From Left (L) to Right (R): BTS V, Red Velvet and aespa, NCT Dream and NMIXX. Photo: courtesy of Big Hit Music, SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment
Carols, decoration dilemmas and the mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked cakes and cookies – Christmas is finally around the corner and so are the consequent holiday playlists!
Whether you intend on enjoying this period with the latest season of the hit Japanese survival show Alice in Borderland or keep the tradition alive with a piping hot cup of cocoa and your favorite Christmas movie, here are seven K-pop Christmas tracks to elevate your holiday experience.
“Beautiful Christmas” – Red Velvet x aespa
Part of SM Entertainment’s 2022 Winter SMTown: SMCU Palace album, “Beautiful Christmas” is a special collaborative holiday track featuring two girl groups that house K-pop’s finest vocalists – Red Velvet and aespa. Cozy and festive with just the right amounts of glitter, the carol dance track conveys a heartwarming message of togetherness and excitement for the festive season: “Only one page left in the calendar/ Can’t explain how excited I am/ For this season/ Winter, my favorite time of the year/ I love winter.”
From Red Velvet’s Yeri embracing aespa’s Winter as she gleefully sings “I love Winter,” NingNing channeling her inner Mariah Carey with an unforgettable whistle register, to the groups wishing ladies a happy Christmas “more than anyone,” the music video is as special and memorable as the collaboration itself.
“Candy” – NCT Dream
A remake of H.O.T.’s hit 1996 song of the same name, NCT Dream’s reinterpretation of “Candy” is the perfect holiday track to lift your mood. The refreshing and upbeat soundscape offers you catchy melodies with dynamic vocal and rap performances – classic NCT Dream attributes.
The song begins with the septet fixed on walking away from a relationship and sees an eventual slump in their convictions as the track progresses. By the time the upbeat chorus comes around, the septet cannot help but gush about their love confession: “I said, ‘I just love you’/ Forgetting what I’d prepared/ Before this moment/ I’ll always be by your side.”
Switching between an arcade set to one brimming with holiday props, “Candy” displays NCT Dream’s affinity towards emanating good vibes and high energy, with rapper Mark stealing the show with his dynamic rap performance.
“Celebrate” – Super Junior
Kyuhyun, Leeteuk, Siwon, Yesung, Ryeowook, Donghae, Eunhyuk, Shindong and Heechul ring in the holiday season with their latest single “Celebrate.” Leading their 11th album The Road: Celebration, “Celebrate” is a letter of gratitude for those who’ve stood by Super Junior’s side throughout their career: “I can still see it clearly/ Meeting on that thrilling day/ The exciting energy that moved us/ So much has changed/ Only we’re the same, oh baby.” Anchored by a warm baseline and dreamy synth, the pop track is accentuated by dulcet vocal performances; perfect for the holiday season.
If wholesome Christmas melodies aren’t your cup of tea, The Road: Celebration has a song for distinct moods including the anti-carol for single individuals called “Hate Christmas.”
“Christmas Evel” – Stray Kids
Embrace the evil this holiday season with one of K-pop’s most enthralling groups, Stray Kids,
who sing and rap about the pitfalls of winter, especially the holiday season. “Christmas Evel” takes an evil and cheeky spin on classic holiday themes and jazzes it up with funky hip-hop sounds. Written by the group’s in-house production team 3Racha (Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han), the song is pretty unfiltered when detailing the frustrations one may have with the over-romanticized aspects of Christmas: “I hate to see those people who stick to each other because it’s cold / I don’t get a single call, only junk messages, I hate everyone.” If you’ve been the epitome of goodness and virtue this year, you can rely on “Christmas Evel’s” lyrical candidness to add a sprinkle of naughty cheekiness before the year concludes.
“Christmas Evel” has several merits, especially its theme, world play and production. Yet, Felix’s booming and resonant voice as he raps “Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad/ I can feel the evil coming but Felix, never bad” is easily the jewel of the track.
“Christmas Tree” – BTS’ V
Dispelling holiday blues with his raspy vocals, BTS member V’s 2021 solo OST release “Christmas Tree” is the sonic equivalent of an affectionate embrace from your soulmate. Rooted in minimalist production of warm guitar plucks and rich piano notes, the cozy pop-ballad weaves a mellow atmosphere with V crooning and breathing romance into the track with his indelible vocal performance. Singing about a simple yet grand love affair,” Christmas Tree” looks at the world with a festive lens. From starry skies resembling a Christmas tree to declaring the simple joys romance carries, the tune is a love poem that will ignite the candle of romance inside you, which might otherwise have been dimmed out: “Tell you/ A million little reasons/ I’m falling for your eyes/ I just want to be where you are.”
“The First Snow” – EXO
Here’s how you know Christmas is around the corner; one, your inbox is crammed with holiday offers from brands, and two, EXO’s “The First Snow” is cropping up on Korean music charts. From the song climbing spots on domestic music charts to several idols either covering the track or casually singing it during a live stream, “The First Snow” has become a holiday staple with the track playing through your speakers around Christmas being a tradition.
Part of EXO’s December 2013 special winter album Miracles, “The First Snow” is nuzzled on a bed of acoustic guitars and sleigh bells with a rich blend of soothing harmonies and warm melodies. The dreamy chorus, especially Baekhyun’s “Merry, Merry Christmas/ Annyeong jal jinaeneungeoji” instantly wraps you in an exuberant mood and in no time, you’ll find yourself softly singing along to the track.
“Funky Glitter Christmas” – NMIXX
“Funky Glitter Christmas” is not your average NMIXX project. Setting aside their established ‘mixxpop’ genre – the polarizing sonic blend that has as many fans as critics – “Funky Glitter Christmas” hooks euphonious vocal performances within a traditional and highly palatable carol soundscape. The track steers away from sonic risks previously experimented with in “O.O,” allowing listeners to groove to the festive mood and truly bask in the glory of the group’s greatest asset – their vocal abilities. Vibrant and funky with a delightful performance, “Funky Glitter Christmas” is the perfect track to ring in the new year with!
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