by: Tanvi Ambekar

Opinion Editor

When Korean pop (K-pop) boy band Stray Kids (SKZ) debuted in 2018, their powerful vocals, rapping, and dancing gained immediate popularity both at home and abroad. Operating under JYP Entertainment, the nine-member group has produced and released 372 songs and 47 albums to date. 

At their debut, SKZ consisted of nine members: Han Jisung (Han), Christopher Bahng (Bangchan), Seo Changbin, Lee Minho (Lee Know), Lee Yongbok (Felix), Hwang Hyunjin, Kim Seungmin, Yang Jeongin (I.N), and Kim Woojin. In 2019, less than a year after SKZ’s introduction, JYP Entertainment announced that Woojin decided to leave the group due to undisclosed “personal reasons.” He terminated his contract with the company and joined a subsidiary of SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment’s competitor. 

Despite this, the remaining eight members continued to work tirelessly, releasing 25 songs within a year of performing together. These efforts paid off, as by the end of 2019, the group had won 14 national and international awards for their discography, stage performances, and production. By the end of February, the band had collected nearly 150 awards for their music.

On Dec. 18, 2025, JYP Entertainment announced the release of a special SKZ concert movie called The Dominate Experience. The movie focused on the Los Angeles performances of their world tour, The Dominate Tour, and featured up-close clips of their performances between personal interviews with each member. Every interview included details about individual passions, performance anecdotes, and personal insights into what makes Stray Kids feel like a family instead of just a boy band. 

Stay, SKZ’s fandom, immediately took to the theatres for the movie’s first showing on Feb. 6. The results were astounding. According to JYP Entertainment, the film grossed a combined 19.1 million dollars across 61 territories. In North America alone, The Dominate Experience generated 5.6 million dollars in revenue across 1,724 theatres and boasted a number one spot at the global box office the weekend after its release. For many Stays, The Dominate Experience was their first concert movie experience, and more experienced fans took to Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to educate others on concert movie etiquette. These videos include advice on acceptable ways to have fun while remaining respectful. 

The Dominate Experience was more than a documentary. It represented a personal aspect of SKZ that media training and online criticism often hide. Its success across the global market reveals how committed fans can be to supporting their favorite artists.

(Sources: Genius, Live Nation Newsroom, Nolae, Stray Kids Wiki, The Korean Economic Daily, y!entertainment)