Stray Kids Win International Group of the Year at TIMA, Close Show with Half-Hour Performance
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
K-pop boy band Stray Kids claimed the International Group of the Year award at the 2026 TMElive International Music Awards (TIMA) held at Hong Kong's 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium on Sunday, August 24 . The group closed the second edition of TIMA with an approximately 30-minute headline performance that featured a live band and had fans on their feet throughout the night . Other performers at the ceremony included TAEYEON, Charlie Puth, IVE, NMIXX, and SUPER JUNIOR .
Key Points
- Stray Kids took the stage as the final act and performed for around 30 minutes, with fans standing, dancing and waving along to their songs
- Member Bang Chan won cheers from the audience by calling himself "your baby" after introducing the group to the crowd
- Felix addressed fans in Mandarin, saying: "Thank you for staying by my side. My happiness is you"
- The group performed songs including Chk Chk Boom and LALALALA while encouraging the audience to join them, and later used their eyes to express their love for fans
- IVE performed six songs during the ceremony, with leader Ahn Yujin appearing affected by an injury and remaining seated while singing
Why It Matters
The Kai Tak Stadium event marks a significant milestone for Hong Kong's ambitions to host large-scale international music award ceremonies, with TIMA's second edition attracting globally recognized K-pop acts alongside Western artists . The inclusion of major K-pop groups like Stray Kids and IVE demonstrates the genre's growing influence in the Greater China market, as evidenced by Jang Wonyoung's invitation for fans to attend IVE's Hong Kong concert in September .
The Kai Tak Stadium event marks a significant milestone for Hong Kong's ambitions to host large-scale international music award ceremonies, with TIMA's second edition attracting globally recognized K-pop acts alongside Western artists . The inclusion of major K-pop groups like Stray Kids and IVE demonstrates the genre's growing influence in the Greater China market, as evidenced by Jang Wonyoung's invitation for fans to attend IVE's Hong Kong concert in September .