Stray Kids | |
|---|---|
 Stray Kids in May 2024 From left to right: Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Bang Chan, Lee Know, Seungmin, I.N, and Felix | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Seoul, South Korea |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Labels | |
| Spinoffs | 3Racha |
| Members | |
| Past members | |
| Website | straykids |
Stray Kids (Korean: 스트레이 키즈; RR: Seuteurei Kijeu; often abbreviated to SKZ) is a South Korean boy band that JYP Entertainment formed through the eponymous 2017 reality television show. The band has eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. For undisclosed personal reasons, Woojin left the band in October 2019. Stray Kids primarily self-produce its recordings; the main production team is named 3Racha and consists of Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han, and the other members frequently participate in songwriting.
The band released their unofficial debut extended play (EP) Mixtape in January 2018 and officially debuted on March 25 with the EP I Am Not, which was followed by the EPs I Am Who and I Am You, completing the I Am EP series. The EP trilogy Clé trilogy, consisting of Clé 1: Miroh, Clé 2: Yellow Wood, and Clé: Levanter, was released in 2017. The group's first studio album Go Live (2020) become the band's first platinum-certified album by Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). That year, Stray Kids made their Japanese debut with the compilation album SKZ2020, which was released through Epic Records Japan.
In 2021, Stray Kids' second studio album Noeasy became its first million-selling album. After signing with Republic Records for promotions in the United States in 2022, the band released their EPs Oddinary, Maxident (both 2022), Rock-Star (2023), and Ate (2024); and its third studio album 5-Star (2023). These five releases peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 and entered the UK Albums Chart, making them the first band to debut at the top of Billboard 200 with their first-five-charted albums. The KMCA certified 5-Star five-million in album sales, making Stray Kids the third group to achieve this in Korea. As of October 2022, Stray Kids has sold over 10 million albums, both Korean and Japanese releases. In 2023, the band appeared on Time's list of Next Generation Leaders.