Stray Kids have a tour and a new album coming up, and to promote both they’ve released a special single that serves as an anthem for this era. Run It arrives with little promo other than an excellent teaser video that made me think it might be the best Stray Kids track since Miroh. That’s a lofty expectation and I really should know better than to set it, especially since I haven’t clicked with their music in some time.
Run It is definitely my favorite Stray Kids single in awhile, but that’s not saying much. I’m pleased to hear them take a more anthemic approach rather than the gimmicky, catchphrasey mode they’ve been mired in. The song’s worldly production has a ‘made for global stadiums’ vibe that feels appropriate for these World Cup times. Of course, this is meant as an anthem for the group’s tour… not a sporting event. Bombastic brass battles it out with thundering percussion for a theatrical arrangement. Run It is at its best when it gives in to these excesses, upping the tempo and widening its scope. I like the chorus quite a bit, even if it feels like a sanitized version of itself.
Sadly, there are multiple choices that make Run It feel smaller than it should. Vocal effects soften the sung portions of the track, removing urgency and contrasting awkwardly with the fiery instrumental. The climactic rap during the song’s finale is a far better use of the group’s skills. Trap percussion occasionally cheapens what should be a powerful beat (let’s get some timpani in there instead!) and much of the instrumentation feels canned rather than organically explosive. A second verse rap break threatens to derail momentum at the most predictable time, further tempering the song’s effect.
Even with these reservations, I’m a sucker for this style and it’s nice to hear Stray Kids attempt something with bigger musical scope. This ambition extends to Run It‘s length, which is well over three minutes. This allows the track to grow and change without constraint. I bet a fully live, symphony-backed version would be awesome. Too often, this studio version feels like an iPhone video begging for the big screen and a better sound system.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
Grade: B
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
as a stray kids stan its their best ever and you say otherwise you’re wrong grrrrr 10/10 they can do no wrong 😀
LikeLike
ok bias aside its like an 8.5/10. I like it but it could have been more bombastic if anything and its the main issue.
The rap at the end tho was amazing. finally something that panders towards their skills instead of being basic
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re valid. Sorry this is off-topic. The word is spelled ultimate. I think about this every time I see your username. If it’s a purposeful misspelling then forget I said anything. But at this point I think I have to bring it up, it feels like I’m not telling someone they have something in their teeth. 🙏🙏🙏
LikeLike
nah they have had plenty of misses but this one is amazing, precisely as it does not sound like their jarring signature sound
LikeLike
Stray Kids can still make good music when they want to.
Still, the soul is missing from songs like Hellevator and MIROH.
Same rating.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Def the best song I’ve heard from them, and from K-pop as a whole, in a while.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love them so I’m totally biased but considering this song is out to usher in a world tour, it’s anthemic quality is completely appropriate and I think live, this will be a standout moment in any concert or awards show. It gets me very excited to see the vision of the whole album if this is where we are starting.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Finally a nice song piece from Stray Kids. Despite their rising fame, have not been a fan of their recent offerings as it leaned too heavily into either noise-type music or rap-focused song, so it is nice to finally heard a bombastic anthem from them. I do not mind the rap at the end as it is executed nicely, but its not exactly a perfect ending for this kind of song where people expected an explosion at the end, not a muted finish. A good song for summer and stadium anthem nevertheless
LikeLike
that same adrenaline rush i get when hearing the rap pre-choruses in miroh showed up in the finale and i smiled.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Omg i love this. Way better than ceremony . The chorus is probably my favourite bit about the song. And the choreography is a mix of maybe side effects and la la la. The rap at the end of the song with Changbin and Han is very different to what they usually do but with that being said it works amazingly
LikeLike
If they’ve abandoned the dry, shrill, gimmicky central hook, they should also go all the way and tone down the overused trap elements in the second verse. HyunLix should get a rap section similar to BinSung’s part at the end of the song. My rating is definitely an 8.75. Since I didn’t expect much, I was pleasantly surprised. The chorus fell a little short of my expectations, but I believe the melody will grow on me a lot after a few more listens.
LikeLike
While the autotune feels a bit heavy-handed at times, the grand pre-chorus and chorus make this track incredibly memorable. I absolutely love how anthemic it feels, carrying an uplifting energy reminiscent of a World Cup theme song. Even though the production gets a little unusual and sparse in certain places, every time the chorus comes back around, a genuine sense of hope and perseverance shines through.
While some of Stray Kids’ more recent releases haven’t resonated with me as strongly, this particular track feels incredibly powerful. It stands as a very impressive release on its own and might even hint at something even grander and more epic for their official return.
Final Rating: High 8
LikeLiked by 1 person
I mirror same thoughts as others: Best SK song in some time, anthemic style a good fit, nice melody, too soft on delivery. 8
LikeLiked by 1 person
You pretty much said exactly what I was thinking: it sounds like World Cup music. Unfortunately that is a genre that I despise, so this one was unlikely to click for me from jump. I hate corporate fake-inspirational music, it’s corny… even the video was corny to me I’m sorry to say.
And, like you, I was turned off by the vocal effects/autotune, but really enjoyed the rap at the end, maybe in part because there were no vocal effects on it.
As soon as Chan started singing in the opening I started imagining what it would be like to hear the song without the autotune… oh well.
LikeLiked by 2 people
But maybe the autotune is a marketing trick to get you to see the live show….? Are they geniuses at JYP? LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like it a lot! Definitely one for concerts, not so sure about every day consumption though. I love the running time and the outro. I like that they are chanting instead of shouting, for a change😬. I’m not a super Stray Kids fan, but it’s songs like this one (a bit different from their usual stuff) that draws me to them once in a while.
LikeLike
SKZ in their ATEEZ Treasure Era. I welcome it.
LikeLike
Oh, thank God. Stray Kids abruptly remembered they know how to make good songs again. Thank God.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’d give it an 8.75 just for the ending alone. Genuinely nearly shed a tear. I pray they continue making good music if they do I’ll cry for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I liked this song, though I also would have preferred timpani instead of trap percussion like you said. I can’t wait for the rest of the album!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This song is great, but would have been greater if they didn’t use so much autotune (they don’t need it!). This song was meant to be sung live, so why aren’t the vocals more raw in the song? 😭
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like a stadium song and it’s perfectly fine.
LikeLiked by 1 person