Stray Kids fans have taken their frustration over Lee Know’s upcoming military enlistment straight to JYP Entertainment’s doorstep, covering the agency’s Seoul headquarters with dozens of funeral wreaths on November 10 in protest over how the company is handling the singer’s final months before service.
According to MK Sports, photos shared online on November 10 showed rows of condolence wreaths lined up along the exterior wall of JYP’s headquarters in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. Ribbons on the wreaths carried pointed demands, including “One Label division head, resign” and “Dissolve One Label” — a direct attack on the JYP in-house label that manages Stray Kids.
The protest followed JYP’s November 5 announcement that Lee Know will begin his mandatory military service in the first quarter of 2027, becoming the first Stray Kids member to enlist. The agency said he would keep meeting fans through content and solo activities before enlisting, but gave no exact date, saying more information would follow later.
Fans say that is not enough. No farewell concert or final domestic stage has been announced, and fans argue Lee Know’s last goodbye should happen at home, in Korean, for Korean fans. One fan quoted by MK Sports asked: “Is it really such a big ask to let a Korean singer say his final goodbye to his Korean fans, in Korean, before his military hiatus?” Another wrote: “Why do we have to watch our favorite give his final farewell overseas from our rooms at home?”
The timing added fuel: news of video-call fansign events and rookie-group promotions landed alongside the enlistment notice, leaving some fans feeling the company was focused on other business. MK Sports also noted the frustration goes beyond the enlistment itself, reflecting grievances built up over Stray Kids’ domestic activities and fan communication.
The protest also dragged JYP founder Park Jin-young into the frame. One fan wrote that Park should “look after his artists and fans first, instead of only paying attention to the cult issue” — a reference to the recent controversy around Park’s religious group Firstfruits. Park addressed the Salvation Sect claims in an October 16 video, reiterating that he is not a believer of the sect — a controversy dating back to 2018.
JYP Entertainment has not publicly responded to the wreath protest. Fans are watching to see whether the agency answers the demands — or lets the silence speak for itself.
