Stray Kids received two nominations at the AMAs, highlighting their strong presence in the global music scene. Their massive world tour and consistent international awards prove their rising influence beyond borders. A recent large-scale donation also sparked new interest in them within South Korea.
Stray Kids and AMAs: A Global Spotlight Moment
Stray Kids recently gained recognition at the 2025 American Music Awards, solidifying their global popularity and musical presence. On March 23, the AMAs official website announced that Stray Kids received two nominations. The group was listed under the Favorite K-Pop Artist category, and their track “Come Play” was nominated for Favorite Soundtrack. This song is featured on the soundtrack for Arcane Season 2, a popular Netflix animated series. These nominations followed their performance at last year’s AMAs, making them the second K-pop group to take the stage. Their continued presence in major American award shows proves their growing influence. The AMAs, along with the Grammys and the Billboard Music Awards, form the three major music award ceremonies in the U.S., making these nominations particularly meaningful.
Stray Kids and AMAs: Recognition Beyond Borders
Their AMAs nominations are not isolated achievements but part of a larger wave of international acclaim. Stray Kids have also received honors at several global music award shows, including the MTV Video Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. Their consistent recognition speaks to their strong performance and musical quality across genres. In March, they were announced as winners in two categories at the 39th Japan Gold Disc Awards—Music Video of the Year and Best 3 Albums. Earlier this year, they also took home the K-pop Album of the Year award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards for the second year in a row. Their steady presence on international stages continues to strengthen their identity as a top global act.
World Tour Proves Their Massive Appeal
Stray Kids have been actively connecting with fans through their largest world tour to date, Stray Kids World Tour dominATE. The tour began on March 27 in Santiago, Chile, and includes 55 shows across 34 global regions. Their first-ever Latin America leg, which included Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Lima, and Mexico City, attracted approximately 400,000 fans over eight stadium performances. These massive turnouts show their unique ability to draw large international crowds. The tour will resume in May with two weekends of performances in Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa. It will continue through July, ending in Rome. With projections pointing to over 2.2 million attendees, the group is on track to set a new K-pop record for highest single-tour attendance.
Domestic Popularity Follows Global Fame
While international fans have long embraced Stray Kids, there has been an ongoing debate in Korea about their domestic popularity. Some claimed that Stray Kids, despite global success, remained less recognized among the general Korean public. Others argued that no male idol group currently enjoys both strong domestic and overseas popularity at the same time. Industry watchers noted that the male idol market has shrunk overall, which limits widespread recognition within Korea. Interestingly, Stray Kids recently gained attention at home for a different reason—their donation of ₩800 million to aid victims of the 2025 South Korea wildfires. This generous act, comparable to corporate-scale giving, shifted public perception. Many were surprised and impressed, prompting renewed interest in the group beyond their usual fan base.
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