ATE Reasons Why We’re So Lucky To Have Stray Kids In Our Lives

Honeybees, this is not a drill: we’re really witnessing Stray Kids World Domination in real time. Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N have been on a meteoric rise over the past few years, and we know ATE will only propel them even further on the global music scene. We’re so proud of SKZ and their hard work!

To celebrate the boys’ extraordinary comeback with ATE and their recent contract renewal, we wanted to reflect on what we love most about the group and why we’re lucky to have them in our lives and playlists! And eight is fate, so we’ll be talking about eight different reasons why we admire them. Press play on the new album and ‘JJAM’ out while you read…

They Put So Much Work & Thought Into Each Comeback

Whenever Stray Kids announces a new comeback, we clear our calendars of pretty much everything that isn’t SKZ-related. There’s a lot to keep up with and we’re so grateful! Since we’re in the ATE era, let’s take a look at everything they’ve given us over the past few weeks. This time kicked off with the ATE trailer on June 18th, and in the weeks leading up to the album release, the group gave us a variety of video and photo teasers, as well as two festival performances, music show appearances, and a whole lot of dance videos on their socials. 

Just a few days after ATE came out, the boys gave us the Deadeye and Heatwave remixes of the title track, ‘Chk Chk Boom.’ And we still have so much to look forward to! In August, we’ll see SKZ take the stage at Lollapalooza Chicago before giving us another music video on August 7th. Getting eight new songs from them is exciting enough on its own, but Stray Kids really go above and beyond to make sure we have a ton of content to enjoy. 

They Use Their Success To Give Back

In addition to giving back to Stays whenever they can, Stray Kids have regularly used their platform and the money they’ve made to give back to important causes around the world. This year alone, some of the groups they’ve donated money to include World Vision Korea (helping provide food to children in need), UNICEF (helping children in Laos get clean water to drink), The Snail Of Love (helping people with hearing impairments), and the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation (helping children in need). 

As Stays, we know the boys have hearts of gold, but we’re still so proud of them for making an impact through donations and charity work. It shows that they’re dedicated to making a difference in the world for both their fans and those in need! 

They Offer Nonstop Fashion Inspo

From concept photos and music videos to appearances at events like the Met Gala, where they were the first full K-Pop group to attend, Stray Kids are always inspiring us to step up our fashion game! Hyunjin is a global ambassador for the Italian Versace brand and Felix is a house ambassador for Louis Vuitton, while the full group has worked with brands like Tommy Hilfiger, who dressed them for the Met Gala. They can rock any style from elegant to edgy!

The ATE era in particular has already become one of our favorite eras for their style! We got to see a variety of aesthetics in the concept photos and physical album, including effortlessly cool denim-and-leather looks and more playful, colorful vibes with cozy sweater vests (plus Felix’s cat hat that we’ll never forget). Our fave outfits in the ‘Chk Chk Boom’ music video lean into a bolder aesthetic with red and black tones, accented with chains and stunning jackets. 

Their Content Can Brighten Our Day Instantly

If you put any combination of those eight boys in a room together, chaos is probably about to ensue. And we’ll happily watch that chaos anytime! One of our favorite examples, which we’re sure Stays everywhere would totally agree with, is their SKZ Family Chuseok special series. These videos are a staple in the fandom, seeing Stray Kids play various members of a family as they gossip and interact. 

The latest episodes, which came out in 2023, would give any reality TV star a run for their money. We have Dad Seungmin and Mom Lee Know, who are close to divorcing, and their child, Felix. Aunt Lee Know invited her sister, I.N. Then, there’s Uncle Han and Aunt Hyunjin, who bring their teenage son, Changbin, and their five-year-old, Chan. Changbin has a crush on I.N while Mom Lee Know and Uncle Han seem to be having an affair. The family has to prepare various foods and play games for Chuseok while dealing with their drama!

They Give Us An Unreal Amount Of Music

Look at Stray Kids’ comebacks alone and you’ll have no idea how they have enough time and energy to give us so much. But then factor in the rest of the music they give us and you’ll be flabbergasted! There’s also their SKZ-PLAYER and SKZ-RECORD YouTube series, which include songs written by the members and some covers. Some are solos, some include multiple members, and one of Han’s songs even features Bae from NMIXX. You can check certain songs out on streaming services under the SKZ-REPLAY album!

Their Performances Blow Us Away

(You know, I know) We know so many Stays have joined the Stray Kids fandom because of the amazing performances they always put on! From their energy to their coordination, they move as such a powerful unit, and their performances prove why they’re considered 4th Gen leaders. We’re linking the amazing ‘Chk Chk Boom’ performance video as an example, but be sure to check out their live stage performances as well to see what they can do.

They Inspire Us To Work Towards Our Dreams

Stray Kids’ dedication to their goals and dreams is infectious, and they’re always motivating us to build the life we want to live! Songs like ‘Social Path’ and the self-titled ‘Stray Kids’ really showcase this quality, reflecting on how much work they’ve put in over the years to get to where they are now. If you’re ever procrastinating or doubting yourself, just press play on their music and it’ll energize you to keep going. 

They’re So Appreciative And Loving Towards Stays

When a group’s slogan includes their fandom name, you know they’re devoted to showing fans how much they care. “You make Stray Kids stay” shows love to Stays while also demonstrating how giving back is one of SKZ’s main goals! Every reason we’ve listed so far is an example of how they do give back to us, but we’ll add some more proof while we’re here.

First off, each of the boys are really active on Bubble to talk directly to Stays. And now that they have their own Instagram accounts, they usually post fun selfies, behind-the-scenes shots, and even some covers for us to enjoy! But we must say that one of our favorite examples of how much SKZ loves us would be the Chan’s Room series, which was a weekly livestream that let the fandom hang out with Bang Chan. Until we get to actually hang out with him, we’ll be watching recaps and pretending the series is still going…

So Stays, what do you love most about Stray Kids? Which track on ATE is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! 

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