Stray Kids, Episode 4: we’re in different places with the same dream

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(Written May 8, 2025)

Well, that was a happy, peaceful way to end Episode Three.  Which means the other shoe’s about to drop.  It’s time to see how Lee Know, Hyunjin, and I.N convince JYP not to kick them to the curb.

First, we have to do our subtle product placement:

I thought I was being a rebel by drinking Barqs, but turns out that’s also made by the Coca-Cola company.  You win this round, Mnet.

Our three teams gather in a practice room to review everyone’s performances before D-Day.  First up is Hyungjin’s team, with Bang Chan and Seungmin.  Hyungjin is the one who needs to enunciate better when he raps.  This is also the group that decided not to do choreography.

I can hear the difference in Hyunjin’s delivery, and the rest of his bandmates agree.  Han tells Hyunjin now that he has the delivery down, he needs to show more confidence.

Now for Lee Know’s team, with Changbin and Felix.  Lee Know is the one who has never rapped before, but JYP wants him to give it a shot.  Felix starts on vocals, and he’s still singing on the higher end of his range.  I’m curious to see how he’ll move into singing in that DEEP voice he’s known for. 

Then Lee Know starts his rap part.  He’s nervous and messes up a line.  When they finish, he looks frustrated with  himself.  Changbin tells the others he’ll work with Lee Know more.

Now for I.N’s team, with Woojin and Han.  I.N’s vocals were shaky in the original performance.  He seems more confident here.  This is the school life song Han was writing about.

Initially, they get great feedback from the others.  I.N’s voice is much steadier.  But Bang Chan says they have more work to do before they’re ready to face JYP.  They need more energy and more exciting choreography.  After the team runs through it again, still making mistakes, Bang Chan is clearly losing his patience.

Our leader has everyone sit around him and reminds them how serious the situation is.  He’s very worried about losing members of his team.  The mood in the room is very tense.  I miss the park and the bowling alley.

The mood is about to get more tense.  We cut to D-Day.  The good news is that we’re getting a bigger stage now instead of a rehearsal room.

Stray Kids makes a dramatic entrance.  JYP sits at a table with his Coke can turned so the label faces the camera.  He seems determined to cut someone today.  “I think it would be nice if you were together until the debut,” he says, “but our company’s statement is that this is the next generation boy group.  Your parts need to be skillful.  This is the standard you need to have.”

Bang Chan does not look happy.  Especially when JYP adds, “To match the company’s statement, if I have no choice, I’ll need to choose the members myself.”

Hyunjin is up first, with Bang Chan and Seungmin.  They’ve brought a prop – a bus.  An actual bus built for the stage.  The song is called “4419,” the number of the city bus the Stray Kids used to ride to and from practice.  The song is about the fun they used to have on the bus together.

Our boys are very nervous, but no more stalling.  It’s showtime.

I love this song.  It’s wistful and nostalgic.  I immediately add it to my playlists.  JYP likes the song as well.  “I want to go into your hearts to see that feeling,” he says, and I know exactly what he means. 

But more importantly, he likes the performance.  Bang Chan is finally charismatic.  Hyunjin’s pronunciation has greatly improved.  And Seungmin gets one of the nicest compliments I’ve ever heard, and I agree with it completely.  JYP says in the hands of a lesser singer, his sung dialogue lines would have sounded a bit dull.  But there’s quiet emotion in his voice that compels you to listen.  Seungmin is more than a talented singer.  He has a gift for communicating.  I’ve heard it in other Stray Kids songs, and I’m glad someone has said it here.

So, Hyunjin’s hours spent singing while holding a pen in his mouth have paid off.  He’s safe from elimination.  One down, two to go.

Lee Know’s team is next, with Changbin and Felix.  Our new rapper had a rough rehearsal.  Let’s see if he can pull it together now.  Their song is called “Glow,” and it’s a song about how hard they’ve been working to chase their dreams.

Oh, this hurts.  Lee Know’s rapping is unsteady, and he loses the beat at one point.  His singing voice is strong and beautiful, but despite all his hard work, he’s not a rapper yet.  And now he’s in danger of being eliminated.

STAYs on Reddit and Instagram have already warned me that we’ll have an awful moment when one of the Stray Kids gets eliminated but is later saved by a fan vote.  When I started these recaps, I thought it would be Woojin, but now, with this performance, I think it’s going to be Lee Know.  I think Bang Chan thinks so too.

JYP starts out by complimenting Changbin on his performance.  He’s really laying it on thick.  Changbin, who is dreading the rest of the feedback, quickly bows and quietly thanks him.  He is not smiling. 

Now to Felix.  JYP says he lacked confidence.  Felix confesses he was nervous.  JYP says that a K-pop artist must perform with the attitude that he is special, and he’s just not seeing it from Felix.  I’m slumping down in my seat.  This isn’t good.  However, JYP does like Felix’s singing.  That’s interesting.  Felix was singing in his higher register.

Now for Lee Know, who is waiting with dread written on his face.  JYP brings up his lyrical mistakes.  His singing has improved, but overall, he hasn’t improved that much.  And that’s it.  That’s all JYP says.  He dismisses the team.  Once backstage, Changbin starts blaming himself for not helping his teammates enough. 

Okay, now for I.N’s team, with Han and Woojin.  please be good please be good please be good … 

They take the stage dressed as schoolboys, complete with backpacks.  The song is called “School Life.”  This is where I.N has to show improvement in his singing.  We get a heartbreaking confessional where he tells us about the stress he’s been going through, and he puts his head down and quietly cries.

The performance begins.  please be good please be good …

It’s wild and fun, and I can’t believe they’re pulling off this choreo with those backpacks strapped to their backs.  They all sing with fire and attitude.  Right now, I’m pretty sure no one on this team is getting eliminated.

Not so fast.  JYP has concerns.  He liked Han’s performance but didn’t see anything special.  He does feel like Woojin stood out.  He showers Woojin with praise, like he did with Changbin earlier, and I’m starting to wonder if he’s trying to turn these guys against each other.  I’m starting to get tense. 

Finally, JYP says he does not think I.N has improved in his rapping.  He calls I.N’s voice “suffocating,” and says that his dancing was equally bad.  Overall, he says the performance was disappointing.  Now I’m convinced he’s trying to turn the team against each other.  The performance was not that bad.

This is painful to watch, and it’s about to get worse.

All the members line up on the stage for the final evaluation.  JYP reminds them that he and the company have not interfered with the group so far.  “We trusted in your leader, Chan,” he says, while Bang Chan stares at the floor.  “But from now on, you have to meet the company’s criteria.”

He has a member in mind who may become a burden to the whole team.  Our Stray Kids brace themselves.

JYP says, “The person who is eliminated is … “ and of course we get the long pause and dramatic music.  The music is so loud at this point, I have to turn down my headset volume.

It’s Lee Know.  He’s eliminating Lee Know.

I’m heartsick and a little angry.  I feel like Lee Know was set up.  He never asked to be a rapper.  Then my one remaining rational brain cell reminds me that Lee Know is still in the group today, so he’s not really gone.  Wherever the fans are on this show, they must be getting ready to vote him back in.

The episode ends here.  That was ROUGH.  If I were watching this back when it first aired, I’d be venting on Reddit right now. 

Well, Lee Know, I guess it’s not goodbye but see you later.  In the meantime, I’ll be slipping antidepressants and blood pressure medication into Bang Chan’s Sugar-Free Coke.

See you next episode.

Episode 5:  never say goodbye, because we are one

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