Stray Kids is a 2017 reality show created by JYP Entertainment and Mnet. It is a male idol debut project with the concept of winning the "trainees versus JYP" survival. It was broadcast on Mnet from October 17 to December 19, 2017, on Tuesdays at 23:00 timeslot for ten episodes.
Background and concept
In late July 2017, it was reported that JYP Entertainment, home to male idol groups 2PM and Got7, was rumored to premiere a new season of 2015 reality show Sixteen on the second half of the year, however it was revealed the next month that the agency would launch a male idol debut project with a completely different concept from Sixteen. The show was set to air in fall but the debut of the final line-up might happen in 2018. Rather than individuals surviving to become a team, the trainees would be working towards the goal of debuting altogether. The team was based on internal selection and trainees would perform their self-composed songs. They were judged on individual abilities and teamwork based on unexpected missions to win the "trainees versus JYP" survival. The show also featured the behind-the-scenes look at the daily lives of trainees and their showcase held in August. On September 21, JYPE revealed the show's title, Stray Kids, along with its logo and social media channels. The first image teaser featuring the nine members was unveiled on October 9.
"Hellevator"
On September 26, 2017, a music video teaser of a song titled "Hellevator" was uploaded online. The full version was scheduled to be released on October 3 but was pushed back to the 6th. The song, co-composed and co-written by 3Racha, was later released as a digital single on November 1.
On the first episode, JYPE decided to determine their new debuting group by competing the female trainees' team called 2team with members selected by the agency against male trainees' team called Male Project Team—created by long-time trainee Bang Chan. Both teams received compliments, however Park Jin-young ultimately picked the Male Project Team as the winner due to their teamwork.
The first mission was revealed: the nine members were challenged to compose their own song and showcase a performance to determine if they could debut altogether or if an elimination is inevitable. One week prior to their performance, the other members started moving into their dorm. After they settled in, the group went to the arcade to spend some free time. At JYPE Training Center, the group selected the track they would use for the mission evaluation and started practicing. On the day of the evaluation, the group announced their name, Stray Kids, and their song titled "Hellevator". After the performance, Park praised the song's lyrics, arrangement and melody, though he mentioned that the key of it is too high for male singers. There were members who did not meet Park's standard and expectation, which led to an elimination round.
, Jeong-in and Hyun-jin were at risk of elimination. After giving criticisms, Park re-arranged the members' parts in "Hellevator". For the next mission evaluation, they were tasked to divide the group into three teams for a "3:3:3" stage performances. The members decided their own teammates: Min-ho picked Felix and Chang-bin, Hyun-jin picked Seung-min and Chan, and Jeong-in picked Woo-jin and Ji-sung. Five days prior, the teams spent a day off. Min-ho's team went to Hangang Park and ate lunch, Hyun-jin's team went to a bowling center, and Jeong-in's team went to a karaoke room. During the episode, filming for the music video of "Hellevator" was also shown.
The three teams showed their performances to other members for comments and advice. On the second mission evaluation, Hyun-jin's team was first to perform the song titled "4419", based on their experiences while riding bus No. 4419 in Seoul. Park praised their overall performance. Min-ho's team performed a song titled "Glow", lyrically about a hardworking team who is practicing until dawn. Chang-bin received compliments but Felix got criticized for being unconfident while Min-ho got the lyrics wrong while performing. Jeong-in's team performed "School Life" with lyrics about students' days and slight rebellion. Ji-sung and Woo-jin both received compliments though Park pointed out their lack of stage presence and dancing skills, respectively. Jeong-in got criticized on his rap and dance skills. Jeong-in, Felix and Min-ho were at risk of getting eliminated. In the end, Min-ho got eliminated from the group.
Episode 5 (November 14, 2017)
Park remarked that Min-ho's skills were still lacking due to shorter training period compare to other members. Stray Kids continued with eight members. Few days after the elimination, Park gathered the group for a talk and lesson about points to remember in achieving their dreams. Afterwards, the group was given a special vacation in Gangneung. They went to the sea, ate at the central market and played relay skating at the ice rink. At night, they camped out and started a group chat about the hardest mission they went through so far, the person who they were most grateful to the most and talked about Min-ho. In the end, they watched Min-ho's video message.
Episode 6 (November 21, 2017)
Park revealed the third mission: "JYP vs. YG", similar to the agencies' trainees' showdown happened in 2013 reality television program Win: Who is Next. A week before the battle, the group picked their representatives for vocal, dance and free battle teams. For the vocal team, they needed to perform a song from the girl groups of the other agency. Chan, Woo-jin, Ji-sung, and Jeong-in selected Black Pink's "As If It's Your Last". They worked on a remix version of the song to fit Stray Kids' concept. 3Racha prepared a rap performance titled "Matryoshka", about Russia's traditional dolls. On the battle day, they went to YG Entertainment headquarter where they met the other agency's trainees for the first time, including Bang Ye-dam from K-pop Star 2. In the free battle round, Chang-bin and Ji-sung performed "Matryoshka" without Chan. Yang Hyun-suk and Park praised their performance. Bang Ye-dam of YG performed Shawn Mendes' "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" and received compliments from Park.
Episode 7 (November 28, 2017)
Stray Kids' vocal team, excluding Jeong-in, performed "As If It's Your Last" and finished without any mistakes. YG vocal team performed a remix version of Wonder Girls' "Why So Lonely" and overall received high praise. On the dance battle, Stray Kids performed an original and unique stage while YG trainees performed and got compliments and some tips from Park. Few days after the third mission, Park invited Stray Kids to a brunch and revealed the next mission—a busking event. They then went to Hongdae, Seoul to research about busking. The members prepared for their upcoming busking event while Jeong-in and Felix were preparing hard for them not to be eliminated.
It was set for Stray Kids' busking event to be held in Sincheon. Jun. K of 2PM and Black Eyed Pilseung's Rado were invited to watch the busking as Park's mystery listeners. Got7 members BamBam and Yugyeom and Day6 members Sungjin and Young K also attended the event. Stray Kids performed "Hellevator", "School Life" and a new song titled "Yayaya". Park criticized the performances—stated that Chan's vocalization was not stable, Woo-jin could not be recognized as main vocal and lacking in dancing skill, Hyun-jin's pronunciation was still lacking, and Felix made a dance mistake while performing "Yayaya" and his rapping did not stand out because of his difficulty in Korean language. Hyun-jin, Woo-jin and Felix were chosen for a potential elimination. In the end, Felix was eliminated.
For the final mission, it was announced by Park that there would be a live broadcast and live audience voting. After the announcement, they re-organized the choreography to match the seven remaining members. Chan's friend, BamBam of Got7, visited JYPE Training Center and they went out to eat and gave Chan advice. Meanwhile, some members had their vocal lesson: Seung-min performed Shawn Mendes' "Stitches", Woo-jin was practicing his vocalization and performed Adam Levine's "Lost Stars". Hyun-jin performed "MM" in front of his rap trainer, then Chang-bin helped him to vocalize. Jeong-in performed "Impossible" by James Arthur. While practicing the choreography, Got7's JB and Jinyoung visited them at the training center. They gave the members advice for a live broadcast and commented on their seven-member version of "Yayaya". At JYPE headquarters, they recorded their new song titled "Young Wings" with composer 1take. The next scene was a week before the recording, when Park called Min-ho and Felix back and gave them a second chance to be part of the group. It was then revealed that the stages to be shown on the live broadcast would be seven-member version against nine-member version of the song to determine the final line-up.
A live broadcast was held at the CJ E&M Ilsan Studio on December 19. Kim Il-joong served as host for the show. A nationwide voting was held to determine if Stray Kids would debut as a seven-member or a nine-member group. The seven-member version of "Yayaya" and "Young Wings" was performed first. Park gave positive remarks on the first two stages. Min-ho and Felix came out to join the group and performed the nine-member version of "Hellevator", "School Life" and a new upbeat song titled "Grrr". Jun. K of 2PM performed a special stage. The live vote ended with 96% in favour of the nine-member group. Park commented, "A robot has no mistakes, but a robot and human are different. When I see a nine-member stage, I still see lacking parts in both of you. But when all nine performs, the expressions are alive. Congratulations, Stray Kids will debut as nine".
Result
All nine members of Stray Kids officially debuted in March 2018 with the release of their extended play titled I Am Not.
