Stray Kids are one of K-pop‘s most talented boy groups, period. The eight-member band first debuted in 2018 with their song “District 9” under South Korean music agency, JYP Entertainment. Keep reading to see the 5-STAR group’s transformation over the years.
Originally, a nine-member group, Stray Kids includes member Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, I.N, and former member Woojin. The band was formed during a TV survival program Stray Kids, which premiered in 2017. Rather than a competition to win spots in the group, Stray Kids was a program that pre-selected JYP Entertainment trainees who must fight to remain on the band’s roster.
One thing that makes the group so uniquely talented is the band’s involvement in the music-making process. In fact, members Bang Chan, Changbin and Han formed a music-producing trio called 3RACHA prior to Stray Kids’ debut, where they create their own music and write their own lyrics.
“We connect through our lyrics,” Han told Teen Vogue in September 2022. “It’s a personal connection that allows me to mature and also be comforted. Music is the only way I can show myself.”
3RACHA explained their music production process to Paper Magazine, revealing that often it’s Bang Chan that works on the track’s arrangement, while Changbin and Han work on lyrics and melodies. Changbin “constructs the lyrical framework,” while Han participates in the “overall organization of the piece” and is known for his lyrical prowess and is known to pen entire verses in under 30 minutes.
“When I start working on a track, I need to be confident, and it’s important for me that the process of working on a project or song is fun and enjoyable,” Han told Paper. “When I first started writing music in the past, I had lots of concerns, and I couldn’t organize the thoughts in my mind. It was difficult to collect and organize my ideas. But I must have grown a bit since then, and now I’m able to collaborate with the members quite well. Writing the lyrics is a lot smoother and faster. I also love to share fun ideas together.”
Click through our gallery to see photos of Stray Kids over the years, from debut to now.
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