Stray Kids’ ‘dominATE’ goes to the big screen

Seeing my favorite K-pop boy group, Stray Kids, on the big screen brought me back to the first time I saw them perform in 2024, when they played in Bulacan as part of their “dominATE World Tour.”

Except this time, I wasn’t in the Philippine Arena. Instead, it felt like I was in Inglewood, watching the octet perform at SoFi Stadium, the very venue that the likes of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, BTS, BLACKPINK, and their JYP Entertainment labelmate TWICE have occupied.

Recorded on May 31 and June 1 last year, Stray Kids performed at the iconic California stadium, which can hold up to 70,240 attendees. Their 13-show U.S. leg garnered almost half a million fans (called STAYs) and grossed $76.2 million in revenue according to a report by Billboard.

Released a year later, their concert film, titled “The dominATE Experience,” bagged a major distributor for its global release — Universal Pictures, which partnered with Live Nation Studios, the film’s producer. In the Philippines, the Stray Kids concert feature is exclusively shown at SM Cinema since February 4.

Bagging a major Hollywood studio to distribute their recorded live show in cinemas is proof of how much the K-pop group has grown since their 2018 debut. Stray Kids consists of leader Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N

With a two-and-a-half-hour runtime, the film does a great job capturing the energetic experience of a Stray Kids concert, bringing that level of immersion to both fans who have seen them live and those who couldn’t afford to attend in person.

Among the songs performed and featured in the film are “Chk Chk Boom,” “God’s Menu,” “Back Door,” and “Megaverse,” as well as their emulations of fan-favorite award show renditions of “S-Class” from their MTV VMA performance and “Maniac” from their MAMA Awards stage.

By frequently mixing footage of STAYs’ reactions with the group’s performances, the film captures the epic scale of their SoFi Stadium shows and cements the performances as a landmark moment for the group.

But at times, the editing relies too heavily on quick, fast cuts that don’t give enough breathing room to fully appreciate the performances between takes. Still, credit is due for consistently capturing all eight members through wide shots that showcase both their individual auras and the group’s presence as a whole.

Those who attended their Bulacan show, or any other stop in Asia in 2024, will notice that the setlist in the film differs from what they saw live, with solo stages replaced by sub-unit performances performed by two members.

The duo segment is where the film becomes most ambitious with its camerawork, using close-up shots that make viewers feel as if they’re on stage with the performers. The members shine in these pieces, highlighting the group’s versatility in the different genres they dabbled in.

The concert movie also features interviews with the members, who reflect on their success as a group and their psyche as performers both onstage and off.

Felix speaks about finding his path as a K-pop idol, including the obstacles he faced along the way. Changbin discusses making music with Bang Chan and Han as part of their producing trio 3Racha, while Han and I.N. talk about learning not to overthink the small mistakes they make onstage.

Hyunjin, meanwhile, explains how he best expresses himself through creating art, whether onstage through performance or through his paintings, which he often shares online, while Seungmin talks about how music shapes his life, both as a person and as a performer.

As the final interviewee, Bang Chan reflects on his role as a brother figure to the members and his drive to keep working even during breaks. Lee Know, meanwhile, hopes younger idols will one day cite Stray Kids as their inspiration, just as his own idols inspired him.

“If future K-pop artists ever say, ‘I want to become an idol because of Stray Kids,’ I think that would mean the world to me,’ Lee Know said in Korean.

STAYs will be happy with “The dominATE Experience,” as it feels like a triumph for their loyalty to the group, whether they’re new fans or have followed Stray Kids since the beginning, as they celebrate their eighth year together.

For curious onlookers, it serves as the best primer on why Stray Kids is among the biggest boy groups globally and why they attract such a massive following, driven in part by the members’ charismatic personalities and dedicated performances, which the film’s footage highlights.