Stray Kids have once again proven that their influence extends far beyond music charts and sold-out arenas. Their concert documentary, Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience, debuted at No. 1 at the global box office, earning an impressive $19.1 million worldwide in its opening weekend and marking a major milestone for K-pop in cinemas.
Released internationally by Universal Pictures and in North America by Bleecker Street, the film collected $13.2 million from overseas markets and $5.6 million domestically, immediately placing it among the most successful K-pop concert films ever released. The international performance has been particularly strong, with Mexico leading the way at $2.1 million, followed by Germany at $1.5 million and the United Kingdom and Ireland at $1.3 million, highlighting the group’s truly global fanbase.
Industry trackers have noted that the film is outperforming earlier K-pop concert documentaries such as BTS Yet to Come to the Cinema, Bring the Soul: The Movie, and Break the Silence: The Movie, making Stray Kids’ cinematic debut one of the most powerful in the genre to date. A significant portion of the film’s success came from premium formats, with IMAX screenings contributing over 20 percent of the global box office and delivering the biggest opening weekend ever for a Korean-language film in the format.
The dominATE Experience captures the energy, scale, and emotion of Stray Kids’ world tour, including their sold-out performance at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The film allows fans to relive the concert atmosphere in a communal theatrical setting, blending live performance, fan connection, and cinematic spectacle. Industry experts have pointed out that concert films are relatively low-cost productions with high returns, especially when powered by passionate fandoms, strong merchandise sales, and global appeal.
The film’s release also benefited from a quieter Hollywood weekend, with major studios holding back releases around the Super Bowl period, allowing Stray Kids to take center stage at the global box office. Analysts believe this success further cements K-pop’s place in mainstream global cinema, proving that music fandoms can drive theatrical experiences just as powerfully as blockbuster franchises.
With Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience, the group has not only captured the intensity of their live performances but has also set a new benchmark for K-pop concert films worldwide. As audiences continue to fill theaters across continents, the film stands as a reminder that Stray Kids are not just dominating stages — they are dominating global pop culture itself.
