Chapter 1: The Beginning of Hope

The concept of hope has always been something we singers from stray kids did not ever truly understood—at least, not until I went through the toughest times of my life. I've always thought of hope as something you feel when things are looking up, when things are going well. But the truth is, hope isn't about the good times; it's about how you survive the bad ones.

I'll admit, when Stray Kids first started, we didn't have a clear path nor a goal we just went with the flow like all other K-POP group.. We were just a group of young, hopeful guys thrown together to prove something. Prove that we were capable. Prove that we could survive the harsh realities of the industry. Prove that we were worth something in the world of K-pop. The first time we performed on stage, we were full of uncertainty—our hearts pounded, and our minds raced with questions about whether we could really make it. It was all so surreal, and the weight of the moment felt so heavy.

But over time, I began to understand that hope wasn't a feeling—it was a decision. It was a choice we had to make every day, even when everything seemed to fall apart. Every rejection, every failure, and every setback was a test of our hope. We had to keep going, not because things were easy, but because we knew deep down that if we didn't, we wouldn't be able to look back and say we gave it our all.

When we came together to start working on Hope, it wasn't just an album title. It wasn't just a word we slapped on the cover. Hope was a reflection of everything we had learned over the years. It was a culmination of all the hardships we had faced as individuals and as a group, and it became the message we wanted to send to our fans. This album was for everyone who had ever felt like giving up, for everyone who had ever felt like they weren't enough. We were here to tell them that they were. We were here to tell them that we understood, and that as long as we kept moving forward, there was always hope.

But looking back, the concept of hope wasn't something that came to us easily. There were days when we questioned if we could keep going. It wasn't just the pressure of the industry or the constant hustle—it was the pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect. We wanted so badly to deliver the best music we could, to make something that felt real and raw. But sometimes, the more we pushed ourselves, the more exhausted and overwhelmed we became. It was during those moments, those darkest hours, that we realized hope didn't come from perfection. It came from the willingness to keep going despite the imperfections.

As we entered the studio to begin recording Hope, there was a shift in the air. We knew this album had to be different. We had seen how our music could inspire people. We had seen the messages, the fan letters, the comments, the stories from people all around the world who found comfort in our songs. And we knew that Hope had to be an album that would do the same for us. It had to be an album that reflected our struggles but also our victories. It had to represent the resilience we had built, both as individuals and as a group.

When we first started putting the songs together, there was a certain energy that flowed through the studio. It wasn't the usual pressure we'd felt in the past; it was something more liberating. The lyrics we wrote, the melodies we created, were all shaped by the experiences we had lived through. It wasn't just about writing music anymore—it was about telling our story and creating something that felt deeply personal. We wanted our fans to feel the same hope we felt when we realized that no matter what, we could always keep moving forward.

For me, Hope was more than just an album. It was a letter to our fans. It was a thank-you note for their unwavering support through all the highs and lows. We had always said that our fans were the reason we kept going, but this time, we wanted them to feel it in every song. I wanted them to hear our struggles, our pain, and our triumphs. But more than that, I wanted them to feel the strength that came with knowing that no matter how many times you fall, you can always get back up.

I remember the first time I heard the completed version of Hope. It was surreal. It was everything we had worked for, everything we had poured our hearts into, wrapped up into a collection of songs. I felt a sense of peace, but also a sense of pride. We had come so far. The sound of the album was fresh, new, and reflective of who we had become as artists. But more than that, it felt like we had created something that could help others in the same way our music had helped us.

I'm not going to lie and say it was an easy journey. It wasn't. We had our doubts, our fears, and our moments of uncertainty. But we always came back to the one thing that had kept us going: hope. And with Hope, we wanted to share that with the world.

This album isn't just about us. It's about all of us. It's about the people who fight every day to keep going, to keep dreaming, and to keep believing that something better is waiting for them on the other side. This is for all of you who have ever felt like giving up. Keep going. We are right there with you, and as long as we're breathing, there will always be hope.