Stray Kids’ Merch Guide for STAYs

Known as the “4th generation leaders” in K-pop, Stray Kids was created in 2017 through a survival show of the same name and debuted on March 25, 2018. Since the group’s fame has been skyrocketing ever since the release of their hit song, ‘God’s Menu‘ in June 2020, the ‘STAY‘ fandom has also been growing both domestically and internationally. Despite the fact that they are only a 3-year-old group, Stray Kids have been spoiling their fans with lots of content and merchandise. These content and merch can be purchased from various stores but it can be confusing for those who are new. If you are one of them, you’ve come to the right place as here is a quick guide on Stray Kids‘ must-have items and where to get them!

1. Stray Kids' Official Light Stick (Nachimbong)

Just like what they always say, “your light stick defines who you are”, or at least, it is like your personal ID in the world of K-pop fandoms so of course, one has to have the light stick of their favorite K-pop group! Apart from using it to cheer for your “favs“, your K-pop light stick can be handy for VARIOUS kinds of reasons but… we’ll let you find out on your own.

As for STAYs, your designated light stick is the ‘Nachimbong‘.

The Nachimbong is Stray Kids’ official light stick which was first released in November 2019. “Nachimbong” is a name play on the Korean word for “compass” (나침반 – nachimban) and the word “rod” (봉 – bong). What makes this light stick unique is the design which features a moving red and silver compass with no directions, resembling their name, Stray Kids, and their iconic slogan, “Stray kids everywhere all around the world“. On the compass, the phrase “You make Stray Kids stay” is engraved. Our favorite thing about Stray Kids’ light stick is that it is customizable. Besides decorating it with decals and stickers, the compass is removable and you may insert a customized compass to add more personality to it. You can get yourself a Nachimbong from online stores such as Soundwave, Cokodive, and SubKShop.

2. Hoodies, Sweaters and T-Shirts

Stray Kids has come up with shirts and hoodies as merch for every single one of their showcases and tours. If you’re thinking “Oh, I’d love to get one of these but on what occasion should I wear it, especially in the middle of the pandemic?”, Stray Kids’ clothing designs are often versatile, minimalistic yet trendy, allowing you to rock them anytime and anywhere! Although these apparel are specifically made for their showcases and world tours, the members have been spotted wearing these apparel as their daily wear as well. Therefore, rest assured you do not need a specific special occasion to wear your Stray Kids merch. Wear it to sleep as you wish!

3. Albums and Photocards

All of Stray Kids’ albums are worth the money as they are pretty generous with their album inclusions. Perhaps, the only ‘cons’ when it comes to this is that you might have a hard time choosing which album version you want to own as their album often comes in two to four versions with a different set of inclusions such as photobooks, photocards, postcards, polaroids, posters, and photo strips. However, it doesn’t just stop there. Stray Kids has a wide range of photocards per album release. There could be up to 40 different photocards and whose photocard you’ll get depends on your luck! Some online stores such as Aladin, Soundwave, YES24, and SubKShop would also provide additional photocards as pre-order benefits if you purchase Stray Kids’ albums during their pre-order periods. If you were wondering why some STAYs own so many duplicates of Stray Kids’ albums, this might be the main reason why.

Of course, there are those who would not go to the extent of buying more than one of the same album just for the sake of collecting photocards. If you’re one of them, you can always purchase the photocards you wish to collect from trusted resellers on sites such as Etsy, Mercari, and even Twitter but you might have to be prepared to pay more than the cost of the album itself as some photocards can be considered rare and high in demand.

4. SKZOO Goods

SKZOO consists of 8 cartoon avatars that represent the members of Stray Kids (thus, known as their “children” within the fandom). Each of the characters is created based on the members’ traits and features whereby Wolf Chan is Bang Chan, Leebit is Lee Know, DWAEKKI is Changbin, Jiniret is Hyunjin, HAN QUOKKA is HAN, BbokAri is Felix, PuppyM is Seungmin, and Foxl.Ny is I.N. They have their own official online store where you can purchase SKZOO goods such as stationeries, accessories, and plushies. Ever since their first pre-order period in February 2021, the plushies have become STAYs’ favorites for their adorable appearances.

5. Clothing and Accessories Worn by Stray Kids

‘STAY culture’ is having matching items with Stray Kids, especially their biases. Some of the group’s favorite brands and items have been regarded as “unofficial Stray Kids merch” due to their popularity among STAYs who wish to steal their favorite idols’ looks. One of them is PoundCat which is a Korean-based online store that donates part of its revenue for the caring of local stray cats in Korea through the sales of handmade items. Their most popular item is the cat pin badge which has also been worn by Lee Know who is known to be a huge cat-lover in the group. The store has received immense support from STAYs that they have made donations to cat shelters in the name of Lee Know! Other than that, Nana Piercing has a collection of accessories that have been purchased and worn by Stray Kids, making it the place where STAYs can get the same earrings as their favorite idols. Last but not least, the Converse Run Star Hike sneakers are also well-known among the fandom as the members are often seen wearing those.

These are some of Stray Kids’ items that we consider as must-haves for STAYs but there’s definitely more for you to discover from the stores we’ve mentioned! It is to be noted that some of the stores do not provide international shipping and even if they do, the shipping fees can be more than the cost of the items you’re purchasing! However, Delivered Korea can definitely help make it more convenient for you to shop at Korean online stores with cheaper shipping prices so you can proceed with all of your STAY shopping experience at ease.