The bond between global K-pop icons Stray Kids and their devoted fandom, STAY, has reached a charming new milestone.
On July 10, 2026, JYP Entertainment surprised fans by releasing an official teaser video introducing TASY, a brand-new animated mascot created specifically to represent the fandom.
The surprise reveal has taken social media by storm, giving the fandom their very own unique identity alongside the group’s highly successful animal avatars.
The Anatomy of TASY: An Intentionally Crafted Mascot for Fans
TASY- pronounced “Teiji” in Korean- is structurally designed to look like a tiny, round tanuki (a Japanese raccoon dog).
The character stands out immediately with its unique light blue body color, a soft white belly, and distinctive dark circular patches surrounding its solid black eyes.
Beyond being visually endearing, the mascot’s design incorporates clever symbolism meant to celebrate the shared journey between the band and their supporters:
- The Name: The name “TASY” serves as a direct, clever anagram of the word “STAY.”
By shifting the letters around, the creators subtly mirrored how the fans and the group are cut from the very same cloth.
- The Aesthetics: The selection of light blue and cosmic accents matches the group’s overarching visual themes, emphasizing a sense of comfort, guidance, and warmth that fans have come to look for in the group’s community spaces.
Longtime followers of the group might experience a bit of familiarity when looking at the character.
Before this formal debut video, TASY actually made a brief, unannounced cameo appearance hidden in the background of a VCR segment during Stray Kids’ 6th Fanmeeting event.
Fans had widely speculated about the mysterious blue creature at the time, and today’s announcement confirms its official status as the permanent mascot for the fanbase.
Completing the Universe Alongside the Iconic SKZOO Cast
The introduction of TASY marks a massive shift in how K-pop groups integrate fan identities into their merchandise and animated content.
For years, Stray Kids fans have collected and celebrated SKZOO, the group’s highly successful line of official animal characters that represent each individual member of the band (such as Bang Chan’s Wolf Chan, Leebit for Lee Know, or Jiniret for Hyunjin).
With TASY’s formal arrival, the fictional universe is officially complete.
Instead of fans simply buying merchandise shaped like their favorite members, they now have an animal avatar that represents themselves within the SKZOO world.
Production sources suggest that TASY will be heavily integrated into upcoming official concert merch lines, animation shorts, and fan platform layouts moving forward.
The launch lands at an incredibly busy time for the powerhouse group as they continue their massive world tour preparations, ensuring that STAYs will have a brand-new, cute companion to bring along to stadium shows throughout the remaining months of 2026.
