Mexico's President Addresses Shocking Stray Kids' Palace No-Show After Visit Confirmation
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum mistakenly announced that K-pop group Stray Kids would accompany South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during his visit, causing fans to gather at the National Palace. Sheinbaum later clarified the error, noting Stray Kids were in Mexico City for concerts and extending a future invitation, recalling a similar event with BTS.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum found herself in an unexpected situation on Thursday, following a mistaken announcement that led K-pop fans to gather outside the National Palace. Sheinbaum had publicly stated that the popular South Korean group Stray Kids would accompany South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung during his official visit to the presidential headquarters. This announcement, made during her Thursday morning press conference, generated considerable excitement among fans of the band.
Hours later, however, Stray Kids failed to appear alongside President Lee Jae Myung. This led to a mix-up that prompted Sheinbaum to clarify the situation later that evening. In a video posted to her official TikTok account, she acknowledged the misunderstanding, stating, “We are seeing off the president of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung. We thought perhaps he was coming with the group Stray Kids.”
The K-pop sensation, whose members range in age from 25 to 28, was indeed in Mexico City but for scheduled performances at the GNP Seguros Stadium on Friday and Saturday. Sheinbaum, while clarifying her error, extended an open invitation to the group for a future visit to Mexico. During her initial announcement, she had even attempted to describe the group to the press, comparing them to BTS but noting they were “younger,” and admitting, “I don’t know if they’re boys and girls.” For reference, BTS members are between 29 and 33 years old.
The president’s initial declaration caused dozens of Stray Kids’ fans to converge outside the National Palace, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols. Ultimately, only Sheinbaum and President Lee Jae Myung appeared on the presidential balcony, stepping out to greet the crowd gathered in the Zócalo, as captured in viral social media videos. This incident drew comparisons to a previous event in May when members of BTS did meet with Sheinbaum, appearing on a presidential residence balcony and waving to an estimated 50,000 members of their fan base, ARMY, according to Mexico City government figures.