Stray Kids are back with “THIS & THAT,” their new mini album released August 7 and led by the title track “RUN IT.” The eight-track release follows a rollout that began in June with a pre-release single, capping off a busy 2026 for one of K-pop’s biggest global acts.
What’s on THIS & THAT
“THIS & THAT” is an eight-track mini album headlined by its title song “This & That,” with the rollout building momentum since June 24, when the group released “RUN IT” as a pre-release digital single ahead of the full project. Stray Kids have built a reputation for genre-blending, high-energy title tracks over their career, and early listener reaction to the new release has focused on how the album balances that established sound with newer sonic textures across its eight songs.
A Packed Year for Stray Kids
“THIS & THAT” arrives on the heels of “SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1,” a 17-track digital album the group released August 1 compiling material from their SKZ-RECORD and SKZ-PLAYER content series alongside member solo projects. Releasing two projects within the same week is an aggressive schedule even by K-pop standards, and it underlines how active Stray Kids have kept their release calendar throughout 2026 between album drops, content series, and solo work from individual members.
The Group’s Global Reach
Stray Kids have spent recent years establishing themselves as one of the top-tier K-pop acts on the global touring circuit, regularly selling out arena and stadium dates across multiple continents. That global fanbase, built consistently since their 2018 debut, gives a release like “THIS & THAT” an immediate international chart push the moment it drops, rather than needing to build momentum gradually the way newer acts often do.
What to Expect From the Rollout
Expect the group to follow “THIS & THAT” with the usual K-pop comeback promotional cycle: music show performances, additional content tied to the SKZ-RECORD and SKZ-PLAYER series, and likely tour date announcements if the group follows the pattern set by its recent release cycles. With two projects landing in the same week, Stray Kids appear to be front-loading 2026’s second half with new material before shifting into a longer promotional stretch.
Stray Kids’ Self-Producing Reputation
Part of what’s set Stray Kids apart from many of their K-pop peers is how heavily the members are involved in writing and producing their own music, particularly through the group’s in-house production unit. That hands-on creative control has become a core part of the group’s identity and fanbase appeal, and it’s part of why comebacks like “THIS & THAT” get scrutinized closely by longtime fans looking for the group’s own creative fingerprints across the tracklist rather than treating it as just another label-driven release.
What Comes Next
With “SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1” and “THIS & THAT” both now out, attention turns to how Stray Kids will support the releases going forward, whether through additional tour dates, music show promotions in South Korea, or further content drops tied to the SKZ-RECORD and SKZ-PLAYER series. Given the group’s release pace so far this year, fans are already speculating about what else might be coming before 2026 wraps up.
Where Stray Kids Fit in K-Pop’s Current Landscape
With multiple major groups releasing comebacks throughout August 2026, “THIS & THAT” enters a genuinely crowded release window, competing for attention alongside other high-profile acts putting out new music the same month. Stray Kids’ established global fanbase and consistent touring presence give the group a built-in advantage in that kind of crowded field, since their releases tend to generate strong first-week streaming and sales numbers regardless of what else is dropping around the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Stray Kids release THIS & THAT?
The eight-track mini album released on August 7, 2026, led by the title track “This & That.”
What was the pre-release single for THIS & THAT?
“RUN IT” was released June 24, 2026, as the pre-release digital single ahead of the full album.
Did Stray Kids release anything else recently?
Yes. “SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1,” a 17-track digital compilation, released August 1, 2026, just days before “THIS & THAT.”
For more of this year’s biggest K-pop comebacks, check out our coverage of Red Velvet’s Velvet Summer comeback. Source: KeaPOP, Stray Kids THIS & THAT release details.
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