Stray Kids Fans Arrive Early at Oracle Park Ahead of San Francisco Concert

Fans of K-pop boy group Stray Kids gathered near Oracle Park from early morning hours ahead of their concert in San Francisco, aiming to purchase merchandise and secure good viewing spots. On Wednesday, May 28, in the early morning, hundreds of fans dressed in red and black gathered around the stadium. Some started lining up as early as 6 a.m. Stray Kids’ fans are known as “Stay,” and they came from all over the country to attend this performance. Although the concert was set to begin at 7:30 p.m., fans arrived several hours earlier. Those who had obtained standing tickets waited to get optimal viewing positions and buy tour merchandise in advance. A fan named Kylie Thompson, 23, interviewed by San Francisco Standard, wore a red faux fur coat, while her friend Ridge McGill, 25, wore a cowboy hat. Thompson and McGill arrived at the stadium at 7 a.m., with McGill having flown in from Phoenix on Tuesday night. Jessica Mares, 20, from Oakland, and her sister left at 6 a.m. and had reserved a spot in a nearby parking lot two months prior. To pass the time, fans participated in the traditional Trinket trading common at K-pop concerts, exchanging keychains, bracelets, and Stray Kids trading cards. Fans Cavey Blake and Brianna Snyder from Utah brought 200 handmade earrings and distributed them all within minutes. Snyder’s eyes filled with tears when talking about how Stray Kids have influenced her. “They helped me find a way to express myself,” she said. Blake added, “The band communicates a lot with its fandom. Not many famous people do this. They truly want you to feel like family.” Fan Astra Jung said, “They are truly inspiring people. That’s why we’re all here; we all love their music together.” Another fan, Alivia Johnson, commented, “They are extremely dedicated. Despite everything they’ve gone through from the beginning, they kept pushing forward, and it’s amazing that they’ve become so famous now.” During concert season, the San Francisco Bay Area has become the center of the K-pop craze. BLACKPINK held sold-out concerts at Oracle Park in 2023, and other renowned K-pop groups have also performed at the Oakland Arena. ATEEZ is scheduled to perform in San Jose this summer. Businesses around the stadium have also capitalized on this trend. The bar “Bar Via,” located across from the stadium, transformed into a K-pop pop-up store, selling posters, magazines, and trading cards. Nearby restaurants have also been affected by the concert hype. A barista at “Bravado Lounge” said, “We usually don’t have many customers, but we’re really busy today.”