Stray Kids is showing the world their incredible popularity once again by making history on the U.S. Billboard Year-End Chart!

On December 13 (local time), Billboard released its Year-End Chart for 2024, and Stray Kids ranked 73rd on the Top Artists chart. This is the highest position ever achieved by a K-pop group, proving their global influence.

On the Billboard 200 Year-End Chart, Stray Kids placed two albums: 樂-STAR (Rockstar) at 123rd and ATE (Eight) at 139th. Their achievements didn’t stop there! On the Top Album Sales section, 樂-STAR ranked an impressive 4th, while ATE secured 9th place—making Stray Kids the highest-ranking K-pop act in this category.

The group also dominated other categories, earning 1st and 2nd place on the World Albums chart, 1st place on the World Album Artists chart, 2nd place on the Top Album Sales Artists chart, and 4th place on both the Top Artist Duo/Group and Billboard 200 Artist Duo/Group charts.

Stray Kids’ global power was further highlighted during the 2024 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs), where they took home the Top Global K-pop Artist award. This marks their second consecutive win at the BBMAs after claiming the Top K-pop Album award last year.

Adding to their achievements, Stray Kids released their latest album, SKZHOP HIPTAPE ‘合 (HOP)’, on December 13 (KST). The title track "Walkin On Water" has already taken over the YouTube Music Video Trending Worldwide chart, showing their massive fan support.

The group also wrapped up their record-breaking Stray Kids World Tour 'dominate (domINATE)', which included 48 performances across 32 cities. Their tour featured sold-out stadium concerts in 25 regions, proving that Stray Kids are a force to be reckoned with.

With so many milestones under their belt, Stray Kids is solidifying their place as a global phenomenon. Stay tuned for even more from this unstoppable group!

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IU recently revealed that she watched her own concert film in a public theater, but shockingly, no one recognized her—even when she dropped a hint!

On February 27, a new video featuring IU was released, showing her inside a car on her way to Daejeon.

She excitedly shared, “This is a surprise stage greeting for UAENA! I picked this location through a ladder game when I did stage greetings.”

Previously, IU had let fate decide which city she would visit after her stage greetings. She happily said, “There are UAENAs everywhere I go. Wherever I go, it's a flowery path.” The game ultimately led her to Daejeon.

IU originally hoped to explore the city, saying, “I wanted to visit Daejeon's pride, Sung Sim Dang, and walk around, but my team said it wouldn’t be possible. The lines are too long, and it’s freezing outside.” She sighed, adding, “So, things turned out this way.”

Dressed up for the occasion, IU smiled, saying, “I don’t get to meet UAENAs in Daejeon often, so I wanted to make a surprise appearance looking my best.”

She also joked about enjoying surprise events, adding, “As long as Hanteo oppa drives me safely, I’m happy.”

But what really caught fans' attention was IU’s unexpected confession—she had secretly watched her concert film in a theater, but no one noticed her! “No one recognized me at all. There weren’t that many people, and it was a weekday… but still! I even gave a hint!” she said, sounding both amused and surprised.

Later, when IU finally appeared at the theater, her fans were overwhelmed with emotion. Some even burst into tears, prompting her to gently say, “You really didn’t expect me to come, right?”

After wrapping up her stage greeting, IU laughed at herself, saying, “Wait, did I just do a 40-minute one-woman show? I must have talked so much.”

On her way back to Seoul, IU reflected on the day, sharing, “It was so cold today. I shook hands with all the UAENAs. My hands are usually cold, and since the weather was freezing, I think I made a lot of people’s hands cold, too. But after touching so many warm hands, mine became warm, too. I still haven’t washed them.”

Her love for her fans truly knows no bounds!

Source: [1]