INCHEON — It's finally a wrap. After an 11-month, record-setting “dominATE” tour spanning 34 stops, Stray Kids returned home for a well-deserved celebration, proving that yes, it indeed “ate” and left no crumbs.

The four-hour encore concert, fittingly titled “dominATE: celebrATE,” took place at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. While Stray Kids performed in 27 stadiums during its latest world tour, this marked the first time the octet performed at a stadium in Korea.

Compared to the tour's opening shows at Seoul's KSPO Dome in August last year, the encore lived up to its role as a grand finale. The setlist was refreshed with both the group's newest and classic hits, with unit performances in place of solo stages and an array of large-scale spectacles, from fireworks to a drone show.

Though the vast scale of the venue occasionally slowed the show’s pacing, partly due to the lengthy arc-shaped extended stage that wrapped around the audience, Stray Kids’ commanding live presence and tightly executed production more than filled the space, showcasing how much the group has grown over the course of its yearlong journey.

“Thanks to Stay’s love, we ate the world tour and came back,” declared member I.N. during the Sunday show, referring to Stray Kids’ official fandom, Stay.

“The scale of the tour has grown massively,” added Han. “Thank you, Stay, for letting us play at such a grand venue.”

As always, Stray Kids opened the show with its signature rock introduction, setting an explosive tone for the night, which was further amplified by a powerful live band that actively interacted with the group throughout the show as a true part of the whole team.

Out of 33 tracks performed — including encores, which stretched the show to nearly four hours — 17 songs were delivered almost nonstop, with minimal breaks for comments and costume changes. The marathon of hits began with “Mountains” (2024), “Thunderous” (2021) and “JJAM” (2024), which were followed by “District 9” (2018), the group’s debut track, after a brief introduction for the show.

Production-wise, there was little room for rest during the first half of the show. The concert's opening sequence built momentum with a generous amount of fireworks and evolving stage concepts, from traditional Korean motifs to biker-inspired outfits.

Midway through the show, the members took to the stage in hanbok-inspired attire for “Walkin’ On Water” (2024) and “God's Menu” (2020), accompanied by a traditional lion mask dance.

After a dynamic drone show — though disappointingly obscured for most of the fans in the upper levels — the cultural homage quickly shifted gears as the group reappeared in racing outfits for “Ceremony” and “Half Time.”

But what ultimately made the concert a standout was Stray Kids' vocals and performance. Performing live with hand-held microphones while executing intense choreography, the members showcased consistent strength throughout the night.

Following a relatively slower and emotional midsection featuring “Lonely St.” (2022), “Cover Me” (2023) and “In My Head,” the show surged to the climax with “Topline” (2023), “Social Path” (2023), “Rock” (2023), “Megaverse” (2023) and “Maniac” (2022).

The additional two shows in Seoul served not only as a grand finale but also a reflection on the group’s remarkable year.

Stray Kids wrapped up the tour, its largest yet, in July, following the release of its ninth EP, “ATE,” in July last year. After kicking off with four shows in Seoul in August last year, the band traveled approximately 285,000 kilometers (177,090 miles) across Asia, Oceania, Latin America, North America and Europe, performing 54 shows at 34 venues, including 27 stadiums. The group scooped up several accolades along the journey, becoming the first K-pop act to headline 13 stadiums and drawing 120,000 fans to Stade de France, the biggest audience a K-pop act has ever brought to the venue.

As such, the homecoming concert was filled with emotion as members reflected on their journey.

“It has not been an easy path,” admitted leader Bang Chan, recalling Stray Kids’ early struggles in its career and self-doubt as a self-producing act.

“But then Park Jin-young told us, ‘You’re doing great. Keep it up, and one day, you will find fans who recognize and love your music,’” said Bang. “Believing in what he told us, we continued on with our faith in each other. Thank you so, so much for recognizing and loving our music and performances.”

Leeknow likened the group's growth to a polished diamond: a refined, valuable piece of jewelry.

“But a diamond is a mere stone without lights to shine on it,” he said. “Without you, Stay, we couldn’t be here.”

Hyunjin shared that he had a tough year battling vocal issues.

“I thought this was it — I really wanted to continue to be part of Stray Kids, but felt like I wouldn’t be able to any more,” he confessed. “But thanks to my bandmates and Stay, who unconditionally love me, I was able to endure and finally perform at such a grand stage.”

After the performance ended, Stray Kids surprised its fans with a three-minute teaser for yet another upcoming project titled “Do It,” set to be released on Nov. 21.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]