Stray Kids, Creative Intelligence at the Summit

Eight months after reaching heights with the release of their album 樂-STAR (Rockstar), Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Felix, Han, Seungmin, and I.N return with their new album ATE, released on July 19. This ninth EP refers to their ambition to conquer the music industry, while playing on the pronunciation of the number eight, symbolizing their unity. “ATE” also refers to the expression “nail it,” which means having done something perfectly or excelling at a task. Also composed of eight titles, through this new opus the group reveals a palette of different colors but remains significantly faithful to their artistic charm. Previously known for making noise, the boys return with an energy that is just as powerful but less explosive. In fact, the members of Stray Kids have never hesitated to assert themselves and assert their musical identity, making their response and their individuality their strength. Today, it is with more controlled determination that they return. Since their debut, Stray Kids have traveled an exceptional journey, their discography being not only an artistic masterpiece, but also a reflection of their personal and ambitious quest for success. After reaching ever more dazzling records with albums such as GO LIVE, NOEASY and 5-STAR, Stray Kids are now looking to maintain their position at the top of the charts. And, after having expressed indomitable enthusiasm, the boys now assert their domination with more maturity, thus demonstrating a coherent evolution and demonstrating, once again, remarkable creative intelligence.

STRAY KIDS – ATE – TRACKLIST

01. “MOUNTAINS”
02. “Chk Chk Boom” *Title
03. “JJAM”
04. “I like It”
05. “Runners”
06. “또 다시 밤”(twilight)
07. “Stray Kids”
08. “Chk Chk Boom” (Festival ver.)

On June 18, JYP Entertainment released “Stray Kids ‘ATE’ Trailer” on their official YouTube channel. We see Felix opening a fortune cookie which delivers the following message: “Who ATE the luck?” Next, the clip shows the group, where Bang Chan opens another fortune cookie containing the phrase: “Your luck no longer lasts from now on.” After that, the members go through a series of incidents, forcing them to wander in search of new cookies to regain their luck. We see Changbin opening a large number of them surrounded by the other members before the latter finally comes across the right message. Stray Kids isn't just lucky—the septet brings good luck and becomes a lucky icon, ready to rock the world this summer with ATE.

Stray Kids Climb the Mountains

On June 28, JYP Entertainment revealed a new teaser for Stray Kids's song "Mountains" : "Stray Kids＜ATE＞ UNVEIL: TRACK "MOUNTAINS." The theme of the mountain is recurring in the group's journey. For example, the song "MIROH" begins with the lyrics: "beyond the mountain, beyond the mountain [...] across the mountains," symbolizing their entry into a jungle-like city marked by fear of the unknown. The chorus, with its chant of “Woah-oh-oh,” evokes their preparation to face a mountain of challenges.

In the new track "MOUNTAINS" from the ATE album, the members of Stray Kids stand in front of a mountain of steel, accompanied once again by the chant "Woah." The group invites us to rise above the clouds and celebrate our inner strength and perseverance. The clip illustrates the relentless advance of a titan, ready to overcome everything in its path. It depicts incidents and obstacles intended to hinder their progress, but which have no impact thanks to their unwavering determination.

Stray Kids Goes Back in Time

On July 5, a new teaser video titled "Stray Kids ＜ATE＞ UNVEIL: TRACK ‘Stray Kids’" was released, full of symbolism and references to their previous titles, illustrating the evolution of their story. The teaser alludes to "Hellevator," their very first song, symbolized by the elevator that the group takes to rise and debut. We also see the bus from "District 9," images from "MIROH," as well as many other clips, gradually intensifying the atmosphere.

The song reaches its climax when Lee Know sings "Know that this is who we are," followed by the lyrics: "There ain't no last STEP OUT! We'll never stop! Stray Kids still gonna rock. On the hellevator yeah we head to the top. Go on and on." The music continues with an image of Stray Kids, Changbin in the center, supported by two hands on his shoulders, before showing the group in the elevator. In "Hellevator," it is Changbin who discovers the elevator and goes up first, followed by the other members. This time, all members except Lee Know have their eyes closed in the elevator. Lee Know picks up a key, a recurring element in the band's discography, and inserts it at the word "Hell," once again activating the elevator to ascend. The teaser ends with this image, leaving STAYS hungry for more!

However, a few days later, a new video titled "Stray Kids ＜ATE＞ Mashup Video" was uploaded. It combines excerpts from tracks one through seven of the album over a dynamic, pulsing beat, harmonizing the songs into a single melody to provide a seamless overview of the entire album. In this video, we see Stray Kids in full creation, making their own albums in a gastronomic record production factory. True to their artistic signature, they add a slightly spicy touch, with excellent image transitions and visual effects reminiscent of the famous music video "God's Menu."

Stray Kids Don’t Mince Their Words

Finally, on July 19, the day the album was released, the music video for the title song “Chk Chk Boom” was revealed. The teasers released a few days earlier were promising and had generated a lot of anticipation. The clip begins with a surprising dialogue between the characters Wolverine and Deadpool, followed by the first musical notes which reveal a Latin hip-hop rhythm. The choreography is catchy and the energy is contagious, and the song also features words in Spanish bringing an extra touch of sunshine to keep us dancing all summer long. Although the song is short, the vocal breakdown is perfect, with each member having a part that highlights their artistic colors, making the track incredibly effective.

“Chk Chk Boom” is a call to action to pursue our dreams with determination and without fear. In a world full of chaos and challenges, the song serves as a reminder of the importance of staying strong and moving forward. The lyrics also include an allusion to astronaut Neil Armstrong: “We are in space, the rest are on their knees, I am strong” with the “kneel, I’m strong.”

Stray Kids, the Taste of Success

On July 19, ATE took first place on the Circle Chart Retail Album Chart. Building on their success and revealing in the song “Stray Kids” that they were not ready to stop, the eight members renewed their contract with JYP Entertainment.

The appearance of two Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in their music video for “Chk Chk Boom,” reveals their intention to reach STAYS but also a larger audience. Furthermore, great admirers of Deadpool, Stray Kids appear on the soundtrack of the last film in the saga with their title “SLASH,” which will be released in theaters on July 24. As a reminder, during the music show “Kingdom: Legendary War,” which was won by the group, Felix started the performance dressed as Deadpool. But Stray Kids are not the only ones to express admiration since Ryan Reynolds has spoken several times in recent years with the group and in particular with Bang Chan.

Starting in August, Stray Kids will embark on their dominATE world tour, which means “to rule.” The tour will kick off in Seoul in August and continue to Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, Kaohsiung, Tokyo, Manila, Macau, Osaka, Bangkok, Jakarta and Hong Kong, and will expand to North America, Europe and then to Latin America. It’s a tour that promises to be the group's biggest, to the delight of fans.