On November 21, Stray Kids released their mini-album DO IT, part of the group’s album series “SKZ IT TAPE,” which focuses on the certainty and inner strength of the group, with the slogan “This is it” expressing boldness in taking action without hesitation. But controversy quickly sparked over Stray Kids’ popularity in the United States compared to BTS and BLACKPINK.
In a recent post on the Korean forum instiz, an internet user shared a graph showing K-pop group views on YouTube Music in the United States, with a comment expressing surprise that Stray Kids surpassed both BTS and BLACKPINK in views.
The original post shared:
“YouTube Music views of major IPs in the United States”
They’re higher even than BTS and BLACKPINK. And it’s my first time seeing KATSEYE? Their views are high too.”
The post added that the group managed to surpass the global K-pop groups to top the list, praising their huge popularity and reach, but many internet users criticized the comparison given that BTS hasn’t promoted as a group for over three years. In contrast, Stray Kids made their fastest comeback just three months after releasing their album KARMA.
Some fans went further, comparing this to BTS’s Billboard achievements, which still hold most of the records, including:
- First K-pop group to top the Billboard Hot 100
- First K-pop group to top the Hot 100 with a Korean song
- First K-pop group to stay #1 on the Hot 100 for more than a week (Butter for 10 weeks)
- Top-selling K-pop group in the United States
Stray Kids surpassed BTS in highest North American tour revenue for a K-pop boy group: $80.2M with dominATE 2025, beating BTS’s $75.6M from their previous tour. Total global revenue: $185.9M from selling 1.3M tickets.
In the end, BTS still holds most US market records despite being inactive for over three years, while some noted that Stray Kids’ advantage in album sales and tours is mainly due to their intense activity in recent years.
- “Dragging BTS and BLACKPINK + posting in the news section + pretending not to know KATSEYE + someone checking US YouTube Music views… then acting like they don’t know…”
- “No joke? I didn’t know.”
- “BTS aren’t doing any group activities, yet these numbers are this high.”
- “If you’re going to post in the news section, please don’t mention other groups… only the fans suffer.”
- “They haven’t promoted as a group for 3 years, yet these numbers… that’s weird.”
- “Being popular is worth celebrating… but it would’ve been better not to mention other groups in the post.”
- “I don’t know about BLACKPINK, but BTS didn’t do any activities this year…? Not attacking, but mentioning other groups like this will upset people.”
- “BTS went on a full group hiatus for 3 years… are you kidding? If you have any shame, compare the number of times groups hit #1 on Billboard first.”
- “At least wait until BTS comes back then talk… haha.”
- “Hope BTS comes back as a full group soon and does a tour too.”
- “BTS military service…”
- “As I always say… Stray Kids fans are few in Korea, and even fewer in the forum… so stop pulling their hair.”
