Stray Kids (Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, I.N) have once again made history on the U.S. Billboard charts. With their 4th full album KARMA, they set a monumental record by becoming the first act in the 70-year history of the Billboard 200 to debut at No. 1 for seven consecutive albums.
To the saying, “Destiny is something given,” Stray Kids responded with, “We will carve our own destiny,” running full speed through seven years—and destiny answered back with the lucky number 7. For Stray Kids, 2025 has been filled with special ties to the number 7. True to their love for witty wordplay as seen in album titles like GO生 (GO LIVE), IN生 (IN LIFE), NOEASY, and 合 (HOP), the group’s historic Billboard achievement is now being interpreted through the lens of “7,” the English word “chill,” and the Korean word “칠” (seven).
From August 2024 in Seoul to July 2025 in Rome, Stray Kids carried out their largest-scale world tour yet, Stray Kids World Tour . The journey spanned over 285,000 km—equivalent to circling the Earth seven times—based solely on departures from Incheon Airport.
In the U.S. alone, they held 12 stadium concerts across nine cities, proving their overwhelming popularity and influence as representatives of K-pop in the global home of pop music. Compared to their 2nd World Tour “MANIAC” (2022–2023), where they only entered stadium venues during the encore after performing in arenas, the leap to a full-scale U.S. stadium tour within just two years highlights Stray Kids’ extraordinary growth and elevated status.
Written by Mun Wan Sik
Translated by Lee So Yun
