What did you expect from Stray Kids when they debuted?

If you expected something, ofc.

You can be straight up and honest.

Did you think their performance isn't as good as you thought It would be?

Did you think they would be fine/decent, but they are doing much better than you thought?

Did you think they would be overshadowed by everyone in their generation due to their music, being a jyp bg or other circustances?

Did you think they would be exactly where they are now?

It's just a research cause I'm bored.

Quote from Icaro_Ribeiro

This is an interesting question.

I followed their pre debut content, watched their reallity show and casually engaged their activities for about a year, a time where I think almost nobody other than their fans used to know Stray Kids, until I ultimately decided I was in reallity pressure myself to follow them, and getting nothing in return

My perspective seeing Stray Kids the first time I was watching BTS reborn. The group dynamic and structure was mildly similar to BTS, and a friend of mine who is a hardcore army since 2013 told me Stray Kids give them the same vibes he felt when started following BTS as early as in No more Dream. I believed him, and I loved BTS so I decided to give a chance to Stray Kids.

I expected them to hit big with iFans and probably become a big name in West eventually. They could possibly be the biggest 4th gen group as well, not in Korea but outside Korea. I think I got it partially right, but not really in the way I thought

I didn't foresee Stray Kids to be diametrically different from BTS music-wise

Nowadays they resemble me more of Bigbang, in the sense they are trying to push boundaries with their sounds instead of conforming to do appealing music, which I respect, but I hate lmao

So while they indeed became the most popular group, I no longer think they have a shot to fulfill the market space BTS once had. For two reasons

- In 2018, BTS was nowhere near as big as they are today like... not at all, I was thinking Fake love-DNA BTS level of sucess, not Dynamite-Butter BTS level of sucess

- BTS music have their similarities with early SKz music, but for me the turning point for BTS was 2015 when they released I Need U. The same way the turning point for Stray Kids was God Menu, and those songs are so different that it was highly unlikely two groups who blow up in such different circumstances could be a replacement for each other

This post is becoming way too long, so I'll leave it there. I still don't like Stray Kids (as musicians, nothing against them as personal) at all, and I think this is the ultimate proof that my prediction was wrong

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As someone who have been following BTS and Stray Kids for 7 and 3 years respectively I can see some similarities others most likely won't notice on surface. But I do.

Cause when you think about similarities between groups, you think about musical direction, style and concept. But they are drastically different on that departament. I could hear some BTS influence from Stray Kids first albums here and there, but less polished - as they started to improve as producers through the years - and It didn't last long as they found their identity on God's Menu which really set them apart from any K-pop group I've ever heard.

I think until this day Companies think that the biggest selling point of BTS was that they were self-produced, were singing about Youth, had a Hip-Hop/Rap style and It appealed to international market or had an interesting lore. And surely it might have helped, but I think they really knew how to convey sincerity and building loyalty from the public to their music and themselves as musicians creating a hardcore big following. And Stray Kids are gifted with something similar.

I see a similar passion, a similar fire in the eyes, a similar beautiful work ethic and absolutely dedication for their music and they take their musical career very seriously.

They are very firm and consistent in what they believe as artists, despite criticism. This creates a component of a strong parasocial relationship in which fans, feeling connected with them through songs with personal experiences and opinions, begin to defend and buy fervently to prove that those who criticize them are wrong and It's them against the world.

And I think It's crazy how they both can do this being, as I said, so different in terms of music and concept.

Quote from ellenote

When they first debuted, I didn't like there music and didn't know much about any member, I did think that they wouldn't do well at all because a lot of people starting saying they didn't like their music so I thought that they would be on the same level as Got7 in korea at that time, but I did come around to them in 2020 when I heard Gods Menu, that was when I started watching content from Stay on youtube, I started to like all the members and starting to listen to their music more and more. So in the beginning I thought they weren't going to be as big as they are today, but it was nice to see them climb higher and higher each year with their new music, and seeing JYP put more faith into the members, pacifically 3RACHA, and give them higher budgets each comeback. So needless to say, stray kids world domination really is true!

I remember I first heard their music in 2017 when they dropped Hellevator and It didn't impress me. When they released District 9, My Pace, I am YOU, MIROH, Side Effects, Levanter I didn't hear any of them. And I only listened to God's Menu in the day It was released because a friend said the MV was incredible. It really was, just like the song and It's album so It was inevitable for me to stan.

But I confess from what I could see from their first 2 years in terms of accomplishments, I didn't have big expectations and thought they would do decently at best. Especially because It seemed they were kind of stagnating very fast. I could never imagine God's Menu would be that big of a game changer even when I was already into them lol

Quote from StelloMomoDay

I have never heard a Stray Kids song

Hey, we need a first time for everything!

Quote from xx-jenn-xx

When I first got into kpop i was introduced to bts, after mots7 bts musically went in a direction i didnt' really enjoy and i started to venture into other groups. I found things like victon and stray kids. at the time i was HUGE into stray kids I mean bang chan was my boy. I was so mad when they booted felix and minho off the show. even though i came way later as a fan and the show had already been done and over with, i was still angry. I was so proud at how Felix really grew. this was 2020 when i was into them.

I also at that point was so die hard into stray kids that i hated everyone who still suppported "That one guy who shall not be named" i felt you were not a true stay if you still supported him and all the shit that Stray kids had to go through. People are still fans of his and I still find him a joke but that's just me....however shortly after I discovered Ateez and this was when Inception came out... I kid you not i sadly dropped stray kids like hot cakes and went for Ateez.

I thought about it and the reason for that is...Ateez music appeals more to me then Stray Kids. In the beginning stray kids had amazing songs. Sure God's Menu was catchy but like...It wasn't for me. and then after that no, nope, nope...there's quite a few songs I do enjoy, example Red Lights, wolfgang etc. Their work on Kingdom was fantastic and I loved their interactions with Ateez and BTOB. They really made a name for themselves, but realistically the biggest fandom of all the groups was theirs. They were going to be on the top no matter what. I mean hell SF9's biggest fandom base sabotaged them, the brainless sack of shits.

So for me, I expected stray kids to be big but mostly because of their fanbase being nuts. Their music is up and down and hit or miss, and this isn't mean being rude or dissing on them at all. I give mad respects to HAN. That man can not only rap but he can sing and recently i found that Changbin has an amazing voice. I would love for them to go out there and do some massive ballad because dammit they can do it. When I watched Kingdom i was astonished at how beautiful seungmin sounded with jongho and eunkwang, I never knew he was that good, so from the time i watched them up til that point he really improved as well.

I feel like stray kids are like Ateez, fuck the GP we are going to make what WE want whether people enjoy it or not, Ateez actually said that and I feel the same way with Stray Kids. They are going to do what they want and don't care who likes it or doesn't. good for them. I hope they continue to last for quite awhile.

I hope i made sense.

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Ah, Chan has said something similar in 2021. 2 years later they are still the same

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Bang Chan, plugged firmly into K-pop’s status quo, is aware that Stray Kids’ singles perpetually evoke strong listener reactions. As their popularity grows, this hasn’t altered, merely continued on a bigger scale. “There’s no answer to music. It’s all about preference,” he reasons peaceably. “We like to experiment, that could be a reason why opinions are so polarizing, but as long as we like it, and if there are people out who like it the same way as we like it, then it’s a win-win situation.”

And you made sense, thank you for sharing your opinion!

Quote from nevermindmejin

They debuted when Twice was the biggest GG, and from a reality show with a very strong predebut song Hellavator. So I was expecting an Exo-level of greatness from them from the start. But they gradually build their own brand and climb the top slowly and steadily.

Anyway, I expected them to be bigger than they are now.

I feel like the natural growth of K-pop internationally in 2018 and the obvious fact more people were aware of JYP brand/legacy helped them more than TWICE own public's awareness back in that time, since they have always reached different demographies.

I think the right senior group to help them to receive attention would be GOT7, but their fans hated the agency so much, I bet most of them didn't translate into Company supporters.

No to mention, when most people are interested in a Big3 group, they expect a high visual budget and productions with the help of top-notch composers or with hits known to the company's acts, but SKZ didn't have that and their productions/mixes weren't as polished (and they gradually got better through the years). Their whole image was kind of low budget. So I think even If you knew them, they didn't have an attractive image. The first time It felt they were a Big3 group was with God's Menu/Go Live era.

That's why I think they had a lackluster start.

Quote from motorp77

miss A bg version in popularity, with the group being overall more popular and less popular towards any member

Wait, who did you think would be the Suzy?

Quote from keyboardwarrior7

Honestly, I did not think much of Stray Kids when they 1st debuted. I'm an Ahgase, so at the time, I just saw them as GOT7's little brother group. And, since JYPE is not really known for their boy groups, I was not sure how well they would do. Especially, since they seemed to inherit the image of not making good music from GOT7 after their music was labeled "noise music". And honestly, I was not a fan of their earlier music either.

I knew they would sell well since they are from a big 3 company, but no way did I ever expect them to become the highest selling BG of their generation. Especially since they had a slow start. Who knew they'd go on to become 5 million sellers (haven't crossed it yet but very close).

Now, I really respect them and like them as a group. Ngl, I have slowly been becoming a fan since God's Menu dropped. I loved God's Menu, Thunderous, Maniac, and S-class, and I went down a Stray Kids rabbit hole after S-class dropped. Watching hella reaction videos to God's Menu, Thunderous, and Teuk, and also watching their US/English promotions on YouTube. I NEVER do that unless I'm really into a group. Next step is me watching their variety show content, and if I reach that point, I'm a goner.

But, yes, at this point, Stray Kids is probably the only active boy group that I follow and can see myself stanning (along with BoyNextDoor). Caught myself looking up concert tickets to see if they were still on tour, lol...so yeah....I'm not too far off.

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I've noticed you participate of and react more to my threads about Stray Kids than you used to! I just didn't know It's because you are a fan now. So cool!

If you want recommentation for their Variety Content (ok, you didn't answer yet, but I'm giving just in case), I indicate watching their 'Howl in Harmony' show.

It's a show of a few episodes where they are divided in units and have to create a song from zero together. But the song can't match the other unit's ideas. Each unit built the narrative of their song's lyrics and wrote together. They thought about the production, the concept, the genres, even called the directors and gave the ideas they want to their songs for the construction of the MV. It was how 'Red Lights', 'Gone Away' and 'Surfin" were created. It's so interesting and original! I think you'd enjoy.