On November 15, 2024, Stray Kids announced their first mixtape Hop, marketed as "SKZhop Hiptape".[1] Four days later, the group revealed the mixtape's track list, which confirmed that "Walkin on Water" would be the lead single, and included the "Hip" version of the song.[2] "Walkin on Water" was first previewed via a mashup video alongside "Bounce Back" and "U" on December 7,[3] and teased alongside choreography by each member via short-form video platforms on December 11–12.[4] The song was released alongside the mixtape on December 13 and its remix EP—Sleigh, Sway, sped up, and instrumental versions—the next three days.[5]
Composition
"Walkin on Water" was written by Stray Kids' in-house production team 3Racha, and co-composed with Restart and Chae Gang-hae.[6] Described as a "challenge", 3Racha revealed on behind-the-scenes video Intro "Hop" that it is the first time that the song contains only one genre in the whole song, which is "old-school hip-hop genre with boom bap beats", departing from mixing diverse sounds of previous works, such as "Chk Chk Boom".[7] It includes rhythmic chant of "water water walkin on ppikkippikki", but "water" was pronounced "wuh-huh", as well as water splashing sound effects.[8] Lyrically, the song compared walking on the flowing water as Stray Kids' confidence toward the stage and overcoming obstacles,[8] likening the group's "autobiography" throughout seven years.[9]
Music video
An accompanying music video for "Walkin on Water" premiered on December 13, 2024, in conjuction with the song and Hop releases,[10] preceded by two teaser videos.[11][12] It shows a mixing and matching of traditional Korean and hip-hop cultures,[13] which was compared to the group's music video for 2021 single "Thunderous".[14] The music video begins with a group of unknown people readying bows and arrows[15] and depicts Stray Kids, wearing trendy outfits, doing activities at traditional Korean palace: driving and lining up motorcycles and horses and standing on the boat in front of the palace, driving water scooter on the pond inside the palace, and playing billiard and janggi in the pavillion.[9][14]
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