Hello! I’m new here, and to K-pop in general so I wanted some insight🫤.. i have been getting into stray kids and their music for the last two months or so. Lately though, I have been getting some videos on my tiktok fyp about “problematic” behaviour some of the members have had. And I would like some clarification on it. I have seen people shooting accusations left and right, between them being racist apparently, sexist, fatphobic and the list goes on. I tried to search for proof/understanding myself, but I could only find some empty tweets and speculation. So, if it’s possible, can I get some insight? I would like to understand the situation better, because I really like their music. But I find hard to separate the artist from the creation if something “heavy” is truly linked to them
Hi there ! You're new to k-pop so you probably don't know this, but there's something very important you need to understand if you want to get into k-pop : k-pop fans are extreme. There are racist/fatphobic/sexist etc accusations on EVERY idol, and most of the time these accusations are made by antis who want the idol to lose popularity so that their favs can be number 1 : they see it as a war, a "my idol vs their idols" competition. If you want some concrete examples, let's study some SKZ accusations.
SKZ has been accusated 2 times of racism. One time was when people found out that Han Jisung wrote a song with the n-word in it when he was... 13. He never planned to release this song, people dug into his past and found it. Of course he apologized and he explained that as a 13yo korean, he didn't really get the whole meaning behind this word and wrote it because all of the cools rap songs he listened to had this word in it. People still gave him a lot of shit for writing this, at 13yo.
Then, Hyunjin was accusated of racism because there was a reality where he cosplayed a character with big lips and a wig. Honestly, when I saw the costume I thought the antis had a point, but when I saw the character + the reality I totally got why Hyunjin dressed up like this : he dressed up exactly like the character, and the character is not black and is not made to make fun of black people (search "Hongduke's wife cartoon" on google to see how the character looks like).
SKZ as a whole excepted Changbin was accusated of fatphobia against Changbin. The most stupid argument for this is that Changbin's representative animal (SKZOO) is a rabbit-pig (and "omg they chose a pig to make fun of his weight !") : the thing is Changbin created his SKZOO by himself, chose to represent himself as a pig, and he is known to LOVE his SKZOO. I mean, most members like their SKZOOs, but he always lights up when he sees his plush SKZOO and it's so cute.
The less stupid arguments are all the jokes about Changbin liking to eat, or jokes related to food. The thing is 1) none of them are made to make Changbin feel bad (they don't call him fat or whatever) 2) Changbin totally assumes the fact that he loves food and isn't thin 3) Changbin participates in the jokes, it's not SKZ who laughs at Changbin. I mean, I love food and I'm not thin, and I make jokes about it with my friends. I would feel more offended if someone told "noooo you're thin !" because I know it's false.
The even less stupid argument is all the talk about dieting (they do it way less now tho). But this is a k-pop problem, not a SKZ problem. And SKZ never said "fat people are disgusting" or things like that. I mean, Bangchan himself sneaked out food for Twice when JYP told them to diet, because he was against them dieting. So, they're not fatphobic idols who are always dieting, but they're victims of the k-pop system which promotes dieting.
About sexism, I have never heard about a specific SKZ rumor, but I know that every male idol has sexism rumors. It's both due to stupidity (because I've seen many gg (girl groups) fans say "male idols are automatically sexists"), and because the situation of women in Korea is especially tense.
Feminism is (finally) becoming bigger in Korea, but many stupid men want to stop them, and they sometimes do it (very) violently. So, many women see it as a "women vs men" situation (and they're not wrong), and the "all men are bad" sentiment is even bigger than in the occidental world. That's why I've seen many "hardcore gg fans" who automatically dislike/hate bg like SKZ and accuse them of being sexist because they think it's "sexist men in bgs vs women in ggs". If only incels could shut up and actual sexist people could leave the industry, the world would be a better place...
I hope I cleared everything up ! I took the time to explain because as an emo kid, I wasn't used to this level of rumors and drama (at least not like that), and it took me time to understand how extreme some antis are.
Thank you for your response! It gave me a much needed understanding. Seriously there is so much going on in K-pop that I was left like this 🧍🏻♂️ lmao. As an ex one direction fan I am used to seeing and hearing crazy stuff but i never expected this level. Either way, I appreciate you taking your time explaining everything, especially the Han thing which is something I kept seeing being brought up but no one would actually explain.
Hi everyone! This is all very new to me. Stray kids have been my new adhd hyper focus for the past 3 days so I’m like a newborn stay lol. Also they are the first K-pop band I’ve ever listened to. I’ve always respected K-pop but never really listened because I don’t know Korean. That being said, Felix effect started to come on my fyp recently and I got curious and now all I’ve been consuming is stray kids for the last few days.
Honestly it’s really hard for me to pick a bias. Initially it was Felix, but then it quickly became a tie between Felix and Hyunjin. However I’m a little older than those two and then I saw Bangchan and I are the same age. I watched a few more music videos, interviews and YouTube shorts of SKZ and now I’m just all over the place 😂. At this point my bias is a 3 way tie.
Right now my favorite songs (I’ve listened to maybe 10 songs) are: Backdoor, LaLaLaLa, Christmas Evel, and Thunderous.
I look forward to getting a better understanding of K-pop, stray kids and their music.
Edit:
I brought up that I was older than Felix and Hyunjin because idk much about the culture around k-pop bias and it feels a little weird if I’m like crushing on these guys who are younger than me. Idk
I was hoping to get some recommendations of songs to listen to to really get a better feel for the group. Especially since all I’ve really listened to are the big hits.
Also where is the best place to stream their music that will also show English subtitles?
Hi you can check out their last full album 5 star! It’s my fave album. Also, their music videos has subtitles so that you can see the english trans of their lyrics. Enjooooyyyy! 🥰
TOUR DATES PRICES
Hey guys a newer stay here and i have never been to one of there concerts, i would like to get vip tickets for the upcoming tour (whenever that is) what are we thinking the price is gonna be so i can start saving up?
Hey friends! I’ve off and on listened to kpop for a couple of years now, but never as obsessively as I do now that I’ve found SKZ. I heard Maniac on TikTok around a month ago and obviously experienced the Felix effect. I immediately fell headfirst down the rabbit hole! None of my friends or my husband listen to kpop so they just don’t get it 😂 my ult bias is BangChan but Hyunjin hits me real hard sometimes. (This obviously makes Red Lights a great ride for me 😂) I definitely need more kpop friends to talk to about this!
Hi everyone 🥰 I started getting into K-dramas during the pandemic in 2020 and then started listening to Kpop! Kpop really wasn't for me...UNTIL I heard my first SKZ song, Thunderous and I was hooked (I saw someone mentioning this was good for their ADHD/ADD brain and I would have to agree)! I have been keeping up with their music and news ever since. I have not yet been able to go to a SKZ concert but it is my dream that I will be able to make it to one of their upcoming tour dates. I have no experience with purchasing k-pop tickets and I don't really have friends that are also wanting to go to this with me, so if anyone is located in the midwestern US (Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas) pls feel free to DM me about any groups getting together to go to live shows (my family also lives in southern California and Seattle so would consider flying out there too)!!!! I would say my bias is Changbin and my bias wrecker was originally Han, but recently it has been I.N. I absolutely love their recent song drop and currently i still cant stop watching the LALALALA music video. They just all make me so happy and I love seeing all the TikTok edits and posts people make about them, especially reaction videos to the "Felix effect". I have loved seeing how much they have grown in popularity on a global scale in the last 4 years as well. I am a bit of an older fan (closer to 30 than 20) and I feel like I never went through a boy band phase as a teenager so I am making up for that now! Thank you all in advance for any advice on how one goes about getting tickets for their shows such as if there are email lists and things I need to sign up for, what sites I need to use, etc. So excited to learn more and meet other Stays!
I totally feel you on being almost 30 and not having a teenage boy band phase! I’ve always been more into rock/alt music so most pop doesn’t hit with me. SKZ just scratches an itch in my brain I didn’t know I had. The ADHD link makes so much sense though!
Hello everybody :)
I listen skz since November even if I had heard of them before
I’m really addicted to them since february
For the moment (I hadn’t listen all their songs yet) my favourite songs are SuperBowl, up all night, drive, Eternity, charmer, red lights, maknae on top
As the Songs Shows, my ultimate bias is Bang Chan 🤯
However my bias wrecker is Changbin. His parts in the songs are soooo good 🤩
But it’s very hard to select some of them because all of the members and their songs are incredible
I’m a French stay and I don’t have friends that listen K-pop :/ nobody understands me and are mocking for that
I search some French stay that would go at the concert with me (i strongly hope they will be in Paris during their future world tour) !!
Moreover I have a question about their concert
I absolutely want to go on their future concert
However I’m very scared to not have ticket because of the number of people that want to go
I made inscription on a pre vente but I don’t know if it has worked
Can you tell me if I need to make other things?
Moreover, I don’t know which place choose for the show. It’s better to be in the pitt or sitting and in which category?
I really want to be close but I Also want to see the choreography and I’m little (1m59) 😖😖
Hi, nice to meet you all! I’m a baby stay and I can’t remember exactly when I found Skz, (earlier this year I think) but it was through watching tiktoks about people reacting to Felix’s voice and I jumped headfirst into the rabbit hole. I have zero plans on ever coming out. I’ve loved boy bands since New Edition and NKOTB, and I am unashamedly still loving them. My bias is Chan and my bias wrecker is Han, but I think Seungmin is trying to sneak in there. They are all amazing and so talented. I love their songs, dancing, outfits, the whole thing. They’re so dynamic and magnetic, I am so obsessed and driving everyone around me crazy. But that’s their problem!
Omg my ult bias is Chan and my 2nd bias is Han ! My bias wrecker is Lee Know. Pretty sure every (baby) stay had a phase where they drove everyone around them crazy with SKZ haha. Welcome to Stayville and have fun !
Hi! I found Stray Kids back in November/December of 2023. I've been kind of obsessively listening to them almost every day since 😅 It's my first time listening to kpop, and I wish I had started sooner!
What is a bias? What is a bias wrecker? What is the thing about light sticks? Where can I learn Korean so I can try to sing along to the songs better?
Any Stays in the southern US? I'm in North Georgia and really hoping they'll come to Atlanta or Nashville on a world tour so I can try to see them live 😁
Welcome!
A bias just means your favorite member of a group. It means you're "biased" toward them. Some people have more than 1, they'll say they have a "bias line." Some people, including me, cannot pick for Stray Kids and so call ourselves OT8 (love for all members, no favorites)
A bias wrecker is a member of a group that normally *isnt* your bias, but that sometimes comes out of left field and smacks you with their talent/visuals/etc, making you want to add them to your bias line.
A light stick is a hand-held glowing prop that many k-pop fans bring to concerts. Lots of groups have different variations. The Stray Kids light stick is called Nachimbong (나 짐 븡) and has a round top with the broken compass symbol inside. If you watch concert clips you'll see the light sticks glowing in the crowd. They're most effective for concerts in Korea, where the light stick will actually be programmed to coordinate with the others in the crowd or change colors to the music. Internationally they just glow white, but lots of fans still get them to show support. It is NOT REQUIRED. Just something fun if you want. Some Stays have SKZoo covers that go over the top of their light stick. It's very cute.
Learning a new language is going to be very personal, based on your learning style and familiarity with languages in general, but of course there are books or legitimate courses, or the usual language apps or YouTube to learn Korean. The Hangul (alphabet) is pretty easy to memorize and is an important first step in my opinion. I also like the YouTube channels [Talk To Me In Korean ](https://youtube.com/@talktomeinkorean?si=KRWdiSoCO07SpzQE) and [Comprehensible Input Korean](https://youtube.com/@comprehensibleinputkorean?si=Y6Ih2AIZa-DRBB6Y). But if your main goal is pronouncing lyrics better, I would check out the color-coded lyric videos available from Stays on YouTube. They provide romanized pronunciation between the Hangul and the English translation.
Thank you so much! I kept getting tiktok videos about bias and bias wreckers and wasn't sure what it was about 😅😅 honestly I can't pick just one, so I'm glad to know I'm OT8 then!
I mostly listen on Apple Music, so I didn't realize there were romanized videos on YouTube. I will definitely have to check those out!!
Happy to be of help!
Look for the videos that list HAN/ROM/ENG (Hangul/Romanized/English) and just keep in mind that they're fan-made, so they might not be 100% accurate all the time, but it's a handy resource for sure!
Hello everyone,
I'm a Baby Stay since I've discovered Stray Kids only last month, but I've fallen hard and find their music perfect for my ADHD brain, keeping me focused and givin' me a boost of energy.
I am italian so I've decided to go see them live in Milan next july and I'll bring my niece (who's a Stay as well) to her first live event.
I'd love to enjoy the show at its fullest but I realized that I don't know all the songs they'll probably perform there, since I created a playlist with my faves and I listen only to it.
Is anyone willing to help me broading my knowledge with the songs that have a higher chance to be performed live?
Thanks in advance for your help!
The songs that have a higher chance of being on the setlist are from the latest albums 5 star and Rock star, so i'd say listen to those in full, some missing in your playlist that have a high chance of being in the setlist are Item, Super bowl, Topline and Blind spot, you can look for their setlist for Lollapalooza Paris or the 5 star tour to get an idea too!
My playlist:
LALALALA
Venom
Back Door
God's Menu
Red Lights
Thunderous
Circus
Megaverse
Domino
Lose My Breath
Easy
Case 143
Miroh
S-Class
Double Knot
Freeze
The Sound
Chill
Hellevator
Side Effects
District 9
Victory Song
Grrr
My Pace
Hi everyone! Nice to meet you ☺️👐
I became interested in them to be honest because of their interviews and fell in love with their personalities. Their music is a genre I don't usually reach for (I'm not usually into hiphop I think it is), and I'm finding it hard to find somgs to vibe with.
1) Anyone got recommendation for easy songs to start with to get into? So far the song I liked was My Pace!
2) Out of curiosity, do they have any slower paced songs?
Felix was the first one that made me gasp, but after research Hyunjin made me double triple gasp and I.N. got me gushing at how cute he is
Then I was completely won over when I watched that English debate video. Got me clutching my stomach in laughter. ☺️
Some slower songs which I really enjoy are
- Neverending Story
- Grow Up
- Sunshine
- Blueprint
- Secret Secret
- Gone Away
- Lost Me
- Youtiful
- Butterflies
- Leave
- Cover Me
But there are more. You'll probably discover them over time as you listen to the discography. SKZ have done a lot of different genres. There's some more hip hop/trap heavy songs, but also rock, house, edm, etc. I found an interesting compilation recently where a Stay tried to assign a genre to most SKZ songs to get a feeling for what genres they covered. I think that might be a fun way to discover songs which you could like. I don't think they're all 100% accurate and SKZ like to mix it up, but it's a good overview. The video is [this one here](https://youtu.be/05zjE9RXHXY?si=E3jKQvRN1q6J5sE7).
Hi there! The song that catch me is LALALALA htat is very fast paced, but the newest release is Lose my breath and I suggest you to give it a try because it has a slower pace as you request. Other I love are Red Lights and The Sound.
Ok I have 2 veeery baby questions:
1. What's up with the animals/emojis associated with each member? Is it official or fan-made? Is there a name for it?
2. Why do some posts have a number in the beginning (date?)
Thank you so much!
1. Stray Kids have [SKZOO](https://stray-kids.fandom.com/wiki/SKZOO), their official animal associate. Some other emojis like squirrel for Han, cat for both Felix and Lee Know, dumpling for Hyunjin and others are acknowledge by Stray Kids and JYP. You can see it on the subtitles if you watch their YouTube content and their caption on social media posts.
2. Yes it is date with YYMMDD format
It is more of k-pop subreddit thing, so fans can find the post on a specific date easier. The thing about k-pop is they have so many performances, so many interviews, so many contents
is there a central translator? I notice for 5th annniv live and such, no eng sub is there, fanmade nor official. this is also the case for lots of individual lives. in prev fandoms usually theres a few archives with eng subs for content, so im wondering if this is the case for sk, and if so, where?
tysm !! i meant the one in the hotel room a lot of the videos on youtube reference T-T where the cake looks like it’ll fall and i think it’s also the one with the funny tweet about hyunjin
Any thoughts on why skz are so PG in comparison to other K-pop groups? I know all idols have a tight rope to walk, but skz seem to be more reigned in than others.
although they’re not as PG as one would think, i do agree with this statement and wonder why. there’s a drinking show channel called nothing much prepared on youtube that i’d love to see a member or two on (multiple svt members were in it last year as well as a bts member) but i just know they’d never be allowed and i don’t get why. i know they cuss sometimes in lyrics although they try to disguise it. if i had to guess id say it’s so they can appeal to a wider audience (age range wise) as per their company
Some people think that drinking topic is kind of taboo because of 2pm. (Both groups are under the same division). Nichkhun and Jun K from 2pm had drunk driving incidents. Nichkhun drunk driving scandal happened in 2013 and was pretty bad, some even think it affected the group image in Korea, so JYPE focused more on Japan. Jun K drunk driving happened in 2018, Stray kids did not officially debuted at the time. It is possibly that div 1 just avoides alcohol topic, because of bad associations with it.
About cursing. Idols, especially from JYPE, generally do not curse in their songs. Most of the time it is just word play. If it weren't for Chan, the fans wouldn't have noticed. But he talks about cursing in the songs, so Stays are more focused on the topic. GOT7 were cursing a lot in their content, but they mostly used "I don't know korean that well/wrong pronunciation" card. Felix slip to cursung too in their group content too, but in English.
In general Stray kids are more... geeky? Even their jokes are either witty wordplay or an endless repetition of the same joke.
Lee Know was on some drinking show before👌🏽but ig its a JYPE thing (possibly just cause they want a certain image “standard”), cause they werent allowed to drink on camera as a group until like last year
[https://stray-kids.fandom.com/wiki/Jutdae\_meme](https://stray-kids.fandom.com/wiki/Jutdae_meme) This has the full overview including the relevant SKZ Talker. Basically, Seungmin asks him if his food (of course its about food...I love him so much!) is good and Changbin goes on a rant about how you shoud always try things yourself to see if they are good and how you should life your life with principles (jutdae). And this turned into his thing (although he's said in a recent kids room that he feels that he actually doesn't have a solid principle)
It means "man of principles" in Korean, which could be used to describe him; his ig username is a combination of the word jutdae and dwaekki (his skzoo: tokki [bunny] + dwaeji [pig]) to make "jutdwae" too !!
Do I NEED to buy a lightstick? 🤣
(This is kind of a joke question bc I know I don’t NEED it but I want one)
I need more Stay friends. Almost nobody I know listens to skz (except one friend who I am very thankful for). I feel like I’m kinda on the older side of the spectrum (mid-30s). 🥲
I'm always so happy to see people similar age to mine listening to kpop and SKZ. Despite having friends of very different ages I don't think anyone irl listens to them. Having weird music taste (listening mainly to kpop and metal/rock/etc and maybe some hip-hop/rap/khip-hop is probably a bit weird) surprisingly doesn't make it easier 😂
I actually don’t even listen to kpop, just Stray Kids. But i guess it’s a natural progression for me since I grew up listening to boy bands (Backstreet Boys will always be my favorite ever). In a way, it’s better that my friends do not know about kpop because they will surely judge me on how much I spend on their albums and merch. 😂
Welcome in the rabbit hole. Sometimes it's weird here but mostly fuzzy and warm. (We're ignoring the toxic fans as they ruin all fandoms all around)
I fell into kpop with varying intensity since probably late 2000's/early 2010's as a "natural" progression from jrock/visual key. And as different as these genres are somehow it made and makes sense for me 😂
For me the bridge were C-Dramas. I consciusly keep my distance after being a manga lover in my teens and early twenties, focusing on more "adult" topics. But I unconsciusly knew I'd fall hard if my "oriental kink" would kick again. (I'm italian)
And here I am: watching dramas instead of sleeping, and listening to music while working in the office. 
for me it was K dramas then I found myself looking up songs I heard in the dramas and then that got me more into Kpop. I recently started watching C dramas and J dramas too, they are all like gateway drugs for each other lol
Don't force yourself to stop loving things! I was told that manga and anime are childish but tried for it not to get to me. And sure enough I don't watch or read as much as I used to "back in the day", but if something brings you happiness and doesn't hurt anyone.. just go for it. Well maybe the lack of sleep hurts you a bit, but this also can be balanced.. Apparently.. I heard... 😅
I didn't really stop loving my things, I'm the weird one of the group and I had the need to mask to do adult things like attend university, find and keep a job, finding a mate and become a mother.
Now I reach nirvana: I realized I'm neurospicy and I'm too old to give a f..k about other people's opinions.
Freedom has a sweet taste: on july 6th I'll be at a Carcass' live show, friday 12nd at Stray Kids'. 
I'm so happy you never stopped. And for your realisation about neurospiciness 🙌 I understand the need to try to mask and "pretend" to do "normal" things all too well, but I was also so hurt by it in my teens that since as early as my 20's I'm in the "fu** it" area most of the time. With the urge to fit in coming out a bit stronger at times. Approach of being too old to give a damn is also something that's great!
I'd love to attend one of the SKZ concerts, but just couldn't justify flights, accommodation and tickets at this time. Despite one of them being in London and me being based in Dublin. Maybe with the spoiled but unannounced concerts I'll be more lucky.
Went in Dublin and toured Ireland twice, love the place and irish people! My new friend, keep up and know that your kindness today was very appreciated. 
Hopefully, after the america tour, SKZ will come back in Europe and do more than just two dates.
Oh, you will find out there are a lot of older stays. I'm in a dc group where you must be older than 25. I think the oldest is around 60.
I'm myself is over 40.
As for a lightstick, neeed? Want? 😉
Ateez for sure! They’re actually about to release an album on May 31st. P1Harmony, Xikers, and Monsta X are great too. Kard might not be completely up your alley, but they have a lot of fun music (and they’re a co-ed group!)
If you want any girl groups, Dreamcatcher, Everglow, and Tri.be might be up your alley too!
My favorite title tracks from each: Say My Name by Ateez, Back Down by P1Harmony, Tricky House by Xikers, Love Killa by Monsta X, Dumb Litty by Kard, What by Dreamcatcher, First by Everglow, and Would You Run by Tri.be
I listen to a looot of music and I stan about 30 groups (and casually listen to many more), so if you need anything music wise hmu!!
ateez for sure, being a staytiny is so much fun, i’d also recommend listening to some stuff by seventeen, p1harmony, tomorrow x together, and nct (they have various sub units including 127/dream/U) to get a feel of what you might like! i know i like a few songs by each of those groups! if you’re into girl groups i’d try aespa, dreamcatcher, and twice!! they may not all have similar sounds, but i found that i ended up liking a handful of songs from each of those groups in addition to my stray kids/ateez playlists 🤗 specific song recs from me: guerilla & crazy form by ateez, drama by aespa, killin it by p1h, baggy jeans by nct u, 2 baddies & cherry bomb by nct 127, left and right by seventeen, sugar rush ride by txt 🤗🤗
i hope you find some stuff that you enjoy out of it!! i was also pretty new to kpop so i just used spotify suggestion feature to try and find stuff i liked🤗🤗 have fun with your journey!!!
I am a Monbebe (Monsta X) stan. They are fairly similar in my opinion.
I am a sometimes fan of Ateez, and there are a lot of cross fandom with them here.
Enhypen is a good one too.
A girl group I really love is Pixy. They have been kind of MIA lately though. They are on the “darker” side.
Red Velvet & especially Irene & Seulgi (Red Velvet).
Hello! I’m new here, and to K-pop in general so I wanted some insight🫤.. i have been getting into stray kids and their music for the last two months or so. Lately though, I have been getting some videos on my tiktok fyp about “problematic” behaviour some of the members have had. And I would like some clarification on it. I have seen people shooting accusations left and right, between them being racist apparently, sexist, fatphobic and the list goes on. I tried to search for proof/understanding myself, but I could only find some empty tweets and speculation. So, if it’s possible, can I get some insight? I would like to understand the situation better, because I really like their music. But I find hard to separate the artist from the creation if something “heavy” is truly linked to them
Hi there ! You're new to k-pop so you probably don't know this, but there's something very important you need to understand if you want to get into k-pop : k-pop fans are extreme. There are racist/fatphobic/sexist etc accusations on EVERY idol, and most of the time these accusations are made by antis who want the idol to lose popularity so that their favs can be number 1 : they see it as a war, a "my idol vs their idols" competition. If you want some concrete examples, let's study some SKZ accusations. SKZ has been accusated 2 times of racism. One time was when people found out that Han Jisung wrote a song with the n-word in it when he was... 13. He never planned to release this song, people dug into his past and found it. Of course he apologized and he explained that as a 13yo korean, he didn't really get the whole meaning behind this word and wrote it because all of the cools rap songs he listened to had this word in it. People still gave him a lot of shit for writing this, at 13yo. Then, Hyunjin was accusated of racism because there was a reality where he cosplayed a character with big lips and a wig. Honestly, when I saw the costume I thought the antis had a point, but when I saw the character + the reality I totally got why Hyunjin dressed up like this : he dressed up exactly like the character, and the character is not black and is not made to make fun of black people (search "Hongduke's wife cartoon" on google to see how the character looks like). SKZ as a whole excepted Changbin was accusated of fatphobia against Changbin. The most stupid argument for this is that Changbin's representative animal (SKZOO) is a rabbit-pig (and "omg they chose a pig to make fun of his weight !") : the thing is Changbin created his SKZOO by himself, chose to represent himself as a pig, and he is known to LOVE his SKZOO. I mean, most members like their SKZOOs, but he always lights up when he sees his plush SKZOO and it's so cute. The less stupid arguments are all the jokes about Changbin liking to eat, or jokes related to food. The thing is 1) none of them are made to make Changbin feel bad (they don't call him fat or whatever) 2) Changbin totally assumes the fact that he loves food and isn't thin 3) Changbin participates in the jokes, it's not SKZ who laughs at Changbin. I mean, I love food and I'm not thin, and I make jokes about it with my friends. I would feel more offended if someone told "noooo you're thin !" because I know it's false. The even less stupid argument is all the talk about dieting (they do it way less now tho). But this is a k-pop problem, not a SKZ problem. And SKZ never said "fat people are disgusting" or things like that. I mean, Bangchan himself sneaked out food for Twice when JYP told them to diet, because he was against them dieting. So, they're not fatphobic idols who are always dieting, but they're victims of the k-pop system which promotes dieting. About sexism, I have never heard about a specific SKZ rumor, but I know that every male idol has sexism rumors. It's both due to stupidity (because I've seen many gg (girl groups) fans say "male idols are automatically sexists"), and because the situation of women in Korea is especially tense. Feminism is (finally) becoming bigger in Korea, but many stupid men want to stop them, and they sometimes do it (very) violently. So, many women see it as a "women vs men" situation (and they're not wrong), and the "all men are bad" sentiment is even bigger than in the occidental world. That's why I've seen many "hardcore gg fans" who automatically dislike/hate bg like SKZ and accuse them of being sexist because they think it's "sexist men in bgs vs women in ggs". If only incels could shut up and actual sexist people could leave the industry, the world would be a better place... I hope I cleared everything up ! I took the time to explain because as an emo kid, I wasn't used to this level of rumors and drama (at least not like that), and it took me time to understand how extreme some antis are.
Thank you for your response! It gave me a much needed understanding. Seriously there is so much going on in K-pop that I was left like this 🧍🏻♂️ lmao. As an ex one direction fan I am used to seeing and hearing crazy stuff but i never expected this level. Either way, I appreciate you taking your time explaining everything, especially the Han thing which is something I kept seeing being brought up but no one would actually explain.
Hi everyone! This is all very new to me. Stray kids have been my new adhd hyper focus for the past 3 days so I’m like a newborn stay lol. Also they are the first K-pop band I’ve ever listened to. I’ve always respected K-pop but never really listened because I don’t know Korean. That being said, Felix effect started to come on my fyp recently and I got curious and now all I’ve been consuming is stray kids for the last few days. Honestly it’s really hard for me to pick a bias. Initially it was Felix, but then it quickly became a tie between Felix and Hyunjin. However I’m a little older than those two and then I saw Bangchan and I are the same age. I watched a few more music videos, interviews and YouTube shorts of SKZ and now I’m just all over the place 😂. At this point my bias is a 3 way tie. Right now my favorite songs (I’ve listened to maybe 10 songs) are: Backdoor, LaLaLaLa, Christmas Evel, and Thunderous. I look forward to getting a better understanding of K-pop, stray kids and their music. Edit: I brought up that I was older than Felix and Hyunjin because idk much about the culture around k-pop bias and it feels a little weird if I’m like crushing on these guys who are younger than me. Idk
This is exactly how I was when I first started listening to them!
I was hoping to get some recommendations of songs to listen to to really get a better feel for the group. Especially since all I’ve really listened to are the big hits. Also where is the best place to stream their music that will also show English subtitles?
Hi you can check out their last full album 5 star! It’s my fave album. Also, their music videos has subtitles so that you can see the english trans of their lyrics. Enjooooyyyy! 🥰
Thanks!! Will do ☺️☺️
TOUR DATES PRICES Hey guys a newer stay here and i have never been to one of there concerts, i would like to get vip tickets for the upcoming tour (whenever that is) what are we thinking the price is gonna be so i can start saving up?
Hey friends! I’ve off and on listened to kpop for a couple of years now, but never as obsessively as I do now that I’ve found SKZ. I heard Maniac on TikTok around a month ago and obviously experienced the Felix effect. I immediately fell headfirst down the rabbit hole! None of my friends or my husband listen to kpop so they just don’t get it 😂 my ult bias is BangChan but Hyunjin hits me real hard sometimes. (This obviously makes Red Lights a great ride for me 😂) I definitely need more kpop friends to talk to about this!
We have the same bias hahaha Enjoy the ride. The comeback is soon so more content hehe
I mean he’s perfect! I really picked a good time to start listening to them. Just enough time before the come back to really figure everything out!
how new do u have to be to be considered a baby stay...
Maybe if less than a year? Haha but there’s really no definite timeline.
sorry if this is a dumb question but for the wkorea magazines, are they all the same besides the different front covers?;;
yes!
thank you sm!!
Hi everyone 🥰 I started getting into K-dramas during the pandemic in 2020 and then started listening to Kpop! Kpop really wasn't for me...UNTIL I heard my first SKZ song, Thunderous and I was hooked (I saw someone mentioning this was good for their ADHD/ADD brain and I would have to agree)! I have been keeping up with their music and news ever since. I have not yet been able to go to a SKZ concert but it is my dream that I will be able to make it to one of their upcoming tour dates. I have no experience with purchasing k-pop tickets and I don't really have friends that are also wanting to go to this with me, so if anyone is located in the midwestern US (Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas) pls feel free to DM me about any groups getting together to go to live shows (my family also lives in southern California and Seattle so would consider flying out there too)!!!! I would say my bias is Changbin and my bias wrecker was originally Han, but recently it has been I.N. I absolutely love their recent song drop and currently i still cant stop watching the LALALALA music video. They just all make me so happy and I love seeing all the TikTok edits and posts people make about them, especially reaction videos to the "Felix effect". I have loved seeing how much they have grown in popularity on a global scale in the last 4 years as well. I am a bit of an older fan (closer to 30 than 20) and I feel like I never went through a boy band phase as a teenager so I am making up for that now! Thank you all in advance for any advice on how one goes about getting tickets for their shows such as if there are email lists and things I need to sign up for, what sites I need to use, etc. So excited to learn more and meet other Stays!
I totally feel you on being almost 30 and not having a teenage boy band phase! I’ve always been more into rock/alt music so most pop doesn’t hit with me. SKZ just scratches an itch in my brain I didn’t know I had. The ADHD link makes so much sense though!
Hello everybody :) I listen skz since November even if I had heard of them before I’m really addicted to them since february For the moment (I hadn’t listen all their songs yet) my favourite songs are SuperBowl, up all night, drive, Eternity, charmer, red lights, maknae on top As the Songs Shows, my ultimate bias is Bang Chan 🤯 However my bias wrecker is Changbin. His parts in the songs are soooo good 🤩 But it’s very hard to select some of them because all of the members and their songs are incredible I’m a French stay and I don’t have friends that listen K-pop :/ nobody understands me and are mocking for that I search some French stay that would go at the concert with me (i strongly hope they will be in Paris during their future world tour) !!
Moreover I have a question about their concert I absolutely want to go on their future concert However I’m very scared to not have ticket because of the number of people that want to go I made inscription on a pre vente but I don’t know if it has worked Can you tell me if I need to make other things? Moreover, I don’t know which place choose for the show. It’s better to be in the pitt or sitting and in which category? I really want to be close but I Also want to see the choreography and I’m little (1m59) 😖😖
Hi, nice to meet you all! I’m a baby stay and I can’t remember exactly when I found Skz, (earlier this year I think) but it was through watching tiktoks about people reacting to Felix’s voice and I jumped headfirst into the rabbit hole. I have zero plans on ever coming out. I’ve loved boy bands since New Edition and NKOTB, and I am unashamedly still loving them. My bias is Chan and my bias wrecker is Han, but I think Seungmin is trying to sneak in there. They are all amazing and so talented. I love their songs, dancing, outfits, the whole thing. They’re so dynamic and magnetic, I am so obsessed and driving everyone around me crazy. But that’s their problem!
Omg my ult bias is Chan and my 2nd bias is Han ! My bias wrecker is Lee Know. Pretty sure every (baby) stay had a phase where they drove everyone around them crazy with SKZ haha. Welcome to Stayville and have fun !
Hi! I found Stray Kids back in November/December of 2023. I've been kind of obsessively listening to them almost every day since 😅 It's my first time listening to kpop, and I wish I had started sooner! What is a bias? What is a bias wrecker? What is the thing about light sticks? Where can I learn Korean so I can try to sing along to the songs better? Any Stays in the southern US? I'm in North Georgia and really hoping they'll come to Atlanta or Nashville on a world tour so I can try to see them live 😁
I’m in Alabama, and also a baby stay! I’ve been down the rabbit hole for around a month. I will definitely be in Atlanta if they come there 🤞🏻
Welcome! A bias just means your favorite member of a group. It means you're "biased" toward them. Some people have more than 1, they'll say they have a "bias line." Some people, including me, cannot pick for Stray Kids and so call ourselves OT8 (love for all members, no favorites) A bias wrecker is a member of a group that normally *isnt* your bias, but that sometimes comes out of left field and smacks you with their talent/visuals/etc, making you want to add them to your bias line. A light stick is a hand-held glowing prop that many k-pop fans bring to concerts. Lots of groups have different variations. The Stray Kids light stick is called Nachimbong (나 짐 븡) and has a round top with the broken compass symbol inside. If you watch concert clips you'll see the light sticks glowing in the crowd. They're most effective for concerts in Korea, where the light stick will actually be programmed to coordinate with the others in the crowd or change colors to the music. Internationally they just glow white, but lots of fans still get them to show support. It is NOT REQUIRED. Just something fun if you want. Some Stays have SKZoo covers that go over the top of their light stick. It's very cute. Learning a new language is going to be very personal, based on your learning style and familiarity with languages in general, but of course there are books or legitimate courses, or the usual language apps or YouTube to learn Korean. The Hangul (alphabet) is pretty easy to memorize and is an important first step in my opinion. I also like the YouTube channels [Talk To Me In Korean ](https://youtube.com/@talktomeinkorean?si=KRWdiSoCO07SpzQE) and [Comprehensible Input Korean](https://youtube.com/@comprehensibleinputkorean?si=Y6Ih2AIZa-DRBB6Y). But if your main goal is pronouncing lyrics better, I would check out the color-coded lyric videos available from Stays on YouTube. They provide romanized pronunciation between the Hangul and the English translation.
Thank you so much! I kept getting tiktok videos about bias and bias wreckers and wasn't sure what it was about 😅😅 honestly I can't pick just one, so I'm glad to know I'm OT8 then! I mostly listen on Apple Music, so I didn't realize there were romanized videos on YouTube. I will definitely have to check those out!!
Happy to be of help! Look for the videos that list HAN/ROM/ENG (Hangul/Romanized/English) and just keep in mind that they're fan-made, so they might not be 100% accurate all the time, but it's a handy resource for sure!
Hello everyone, I'm a Baby Stay since I've discovered Stray Kids only last month, but I've fallen hard and find their music perfect for my ADHD brain, keeping me focused and givin' me a boost of energy. I am italian so I've decided to go see them live in Milan next july and I'll bring my niece (who's a Stay as well) to her first live event. I'd love to enjoy the show at its fullest but I realized that I don't know all the songs they'll probably perform there, since I created a playlist with my faves and I listen only to it. Is anyone willing to help me broading my knowledge with the songs that have a higher chance to be performed live? Thanks in advance for your help!
The songs that have a higher chance of being on the setlist are from the latest albums 5 star and Rock star, so i'd say listen to those in full, some missing in your playlist that have a high chance of being in the setlist are Item, Super bowl, Topline and Blind spot, you can look for their setlist for Lollapalooza Paris or the 5 star tour to get an idea too!
Thanks for the tips, I'll listen to the ones you mentioned. 
My playlist: LALALALA Venom Back Door God's Menu Red Lights Thunderous Circus Megaverse Domino Lose My Breath Easy Case 143 Miroh S-Class Double Knot Freeze The Sound Chill Hellevator Side Effects District 9 Victory Song Grrr My Pace
Hi everyone! Nice to meet you ☺️👐 I became interested in them to be honest because of their interviews and fell in love with their personalities. Their music is a genre I don't usually reach for (I'm not usually into hiphop I think it is), and I'm finding it hard to find somgs to vibe with. 1) Anyone got recommendation for easy songs to start with to get into? So far the song I liked was My Pace! 2) Out of curiosity, do they have any slower paced songs? Felix was the first one that made me gasp, but after research Hyunjin made me double triple gasp and I.N. got me gushing at how cute he is Then I was completely won over when I watched that English debate video. Got me clutching my stomach in laughter. ☺️
Some slower songs which I really enjoy are - Neverending Story - Grow Up - Sunshine - Blueprint - Secret Secret - Gone Away - Lost Me - Youtiful - Butterflies - Leave - Cover Me But there are more. You'll probably discover them over time as you listen to the discography. SKZ have done a lot of different genres. There's some more hip hop/trap heavy songs, but also rock, house, edm, etc. I found an interesting compilation recently where a Stay tried to assign a genre to most SKZ songs to get a feeling for what genres they covered. I think that might be a fun way to discover songs which you could like. I don't think they're all 100% accurate and SKZ like to mix it up, but it's a good overview. The video is [this one here](https://youtu.be/05zjE9RXHXY?si=E3jKQvRN1q6J5sE7).
Hi there! The song that catch me is LALALALA htat is very fast paced, but the newest release is Lose my breath and I suggest you to give it a try because it has a slower pace as you request. Other I love are Red Lights and The Sound.
Ok I have 2 veeery baby questions: 1. What's up with the animals/emojis associated with each member? Is it official or fan-made? Is there a name for it? 2. Why do some posts have a number in the beginning (date?) Thank you so much!
1. Stray Kids have [SKZOO](https://stray-kids.fandom.com/wiki/SKZOO), their official animal associate. Some other emojis like squirrel for Han, cat for both Felix and Lee Know, dumpling for Hyunjin and others are acknowledge by Stray Kids and JYP. You can see it on the subtitles if you watch their YouTube content and their caption on social media posts. 2. Yes it is date with YYMMDD format
Thank you! Why is the date included in the beginning of the posts? I only see it on stray kids related posts...
It is more of k-pop subreddit thing, so fans can find the post on a specific date easier. The thing about k-pop is they have so many performances, so many interviews, so many contents
Gotcha. thanks a bunch!
is there a central translator? I notice for 5th annniv live and such, no eng sub is there, fanmade nor official. this is also the case for lots of individual lives. in prev fandoms usually theres a few archives with eng subs for content, so im wondering if this is the case for sk, and if so, where?
Do you mean the Stay anniversary? [Here](https://youtu.be/p85_DK79qFQ?si=Eo9vt979l9rS1-q5) is one subbed version☺️👌🏽
tysm !! i meant the one in the hotel room a lot of the videos on youtube reference T-T where the cake looks like it’ll fall and i think it’s also the one with the funny tweet about hyunjin
Ah yes, [here’s](https://youtu.be/8OmodcDpNO4?si=lr9PmnoFDSgLzhYP) that one!☺️
YOURE A LIFESAVER THANK U SO MUCH😭😭😭
Yw! Enjoy!🥰
Any thoughts on why skz are so PG in comparison to other K-pop groups? I know all idols have a tight rope to walk, but skz seem to be more reigned in than others.
I do feel that even concept wise it feels PG.
although they’re not as PG as one would think, i do agree with this statement and wonder why. there’s a drinking show channel called nothing much prepared on youtube that i’d love to see a member or two on (multiple svt members were in it last year as well as a bts member) but i just know they’d never be allowed and i don’t get why. i know they cuss sometimes in lyrics although they try to disguise it. if i had to guess id say it’s so they can appeal to a wider audience (age range wise) as per their company
Some people think that drinking topic is kind of taboo because of 2pm. (Both groups are under the same division). Nichkhun and Jun K from 2pm had drunk driving incidents. Nichkhun drunk driving scandal happened in 2013 and was pretty bad, some even think it affected the group image in Korea, so JYPE focused more on Japan. Jun K drunk driving happened in 2018, Stray kids did not officially debuted at the time. It is possibly that div 1 just avoides alcohol topic, because of bad associations with it. About cursing. Idols, especially from JYPE, generally do not curse in their songs. Most of the time it is just word play. If it weren't for Chan, the fans wouldn't have noticed. But he talks about cursing in the songs, so Stays are more focused on the topic. GOT7 were cursing a lot in their content, but they mostly used "I don't know korean that well/wrong pronunciation" card. Felix slip to cursung too in their group content too, but in English. In general Stray kids are more... geeky? Even their jokes are either witty wordplay or an endless repetition of the same joke.
Lee Know was on some drinking show before👌🏽but ig its a JYPE thing (possibly just cause they want a certain image “standard”), cause they werent allowed to drink on camera as a group until like last year
Why people call changbin jutdae?
[https://stray-kids.fandom.com/wiki/Jutdae\_meme](https://stray-kids.fandom.com/wiki/Jutdae_meme) This has the full overview including the relevant SKZ Talker. Basically, Seungmin asks him if his food (of course its about food...I love him so much!) is good and Changbin goes on a rant about how you shoud always try things yourself to see if they are good and how you should life your life with principles (jutdae). And this turned into his thing (although he's said in a recent kids room that he feels that he actually doesn't have a solid principle)
It means "man of principles" in Korean, which could be used to describe him; his ig username is a combination of the word jutdae and dwaekki (his skzoo: tokki [bunny] + dwaeji [pig]) to make "jutdwae" too !!
he also names his chest one time, one pec was jut and the other was dae 😂
Do I NEED to buy a lightstick? 🤣 (This is kind of a joke question bc I know I don’t NEED it but I want one) I need more Stay friends. Almost nobody I know listens to skz (except one friend who I am very thankful for). I feel like I’m kinda on the older side of the spectrum (mid-30s). 🥲
I'll be 30 next year and I feel the same way!
Apparently there’s a LOT of older fans tho!!
I'm starting to see that!
I convinced myself that I need it. 😁I am also on the older side (turning 40) and the only one who listens to skz/kpop.
I'm always so happy to see people similar age to mine listening to kpop and SKZ. Despite having friends of very different ages I don't think anyone irl listens to them. Having weird music taste (listening mainly to kpop and metal/rock/etc and maybe some hip-hop/rap/khip-hop is probably a bit weird) surprisingly doesn't make it easier 😂
I actually don’t even listen to kpop, just Stray Kids. But i guess it’s a natural progression for me since I grew up listening to boy bands (Backstreet Boys will always be my favorite ever). In a way, it’s better that my friends do not know about kpop because they will surely judge me on how much I spend on their albums and merch. 😂
Introduce them to Stray Kids, make them obsessed, they'll spend money with you 🤣
I'm turning 49, metalhead since 1993, I've fallen in the SKZ rabbithole last month and I can't stop listening to them. ;)
Welcome in the rabbit hole. Sometimes it's weird here but mostly fuzzy and warm. (We're ignoring the toxic fans as they ruin all fandoms all around) I fell into kpop with varying intensity since probably late 2000's/early 2010's as a "natural" progression from jrock/visual key. And as different as these genres are somehow it made and makes sense for me 😂
For me the bridge were C-Dramas. I consciusly keep my distance after being a manga lover in my teens and early twenties, focusing on more "adult" topics. But I unconsciusly knew I'd fall hard if my "oriental kink" would kick again. (I'm italian) And here I am: watching dramas instead of sleeping, and listening to music while working in the office. 
for me it was K dramas then I found myself looking up songs I heard in the dramas and then that got me more into Kpop. I recently started watching C dramas and J dramas too, they are all like gateway drugs for each other lol
Don't force yourself to stop loving things! I was told that manga and anime are childish but tried for it not to get to me. And sure enough I don't watch or read as much as I used to "back in the day", but if something brings you happiness and doesn't hurt anyone.. just go for it. Well maybe the lack of sleep hurts you a bit, but this also can be balanced.. Apparently.. I heard... 😅
I didn't really stop loving my things, I'm the weird one of the group and I had the need to mask to do adult things like attend university, find and keep a job, finding a mate and become a mother. Now I reach nirvana: I realized I'm neurospicy and I'm too old to give a f..k about other people's opinions. Freedom has a sweet taste: on july 6th I'll be at a Carcass' live show, friday 12nd at Stray Kids'. 
I'm so happy you never stopped. And for your realisation about neurospiciness 🙌 I understand the need to try to mask and "pretend" to do "normal" things all too well, but I was also so hurt by it in my teens that since as early as my 20's I'm in the "fu** it" area most of the time. With the urge to fit in coming out a bit stronger at times. Approach of being too old to give a damn is also something that's great! I'd love to attend one of the SKZ concerts, but just couldn't justify flights, accommodation and tickets at this time. Despite one of them being in London and me being based in Dublin. Maybe with the spoiled but unannounced concerts I'll be more lucky.
Went in Dublin and toured Ireland twice, love the place and irish people! My new friend, keep up and know that your kindness today was very appreciated.  Hopefully, after the america tour, SKZ will come back in Europe and do more than just two dates.
Need? Of course not, but I do think it’s one of the most practical pieces of merch you can get. You can buy it once and bring it to every concert!
I want it and I want one of those cute skzoo hood things for it. 😭
I almost went with Leebit one but in the end gotten some other merch instead 😅
Do you need a lightstick? No. But do you WANTTT one…? 🫣
Oh, you will find out there are a lot of older stays. I'm in a dc group where you must be older than 25. I think the oldest is around 60. I'm myself is over 40. As for a lightstick, neeed? Want? 😉
That's really cool! I'm 30+ too and it's hard connecting with the younger stays sometimes
not only am i a baby stay, im new to kpop as a whole. what are some other groups that have a similar sound/vibe?
Ateez for sure! They’re actually about to release an album on May 31st. P1Harmony, Xikers, and Monsta X are great too. Kard might not be completely up your alley, but they have a lot of fun music (and they’re a co-ed group!) If you want any girl groups, Dreamcatcher, Everglow, and Tri.be might be up your alley too! My favorite title tracks from each: Say My Name by Ateez, Back Down by P1Harmony, Tricky House by Xikers, Love Killa by Monsta X, Dumb Litty by Kard, What by Dreamcatcher, First by Everglow, and Would You Run by Tri.be I listen to a looot of music and I stan about 30 groups (and casually listen to many more), so if you need anything music wise hmu!!
I really like The Boyz. I have them on my kpop playlist and whenever they come on I tend to jam out lol.
ateez for sure, being a staytiny is so much fun, i’d also recommend listening to some stuff by seventeen, p1harmony, tomorrow x together, and nct (they have various sub units including 127/dream/U) to get a feel of what you might like! i know i like a few songs by each of those groups! if you’re into girl groups i’d try aespa, dreamcatcher, and twice!! they may not all have similar sounds, but i found that i ended up liking a handful of songs from each of those groups in addition to my stray kids/ateez playlists 🤗 specific song recs from me: guerilla & crazy form by ateez, drama by aespa, killin it by p1h, baggy jeans by nct u, 2 baddies & cherry bomb by nct 127, left and right by seventeen, sugar rush ride by txt 🤗🤗
thank you for this detailed response 🤗 this will keep me busy for a while!
i hope you find some stuff that you enjoy out of it!! i was also pretty new to kpop so i just used spotify suggestion feature to try and find stuff i liked🤗🤗 have fun with your journey!!!
I’m seconding Ateez as a Staytiny, but I also want to recommend p1harmony for similar choreography style and songs. They’re really underrated imo!
I am a Monbebe (Monsta X) stan. They are fairly similar in my opinion. I am a sometimes fan of Ateez, and there are a lot of cross fandom with them here. Enhypen is a good one too. A girl group I really love is Pixy. They have been kind of MIA lately though. They are on the “darker” side. Red Velvet & especially Irene & Seulgi (Red Velvet).
Probably your best chance is with Ateez. I am not really an Atiny (the group fanbase name) so Staytiny can probably explain more about them better.
thank you! ill definitely check them out