1st K-pop Group to Attend the MET Gala, yet Stray Kids are Ignored by Koreans?
Despite making history with their appearance at MET Gala, Stray Kids is known to be largely ignored in their home country,
On the morning of May 7 (KST), boy group Stray Kids officially appeared on the red carpet of the 2024 MET Gala, making them the first K-pop group to attend such a prestigious fashion event.
While the group did face some issues, having to face offensive comments from photographers on the red carpet, Stray Kids’ debut at the Met Gala was still extremely impressive. The group increased their recognition, went viral on various social media platforms, and established another significant milestone in their international achievements.
The title of the “first K-pop group to attend the Met Gala” also piqued the curiosity of fashion enthusiasts.
In fact, immediately after appearing on the red carpet of the 2024 Met Gala, the phrase “Who are Stray Kids” quickly surged in search trends.
International superstars
Having debuted in 2018, Stray Kids is JYP’s representative 4th generation boy group. You can read more about the group in the profile of Stray Kids.
Throughout their 6-year career, Stray Kids has achieved many impressive accomplishments, especially in the international market, especially in the US. In particular, Stray Kids has achieved 4 #1 Billboard 200 albums, leading the chart as the highest-selling male group of the fourth generation. Their latest achievement in this regard is the EP “Rock-Star,” released at the end of 2023. Stray Kids closely follows BTS’s record (6 #1 Billboard 200 albums).
2023 was a booming year for Stray Kids with continuously record-breaking comebacks. The group broke the 5 million pre-order milestone with “5-Star.” Stray Kids ranked in the top 10 global artists of 2023 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), ranking #3 on the artist chart and #2 on the album chart. Stray Kids is also the most famous 4th-generation male group in the US. In 2023, Stray Kids had 2 albums among the best-selling in the US, including “5-Star,” with 520,000 copies sold, ranked #2 after Taylor Swift, and “Rock Star,” with 381,000 copies sold, ranked #4.
Regarding international awards, Stray Kids became the first fourth-generation male group to win two major awards at the Billboard Music Awards 2023 and the People’s Choice Awards 2024. The 8 boys from JYP also won the Best Kpop award at the VMAs 2023, with a performance stage at the prestigious US awards ceremony.
With their debut on the prestigious MET Gala red carpet, Stray Kids unlocked an unprecedented achievement never seen before in K-pop
Earlier this year, Stray Kids confirmed their headlining status at the prestigious Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago. The public witnessed Stray Kids’ tremendous growth. With their debut on the prestigious Met Gala red carpet, Stray Kids achieved what even BTS hasn’t done yet. Stray Kids is currently the “rooster” of JYP, expected to continue the legacy of their seniors in elevating K-pop’s position on the international stage.
Ignored in Korea?
However, despite their international success, Stray Kids are somewhat “ignored” in their homeland. Compared to other groups of the same era, Stray Kids’ domestic achievements are not very outstanding, except for album sales. The group has built a solid fandom and high international recognition, but their domestic influence is not very promising.
In over half a decade of activity, Stray Kids have not had any national hits. At one point, the group was called “JYP’s biggest failure project” due to a lack of breakthroughs in the Korean market in the early years of their career.
Despite continuous record-breaking sales, Stray Kids songs did not do well on Korean music charts last year, and the public is not very enthusiastic about the group’s music. This sparks curiosity, as the group enjoys great reactions from international fans.
One of the most popular explanations is that Stray Kids’ music direction does not appeal to the general public. Stray Kids pursue powerful, layered, and loud music styles that make it difficult to top the charts.
Additionally, in recent years, female groups have dominated the music charts, while fourth-generation male groups have struggled despite dominating fandoms. The lack of hits has affected the group’s image, making their music less viral in Korea.
Source: K14
