Stray Kids at Philippine Arena: K-pop powerhouse ‘dominATEs’ in captivating show

Stray Kids opened their “dominATE in Bulacan” show last Nov. 23 with Mountains, shaking up the Philippine Arena with their soaring vocals and powerful choreography.

The octet rose to the stage with such confidence that it does not feel quite right to liken to warriors heading into battle. Instead, this was the posture of a troop that had already won.

The group’s ever dedicated Stays met their ferocious energy with furious passion, leaving the members visibly in awe at the loudness of fans cheering and singing along.

“The energy you guys give to us is amazing,” leader Bang Chan remarked. “You guys are all great singers, really.”

Felix chimed in with, “Filipinos are genuinely naturally talented singers,” earning an enthusiastic “Yes!” from Hyunjin.

From newer singles Chk Chk Boom, LALALALA and S-Class to setlist mainstays District 9, Miroh and Maniac, the group tore up the stage with earworm-y hits from various eras of their career.

One could not help but marvel at how the group, led by their own producing trio 3RACHA (Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han), would find fresh and novel ways to make music that so reflected their ethos at that point in time.

However, when your most prominent songs are hype anthems, the tendency is for the rest of your diverse discography to get overlooked. The superstars made sure to showcase what else they can do with songs like the jazzy Twilight, rock ballad Lonely St. and playful pop hit I Like It.

To further showcase their versatility as individual artists in their own right, the members each performed a solo number that they had a hand in writing, composing, or both. Han’s Hold My Hand is arguably the evening’s standout.

Often dubbed the group’s own “ace” (or all-rounder), Han glided through the stage with such ease and infectious joy — a perfect picture of what it means to genuinely love what you do.

A quick look at Stray Kids revealed that this deep love was shared between its eight members. It was apparent in Lee Know powering through hard-hitting choreographies despite the sniffles, Seungmin wholeheartedly belting every high note, Changbin rapping every verse with razor-sharp clarity, I.N shifting his aura from fierce to fond in a snap, and Hyunjin interacting earnestly with the crowd.

Of course, one also could not forget Felix’s endearing antics — from teaching members the Budots dance to “rizzing up” (slang term for charming someone) the stadium with his signature deep voice.

The most straightforward expression of this love for stage and Stay came from Bang Chan, who, after watching the touching video project prepared by the local fanbase, said, “I feel like the whole Stray Kids adventure that we are sharing with Stays is… one of the best memories we will ever have.

“If it wasn’t for you guys, everything would have been a nightmare. So thank you for existing. Like you just said, if you are going to eternally stay, we are also going to eternally love you guys back.”

Maybe there is no secret formula for how Stray Kids have gotten to this point, where they sit atop Billboard charts and sold-out shows around the globe. Maybe it has always been as simple as an honest-to-goodness love for what they do, who they do it with, and who they do it for.

The eight members of Stray Kids already stand victorious in front of their eternal Stay. But as it goes with a group as passionate as they are, there will be more mountains to climb, more peaks to reach, and more victories to win — together.