STRAY KIDS' Bang Chan Finds His "Roman Empire" in a Fashion and Music Crossover
Speaking to Hypebeast exclusively at his solo track debut party in Seoul, Bang Chan talks inspirations, and what it’s like working with the Italian house.
STRAY KIDS leader and solo artist Bang Chan has made his mark as a creative ambassador, writing and producing an original single, “Roman Empire,” exclusively for the luxury fashion house Fendi. The track is a passionate solo debut that translates the luxury brand’s Roman heritage into a modern pop anthem, fusing K-pop influence with high-end Italian craftsmanship.
The song’s concept compares the intensity of love to the eternity and grandeur of the Roman Empire. Bang Chan confirmed he wove symbols of the Maison—such as the iconic Peekaboo bag and the signature ‘F’ logo—directly into the lyrics, reinterpreting Rome’s legacy in a contemporary way. Sonically, the track features smooth, emotional R&B vocals layered over a driving Miami Bass beat.
The music video, which doubles as a cinematic fashion film, was filmed at Fendi’s headquarters, the breathtaking Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in Rome. This visual journey traces Bang Chan’s artistic evolution, showcasing looks from Fendi’s Spring/Summer 2026 Pre-Collection. The single was celebrated with a massive premiere on the COEX K-pop Square mega screen in Seoul, followed by an exclusive debut party and live performance at the Palazzo Fendi Seoul boutique. Bang Chan spoke with Hypebeast in an exclusive conversation about the creative process behind the song, giving fans a sneak peek into his own “Roman Empire.”
Hypebeast:Your new solo track is a shift from Stray Kids’ group sound. What was the core emotion or concept you wanted to explore, and how did you ensure the track still felt 100% “Bang Chan” to your listeners?”
Bang Chan: We’ve been talking about this project, ever since the start of this year, and ever since then, I’ve been thinking, “What should I do?” Because it’s not something that I’m doing by myself. It’s with Fendi as well. So I was thinking, “How do I mix my musicality and what Fendi might want from me?” It took me a while to be honest, but honestly, it came out pretty good for me as a musician, I’m still looking for what I prefer as a musician, but I think this project itself really helped me, get better and grow a little bit more with my musicality. So it’s great opportunity.
When producing music for yourself versus the group, how does the creative process differentiate?
It’s funny because I actually recorded the song in my hotel room so while we were on tour. So it wasn’t that easy, but somehow I managed to get it all done. It’s quite different, because, you know, making streak is music. We have three Racha, it’s me, Chang, bin and Han, and they’re always there to help out if I’m stuck or if everyone else is stuck. We have three people, you know, making a song. But for me, as for someone that’s doing something, for myself, it’s a completely different story. I take a long time to figure out what I want to do, and I’m still working on it. So it’s a long project.
The title of the track is “Roman Empire” and it’s a part of the lyrics, what was your inspiration behind the whole creation?
Fendi is based in Roma and I thought it’d be best to put in the Roman Empire. So that’s the concept that I thought of. Do you remember that time when, TikTok was trending with, “Do you think about the Roman Empire?” That was, like, trending, right? Yeah. Lyric wise, I put in a lot of Fendi related stuff into it… the F logo, FF logo. What else is there? The peekaboo bag.
How does the Fendi brand translate into your personal creative process or influence the aesthetic for your solo debut?
While I was in Milan, I saw Fendi go through the whole creative process, and then just watching it I saw that they are very detailed, and they put a lot of hard work into the craftsmanship. So it kind of reminded me of myself when I’m working on music as well. So I think as creators of art, we have a lot in common. Thanks, Fendi!
With this solo track dedicated for FENDI, what do you hope fans will see about you that has not been seen before?
It’s a style of music that I haven’t done before, so they’ll probably feel surprised about the new challenge that I’ve done. It depends on how you interpret it. I never like telling and like describing what the song’s about. So, I’ll leave it all to you guys that are watching.
