KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — A recent surprise inclusion in the soundtrack for Marvel film Deadpool & Wolverine was K-pop boy group Stray Kids, who first got star Ryan Reynolds' attention through fan memes.
Not only was their track Chk Chk Boom the only new song in the soundtrack, the song also propelled their mini album ATE into the Billboard 200 charts.
In a remarkable feat, they were the first group globally to achieve five consecutive No. 1 entries on the chart.
The individual members have also been seen at prestigious events like the Met Gala and Paris Fashion Week.
So why should you listen to this band?
Who are Stray Kids?
Stray Kids (also known as SKZ) is a group that debuted under JYP Entertainment in 2018, the same label behind other big names such as Twice, Wonder Girls, and GOT7.
They were formed through a reality competition show of the same name in 2017.
Their name was created by the members themselves to signify a group of lost kids chasing their dreams and escaping the ordinary, according to Star Today.
Currently, the group consists of eight members:
- Bang Chan (26) - Australian leader of the group, he is also a vocalist, rapper, and dancer
- Lee Know (25) - Dancer, vocalist, and rapper
- Changbin (24) - Main rapper
- Hyunjin (24) - Dancer, rapper, and vocalist, whom fans consider the most handsome.
- Han (23) - Rapper and vocalist.
- Felix (23) - Australian dancer, rapper, and vocalist
- Seungmin (23) - Main vocalist
- I.N (23) - Vocalist and maknae (youngest member) of the group
Members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han form a producing trio known as 3Racha who write and compose the group's songs.
Self-producing is rare in K-pop as most groups' music, image, and marketing are controlled by their label, with members not having much say, according to The Korea Herald.
Why makes them hot?
Stray Kids are known for their dark hip-hop, dubstep, and heavy metal influences.
Their most famous songs are always popular on TikTok and dance challenges with recent tracks like S-Class and LALALALA.
The two Australian members Bang Chan and Felix who are fluent in English have become popular with international fans.
Member Hyunjin has also become popular in the fashion world for his "perfect visuals’" making him a global ambassador for luxury fashion houses Versace.
The group also made waves when they were the first male Kpop stars to grace the 2024 Met Gala red carpet.
Their latest music video Chk Chk Boom has gone viral for cameo appearances by Deadpool and Wolverine.
Their die-hard fans are known as Stay, formed after taking the 'r' out of Strays.
Where should you start with them?
Try these tracks:
Where can you catch them next?
Stray Kids will be holding their third world tourThe DominATE World Tour this year and 2025.
The tour will be holding stopovers in Singapore on September 28, Taiwan on November 2, Philippines on November 23, and Thailand on December 14.
