On Thursday night, global juggernauts Stray Kids broke ground at Wrigley Field as the first K-pop group to headline the ballpark, and it was like nothing seen in 20 years of concerts at the Friendly Confines.
By 7 p.m., Gallagher Way and the interior concourse were literal ghost towns with no typical preshow mingling. The only signs of life were evident by the howling screams from inside the field that could be heard in a multiblock radius.
Stray Kids’ fans (Stays as they like to be called) were either glued to their seats in wild anticipation or prepping rehearsed dance moves in the aisles. Others were holding branded light sticks or sipping on boba tea that the ballpark sold for the night; some were exchanging “freebies” — friendship gift packs filled with stickers, buttons and other ephemera. The scene may have looked different from a Billy Joel or Pearl Jam show typical of Wrigley, but it was its own beautiful display of young fandom who had a shot at their own life-changing show thanks to immersive opportunities including a dance challenge, submitting names to appear as on-screen credits or being part of video reels.
Since forming in 2018 through a Korean reality show, Stray Kids have become one of the giants in the genre attracting fans from all over the globe. Last December, their “HOP” mixtape became their sixth No. 1 to top the Billboard 200 chart; it followed the “ATE” album that became the biggest debut by a K-pop group in 2024 with more than 12 million streams on its first day alone.
Stray Kids have continually stood apart for their signature mix of pop, rock, electro, industrial and hip-hop that they largely write and produce themselves. It could be heard live as they effortlessly weaved through the pop punk of “Lonely St.” followed by the musical theater ballad “Cover Me” to the rap verses in “TOPLINE” during their three-hour, 30-song performance.
“The last time we came here was Lollapalooza. Look how big we’ve grown over the past year,” a visibly awestruck band member Felix shared during one of the long-winded conversational interludes, referencing Stray Kids’ headlining spot at Lolla last August. There were a few of these pauses in the show in which the eight members, all incredibly physical singers/dancers, got to catch their breath and say a few motivational pieces (some doing so in Korean, aided by translator). One of them, Seungmin, talked about how he was on track to be a professional baseball player but found it more meaningful to be at Wrigley Field as a Stray Kid.
Anointed leader of the group Bang Chan used his speaking time to cautiously warn the crowd to take care in the night’s oppressive heat and humidity. “If you need water, feel free to let people know,” he cautioned. The band was still fresh from an ill-fated tour stop in D.C. three nights prior where the show was cut short due to the high temps, as six fans were hospitalized due to heat-related illnesses.
In light of that, Wrigley Field felt like a rebound of the band’s sold-out dominATE World Tour, where a surplus of fireworks, colored streamers, fast-paced graphics, a 20-person dance squad and four-member live band added to the ebullient atmosphere. It’s the band’s third trip around the globe at a time when K-pop continues to be a global music phenomenon. This summer will also see stops by ATEEZ at Wrigley, Blackpink at Soldier Field and TWICE who will become the first K-pop girl group to headline Lollapalooza.
Stray Kids’ live performance, anchored by the dance party hit “Chk Chk Boom” and the ubiquitous beats of “God’s Menu,” hints at what has been behind the group’s wild success and the staying power of K-pop. While the lyrical content may not be changing the world (see: “peanut butter jelly time / we stick together day and night” in “JJAM”), their fostering of community and connection is their superpower. Even when members proudly sing in their native tongue, including Han’s incredibly fast-lipped execution, American fans don’t skip a beat. It’s a strong model for music as a universal language and the human experience being bigger than the music itself.
A fan-submitted video montage that played on the screens demonstrated the Stray Kids’ impact on its loyal fans. In it, Stays talked about what the group had taught them, what it meant to have a “chosen family,” “not to care about what others say about me,” “self-love,” “belonging” and “positivity.” Afterward, an emotional Bang Chan responded, “The fact that we are here, all different people in this one place, singing the same songs, having fun, making memories … it speaks for itself.”
By the time the eight members, decked out in Cubs jerseys, rode around the field in a pair of raised mobile carts, waving at fans, it felt like a victory lap they well deserved.
Stray Kids set list at Wrigley Field
1. MOUNTAINS
2. Thunderous
3. JJAM
4. District 9
5. Back Door
6. Chk Chk Boom
7. DOMINO
8. God’s Menu
9. Truman (HAN & Felix)
10. Burnin’ Tires (Changbin & I.N)
11. ESCAPE (Bang Chan & Hyunjin)
12. CINEMA (Lee Know & Seungmin)
13. GIANT (Korean ver.)
14. Walkin on Water
15. S-Class (VMA ver.)
16. Lonely St.
17. Cover Me
18. TOPLINE
19. Social Path (Korean ver.)
20. LALALALA
21. MEGAVERSE
22. MANIAC (MAMA ver.)
Encore:
23. SUPER BOARD
24. I Like It
25. My Pace
26. Blind Spot
27. Stray Kids
28. MIROH
Encore 2:
29. Chk Chk Boom (festival ver.)
30. Haven