Stray Kids Kick Off August With SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1 and “Battle Ground (Korean Ver.)”
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Stray Kids didn’t waste any time getting August started. On August 1, 2026, at midnight KST, the group released SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1, a 17-track digital compilation led by the title track “Battle Ground (Korean Ver.).”
It’s a release built entirely around the fandom, gathering years of solo performances, self-produced content, and unreleased tour recordings into one official package — and it arrives as the opening act of a packed week for the group.
What Is SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1?
SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1 is best described as a digital scrapbook rather than a conventional studio album. It compiles material that STAY, the group’s fandom, has been hearing for years through unofficial or semi-official channels — but never as a proper streaming release.
The album draws from three main sources: the group’s long-running SKZ-Player and SKZ-Record video series, where members share self-composed songs and covers, plus previously unreleased solo stages performed during the 5-STAR Dome Tour in 2023.
The concept isn’t new for the group. Stray Kids released the original SKZ-Replay back in December 2022, a 25-track set that similarly bundled member solo content with new material.
This year’s Pt.1 follows that same spirit, though JYP Entertainment has been clear that this release consists of previously streamed or performed songs rather than brand-new original content. A Pt.2 has already been teased as part of the broader rollout, though no release date has been confirmed yet.
The album was formally announced on July 26, and the full 17-song tracklist and cover artwork followed the next day. The cover leans into the project’s nostalgic framing, built around a cassette tape motif that nods to looking back on the group’s musical history.
The Full Tracklist
The 17 tracks span solo and unit contributions from every member:
- Battle Ground (Korean Ver.)
- Roman Empire — Bang Chan
- Lover — Hyunjin
- Raining Stars — Han
- The Little Things — I.N
- Goodbye — Seungmin
- Still Here — Seungmin
- Into the Current — Seungmin
- MIC & BRUSH — Hyunjin
- PERFUME — Seungmin
- BABY — Bang Chan
- Don’t Say — Han
- My Name — Changbin
- REV IT UP — Felix
- LIMBO (Live) — Lee Know
- HUG ME (Live) — I.N
- 별, 빛 (STAY)
Seungmin has the heaviest presence on the tracklist with four solo entries, while Lee Know’s only inclusion is a live recording of “LIMBO,” a choice that’s already sparked some good-natured grumbling among fans online about the balance of new-to-streaming content versus previously available material.
Still, for a compilation designed to give long-time fan favorites an official home on streaming platforms, the release fills a real gap — songs that were previously confined to YouTube uploads or one-off concert moments are now permanently available on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms worldwide.
Why “Battle Ground” as the Title Track
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Leading the set is “Battle Ground (Korean Ver.),” which functions as the emotional and commercial anchor of the compilation.
Positioning a Korean-language version of an existing fan-favorite as the lead single is a smart move for a release like this — it gives the compilation a recognizable hook while still fitting the project’s overall theme of revisiting and re-presenting music that already has a devoted audience.
Expect the track to see a strong push across Korean digital charts and streaming platforms through the weekend, buoyed by the fandom’s coordinated streaming efforts that typically accompany any official Stray Kids release, whether it’s new material or not.
The Bigger Picture: STAYweeK and an 8th Anniversary
SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1 isn’t dropping in a vacuum. It’s the centerpiece of “2026 STAYweeK,” a celebration marking the 8th anniversary of the founding of STAY, Stray Kids’ official fandom. Anniversary content rollouts like this tend to lean heavily into nostalgia and fan service, and this one is no exception.
Alongside the digital album, the group is running a pop-up cafe and releasing additional video content throughout the week.
The timing also overlaps with a run of concert dates. Stray Kids performed a series of Seoul shows in late July, and further concert activity is scheduled in the days following the album’s release, giving the whole week a festival-like feel that blends live performance, digital content, and catalog releases into a single, coordinated fan experience.
Notably, SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1 was originally conceived as a replacement for a different project.
JYP Entertainment had earlier planned a best album titled REPLAY: STAY WITH YOUR WINGS for a February release, but that project was ultimately cancelled and folded into this broader 2026 rollout instead, with a new tracklist assembled for the STAYweeK celebration.
What’s Coming Next: THIS & THAT on August 7
If SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1 is the warm-up, the main event is just a week away. Stray Kids’ 10th mini album, THIS & THAT, is scheduled for release on August 7, 2026, at 1 p.m. KST. Pre-saves and pre-orders for that release are already live, and JYP Entertainment’s official notice board has been actively promoting both projects side by side, framing the digital compilation as a lead-in to the group’s next full comeback cycle.
Some outside coverage has speculated about how the new EP might continue the group’s strong track record on the Billboard 200, though it’s worth noting that no official chart projections have been released for THIS & THAT, and none should be assumed based on past performance alone.
What is confirmed is the release date, the format (a 10th mini album), and the fact that it follows directly on the heels of this nostalgia-driven digital project.
Why This Release Matters
For casual observers, a compilation of previously available solo tracks might not seem like a major event. But for STAY, SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1 solves a long-standing frustration: songs that members performed live or shared through semi-official channels, sometimes years ago, finally exist as proper, permanent streaming releases.
That’s a meaningful gesture from a group whose relationship with its fandom has always leaned heavily into direct engagement — through SKZ-Player, SKZ-Record, and now this kind of archival release.
It also sets up an unusually busy stretch for Stray Kids. Within a single week, the group has released a 17-track digital album, kept up a fan-facing celebration with pop-up events, and is heading straight into a full mini album release.
For a group whose comeback cycles are already tightly packed, August 2026 is shaping up to be one of their most active months yet — and it’s only just begun.
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Conclusion
SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1 may be built from old material, but its release says a lot about where Stray Kids are right now: a group confident enough to look back at eight years of history while barreling straight into what’s next.
Between the archival tracklist, the STAYweeK festivities, and the countdown to THIS & THAT, this is less a standalone release and more the opening chapter of a busy August.
For STAY, it’s a rare chance to finally add long-cherished, unofficial favorites to their playlists — and for everyone else, it’s a signal that Stray Kids’ comeback machine is only just getting warmed up.
Quick Facts:
- Release: SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt.1, digital compilation, 17 tracks
- Title track: “Battle Ground (Korean Ver.)”
- Release date: August 1, 2026, 12 a.m. KST
- Context: Part of “2026 STAYweeK,” marking STAY’s 8th anniversary
- Next release: 10th mini album THIS & THAT, August 7, 2026, 1 p.m. KST
