President of Mexico Explains Stray Kids’ Absence at the National Palace After Confirming Group’s Visit

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum admitted on Thursday (Sept. 24) that she had thought the members of Stray Kids would accompany South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung on his official visit to the National Palace, after the K-pop group failed to appear at the presidential headquarters as she had announced hours earlier.

The band has two shows scheduled at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 25-26).

“We are seeing off the president of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung,” Sheinbaum said in a video posted to her official TikTok account on Thursday night. “We thought perhaps he was coming with the group Stray Kids. They are performing tomorrow at one of Mexico City’s most important venues. And we have already invited them to come to our country on another occasion.”

During her Thursday morning press conference, the Mexican head of state had announced a visit by Stray Kids alongside the South Korean leader. “The group coming is called Stray Kids,” she said. “They’re kind of like BTS, but younger. I don’t know if they’re boys and girls — they’re young, younger than the members of BTS.”

The Stray Kids’ ages range from 25 to 28, while the BTS members are 29 to 33.

Her announcement about Stray Kids prompted dozens of the band’s fans to gather outside the National Palace. Only Sheinbaum and Lee Jae Myung appeared on the presidential balcony and stepped out to the building’s entrance to greet those who had gathered in the Zócalo, as shown in videos that have gone viral on social media.

Stray Kids performances in Mexico City will follow those of BTS’ last May, whose members did meet with Sheinbaum, appearing on one of the balconies of the presidential residence and waving to approximately 50,000 members of ARMY waiting for them in the Zócalo, according to figures from the Mexico City government.