Play in this article ↓Stray Kids 合 (HOP): The First SKZHOP HIPTAPE and a Sixth Straight No. 1
Published:
- Category: Album guide
- Artist: Stray Kids
KPOP NO1 Editorial · Sources checked November 10, 2026
Eight members, one character, two meanings. 合 (HOP) came out on December 13, 2024, and it's the first SKZHOP HIPTAPE, a new kind of release from Stray Kids. Its title song is "Walkin On Water," the album has 12 songs, including eight solo songs from the world tour, and it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the group's sixth.
Here's the idea behind the name, the title song, the songs and the official videos to open.
The idea: a new genre with one name
JYP says SKZHOP blends the group's abbreviation, SKZ, with hip-hop. It's a "new genre" of Stray Kids' own, not officially defined. A HIPTAPE is the format, and 合 (HOP) is its first release. The name has two meanings: JYP says 合 stands for what the eight members make by coming together (Yonhap glosses the character as "harmony"), and "HOP" comes from hip-hop. JYP album page (JYP's page is in Korean; the summaries here are our translation.)
The release came as the group was in the middle of their dominATE world tour. The Korea Herald counted 48 shows in 32 cities, with a stadium run across 20 cities in North and South America and Europe starting in March 2025. The Korea Herald
Start with Walkin On Water
Walkin On Water is the title song, made by 3RACHA. Stray Kids compare their confidence on stage to walking on water and playing with the rough current. The arrangement uses old-school elements, and witty sound effects suggest splashing water. JYP album page The music video went up on JYP Entertainment's channel on December 13, 2024 (Korean time).
The first teaser came on December 9.
Official video · JYP Entertainment / YouTube
Watch the original on YouTube ↗
Archival photo: Hyunjin of Stray Kids on December 4, 2024. Credit: 티비텐 (TV10), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Linked from Wikimedia Commons at a smaller size; no other edits by KPOP NO.1.
The other new songs
Besides the title song, the new material is Bounce Back, U (Feat. TABLO) and a HIP Ver. of the title song. The group's own notes cover the first two. JYP album page
| Song | What Stray Kids say |
|---|---|
| Walkin On Water (title) | See above |
| Bounce Back | Old-school hip hop with a rough rock sound; a catchy whistle melody and siren sounds; the message that however hard things get, Stray Kids stay strong when they come together |
| U (Feat. TABLO) | A fast drum-and-bass beat under a melodic topline; a lyrical, swelling mood; Tablo of Epik High features |
| Walkin On Water (HIP Ver.) | A hip-hop version of the title song |
A mashup video that previews the album went up on December 6.
Official video · JYP Entertainment / YouTube
Watch the original on YouTube ↗Eight solos from the tour
The rest of the album is eight solo songs from the world tour's solo stages, included as bonus tracks. JYP album page
| Member | Solo |
|---|---|
| Bang Chan | Railway |
| Lee Know | Youth |
| Changbin | ULTRA |
| Hyunjin | So Good |
| Han | Hold my hand |
| Felix | Unfair |
| Seungmin | 그렇게, 천천히, 우리 |
| I.N | HALLUCINATION |
Before the release, the channel previewed the solos in UNVEIL : TRACK clips. Felix's Unfair went up on November 27, and Bang Chan's Railway followed on December 4.
Official video · JYP Entertainment / YouTube
Watch the original on YouTube ↗Official video · JYP Entertainment / YouTube
Watch the original on YouTube ↗Our take: the solos make this a good album for getting to know the eight members one at a time. Play the title song first, then pick a member.
A sixth No. 1, and a first in chart history
合 (HOP) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 187,000 equivalent album units. Of those, 176,000 were physical album sales. It was the group's sixth No. 1, after ODDINARY, MAXIDENT, 5-STAR, Rock-Star and ATE. Billboard said Stray Kids became the first act in the chart's nearly 69-year history to debut at No. 1 with its first six charting albums. Yonhap via The Korea Times
That tied them with BTS, Linkin Park and Dave Matthews Band for the most No. 1s among groups since 2000. Billboard also counted HOP as the 27th mostly non-English-language No. 1 album, the fourth of 2024. "We're honored to receive such immense love from fans around the world," the group said.
The run went on: DO IT in November 2025 was the eighth, and THIS & THAT in 2026 the ninth. Our DO IT guide and THIS & THAT guide cover those.
It was also a year of firsts on the road and on stage. JYP says Stray Kids headlined festivals in Milan, London and Chicago in 2024, and in October they performed at the American Music Awards, which JYP calls the second time for a K-pop group. They were also nominated in three categories at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, including Top Duo/Group, and the world tour opened with four sold-out shows at Seoul's KSPO DOME. JYP album page
Official 合 (HOP) videos
Dates are the YouTube publication dates in Korean time.
| Type | Official video | Channel | Published, KST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track preview | UNVEIL : TRACK "Unfair (필릭스)" | JYP Entertainment | November 27, 2024 |
| Track preview | UNVEIL : TRACK "Railway (방찬)" | JYP Entertainment | December 4, 2024 |
| Mashup | <合 (HOP)> Mashup Video | JYP Entertainment | December 6, 2024 |
| Teaser | "Walkin On Water" M/V Teaser 1 | JYP Entertainment | December 9, 2024 |
| Teaser | "Walkin On Water" M/V Teaser 2 | JYP Entertainment | December 10, 2024 |
| Music video | "Walkin On Water" M/V | JYP Entertainment | December 13, 2024 |
Keep exploring
New to Stray Kids? The Stray Kids starter guide introduces the eight members, and the STAY fandom guide explains the fans.
The albums around this one: ATE before it, and KARMA in 2025.
Sources
- JYP Entertainment, 合 (HOP) album page (Korean)
- Yonhap via The Korea Times, "Stray Kids scores 6th Billboard 200 No. 1," December 23, 2024
- The Korea Herald, "Stray Kids album 'HOP' achieves historic sixth Billboard 200 No. 1," December 23, 2024
- Official YouTube channel: JYP Entertainment