[Photo&] Stray Kids Aim Not for Awards, Releases New Album ‘THE? & THAT’… Grammy and Military-Halt Hiatus Feelings ‘Reporter Press-Talk Scene’

The group 'Stray Kids' returned after a 9-month silence with a new album, 'THE? & THAT' (THIS & THAT). At a release-day press event held at the Conrad Seoul hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 6th, the members laid bare not only their overwhelming confidence in the new record but also their weighty thoughts about submitting to the 'Grammy Awards' and the upcoming military hiatus.

An evolution without boundaries, the “ease and provocation” of their ninth year

“I’m excited because we can prove that 'Stray Kids' has evolved even further with this new album. We’re still hungry.” The statement from leader 'BangChan' was firm. Even as they entered their ninth year since debut, their musical thirst did not dry up. Like the album title, it reflects their bold resolve to take on anything and everything, without limits.

The weight of eight straight wins on the “Billboard 200,” and 3RACHA

This new album is the result of 9 months since 'DO IT' was released last November. 'THE? & THAT', released simultaneously worldwide at 1:00 p.m. on the 7th, contains a total of eight tracks, including the pre-released song 'RUN IT'. Across the album, production was led once again by '3RACHA' (BangChan, Changbin, Han), the group’s core engine, as they built yet another distinctive musical world.

A global focus, “a CHILL vibe that breaks the mold”

'Changbin' emphasized that “we stepped back one pace from the usual intensity and captured a more relaxed, 'CHILL' mood,” adding, “Since we were working in the U.S., I could feel real confidence in the title track.” While they have written a record of eight consecutive No. 1s on the 'Billboard 200' starting with 'ODDINARY' in 2022, 'Seungmin' maintained a matter-of-fact attitude, saying, “Instead of getting hung up on the 9th straight record, we’re just going to do our best on every album.”

Rumors of a 'Grammy' submission and the essence beyond the trophy

When asked whether they plan to submit for next year’s 'Grammy Awards', a major topic in the pop market, they held back. Amid the intense attention from both inside and outside the industry on criticism of BTS’s introduction of a new Grammy category and refusal to submit, 'Hyunjin' drew a clear line, saying, “I have never once set winning as an unquestioning goal.” He continued, saying, “Our only mission is to prove that 'Stray Kids' is a team that can perfectly digest anything,” making it clear that they will focus on the essence of their music.

The upcoming “military hiatus,” “the duty of national defense is an obvious law”

They also made their stance clear on the unavoidable 'military hiatus'—the gap caused by mandatory military service—even for a top-tier global boy group. 'LeeKnow', who is born in 1998 and is set to enlist, said, “The duty of national defense is an obvious law as a young person from the Republic of Korea,” adding, “I’ll return faithfully and do my part to repay the unconditional love that the fandom 'STAY' has given.”

Endless challenges, a new milestone for K-pop

As they wrapped up the press event, 'Changbin' said, “Going forward, we will communicate with the world through songs we ourselves create,” and added, “We’ll keep opening up new ground and enjoy exploring areas beyond what’s familiar,” underlining his strong determination. With 'THE? & THAT', coming out to the world after 9 months of preparation, observers around the globe are paying close attention to what new ripple it will bring to the global K-pop scene.