Stray Kids
Biography
Stray Kids is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2017 reality show of the same name. The group is composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. Originally a nine-piece group, member Woojin left Stray Kids in October 2019 for undisclosed personal reasons. The group officially debuted on March 25, 2018, with the EP 'I Am Not'.
Formation and Debut
In August 2017, JYP Entertainment announced a new reality survival show to launch a male idol group. Before the premiere of 'Stray Kids' on October 17, the music video for a song titled "Hellevator" was released and later made available as a digital single. Though two members, Lee Know and Felix, were initially eliminated, they both returned to the final lineup. In January 2018, Stray Kids released a pre-debut EP titled 'Mixtape'. The group held their debut showcase on March 25, 2018, followed by the official release of their EP 'I Am Not' and its title track "District 9" the next day.
Members
Bang Chan
Bang Chan (Bang Christopher Chan) is the leader, a producer, vocalist, and rapper of the group. He was a trainee at JYP Entertainment for seven years before debuting with Stray Kids. He is part of the in-house production trio 3RACHA.
Lee Know
Lee Know (Lee Min-ho) is a dancer, vocalist, and rapper for the group. Before joining Stray Kids, he was a backup dancer for the group BTS.
Changbin
Changbin (Seo Chang-bin) is a rapper, vocalist, and producer. He is also a member of the production trio 3RACHA and was a trainee at JYP for two years.
Hyunjin
Hyunjin (Hwang Hyun-jin) is the main dancer and a rapper for the group. He was a trainee for two years.
Han
Han (Han Ji-sung) is a rapper, vocalist, and producer. He is the third member of the production trio 3RACHA and was a trainee for three years.
Felix
Felix (Lee Felix) is a dancer and rapper. Known for his deep voice, he was a trainee for one year.
Seungmin
Seungmin (Kim Seung-min) is a main vocalist for the group. He was a trainee at JYP for one year before debuting.
I.N
I.N (Yang Jeong-in) is a vocalist and the youngest member of the group. He was a trainee for two years.
Musical Style and Discography
Stray Kids is known as a "self-producing" idol group, with members heavily involved in songwriting and composition. The primary production team within the group is 3RACHA, consisting of members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han. Following their debut 'I Am' series, they released the 'Clé' trilogy in 2019. Their first studio album, 'Go Live', was released in 2020 and became their first album to be certified platinum by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Their second studio album, 'Noeasy' (2021), was their first to sell over a million copies. In 2022, they signed with Republic Records for promotions in the United States. Their subsequent EPs 'Oddinary', 'Maxident' (both 2022), 'Rock-Star' (2023), and 'Ate' (2024), along with their third studio album '5-Star' (2023), all peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200.
Achievements
Stray Kids have received numerous awards since their debut. In their first year, they won several "Rookie of the Year" awards. Their 2021 album 'Noeasy' made them the first JYP Entertainment act to sell more than one million copies of an album. In 2022, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) ranked Stray Kids as the seventh best-selling artist globally. Their 2023 album '5-Star' became a five-million seller, making them the third group in Korea to achieve this. They were also named on Time's list of Next Generation Leaders in 2023. The group made history as the first K-pop group to attend the Met Gala.