Stray Kids Earns RIAA Gold for "Karma"

South Korean group Stray Kids have achieved a new milestone in the United States, as their album Karma was officially certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on November 26, 2025. The certification recognizes 500,000 units sold and streamed. Released on August 22, 2025, via Jyp Entertainment and Imperial, the album reached this benchmark approximately three months after its debut.

Stray Kids was formed by JYP Entertainment in 2017 through a reality survival show of the same name. The group consists of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, HAN, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. Known for their self-produced music and a distinctive sound described as a "propulsive blend of big bass electronic dance music, aggressive rapping, and R&B-inspired vocals," the group has steadily grown an international following since their 2018 pre-debut EP, Mixtape. Their commercial success has accelerated in recent years, with EPs like Oddinary (2022) and Maxident (2022), as well as their 2023 album 5-Star, topping charts in both South Korea and the U.S.

The Gold certification for Karma underscores the group's sustained momentum and significant presence in the global music market. Their status as international superstars is supported by impressive digital metrics, including over 21 million followers on Spotify, more than 13 million monthly listeners, and a Chartmetric artist rank of 48. The group also commands a massive social media audience with over 33 million followers on TikTok and 32 million on Instagram. This achievement follows a consistent pattern of growth for the act, which signed a U.S. distribution deal with Republic Records in 2022, further solidifying their global reach.