Boy band Stray Kids will release the “HOP” edition of its new project, dubbed “Skzhop Hiptape,” on Dec. 13, according to its agency, JYP Entertainment, on Friday.

"Skzhop Hiptape" combines the acronym for Stray Kids with the hip-hop genre, “creating a unique name that reflects a new genre exclusive to Stray Kids."

The project's first edition, "HOP," refers to hop, a Korean word for harmony completed by the eight members of Stray Kids, and also to the "hop" from the hip-hop genre, according to its agency.


The band’s latest release, “ATE,” topped the Billboard 200 albums chart for five straight weeks starting on Aug. 3 and, as of Sept. 30, stands as the best-selling K-pop album in the United States so far this year, according to its agency.

Stray Kids released its second full-length Japanese album, “Giant,” on Wednesday, which claimed the top spot on Japan's Oricon daily album chart on the day of its release.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]