Stray Kids Lee Know Enlistment and the Funeral-Wreath Protest at JYP: Timeline
JYP said Lee Know will enlist in Q1 2027. On Nov 10, fans lined JYP headquarters with funeral wreaths. The core complaint: no farewell concert has been announced for domestic fans.
TL;DR: On Nov 5, 2026, JYP Entertainment said Stray Kids member Lee Know will begin mandatory military service in the first quarter of 2027, making him the first member of the group to enlist. The agency did not give an exact date. On Nov 10, photos showed funeral wreaths lined up outside JYP's Seoul headquarters. The core complaint, reported by Korean media and Bandwagon, is that no farewell concert or final stage for domestic fans has been announced, even as overseas touring continues. As of Nov 11, JYP had not issued a response specifically addressing the protest.
Timeline
| Date (KST) | Event |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | At a new-album press conference, Lee Know said fulfilling national defense duty is "only natural," and that the group would "come together again after the military hiatus," according to MK. The exact day in August was not specified. |
| Nov 5, 2026 | JYP announces that Lee Know will fulfill mandatory service in Q1 2027. He may miss some Q1 group activities. The agency says he will keep meeting STAY through content and individual activities, and that more details will come later. |
| Nov 10, 2026 | Photos circulate of dozens of funeral wreaths along the exterior of JYP's headquarters in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. Ribbons include calls for the One Label director to resign and for One Label to be dissolved. One Label is the in-house division that manages Stray Kids. |
| Nov 11, 2026 | Bandwagon, MK and other outlets report the protest. As of this date, JYP had not publicly issued a response specifically addressing the wreaths. |
What JYP announced
JYP posted an official notice on Nov 5. Soompi published this English text of the statement:
Lee Know is scheduled to fulfill his mandatory military service in the first quarter of 2027. As a result, he may be unable to participate in some of the activities scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. However, prior to his enlistment, he will continue to connect with STAY through various content and individual activities.
The agency also said the news "may come as a surprise" and asked for understanding. MK, reporting the same notice, said JYP did not disclose the exact enlistment date or the form of military service.
Lee Know was born on October 25, 1998, and debuted with Stray Kids in 2018. He will be the first member of the group to enlist.
What fans are protesting
According to Bandwagon and MK, the main grievance is not the enlistment itself. It is the lack of a confirmed domestic farewell concert or final performance for Korean fans, while the group's overseas concerts and touring continue.
MK quoted fans making that point directly. One asked whether it was really a big request to let a Korean singer say a final goodbye to Korean fans, in Korean, before a military hiatus. Another asked why they should have to watch a final farewell given overseas from home.
Bandwagon also reported frustration over the timing of other JYP promotions, including video-call fan signings and schedules for newer artists, which some fans read as attention going elsewhere during Lee Know's remaining months. MK similarly noted that news of video-call fan signings and rookie-group promotion schedules, arriving alongside the enlistment notice, added to the irritation.
The wreaths themselves go further than a request for a concert. Ribbons called for the One Label director to resign and for One Label to be dissolved. Bandwagon and MK both describe this as part of a longer buildup of dissatisfaction with how JYP has handled Stray Kids' domestic promotions and communication, not a one-day reaction.
A fan account quoted by Bandwagon, linogram (@leeknowsaurus98), wrote on Nov 10 that the wreaths' message was to dissolve One Label and have its department head step down, and that there was still "no clear news or announcement regarding individual promotions or any meaningful plans to support his career before his departure."
Mixed reaction to the wreaths
Bandwagon noted that online reaction to using funeral wreaths as a protest was mixed. Some people shared the concern about Lee Know's remaining schedule, while others questioned whether funeral wreaths were an appropriate form of protest.
What's confirmed vs still unknown
| Confirmed | Not yet announced / unverified |
|---|---|
| Enlistment in Q1 2027 | Exact enlistment date |
| First Stray Kids member to enlist | Form of military service (active duty vs other) |
| Funeral wreaths at JYP headquarters on Nov 10, with resignation and dissolution slogans | A domestic farewell concert or final Korea stage |
| JYP says pre-enlistment content and individual activities will continue | A detailed pre-enlistment activity plan |
| No JYP response specifically addressing the protest, as of Nov 11 | How the enlistment will affect the group's longer-term schedule |
Sources
- JYP notice, Nov 5, 2026, via Soompi: Stray Kids' Lee Know Announces Plans For Military Enlistment
- MK English, Nov 5: Stray Kids’ Lee Know to be first in the group to enlist
- MK, Nov 11: JYP 사옥 근조화환 보도
- Bandwagon, Nov 11: Funeral wreaths line JYP Entertainment headquarters as Stray Kids fans protest Lee Know's enlistment plans
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