Stray Kids Scripts History As First K-pop Group Ever To Grace Met Gala Amid Rude Paparazzi Treatment

New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art played host once again to the fashion world's most anticipated event - the Met Gala. On the first Monday of May (early Tuesday in India), stars, designers, and fashion enthusiasts alike converged to witness the spectacle that is hailed as fashion's biggest night. 

Stray Kids also marked their first appearance at the event and scripted history by becoming the first K-pop group to do so. However, the band wasn’t made feel welcomed by the paps at the venue. The photographers made some rude remarks at the group which was recorded in a video that surfaced online, sparking debates about Xenophobia. 

Stray Kids gets mocked by paps at Met Gala

The group attended the Met Gala in Tommy Hilfiger custom-made outfits. However, the paparazzi made insulting remarks and behaved badly toward the members. It was overheard that one photographer thought the K-pop idols had the most lifeless faces, while another said they looked like robots. "Now, let's do it with feeling!" yelled one of the photographers when the boys revealed their outfits. 

There was also the sound of a paparazzi asking, "How do you say right in Korean?" they came across as ignorant as they presumed that the members did not speak English. Fans expressed their disapproval by labelling this behaviour as unpleasant, insulting, and racist.

K-pop prominence at Met Gala 

Nonetheless, the tragedy did not obscure the important cultural impact of their presence. The combined appearance of Stray Kids at the Met Gala signifies a noteworthy advancement in the assimilation of K-pop into international fashion culture and an ever-expanding worldwide platform for K-pop performers.

In addition to being Stray Kids' first public appearance, their attendance at the gala set a record as the first time a whole K-pop group had attended such a prominent event. A number of K-pop celebrities have attended the Met Gala in the past, including Lay from EXO in 2019, Rosé from BLACKPINK and CL from 2NE1 in 2021, Johnny from NCT in 2022, and Jennie from BLACKPINK in 2023 and 2024.