STRAY KIDS

Stray Kids

Stray Kids are a South Korean boy group from Seoul, formed by JYP Entertainment through a 2017 reality show of the same name. The group is active from 2017 and performs in the k-pop and pop-rap space, with electropop, trap, and trap EDM also listed among its styles. It is a nine-member group comprising Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, I.N. and Woojin.

Formation and membership

Stray Kids begin as a nine-piece line-up, later becoming an eight-member group after Kim Woojin leaves in October 2019. The group’s Korean name is 스트레이 키즈, with the Romanisation Seuteurei Kijeu, and it is often shortened to SKZ.

Releases and career

The group releases the pre-debut extended play Mixtape in January 2018, then officially debuts with the EP I am NOT. This is followed by two more I am series EPs, I am WHO and I am YOU. In 2019, the group issues the Clé trilogy of EPs: Clé 1: MIROH, Clé 2: Yellow Wood, and Clé: Levanter.

The first studio album, GO LIVE, arrives in 2020 and becomes the group’s first platinum-certified album from the Korea Music Content Association. In the same year, Stray Kids make their Japanese debut with the compilation album SKZ2020 on Epic Records Japan. Their second studio album, NOEASY, follows in 2021 and becomes their first million-selling album.

Later releases and international activity

In 2022, Stray Kids sign with Republic Records for promotions in the United States and release the EPs ODDINARY and MAXIDENT. In 2023, they release their third studio album, 5-STAR (★★★★★), which gives them their first three entries to top the US Billboard 200 and also appears on the UK Albums Chart. MAXIDENT is certified triple-million in album sales by the Korea Music Content Association, making the group the second act to reach that level in Korean history.

By October 2022, Stray Kids have sold more than 10 million albums across Korean and Japanese releases.