Who Is Missing from Stray Kids? Complete Member Status and Activity Guide
By Marcus Vance
Another persistent trigger for hiatus chatter involves South Korea’s mandatory military enlistment laws. Speculation routinely resurfaces regarding who must enlist first and how those enlistments will disrupt team activities.
Under South Korean conscription regulations, able-bodied male citizens must enlist before the end of the year in which they turn 28. Lee Know (born October 1998) stands as the eldest Korean citizen in the group, making his enlistment timeline the immediate horizon line for fans monitoring schedule changes.
Crucially, two members will never enlist. Bang Chan and Felix hold Australian citizenship, exempting them entirely from South Korean military obligations. This dynamic eliminates any scenario where the entire group shuts down operations at once. When older members begin their 18-month service windows, JYP Entertainment will deploy sub-unit projects, solo albums, and specialized tour runs involving the remaining roster, preventing an absolute operational standstill.
Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.
