After back-to-back number ones on the Billboard Top 200, South Korean band Stray Kids has done it again. They secured their eighth number one on Billboard, with their new EP, “DO IT.”

“DO IT” is unlike the vast majority of Stray Kids’ past releases, shocking fans with its unusual dark concept. While the band has done numerous “mixtapes”, “DO IT” explores a more mature and dark theme.

The band consists of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, HAN, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. Debuting in 2017 and in the nine years since, Stray Kids has earned their place among the top international artists, with over 360 songs and four studio albums.

Unlike other K-pop groups, Stray Kids is self-produced. 3RACHA, a sub-unit within the band, writes and produces the bulk of their discography. Bang Chan, Changbin and HAN make up the talented producing group. Since debuting, 3RACHA has worked together, with Bang Chan as both the leader of Stray Kids, and the head of the sub-unit, and HAN and Changbin as co-producers.

The track list for “DO IT” is packed with both powerhouse hype songs and emotional masterpieces. There are five songs on the new EP:

• “Do It”
• “신선놀음 (DIVINE)”
• “Holiday”
• “Photobook”
• “Do It (Festival Version)”

The title track “Do It” is a playful nod to Stray Kids’ growing success. The song focuses on the importance of not letting anything hold you back from your goals, and to just do it. The choreography to this song is already gaining attention on social media, with thousands of people posting their own covers. This first track is upbeat and fun, and sets the tone for the rest of the EP. 

The second song on the It Tape, “신선놀음 (DIVINE),” starts off with the powerhouse intro by Stray Kids’ vocalist Seungmin. Many fans recognize the group for their unique sound, and “DIVINE” captures that by saying, “This that new pop, we make it right.” This song showcases the band’s vocal talent, especially in both the intro and outro.

The third track, “Holiday,” has sparked the interest of many fans. With the amount of hard work put in by Stray Kids, fans recognize that the group does need a “holiday.” Stray Kids reflect their feelings of pressure and exhaustion in this song, saying “I can’t go on, I’m just stuck, need a holiday.” Main dancer Hyunjin nearly left the group earlier this year due to the increasing pressure of being in the K-pop industry. Following this news, fans are urging Stray Kids to indeed take a break.

Track number four on the It Tape, “Photobook,” differs from the rest of the songs on the EP. The lyrics are almost all in Korean, with only “say goodbye” in English. “Photobook” displays deep emotional themes, taking listeners through the pain of flipping through a photobook, knowing you can never return to the past.

The final track on the EP, “Do It (Festival Version),” is a remix of the title track “Do It.” The festival version is more upbeat and quick, but most fans tend to prefer the original version.

The release of “DO IT” came only months after the release of Stray Kids’ fourth studio album “KARMA”. “DO IT” has broken the record for streams on Spotify, reaching over 3.33 million streams on the first day. They broke the record previously held by their album “KARMA.”

Bang Chan has been the producer and leader of Stray Kids for nearly nine years and pours his passion for music into everything they record. 

“Whether it’s schedules or performances, we always end up asking, ‘Can we do it?’” Bang Chan said. “But in the end, we always do it.”

“DO IT” has crushed fans’ expectations, with it being only the first part in their “IT TAPE” series. Stray Kids is set to release the rest of their series next year, with rumors of a world tour circling among the K-pop community.

Following their new release, Stray Kids have a promising future ahead of them.

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