K-pop group Stray Kids took center stage as headliners at Lollapalooza 2024, stoking excitement across social media platforms. The South Korean octet’s performance in Chicago on Friday night marked a significant milestone in their career, prompting an outpouring of pride and enthusiasm from their devoted fanbase, known as STAY.
The group’s ascent to headliner status at one of North America’s premier music festivals follows their fifth consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. This achievement, coupled with their successful Lollapalooza set, has solidified Stray Kids’ position as frontrunners in the global music scene.
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The group’s 21-song setlist, which spanned their entire discography, received particular praise from fans. Highlights included explosive renditions of fan favorites like “God’s Menu,” “Thunderous,” and “Miroh,” as well as tracks from their latest album, ATE. The addition of a live band to their performance elevated the energy even further, earning widespread acclaim from attendees and online spectators alike.
As news of their performance spread, X (formerly Twitter) erupted with an avalanche of posts from ecstatic fans. Hashtags related to the group and their Lollapalooza appearance quickly dominated trending topics, showcasing the immense online presence of their international fanbase.
STAY members from around the world shared their thoughts and emotions, with many expressing how this headlining slot represented a dream realized for both the group and their supporters. Fans who attended the festival in person flooded the platform with real-time updates, video clips, and messages, allowing those unable to be present to experience the concert vicariously. Here are some ways Stray Kids fans responded to the group’s milestone performance on social media.
‘Vibes are Unreal’
Looks like Stray Kids are riding the Lollapalooza high. A day later, the group’s official account posted two pictures of the band posing for fans along with the message, “The Lollapalooza Chicago vibes are unreal Thank you to Lolla for having us as headliners, and to STAY both near and far for heating up Grant Park with us!” Their tweet is basically a big thank you card to the festival and their fans. It was an appropriate move to shout out not just the crowd at Grant Park, but also the STAYs tuning in from all over. Clearly a feel-good moment after their big night.
The ‘Main Event’
This fan’s not having it with anyone downplaying Stray Kids’ big moment. “Okay let me clear something, Lollapalooza is only ONE festival that takes place in 9 countries and that makes Stray Kids the first K-pop group to ever headline Lollapalooza,” they wrote. “Stop discrediting Skz just bc YOU think Lollapalooza in Chicago is the “main event” when it isn’t.” They are definitely ardent about Lollapalooza being a worldwide thing, not just a Chicago gig. And their fans are ready to defend that achievement. Talk about loyal supporters!
‘Good Luck’
On the day of the performance, this user posted a wide-ranging photo of the venue, already filled to capacity. “WE TOLD LOLLA THAT STAYS WOULDNT FIT IN THAT SPACE NOW LOOK AT THIS GOOD LUCK. Mind you, Straykids will perform in 3 hours…” The insane power of K-pop.
‘I Already Have a Bias’
Meanwhile, it looks like new fans are springing up like weeds. A Stray Kids fan account tweeted: “Argentinian Social Media influencer and content creator Sofia Altuna shared a video of #Hyunjin on her Instagram story after watching Stray Kids for the first time yesterday at Lollapalooza : ‘I already have a bias.’
‘That One Group’
One commenter got a bit shady celebrating the achievement, writing, “Despite having a smaller capacity ,Stray Kids is now the K-pop group with the biggest crowd at Lollapalooza (115k) surpassing #that one group.” Why, whomever do they mean?
115K Attendees
“178k people watching skz lollapalooza live on yt ‘outside of the US’ and 115K attendees my skz you are so big,” wrote one fan.
This Stay’s tweet really puts Stray Kids’ popularity into perspective. With almost as many people watching online from abroad as there were at the actual festival, it’s clear the group has fans all over the world.
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Photo Credit: Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty Images
