Stray Kids, Episode 5: never say goodbye, because we are one

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(Written May 10, 2025)

So, last episode was a bummer, right?  Guess what?  It’s gonna get worse!  STAYs have hinted to me that Lee Know isn’t the only member to get sacked on this series.  Our group is going to get smaller, and I’m guessing Bang Chan is going to spend an episode locked in his bunk bed closet, chugging Soju and sugar-free Coke while booking a plane ticket back to Australia to see if he can join Pseudo Echo.  And yet somehow, all the members will come back together in the end.  So let’s do this.

Episode Five, everyone!  We pick up exactly where we left off, with our group reeling from the shock of losing their bandmate.  JYP shakes Lee Know’s hand and tells him the problem was that his training period was too short, so he needs to work harder.  No, JYP.  The problem is that you tried to turn him into a rapper in ONE WEEK, when he NEVER ASKED TO BE A RAPPER IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Man, this is going to be a tough episode.

JYP leaves, our boys close ranks around Lee Know, and my heart is breaking again.  He’s keeping a smile on his face.  The others can’t.  Felix and Seungmin are sobbing.

Bang Chan is more philosophical.  He’s disappointed, but there’s a feeling of resigned acceptance.  He’s had to know all along there was a chance this would happen.  He’s comforting and supportive to his fellow bandmate.  But as the two hug, he’s fighting back tears.  I can tell because there’s a camera person less than two feet away, zooming in on his face.  I can count Bang Chan’s eyelashes.  Mnet, I know you have a show to film, but maybe back off right now.

We get a confessional with Lee Know, who says that maybe if he had slept an hour less, he could have used that time to practice.  Oh, you poor kid.  Just take a couple of days off.  I know you have no way of knowing this right now, but you’re going to end up being insanely famous, so maybe do things now that you won’t be able to do later.  Like going out in public without causing a screaming riot.  Trust me.  Go grocery shopping, see a movie, throw eggs at JYP’s car.  Go nuts.

We get an In Memoriam-type segment, set to sad piano music, like he just died.  We see him when he first joined Stray Kids and helped the other members with dance steps.  We see him leading the dance team.  He really is an incredible dancer.  His body flows through the movements like water.  I can’t wait for him to come back.  We get some other sweet moments, like his birthday.  This group truly bonded as a family.

Memorieeeees, like the corners of my miiiiind….

 

We get confessionals with all the other group members, sharing their memories of Lee Know.  Again, it’s like he died.  This happens a lot in these K-pop survival shows.  Yes, it’s a crushing blow to see your friend get cut from the group like this, but they really drag out these mourning segments. 

Just a quick digression.  The reason sadly dramatic moments like these are so prevalent in K-pop shows and K-dramas may be related to something called “han,” which is a sense of grief said to be part of the Korean psyche.  Author Euny Hong writes about it in The Birth of Korean Cool, a book I strongly recommend.  

Okay, moving on.  We cut to the JYP Building, which sadly has not been defaced with spray paint.  JYP has called our eight boys in for a meeting.  He has them all take a seat.  He says he knows they’re in pain from the firing of their friend.  However, they must power through it.

He wants to talk to them about their “heart talks.”  At first I’m having trouble understanding the translation, but eventually I realize he’s giving them a heart-to-heart talk.  He wants them to think about the kind of influence they will have over other kids when they become celebrities.  He wants them to be a positive influence by focusing on honesty, sincerity, and modesty.

He goes into detail, and overall, it’s a really good pep talk on how to be a good person.  It’s insightful and honest, and I come out of this with a bit more respect for him.  I’m still pissed at what he did to Lee Know, but other than that doofus decision, he’s a smart guy. 

(Seriously though, if you get a chance to watch this segment, I encourage you to do so.  His words apply to everyone, not just K-pop stars.  Here’s a link to the segment on YouTube.)  

Now with the lesson over, it’s time for some fresh air.  Our boys head outside with their selfie sticks.  They are being given a vacation day!  They hop into a van equipped with van cams, and off they go to Gangneung.

Gangneung, Wikipedia tells me, is a coastal city with a popular beach where people go to see the sunrise.  The city has hosted the ice events for the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.  No wonder these boys are excited.  As soon as they arrive, they jump out of the van and run to the ocean.

The surf looks too rough for swimming, but it’s so beautiful.  The whole city looks like a place I could explore for days.  The boys proceed to eat their way across the Center Market, while the onscreen text tells us they’ll be having dinner later.  Where are they putting all this food?  I eat one french fry, and I can’t fit into my jeans the next day.

Their next stop is a skating rink.  Han and Hyunjin are really good skaters.  As for the others, let’s just say it’s a good thing they’re wearing pads and helmets.

After the rink, the next stop is product placement.  Coca-Cola is really getting their money’s worth out of these guys, especially when they tell each other how delicious and refreshing it is, because that’s definitely normal conversation.

As night falls, the boys go to a campsite.  On second look, they’re glamping instead of camping.  These are the “tents.”

The boys prepare the food they bought at the market.  Bang Chan and Hyunjin man the grills.  The fire gets a little out of control.  I get a kick out of Hyunjin yelling “calm down” (in English) at the fire.  Then, everyone eats because they must be starving after having eaten an entire hour ago.

Seriously, do these guys ever drink water?

 

After the meal, they gather around the glampfire to talk about everything they’ve been through so far.  Felix talks about how hard it’s been for him since he’s still learning the language and culture.  I can only imagine.

After a few minutes of joking and reminiscing, one of them inevitably says that he misses Lee Know.  Sadness falls over the group.  Despite the fun they’ve been having today, they’ve been feeling the emptiness of only being eight instead of nine.  Hyunjin says when he ordered food at the market, he ordered for nine people out of habit.

The production team tells them that instead of taking time off, Lee Know has thrown himself back into training.  I’m glad to hear that.  It’s what will eventually bring him back into the fold.  The production team has more news.  Lee Know has left his former bandmates a video message.

It’s hard for them to watch.  Lee Know is kind and gracious in his message, which makes it more painful for the rest of the group.  He thanks them for all the great experiences and apologizes for letting them down.  Several group members turn their backs to the camera so we can’t see them crying.

And with that, the episode ends.

Well.  That was a real kick in the nuts.  Thanks a lot, Mnet and JYP.  Can’t wait to see you sack the next group member and then send the rest of the group to Disneyland. 

What weird storylines these shows have.  See you next episode.

Episode 6:  ready for the battle ground

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