] and the Bubbling Under Hot 100 at number 19, among others.[100]
In support of Oddinary, Stray Kids announced their second concert tour, the Maniac World Tour, which began on April 29 in Seoul, South Korea, followed by shows in Asia, Australia, and North America.[101][102] It concluded at Los Angeles on April 2, 2023.[103] On June 22, Stray Kids released their second Japanese EP, Circus,[104][105] preceded by the Japanese version of "Maniac",[106] the new song "Your Eyes",[107] and the title track.[108] The EP debuted at number two on the Oricon Albums Chart[109] and atop Billboard Japan Hot Albums.[110] The group surprise-released the single "Mixtape: Time Out" on August 1 to celebrate their fourth anniversary of revealing the fandom's name Stay.[111]
Prior to the upcoming release, Stray Kids released "Heyday", performed by 3Racha, for Street Man Fighter's Mega Crew Mission.[112] The group's seventh EP, Maxident, was released on October 7,[113] with lead single "Case 143".[114] The EP debuted atop in South Korea,[115] Poland,[116] and the United States.[117] It became their second consecutive number-one album in the US and the fourth South Korean and non-English album to top the chart.[118] Maxident became Stray Kids and JYPE's first album to sell over two and three million copies[119] and be certified triple million by KMCA.[120] They released the third compilation album SKZ-Replay on December 21, containing solo tracks by the members and songs previously unofficially released as video uploads.[121] The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) ranked Stray Kids as the seventh best-selling artist of 2022.[122] Maxident and Oddinary were the sixth and fourteenth best-selling albums of 2022.[123]
2023: The Sound, 5-Star, Social Path / Super Bowl (Japanese Ver.) and Rock-Star
Stray Kids' debut Japanese-language studio album, titled The Sound, was released on February 22, 2023, preceded by the Japanese version of "Case 143" and the song of the same name.[124] It debuted atop the Oricon Albums Chart for the first time with 378,000 copies,[125] and was certified double platinum by Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).[126] The group released their third studio album, 5-Star on June 2, 2023, with the lead single "S-Class" (특특), and featured rapper Tiger JK on the track "Topline".[127] It lyrically addresses themes of uniqueness, confidence, and aspirations.[128][129] The album peaked at number one in various regions, including South Korea,[130] France,[131] and the United States, etc; the latter is the group's third consecutive number-one album in the country.[132] It has sold over 5 million copies as of June,[133] and was certified as such by KMCA.[134] "S-Class" won the Best K-Pop Video at 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.[135]
Stray Kids held their third fan meeting Pilot: For 5-Star at KSPO Dome on July 1–2,[136] and embarked for their all-dome concert tour 5-Star Dome Tour in South Korea and Japan from August to October.[137] The group also headlined the Lollapalooza music festival in Paris, France on July 21,[138] and would initially appear at 2023 Global Citizen Festival in New York City on September 23,[139] but due to three members' minor car accident, 3Racha performed instead.[140][141] The group's first Japanese-language EP Social Path / Super Bowl (Japanese Ver.), was released on September 6, preceded by dual lead singles "Social Path", featuring Japanese singer-songwriter Lisa, and the Japanese version of "Super Bowl".[142] It became the second number-one,[143] and the first million-certificated record in Japan.[144] Stray Kids featured on the remix version of Lil Durk's "All My Life", in October,[145] and released their eighth Korean-language EP Rock-Star on November 10,[146] alongside the lead single "Lalalala" (락).[147][148] The EP topped the charts in South Korea[149] and the United States,[150] while "Lalalala" became the group's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 90.[151] Furthermore in 2023, Stray Kids received the Prime Minister's Commendation at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards,[152] and participated at the Japanese New Year's Eve television special 74th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.[153] IFPI named Stray Kids the third best-selling artist of 2023, behind Taylor Swift and Seventeen,[154] as well as 5-Star the second and Rock-Star the ninth best-selling album globally in 2023.[155]
2024–present: Ate
In January 2024, Stray Kids performed "God's Menu", "S-Class", and "Topline" in Paris, France in the Le Gala des Pièces Jaunes charity event organized by the First Lady of France, Brigitte Macron.[156] Next month, the group, alongside JYP artists J.Y. Park, Itzy, and Nmixx, collaborated with Coca-Cola for "K-Wave" limited edition of Coke Zero Sugar, accompanying by the song "Like Magic".[157] They held their fanmeetings SKZ's Magic School in Seoul between March 29 and 31[158] and SKZ Toy World in Osaka and Saitama in April.[159] Stray Kids performed the theme for Japanese television drama Re: Revenge – Yokubo no Hate ni, titled "Why?", released on April 12.[160] Stray Kids attended 2024 Met Gala as guests of the designer Tommy Hilfiger.[161] They were the first K-Pop acts whose the all members shown up together at the Met Gala,[162] and ranked number one Red Carpet Power Rankings in male category, according to The Hollywood Reporter.[163]
Stray Kids released the single "Lose My Breath", featuring American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, on May 10.[164] The song peaked at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 97 on the UK Singles Chart.[165] Their ninth Korean-language EP Ate is scheduled for release on July 19 with the lead single "Chk Chk Boom".[166][167] In support of the EP, the group headlined I-Days in Milan,[168] and will participate BST Hyde Park in London,[169] and Lollapalooza in Chicago,[170] as well as the third world tour, Dominate World Tour, starting in August in Seoul and travel to Asia, Australia, Latin America, North America, and Europe.[171]
Artistry
Musical style
Stray Kids' music is inspired by hip-hop, dubstep, heavy metal, electroclash and dance-pop, and it has been described as "dark and experimental".[172] After the release of the album Go Live, the public and various entertainment media outlets began calling Stray Kids the pioneers of "mala taste music" (Korean: 마라맛 음악; RR: Maramat eumak), adopted from the hot and spicy mala seasoning,[173][174] which later became a rising music trend among other K-Pop boy groups.[175] Their songs initially received criticism for being too "noisy"; with the album Noeasy, they embraced the criticism, saying the term was "something that [they] could use as [their] own weapon".[176] During the showcase for Rock-Star, they implied that they plan on keeping up their tenacious music with principles (Korean: 줏대; RR: jutdae; lit. strong spine).[177] Stray Kids expressed that they want their music to be recognized as a new genre of their own, stating in a 2023 interview during the Next Generation Leaders with Time :
The goal is to continuously pioneer new [musical] subjects and to have our music be recognized as a 'Stray Kids' genre.[178]
Experimental music has been Stray Kids' identity since the beginning of their career, combining various genres throughout their discography. Their debut song "District 9" is a hybrid genre that combines hip-hop, rock, and EDM with frenetic bass, sirens, EDM breaks, aggressive raps, and hip hop dance moves.[179][180][181] They also attempted a new sound with "Side Effects", a propulsive EDM-pop hybrid song inspired by psytrance.[182][183] "God's Menu" is said to have a new genre called "mala taste", which is defined as a genre of hot, strong, and spicy songs.[173] In "Thunderous", they used contemporary synths and drops to blend in with traditional Korean instruments such as the kwaenggwari (Korean: 꽹과리; lit. a small, flat gong made of brass, primarily used in Korean folk music) and the traditional Korean drums.[176] "Maniac" is a Middle Eastern-influenced[184] "powerful" trap,[185] electropop[186] song, with a bass-synth drop,[185][184] bird-chirping,[184] and drill sounds.[186] "Case 143" is a pop song with various sounds like a descending chromatic scale, changes in key signature, intense rap verses, and a flexible rhythm.[187] "S-Class" is a hip hop track with elements of boom bap, old school, and pop.[188] It was mixed between booming rap, thrumming bass, sultry electro, 1990s hip-hop, sparkling pop and grimy club.[189] "Lalalala" is a phonk[190] and Afrobeats track with harsh electric guitar, lively drums, and thumping bass.[191]
Songwriting and lyrical themes
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Stray Kids are considered a "self-producing" idol group, as the members have almost always been involved in songwriting and composing and have sometimes assisted in arranging, even before their official debut.[192][193] Their in-house production team, called 3Racha, was formed by three Stray Kids members: Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han,[194] who have been releasing multiple self-produced tracks on SoundCloud since 2017 and are largely responsible for crafting Stray Kids' music, with all members integral to the process.[195] To showcase their artistry, all of the members also have digital YouTube projects like "SKZ-Record" and "SKZ-Player", where each of them produce various songs or choreography; Two Kids Song, where the members were paired to write, produce, and record an original song with the same beat sample;[a][195] and SKZ Song Camp: Howl in Harmony, where the members were divided into three teams and produced their own songs.[b][196]
The main lyrical theme of Stray Kids' songs is about the process and hardship while searching for their identity, especially in their early EP albums I Am ... series and Clé series. In "District 9", the lyrics implied that they were frustrated by people questioning their identity, though they acknowledge they had not found it yet.[197] In "My Pace", the lyrics implied that comparison with others could cause nervousness or anxiety, but each person has their own pace.[198][199] In "I Am You", the lyrics talk about them thanking all of "you" who stay besides them even when they did not know themselves.[200] "Miroh" implied Stray Kids' strength, energy, and aspiration to enter a rough "maze" (Korean: 미로; RR: Miro) to achieve their dreams.[201] In "Side Effects", they were rebelling because they wanted to do what they chose to do even thought that choice may result in side effects.[182] The lyrics implied that it is okay to "shout 'my head hurts'" in difficult situations but not give up as the side effects are never permanent.[202] In "Levanter" (Korean: 바람; RR: baram; lit. wind), the lyrics implied that the key they searched all along were already in them and Stray Kids just have to be themselves to continue their journey following how the wind blows.[203]
After the completion of I Am ... and Clé series, Stray Kids found their own identity, therefore their main lyrical themes shifted to introduce their sound to the public. They introduced "God's Menu" as their unique sound with culinary metaphor lyrics like "Welcome, it's easy to choose what you want in our kitchen. Anything on the menu will satisfy all your five senses", "This is our tang, tang, tang, tang" (Korean: 탕; RR: tang; lit. soup), and "You ask "What's our secret ingredient?". But we don't even use one".[195] Stray Kids received some criticism due to their sound being considered too "noisy" by some, yet they "embrace[ed their] noisiness" in "Thunderous" lyrics.[176] In "Maniac", they encouraged everyone to embrace their own "quirkness".[204] "S-Class" is the continuation of the previous album Oddinary where they shout, "The odd one, that's me!". In "S-Class" they invited the listeners to do the same with lyrics "Be the one to shine instead of chasing after what's shiny".[189] "Lalalala" celebrates their lives and career,[205] pushing through all kinds of pain to find joy and release through music.[206]
Their B-sides often talk about self-reflection. From their debut album, the songs "Mirror" and "3rd Eye" talk about the struggles of finding one's true self; in the song "Awaken" they stress the importance of fighting one's way out of a shell.[180] Sometimes Stray Kids also have challenged new themes that were different from their other releases, like the Maxident album which includes their first-ever release explicitly about romantic love.[114][207]
Stray Kids are known for their wordplay in lyrics and song titles. In Go Live, the album title combines the English word "go" and hanja "life" (Korean: Go生; RR: go-saeng) but the pronunciation "go-saeng" (Korean: 고생) can also mean "hardship" in Korean. Its title song "God's Menu" also contains wordplay from the hanja "God" and hangul "Menu" (Korean: 神메뉴; RR: sinmenyu; lit. God's Menu) but the pronunciation "sin-menu" (신메뉴) can also mean "new menu" in Korean.[195] For album Noeasy, the album title combines "no" and "easy" to mmean "not easy", but its pronunciation sounds like "noisy". And its title track "Thunderous" has a different Korean title "소리꾼" (Korean: 소리꾼; RR: sorikkun; lit. singers of pansori) which is the combination of the word "소리" (Korean: 소리; RR: sori; lit. sound) and "꾼" (Korean: 꾼; RR: kkun; lit. suffix for a "doer") which can also mean a person who "does sound very well". The Korean title of the song "Lalalala" (Korean: 락; Hanja: 樂; RR: rak; lit. pleasure) is also a word play with "rock", expressing the meaning of "although you will feel any emotions in life, you hope the last emotion you choose will be pleasure".[208]
Stage, performance, and concept aesthetics
Stray Kids has been acknowledged for their stage and performance through multiple daesang[c] awards in this category, such as Performance of the Year award at 2021 Asia Artist Awards (AAA),[210] Stage of the Year award at 2023 AAA,[211] and the Best Performance awards at 2023 and 2024 Hanteo Music Awards.[212][213] They also earned the title "K-Performance Leaders" (Korean: K-퍼포먼스 대장주; RR: K-peopomeonseu daejangju).[214] In particular, their stage and performance during year-end award shows have received praise from industry figures and the media.[215]
Stray Kids earned the title "Concept Matjib" (Korean: 콘셉트 맛집; RR: konsepteu matjib; lit. place/person with great concept) for their innovative concept in each release.[216] Their concepts are not only shown in the choreography but also in music videos, stage outfits, and music style. They used choreography that incorporates mixing, frying, seasoning, and chopping to match the culinary concept in chef outfits for "God's Menu",[195] and door knocking choreography in "Back Door".[217] In the "Thunderous" music video, they danced in dokkaebi styles along with pungmul folks and white lions in front of hanok to incorporate the Korean folklore concept.[176][217] For "Maniac", they used the metaphor of Frankenstein in the lyrics, choreography, and concept photos.[218][219]
Stray Kids incorporate their choreography and stage properties to complete their concept aesthetics especially for year-end shows and competition.[220] During the 35th Golden Disc Awards, Stray Kids performed "God's Menu" with elegant dance moves as one with a huge fan[220] and received a best performance award for the first time.[221] During the 2020 SBS Gayo Daejeon performance, they performed nanta show to emphasize the cooking theme of "God's Menu".[222] During 2021 SBS Gayo Daejeon, they performed "Winter Falls" and "Thunderous" (Christmas ver.) with point choreography using canes, a performance that staged squid game and dalgona game scenes from the popular Netflix drama Squid Game, and Felix's tap dance.[223][224]
The group competed in and won the 2021 competition show Kingdom: Legendary War where they performed for 5 rounds including the introduction stage.[225][226] For introduction stage they performed "Miroh" in 100 seconds time limit with neon LED flashlight, karambit, wolf tattoos on the back of their hands, and acrobatic choreography like backflips and climbing human pyramid as a wolf to express the exploration across mountain and river.[227][228] In round 1, they performed "Jasin" (Korean: 스스로 '자', 귀신 '신'; Hanja: 自神; lit. Self's 'Character', Ghost 'God') which is a mashup of their own songs "God's Menu" and "Side Effects", implied the theme of "We chose to become evil to live" with each member's solo performance of struggling to overcome oppression through acrobatics.[226][229] On the broadcast day of this episode, experts praised Stray Kids' first competition stage, saying, "A stage that well expresses the fight with the inner self through the harmony of black and white," and "A group with powerful spirit as its strength," and especially praised its outstanding stage abilities.[230] For round 2, they exchange song with BtoB and performed "I'll be Your Man" (기도; gido; lit. pray) in their own arrangement showcasing their vocal skills in slightly different lyrics to fit their desperate and sorrowful theme of "sacrificing ourselves to demons to rescue a beloved one".[231] The members showed off performances like destroying a mythical temple-like set, while also using various objects such as flower bouquet, heart, handkerchiefs, and knives.[232] Round 3 consist of 2 parts, part 1 is where they collabs with BtoB and Ateez to perform in 3 categories (rap, dance, vocals) and part 2 is where they perform a song themselves with no limitation. In round 3 part 1, 3Racha (Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) performed "Colours" (물감놀이; Mulgamnori; lit. Paint Play)[d] with Minhyuk and Hongjoong for rap category with the witty lyrics that implied the theme of "each different colors become one through music" and playfull splash of different colors on stage;[234][235] Lee Know, Felix, and I.N performed the choreography of EXO's "Wolf" with Peniel, Wooyoung, San, Yunho, Yeosang, and Seonghwa for dance category with dynamic attractions such as various pair choreography, Peniel's krumping, and flying endings, as well as facial expressions that properly showed the wild nature of the wolf;[233][235] Seungmin performed "Love Poem" by IU with Eunkwang and Jongho for vocal category expressing the harmonious tone of their own rearranged version of the song.[236][237] In round 3 part 2, Stray Kids performed a mashup of "God's Menu" and "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" by Blackpink with a witty concept of the movie Deadpool character.[238] In addition, they used various properties such as LED lights, rice cookers, subway, Ant-Man's tanks, loudspeakers, flags, and pistols.[237] This particular performance received various praise from industry figures and the public, including the Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds and his friend, actor Hugh Jackman.[239] In round 4 (final round), Stray Kids performed a new released song "Wolfgang" which inspired by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrapped in a "wolf pack that do music" concept theme.[240]
Other ventures
Endorsements
In February 2018, before Stray Kids' official debut, the nine members were announced as new models for Jambangee Jeans for their spring collection.[241] In June, they were selected as an exclusive models for Ivy Club for the 2018 fall semester.[242] The next month, Stray Kids partnered with Minute Maid Sparkling and were selected as promotional models for CGV "Youth Brand Festival" five days later.[243] In September 2019, Stray Kids began endorsing Lotte Duty Free and took part at the "Let's Do Something Fun" campaign.[244][245] On October 16, Stray Kids became new models for the Korean sportswear brand Pro-Specs.[246] In June 2019, Stray Kids was chosen as the newest ambassador of Talk Talk Korea Contest,[247] and on June 18, they were appointed as honorary ambassadors by the Korean Culture and Information Service under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.[248][249]
In November 2020, Stray Kids was chosen to become Shopee Indonesia's brand ambassador for the 11.11 Big Sale and 12.12 Birthday Sale.[250][251] On February 1, 2021, Stray Kids was chosen to become new models for Clio Cosmetics.[252][253] In June 2021, the group was chosen to become an endorser of the Japanese clothing brand Wego[254] and as ambassadors for the Korea Pavilion of Expo 2020 Dubai.[255] In September, the group was chosen to become new models for the cosmetic brand Nacific,[256] and the group's sub-unit Danceracha (Lee Know, Hyunjin, and Felix) appeared in campaigns for Italian brand Etro's unisex Earthbeat sneaker.[257]
In 2022, Stray Kids became muses for the clothing brand Mahagrid's 2022 Summer T-shirt Campaign,[258] as well as ambassadors for Philippine clothing brand Bench.[259] The brand held a fan meeting on January 20, 2023, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.[260] The group served as models for Lotte Duty Free again in September 2022, together with Super Junior.[261] A month later, three short dramas was released as part of "LDF Original Series" new campaign featuring Stray Kids members.[262] In 2023, Stray Kids were selected to be Samsung Galaxy mobile phone accessories brand SLBS' exclusive models, and launched "Star to Galaxy" campaign, to collaborate with the group's character SKZoo for a special Z Flip using eco-friendly material and space theme,[263] as well as Indonesian milk product Ultra Milk's brand ambassador.[264]
Fashion
Stray Kids were selected to be Asian ambassador of Tommy Hilfiger for 2023 Fall campaign[265] and 2024 Spring campaign.[266] In May 2024, Stray Kids made their Met Gala debut as the guest of designer Tommy Hilfiger, wearing overcoats that they took off to reveal their tailored suits of the brand's signature red, white and blue with gold accents.[267] They are the first group ever that has attended the event together.[268]
Individually, Stray Kids members were also selected as the ambassador of various brands. Hyunjin for Versace as global ambassador in July 2023,[269] and Felix for Louis Vuitton as house ambassador in August 2023.[270] Both of them has attended the respective brand's events multiple times, Felix even made his runway debut at the Paris Fashion Week for Louis Vuitton Women's Fall-Winter 2024 Collection on March 5, 2024.[271]
Awards and achievements
Stray Kids have won numerous awards throughout their career. On April 19, 2019, Stray Kids won their first music program with "Miroh" at Show Champion.[272] Stray Kids have received numerous trophies in South Korea and internationally include ten Asia Artist Awards, five Circle Chart Music Awards, eight The Fact Music Awards, seven Golden Disc Awards, six Hanteo Music Awards, six MAMA Awards, two Japan Gold Disc Award, a Billboard Music Award, an iHeartRadio Music Awards, a MTV Europe Music Awards, a MTV Video Music Awards, a MTV Video Music Awards Japan, a Nickelodeon Mexico Kids' Choice Awards and a People's Choice Awards. In particular, they have won six daesang :[c] three consecutive Asia Artist Awards (2021–2023),[273][274] two consecutive best performance at Hanteo Music Awards (2022–2023),[275][276] and an Asia Star Entertainer Awards (2024).[277]
Stray Kids is also noted as the first group to exceed 5 million pre-orders in K-pop history for their third studio album 5-Star that exceeded 5.13 million pre-orders reported on June 1, 2023.[278]On October 21, 2023, Stray Kids was honored with the Prime Minister's Commendation at Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, an honor bestowed in recognition of public service and/or excellence in a given field.[279]
Members
On October 28, 2019, Woojin left Stray Kids and terminated his contract with JYP Entertainment for undisclosed personal reasons.[280] From February to July 2021, Hyunjin was on hiatus due to bullying allegations against him but resumed regular activities with the group in August.[281][282]
- Notes
Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han are also members of the in-house songwriting and production trio, 3Racha. All three are frequently involved in writing lyrics and composing for the group.[284][285][286]
Timeline
Discography
Filmography
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Stray Kids | Themselves | [287] | |
| 2019 | Finding SKZ | Themselves | [288] | |
| 2020 | Finding SKZ God Edition | Themselves | [289] | |
| 2021 | Kingdom: Legendary War | Contestant | Hyunjin did not participate starting from episode 2 | [290] |
| Kingdom Week <No+> | Themselves | [291] | ||
| 2022 | Finding SKZ Get Edition | Themselves | [292] | |
| 2023 | Stray Kids Tokyo Mission Tour | Themselves | [293] |
Short films
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | SKZflix | Themselves | [294] |
Concert tours
- District 9: Unlock World Tour (2019–2020)
- Maniac World Tour (2022–2023)
- 5-Star Dome Tour (2023)
- Dominate World Tour (2024–2025)
Notes
References
Further reading
- Sprinkel, Katy (May 14, 2024). Stray Kids: Here to Stay. Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-63727-657-0.
External links
- Official website (in Korean)
- Official website (in Japanese)