It’s been eight years since the SKZ-Player and SKZ-Record series started, and it’s been four years since we got all the original songs on streaming platforms through SKZ-REPLAY, but that didn’t stop Stray Kids from continuing their series. Over the last four years, they’ve put out some of their best songs on YouTube, as they explore their artistry in a different, freer way, and now it’s time to loop them on every streaming service – some of them at least for now.
SKZ-REPLAY
The first part of SKZ-REPLAY 2026 focuses on songs released in 2025 and 2026. One of the ones everyone was waiting for the most was Bang Chan‘s ‘Roman Empire,’ a special song to celebrate his ambassadorship with FENDI, filled with witty lyrics and that unique charm he brings to his music. Earlier this year, Hyunjin shook the world with ‘LOVER.’ This is a gritty song full of yearning and angst that pushes his artistry to places he has never touched before, becoming his best song to date. There are a lot of Hanpop songs coming our way with the second part of SKZ-REPLAY 2026, but we already have ‘Raining Stars’ – a joyful, truly catchy, and infectious song that hasn’t left our heads since its release. The second Hanpop song we got is sung by I.N: ‘The Little Things,’ a beautiful song about appreciating the little moments and finding joy in every detail of life. Han‘s lyricism, combined with I.N‘s emotion in his singing and infectious energy, make for a beautiful, comforting song.
Something that was extra special about this SKZ-REPLAY was the trilogy of Seungmin solo songs written by 3RACHA. It kicked off with the release of ‘Goodbye’ last summer, an extremely vulnerable and personal song with Bang Chan‘s name written all over it. The build-up of the song is so satisfying and perfect that no words can truly explain it. Changbin‘s song, ‘Still Here,’ is just as memorable, with Changbin going for a type of ballad he had never quite tried, but we know Changbin‘s lyricism here, and this one hits the hardest. Finally, Han had written ‘Hold On‘ for Seungmin a few years ago, and we know that duo together holds too much power with songs like ‘Respirator‘ and ‘STAY,’ and ‘Into The Current’ is no different, with beautiful imagery and an atmosphere that lingers in the most beautiful way. Each ballad touches on different themes, has its own influence, and showcases in the best way the difference in each of 3RACHA‘s individual writing styles. They are such a statement to Seungmin‘s artistry as he brings their music to life.
SKZ-REPLAY also has two OT8 songs that we’re very familiar with. The album closes with ‘STAY,’ the song written by Han and Seungmin, released to celebrate Stray Kids‘ eighth anniversary, and it feels like the perfect place to end. More surprisingly, though, out of their first full-length Japanese album, THE SOUND, Stray Kids finally released the Korean version of ‘Battle Ground’ as the grand opener for this album. Revisiting one of the most powerful Japanese b-sides they’ve released wasn’t something we expected in 2026, but it’s never a bad day to listen to ‘Battle Ground.’
5-STAR Dome Tour Solo Stages
What made this SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1 release even more exciting was the release of the songs for the solo stages of their 2023 tour, 5-STAR Dome Tour. Before the solo stages of the first half of the dominATE World Tour, we had these songs, but unlike the HOP solos, they had never been released anywhere – until now. Kicking off with the intriguing and enticing intro of Hyunjin‘s ‘MIC&BRUSH,’ his voice as he sings “let’s get started” really feels like the beginning of the show, as the songs flow into each other so naturally, all while shining with their own identity. ‘MIC&BRUSH’ is the embodiment of Hyunjin‘s most beloved art forms, and the performance was simply a perfect amalgamation of everything he can do with a stage. ‘PERFUME’ by Seungmin is a fun, bright song that has a totally different vibe from every single one of his other solo songs, but it fits him perfectly. Meanwhile, ‘BABY’ by Bang Chan is something completely new, but so fun as he takes on a whole new persona and plays with disco and flirty lyrics. Needless to say, all these stages have lived rent-free in our minds for three years now.
The competition for the title of best Han solo song is fierce, and we can without a doubt say that, even three years later, ‘Don’t Say’ is still very much in the competition. We have the rock inspiration, the striking vocals, and that unique Han vibe he brings to all his music. It’s perfect Hanpop. And Changbin’s ‘My Name’ may be less than 2 minutes long, but its impact is immense – something to be expected from Changbin. With a fierce rap verse and his unique charm, ‘My Name’ screams Changbin’s name with every note. ‘Rev It Up‘ by Felix follows a similar flow of rapid-fire rap, immense charisma, and an unmatched aura, and it has remained our favorite stage by him even three years later – one of the best songs to showcase his mad rap skills. And it’s finally here.
Lee Know and I.N brought to life their solo songs from the original SKZ-REPLAY and gave way for one of the most treasured stages of that tour – and we have the live versions now. While the original version of Lee Know‘s ‘LIMBO‘ already holds so much power and emotion, nothing beats the energy and the hit that is Lee Know’s voice as he tackles the most beautiful, heartbreaking, and hard-hitting notes. Meanwhile, the live version of ‘Hug Me’ features a stripped-down moment with only I.N, his piano, and his voice, and it adds a whole other layer to the song and how it represents him. These versions are the perfect cherry on top to represent why these stages were so dear, and you bet SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt. 1 is already one of our most listened albums of the year.
What was your favorite solo stage in the 5-STARS Dome Tour? What song are you looking forward the most in SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.2? Be sure to let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.
Need more Stray Kids content? We got you!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STRAY KIDS:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
