Stray Kids facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stray Kids
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Stray Kids in May 2024
From left to right: Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Bang Chan, Lee Know, Seungmin, I.N, and Felix |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Seoul, South Korea |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2017–present |
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| Members |
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| Past members | |
Stray Kids (often called SKZ; Lua error in Module:Korean at line 109: attempt to call field '_xlit' (a nil value).) is a popular boy band from South Korea. They were formed by JYP Entertainment. The group has eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. Woojin left the group in October 2019.
Stray Kids often create their own music. Their main production team is called 3Racha. It includes Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han. Other members also help write songs. Bang Chan, the leader, personally chose each member for the group. This was before their TV show in 2017. This is unusual in K-Pop, as agencies usually pick the members.
The band released their first EP (mini-album) called Mixtape in January 2018. They officially debuted on March 25 with the EP I Am Not. They then released I Am Who and I Am You. These EPs completed their I Am series. In 2019, they released the Clé series: Clé 1: Miroh, Clé 2: Yellow Wood, and Clé: Levanter.
Their first full album, Go Live (2020), became their first album to sell over 250,000 copies. In 2020, Stray Kids also debuted in Japan with the album SKZ2020. Their first Japanese song, "Top", reached number one on the Japanese music charts. They were only the fourth foreign male group to do this with their first song.
In 2021, Stray Kids' second album, Noeasy, sold over one million copies. In 2022, they signed with Republic Records for promotions in the United States. Since then, they have released several EPs and albums. These include Oddinary, Maxident (both 2022), Rock-Star (2023), and Ate (2024). Their album 5-Star (2023) and mixtape Hop (2024) also came out.
All six of these releases reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. This made them the first group to have their first six albums debut at the top of this chart. 5-Star sold over five million copies in Korea. In 2023, Time magazine named them among their Next Generation Leaders. By December 2024, Stray Kids had sold over 31 million albums in total.
Contents
The Name Stray Kids
The members of Stray Kids came up with their own name and logo. The name "Stray Kids" first meant a lost child chasing their dreams. It later grew to mean finding a way out of the ordinary together.
Group History
How Stray Kids Formed
In August 2017, JYP Entertainment announced a new TV show. The show aimed to create a new male idol group. More details came out later, including the show's name, Stray Kids. Before the show started on October 17, JYPE released Stray Kids' first music video, "Hellevator". This song was later released as a digital single.
Two members, Lee Know and Felix, were removed from the group during the show. But they returned to the final nine-member lineup. It was later shared that Bang Chan, the leader, chose each member. He picked them from a list of JYPE trainees. This was different from how most K-Pop groups are formed.
JYPE launched Stray Kids' official website. They also announced the group's first EP, Mixtape. The members helped write and compose its seven songs. This EP included "Hellevator" and other songs from the show. Mixtape was released on January 8, 2018. It reached number two on the Korean and Billboard World Albums charts.
On March 25, the group held their first concert. It was called Stray Kids Unveil (Op. 01: I Am Not). The next day, they officially debuted. They released the EP I Am Not and the music video for "District 9". I Am Not sold over 54,000 copies in March.
Stray Kids performed at KCON Japan 2018 on April 14. This was their first show outside Korea. On August 6, they released their second EP, I Am Who, with the song "My Pace". On October 22, they released their third EP, I Am You.
The Clé Series and a Member Leaves
In early 2019, Stray Kids went on their Unveil Tour "I Am..." in Asia. They also toured South Korea with the Hi Stay Tour. On March 25, JYPE announced their fourth EP, Clé 1: Miroh. This was to celebrate their first anniversary. On April 14, they won their first music show award for "Miroh" on M Countdown.
On June 19, the band released Clé 2: Yellow Wood. Its main song was "Side Effects". This release happened between the American and European parts of their first world tour.
Stray Kids released the song "Double Knot" on October 9, 2019. They also announced the District 9 Unlock World Tour. Their fifth EP, Clé: Levanter, was planned for November 25. However, on October 28, JYPE announced that Kim Woojin had left the group. The EP release was then delayed. On November 13, the group released "Astronaut". This was their first song as an eight-member group. Cle: Levanter was released on December 9. On December 26, they released "Mixtape: Gone Days". This was the first song from their Mixtape Project.
Japanese Debut and New Albums
On January 24, 2020, Stray Kids released English versions of "Double Knot" and "Levanter". Their first Japanese release was the album SKZ2020. It had new recordings of old songs and Japanese versions of others. On June 3, Stray Kids released their first Japanese single, "Top". It was used as a theme song for the anime Tower of God. This single reached number one on the Japanese charts.
On June 17, Stray Kids released their first full Korean album, Go Live. Its main song was "God's Menu". Go Live became their best-selling album at the time. It sold over 243,000 copies by the end of June. In August 2020, it was certified platinum. "God's Menu" also became their first song to be certified gold in the US.
On September 14, Stray Kids re-released Go Live as In Life. Its main song was "Back Door". Time magazine called "Back Door" one of the 10 Best Songs of 2020. On November 4, Stray Kids released their first Japanese EP, All In. On November 22, they held their first online concert, "Unlock: Go Live In Life".
Kingdom Win and Noeasy
At the 2020 Mnet Asian Music Awards, it was announced Stray Kids would join Kingdom: Legendary War. This was a competition show for boy groups. On May 28, 2021, Stray Kids released "Wolfgang" for the show's final round. They won the competition on June 3. This earned them their own reality show.
Stray Kids held their first fan meeting on February 20, 2021. They also worked with Swedish producer Alesso and Chinese DJ Corsak. They made the Korean version of "Going Dumb" for the mobile game Player Unknown's Battlegrounds. This song reached number 13 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.
Stray Kids released "Mixtape: Oh" on June 26 without warning. It reached number one on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart. The group released their second full album, Noeasy, on August 23, 2021. It sold over 1.1 million copies. This made Stray Kids the first JYP Entertainment group to sell over one million copies of an album. The main song "Thunderous" won six music show awards. Its music video reached 100 million views in 55 days.
The group released their second Japanese single, "Scars"/"Thunderous (Japanese ver.)", on October 13. It sold over 180,000 copies. They released a Christmas album, Christmas EveL, on November 29. It sold over 743,000 copies in 2021. Stray Kids ended the year with SKZ2021 on December 23. This album had re-recorded versions of older songs.
New Albums and World Tour
On February 10, 2022, Stray Kids signed with Republic Records for US promotions. They released their sixth EP, Oddinary, on March 18. This EP reached number one in South Korea, Finland, Poland, and the United States. It sold over 1.5 million copies in March. It was their first album to appear on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. They were the third Korean group to top the Billboard 200. Its main song "Maniac" was their first song on the UK Singles Chart.
To support Oddinary, Stray Kids started their second concert tour, the Maniac World Tour. It began on April 29 in Seoul. It included shows in Asia, Australia, and North America. On June 22, Stray Kids released their second Japanese EP, Circus. The group released "Mixtape: Time Out" on August 1. This celebrated their fourth anniversary of naming their fandom "Stay".
Stray Kids released their seventh EP, Maxident, on October 7, 2022. Its main song was "Case 143". The EP reached number one in South Korea, Poland, and the United States. It was their second album in a row to top the US charts. Maxident was the first album for Stray Kids and JYPE to sell over two and three million copies. They released SKZ-Replay on December 21. This album had solo songs by the members. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) named Stray Kids the seventh-best-selling artist of 2022.
Japanese Album and 5-Star
Stray Kids' first Japanese album, The Sound, was released on February 22, 2023. It reached number one on the Japanese charts. On June 2, 2023, the group released their third full album, 5-Star. Its main song was "S-Class". The album reached number one in many places, including South Korea, France, and the United States. It was their third number-one album in the US. It sold over five million copies by June 2023. "S-Class" won the Best K-Pop Video at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.
Stray Kids held their third fan meeting in July. They also started the 5-Star Dome Tour in South Korea and Japan. The group performed at the Lollapalooza music festival in Paris, France, on July 21. Their third Japanese EP, Social Path / Super Bowl (Japanese Ver.), was released on September 6. It included "Social Path" with Japanese singer Lisa. This EP became their second number-one in Japan.
In October, Stray Kids was featured on a remix of Lil Durk's "All My Life". They released their eighth Korean EP, Rock-Star, on November 10. Its main song was "Lalalala". The EP reached number one in South Korea and the United States. "Lalalala" was their first song on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2023, Stray Kids received an award from the Prime Minister of Korea. IFPI named Stray Kids the third best-selling artist of 2023.
Recent Activities
In January 2024, Stray Kids performed in Paris, France, at a charity event. In February, they worked with Coca-Cola for a special "K-Wave" Coke Zero Sugar. They also released the song "Like Magic".
Stray Kids held two fan meetings in 2024: SKZ's Magic School in Seoul and SKZ Toy World in Japan. They performed the theme song "Why?" for a Japanese TV drama. Stray Kids attended the 2024 Met Gala as guests of designer Tommy Hilfiger. They were the first K-pop group where all members attended together.
Stray Kids released "Lose My Breath" with American singer Charlie Puth on May 10. This song reached number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100. On July 18, 2024, JYP announced that Stray Kids members had renewed their contracts. The next day, they released their ninth Korean EP, Ate, and its main song "Chk Chk Boom". This EP reached number one in many countries, including the United States. Stray Kids became the first group to top the Billboard 200 with their first five albums. "Chk Chk Boom" also reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart.
In October 2024, Stray Kids performed at the American Music Awards. They released their second Japanese album, Giant, on November 13. On December 13, they released the mixtape Hop. It included the song "Walkin on Water". This mixtape also reached number one in South Korea and the United States. Stray Kids became the first group to top the Billboard 200 with their first six albums. In 2024, Stray Kids also sang songs for the movies Deadpool & Wolverine and the TV series Arcane. IFPI named Stray Kids the fifth best-selling artist in 2024.
In 2025, Stray Kids held their fifth fan meeting, SKZ 5'Clock. They released the single album Mixtape: Dominate on March 21. This album included the Korean version of "Giant" and four sub-unit songs. They were also featured on Forbes Asia's 2025 30 Under 30 list for Entertainment and Sports. They released the Japanese EP Hollow on June 18. It reached number one on the Japanese charts.
Music Style
Stray Kids' music is inspired by hip-hop, dubstep, heavy metal, and dance-pop. It has been called "dark and experimental." After their album Go Live, people started calling their music "mala taste music." This name comes from a hot, spicy seasoning. The band liked this name and used it.
Some people first said their songs were too "noisy." But with the album Noeasy, they accepted this idea. They said "noisy" was something they could use as their "own weapon." Stray Kids wants their music to be seen as a new genre. They said in a 2023 interview, "The goal is to keep finding new musical ideas and have our music known as a 'Stray Kids' genre."
Stray Kids has always used experimental music. Their first song "District 9" mixes hip-hop, rock, and EDM. "Side Effects" is an EDM-pop song inspired by psytrance. "God's Menu" is called "mala taste" music, meaning hot and spicy. In "Thunderous", they used traditional Korean instruments. "Maniac" is a powerful trap song with Middle Eastern influences. "Case 143" is a pop song with strong rap parts. "S-Class" is a hip-hop song with old-school and pop elements. "Lalalala" is a rock-like phonk song with harsh rap.
Songwriting and Themes
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Stray Kids is a "self-producing" group. Their members are almost always involved in writing and composing songs. Their production team, 3Racha, includes Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han. They have released their own songs since 2017. All members also have YouTube projects like SKZ-Record and SKZ-Player. In these, they create or cover songs.
Early Stray Kids songs often talked about finding their identity. In "District 9", they felt frustrated by people questioning who they were. "My Pace" suggests that comparing yourself to others can cause worry. But everyone has their own speed. "I Am You" is about thanking fans for support. "Miroh" shows Stray Kids' strength and hope to achieve their dreams. "Side Effects" is about doing what you choose, even if it has problems. It says it's okay to feel pain but not to give up.
After their early series, Stray Kids found their identity. Their song themes changed. "God's Menu" uses cooking words to describe their unique sound. They said, "This is our tang, tang, tang, tang" (Hangul: 탕; RR: tang). They also said, "You ask 'What's our secret ingredient?'. But we don't even use one." Even though some called their sound "noisy," they embraced it in "Thunderous". In "Maniac", they encouraged fans to accept their own "quirkiness." "S-Class" tells listeners to "Be the one to shine instead of chasing after what's shiny." "Lalalala" celebrates the members' lives and careers. It shows how they find joy through music.
Stray Kids' B-sides (other songs on an album) often talk about self-reflection. Songs like "Mirror" and "3rd Eye" discuss finding your true self. "Awaken" talks about fighting to break free. Some songs explore new themes. For example, "Case 143" from Maxident is about romantic love.
Stray Kids often uses wordplay in their songs. The album title Go Live sounds like the Korean word for "hardship." "God's Menu" (Hangul: 神메뉴; RR: sinmenyu) also sounds like "new menu" in Korean. The title of Noeasy sounds like "noisy." "Thunderous" has a Korean title that means a person who "does sound very well." The Korean title of "Lalalala" (Hangul: 락; Hanja: 樂; RR: rak) is a wordplay with "rock." It means that even with life's emotions, you hope to choose pleasure.
Stage Performances and Concepts
Stray Kids is known for their amazing stage performances. They have won many top awards for their performances. They are also called "K-Performance Leaders." Experts and media have praised their shows at year-end award events.
Stray Kids is also known for their creative concepts in each release. These concepts are shown in their dances, music videos, outfits, and music style. Their stylist, Doooho, is praised for the group's outfits. For "God's Menu", their dance moves show mixing, frying, and chopping food. "Back Door" uses door-knocking moves. In the "Thunderous" music video, they danced in traditional Korean styles. For "Maniac", they used ideas from Frankenstein's monster.
Stray Kids uses props and choreography to make their concepts even better. At the 35th Golden Disc Awards, they performed "God's Menu" with a huge fan. At the 2020 SBS Gayo Daejeon, they did a nanta (cooking-themed) show for "God's Menu". At the 2021 SBS Gayo Daejeon, they used canes and had scenes from the show Squid Game. Felix also did a tap dance.
The group won the 2021 competition show Kingdom: Legendary War. For their first performance, they danced to "Miroh" with neon lights and wolf tattoos. They did acrobatic moves like backflips and a climbing human pyramid. In Round One, they performed a mix of "God's Menu" and "Side Effects". This showed them fighting to overcome challenges. Experts praised their stage, saying it showed "a fight with the inner self." For Round Two, they sang BtoB's "I'll be Your Man." They changed the lyrics to fit a theme of saving a loved one.
In Round Three Part One, 3Racha (Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) performed "Colours" for the rap part. They used playful colors on stage. Lee Know, Felix, and I.N danced to Exo's "Wolf" for the dance part. Seungmin sang IU's "Love Poem" for the vocal part.
In Round Three Part Two, Stray Kids performed a mix of "God's Menu" and Blackpink's "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du". Their concept was based on the movie Deadpool. They used props like LED lights, rice cookers, and tanks. This performance was praised by many, including Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds. In Round Four, Stray Kids performed "Wolfgang". This song was inspired by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and had a "wolf pack that does music" theme.
Other Activities
Brand Deals
Stray Kids has worked with many brands. In 2018, they became models for Jambangee Jeans and Ivy Club. They also partnered with Minute Maid Sparkling and CGV.
In 2019, Stray Kids became ambassadors for the Talk Talk Korea Contest. They were also named honorary ambassadors by the Korean Ministry of Culture. They started working with Lotte Duty Free and Pro-Specs sportswear. In 2020, they became brand ambassadors for Shopee Indonesia.
In 2021, Stray Kids became models for Clio Cosmetics. They also endorsed the Japanese clothing brand Wego. They were ambassadors for the Korea Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai. In September, they became models for Nacific cosmetics. Their dance sub-unit, Danceracha (Lee Know, Hyunjin, and Felix), appeared in campaigns for Etro sneakers.
In 2022, Stray Kids became the face of Mahagrid's Summer T-shirt Campaign. They also became ambassadors for the Philippine clothing brand Bench. They worked with Lotte Duty Free again in September 2022. In 2023, they became models for SLBS phone accessories. They also launched a special Samsung Z Flip model with their SKZoo characters. They became brand ambassadors for Ultra Milk in Indonesia.
In 2024, Bioré UV chose Stray Kids for their 2025 spring campaign. In 2025, the group created SKZoo-shaped Tamagotchi. They also became a global ambassador for the cookie stick brand Pepero.
Fashion
Stray Kids was chosen as the Asian ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger for their campaigns in 2023 and 2024. In May 2024, Stray Kids made their debut at the Met Gala. They were guests of Tommy Hilfiger and wore suits in the brand's colors. They were the first group to attend the event together.
Individual members have also become ambassadors for fashion brands:
- Hyunjin for Versace (global ambassador) and Cartier.
- Felix for Louis Vuitton (house ambassador).
- Bang Chan for Fendi.
- I.N for Bottega Veneta and Damiani.
- Seungmin for Burberry.
- Lee Know for Gucci in 2025.
Hyunjin and Felix have attended brand events. Felix also walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week for Louis Vuitton.
Helping Others
Stray Kids is known as "Donation Idol" for their charity work. They have taken part in JYP Entertainment's "Every Dream Matters!" (EDM) campaign. This campaign helps children with serious illnesses. In February 2023, they helped grant wishes for children with incurable diseases. In December, Bang Chan hosted the 2023 JYP EDM Day. They shared results of their charity work. Stray Kids also mentored young Koreans who want to be singers and dancers.
On April 1, 2025, Stray Kids donated 800 million won (about $580,000 USD). They gave 400 million won to help people affected by wildfires in Korea. They gave another 400 million won to World Vision to help those in need. The money will be used for emergency supplies and support.
Impact of Stray Kids
Stray Kids was featured in Time's 2023 Next Generation Leaders list. This was for their success around the world. Rolling Stone UK called them one of the biggest bands globally. IFPI named Stray Kids the seventh-best-selling artist worldwide in 2022. In 2023, 5-Star was the first K-Pop album to get over five million pre-orders. 5-Star and Rock-Star were among the best-selling albums globally in 2023. IFPI named Stray Kids the third-best-selling artist that year.
Stray Kids also made history on the Billboard 200 chart. They were the first group to have their first six albums reach number one. These albums were Oddinary, Maxident, 5-Star, Rock-Star, Ate, and Hop. By December 2024, Stray Kids had sold over 31 million albums.
Stray Kids is known for their music and performances. They have performed as a main act at big music festivals. These include Lollapalooza (in Paris and Chicago), BST Hyde Park, and I-Days. They were the first K-Pop boy band to do this. In August 2024, Stray Kids was the first K-pop artist to be on the cover of Rolling Stone UK.
Stray Kids' music has inspired other artists. These include Ghost9, Trendz, Dxmon, Nexz, All(H)Ours, WHIB, Commander Man, and KickFlip.
Awards and Achievements
Stray Kids has won many awards. On April 19, 2019, they won their first music show award for "Miroh". They have won many awards in South Korea and worldwide. These include awards from the Asia Artist Awards, Circle Chart Music Awards, The Fact Music Awards, Golden Disc Awards, Hanteo Music Awards, MAMA Awards, Japan Gold Disc Award, Billboard Music Award, iHeartRadio Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards Japan, Nickelodeon Mexico Kids' Choice Awards, and People's Choice Awards.
They have won six "daesang" (grand prize) awards. These include three Asia Artist Awards, two Hanteo Music Awards, and one Asia Star Entertainer Awards.
Stray Kids was the first K-pop group to have over five million pre-orders for an album. This was for 5-Star in 2023. On October 21, 2023, Stray Kids received an award from the Prime Minister of Korea. This was for their public service and excellence. According to Oricon, Stray Kids was the fifth best-selling artist in Japan from 2022 to 2024.
Members
On October 28, 2019, Woojin left Stray Kids. From February to July 2021, Hyunjin took a break from group activities. He returned in August. Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han are part of the 3Racha team. They often write and compose songs for the group.
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Current members |
Former members |
Member Timeline
Music Albums
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TV Shows and Films
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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| 2017 | Stray Kids | Contestant | ||
| 2019 | Finding SKZ | Cast member | ||
| 2020 | Finding SKZ God Edition | Cast member | ||
| 2021 | Kingdom: Legendary War | Contestant | Hyunjin did not participate starting from episode 2 | |
| Kingdom Week <No+> | Cast member | |||
| 2022 | Finding SKZ Get Edition | Cast member | ||
| 2023 | Stray Kids Tokyo Mission Tour | Cast member |
Short films
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
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| 2023 | SKZflix | Themselves |
Concert Tours
- District 9: Unlock World Tour (2019–2020)
- Maniac World Tour (2022–2023)
- 5-Star Dome Tour (2023)
- Dominate World Tour (2024–2025)
See also
In Spanish: Stray Kids para niños
