Ate (EP)

Ate is the ninth Korean-language extended play (fourteenth overall) by South Korean boy band Stray Kids. It released on July 19, 2024, through JYP Entertainment and Republic Records, eight months after its predecessor Rock-Star (2023). Described as their "definitely" something they have not done, the in-house production team 3Racha worked on the EP with Versachoi, DallasK, Restart, Chae Kang-hae, and Space Primates, etc. In support of Ate, "Chk Chk Boom" was promoted as the EP's lead single, and Stray Kids set to embark on their third world tour Dominate World Tour, starting in August 2024.

Background
Stray Kids uploaded the video "Step Out 2024" to their social media on January 1, 2024, outlining their accomplishments in 2023 and plans for the next year, including "one album and one special album". News outlet Ilgan Sports and Hana Securities wrote about the expectation of the group's new album to be released in mid-2024, specified to be in June, while Hyundai Motor Securities Researcher predicted it to be in June or July. On May 9, a day before the single "Lose My Breath" release, StarNews reported that the group would release a new Korean-language album on July 19. Shortly, JYP Entertainment told that they did not confirm the date and would announced it later. In May, the members Han and I.N were spotted in SoHo, New York City during the music video filming. In an article written by W Korea in early June also mentioned July 19 as the upcoming album's release date.

On June 18, Stray Kids released the 56th episode of their variety web series SKZ-Code, titled "Bedtime Bingo Hell #2". It included four 18-second unskippable parodying commercials for fortune cookie fictionally branded "Ate", with each member asking "Who ate the luck?". The next day, JYP announced the EP to be titled Ate with a release date slated for July 19. The announcement was accompanied by a trailer that begins with the Felix version of the commercial. The camera then pans from advertising to reality and shows the band opening the fortune cookie with the phrase "your luck no longer lasts from now on". After that, the members experience a series of unfortunate incidents, making them wander everywhere to find the new fortune cookies to regain their luck. The video also confirmed that the lead single would be titled "Chk Chk Boom". The EP's title is a word play between a past tense of "to eat", including the Internet slang for "nail it", and the number of Stray Kids' members, "eight". Stray Kids began working on the EP since October 2023.

Music and lyrics
Prior to the release, Stray Kids described Ate as a "definitely" something they have not done before with a lot of "challenges" and "firsts" yet very "genuine and authentic", and they also think fans would not expect for this music style. In the EP's press conference, Han explained that the EP "convey[s] restrained and latent energy, while still keeping it engaging," and "expanded the genres of the B-side tracks to make the album more diverse," compared to the previous records which had more "explosive and exuberant energy".

Release and promotion
Ate was released on July 19, 2024, in conjuction with the music video for "Chk Chk Boom". Pre-orders of the EP began on June 19, coming in five versions—Ate, Chk Chk, Boom, Accordion, and Letter, as well as pre-save. Following the EP announcement, the group revealed the 3D animated vending machine-styled promotional itinerary on June 20, and, the next day, flyer-styled track listing and digital cover artwork of metalic dental model decorated with Stray Kids-shaped grillz. The series of individual, duo, and group teaser images and videos were posted currently in four sets. The first shows the "wild and free" and "hip and chic" members donning in black, white, and denim, engaging diffent activities. The second depicts the members posing in front of their portrait background, and uses cane, metallic accessories, and dreamy red lights as props. The third expresses the members on the drained swimming pool, replacing with sand and cacti. In the fourth, it shows another "hip"-style of the members wearing tooth gems, nail arts, and bold accessories with the background of a large structure of the beast's fangs.

Two tracks from Ate—"Mountains" and "Stray Kids"—were teased as part of video series "Unveil: Track", and were included alongside other tracks on the EP's mashup video, which features visuals of Stray Kids in CD factory. The day before its release, the group introduced the EP via the video Intro: Ate. To promote the EP, the group appeared on several television and web shows, including The King of Mask Singer, LeeMujin Service, Hong Seok-cheon's Jewel Box, Radio Star, and Amazing Saturday etc., and performed "Chk Chk Boom" at Music Bank, Show! Music Core, and 2024 SBS Gayo Daejeon Summer from July 19 to 21. Additionally, they hosted the radio show series All About Stray Kids Radio via Apple Music between July 16 and 30. In support of Ate, Stray Kids is scheduled for embarking on their third worldwide concert tour, Dominate World Tour, starting in Seoul in August 2024. The group also headlined three overseas music festivals—I-Days in Milan, Italy, BST Hyde Park in London, England, and Lollapalooza in Chicago, United States.

Commercial performance
According to Hanteo Chart, Ate sold 1,654,332 copies on its release date, becoming Stray Kids' fourth album to reach this milestone, following Maxident (2022), 5-Star, and Rock-Star (both 2023).

Credits and personnel
Musicians
 * Stray Kids – lead vocals
 * Bang Chan (3Racha) – background vocals (1–5, 7–8), instruments (1–2, 8), computer programming (1)
 * Changbin (3Racha) – background vocals (1–4, 7–8)
 * Han (3Racha) – background vocals (1–2, 4, 6–8)
 * Felix – background vocals (1–2, 5, 8)
 * Seungmin – background vocals (3)
 * I.N – background vocals (3)
 * Versachoi – instruments (1, 5), computer programming (1, 5)
 * DallasK – instruments (2, 7–8)
 * Restart – instruments (2, 3, 6, 8)
 * Chae Kang-hae – instruments (2, 3, 6, 8)
 * Space Primates – instruments (4)

Technical
 * Lee Kyeong-won – digital editing (1–3, 5, 7–8)
 * Bang Chan (3Racha) – digital editing (1–2, 4, 8), recording (2–5, 7–8)
 * Restart – digital editing (3)
 * Goo Hye-jin – recording (all)
 * Lim Chan-mi – recording (3)
 * Yoon Won-kwon – mixing (1, 3, 5, 7)
 * Manny Marroquin – mixing (2), mixing in Dolby Atmos (2)
 * Space Primates – mixing (4)
 * Stay Tuned – mixing (6)
 * Shin Bong-won – mixing in Dolby Atmos (1, 3–8)
 * Park Nam-joon – assistant
 * Chris Galland – mix engineering (2)
 * Ramiro Fernandez-Seoane – assistant
 * Kevin Madigan – mix engineering in Dolby Atmos (2)
 * Anthony Vilchis – assistant
 * Trey Station – assistant
 * DallasK – remixing (8)
 * Dave Kutch – mastering (all)

Locations
 * JYPE Studios – recording (all)
 * Channie's "Room" – recording (2–5, 7–8)
 * MadMiix – mixing (1, 3, 5, 7)
 * Larrabee Studios – mixing (2), mixing in Dolby Atmos (2)
 * Stay Tuned Studio – mixing (6)
 * The Mastering Palace – mastering (all)
 * GLAB Studios – Dolby Atmos mixing (all)