Stray Kids ends Latin America tour in style with record-breaking Mexico concerts

Stray Kids performs during their "dominATE" world tour in Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Saturday, wrapping up the Latin American leg of their world tour. The concert drew an audience of 115,000 over two days. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment

By Aura Resendiz

• Published Apr 14, 2025 12:25 PM KST
• Updated Apr 16, 2025 11:01 AM KST

8-member group expands 4th-gen K-pop's global reach

MEXICO CITY — The stadium lights dimmed, and the roar of thousands erupted into the night. At precisely 7 p.m. on Saturday, the chants of Stray Kids’ names echoed through Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, where glowing red light sticks lit up the arena like wildfire.

The wait felt like a blink eye. What had seemed like a distant dream quickly became a reality. Dancers took the stage, waving flags bearing the name “Stray Kids” as thunderous drumbeats heralded the group's arrival in Mexico — their latest conquest and the final stop on the Latin American leg of their world tour.

Under the JYP Entertainment label, Stray Kids visited Mexico for the first time in their seven-year career as part of their "Stray Kids World Tour 'dominATE,'" produced by OCESA — a company that has been making significant investments in K-pop concerts across Mexico — following successful stops in Chile, Brazil and Peru in collaboration with Live Nation.

With their debut in the Mexican capital, Stray Kids made history as the first Korean boy group to sell out not just one but two nights at the iconic Estadio GNP Seguros — formerly known as Foro Sol. The 65,000-capacity venue has hosted global superstars like Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift, as well as K-pop girl groups BLACKPINK and TWICE.

Stray Kids members Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin and I.N. kicked off the night with electrifying performances of “Mountains,” “Thunderous” and “JJAM,” with voices as powerful as their fans.

“Your energy from the start is just amazing,” said Bang Chan. “I think you’ve been waiting for us for a long time, right? I’m really sorry, but also, thank you so much for that.”

For a K-pop group like Stray Kids — whose sound leans heavily into hip-hop — keeping an audience singing nonstop might seem like a challenge. However, in Mexico, fans had no trouble keeping up, rapping fluently in both Korean and English, shaking the stadium with every verse.

The crowd's excitement peaked during “District 9” and “Black Door” and reached a fever pitch during “Chk Chk Boom,” “DOMINO” and the now-classic “God’s Menu.”

The group gave just as much in return. All eight members spoke Spanish to their Mexican fans throughout the night, dropping words like “hola (hello),” “señorita (miss),” “promesa (promise)” and “te amo (I love you),” sparking emotional reactions from the crowd.

Bang Chan, in particular, went the extra mile, using slang like “órale (come on)” and “wey (dude),” even improvising a rap featuring the Spanish phrase “¿qué te pasa? (what’s the matter?)” — a moment of spontaneity that sent fans into a frenzy and deepened the connection between the artist and the audience.

Yonger audiences respond to hip-hop sound

While known for powerful group performances, the world tour has also highlighted Stray Kids’ versatility through dynamic subunit stages.

Han and Felix delivered a hard-hitting hip-hop performance of “Truman.” Changbin and I.N unleashed their rock side with “Burnin’ Tires.” Bang Chan and Hyunjin showed a mature, sultry vibe in “ESCAPE,” and Lee Know and Seungmin closed with the emotional “CINEMA.”

The high energy didn’t let up with songs like “GIANT,” “Walking On Water” and “S-Class,” highlighting the group’s ability to create genre-blending hits deeply rooted in their hip-hop identity.

This creative range is no accident. Since debuting in 2018, Stray Kids have taken pride in writing and producing their music — a trait that’s given their discography a unique voice and earned them widespread acclaim.

They’ve become the first artist to have six consecutive albums top the Billboard 200 chart, starting with 2022’s “Oddinary”, followed by “Maxident”, “5-STAR”, “Rock-Star”, “Ate”, and their latest, “Hop”. The group also boasts three entries on Billboard’s Hot 100, beginning with 2023’s “Rock” from Rock-Star, which peaked at No. 90, making them the first fourth-generation K-pop boy group to reach this milestone.

Their hands-on approach has propelled their evolution, helping them break genre boundaries and emerge as truly global artists. In 2024, they ranked among the top 10 in the IFPI Global Artist Chart, Global Album Chart and Global Album Sales Chart.

The intense energy of the show eventually gave way to more intimate moments, with tracks like “Lonely St.,” “I am YOU” and “Cover Me.” An emotional atmosphere blended perfectly with the nighttime landscape, which, on that day, was graced by a full moon.

“The moon is beautiful tonight,” Bang Chan said. “When we see the moon, we think of you. That’s why we always say you are beautiful.”

4th-gen K-pop leader

“Hallyu,” or the Korean wave, in Latin America has evolved beyond merely reliving K-pop’s golden era. The overwhelming success of Stray Kids across five Latin American countries proves that the genre’s future is firmly establishing itself — and they’re at the forefront.

Their world tour began in Seoul in August 2024 and included stops across Asia, Oceania, North America and Europe. According to JYP Entertainment, the tour is expected to draw 2.2 million fans overall, potentially setting a new record for the largest K-pop tour audience in history.

It’s a goal within reach. Across Latin America, Stray Kids have mobilized a passionate fan base from Chile to Mexico, unlike any boy group since BTS. It’s a movement powered by a young — and often new — generation of K-pop fans.

The concert highlighted why they have garnered such devotion. Their energy and dynamism transcend hip-hop influence; they're fueled by a deep desire to connect and empower youth who feel overlooked.

In tracks like “TOPLINE,” “Social Path,” “LALALALA,” “MEGAVERSE” and “MANIAC,” their raw raps and resonant vocals offer not just hype but catharsis. It’s music for releasing frustrations, for escaping disappointment — and for finding belonging.

While the crowd skewed young, even older attendees — there to accompany STAYs — were left impressed by the group’s live spectacle. The seamless mix of hip-hop and rock showed that Stray Kids may be poised for a mainstream crossover.

“It’s hard to put into words. It’s truly an honor to be here with you all,” said Changbin, after performing “I Like It” and “BLIND SPOT.”

The final segment of the concert featured “Stray Kids,” “MIROH,” “Chk Chk Boom” and the surprise performance of “Hall of Fame,” concluding a nearly three-hour show where the energy never waned.

Through immersive visuals, reimagined live versions of their biggest hits and a set list designed to keep the adrenaline flowing, Stray Kids delivered a performance that solidified their global status. It was on this stage that the tour’s name took on profound significance: their determination to “dominATE” the world with explosive music isn’t just a promise — it’s happening now.

“I’m so happy we were able to end this show in such a passionate country,” Changbin said. “It made us feel excited, too. We promise we’ll be back.”

This article was written by Aura Resendiz and edited by Lucero Santiago for Kmagazine, a Mexican media outlet specializing in Korean and Asian culture, with over nine years of experience covering the hallyu scene in Latin America and Spanish-speaking countries. It was translated and published as part of a collaboration between The Korea Times and Kmagazine. A Spanish version of the article is available at Kmagazine.