15 K-Pop Songs To Ring In The Holidays

Ah, the best time of the year is upon us! I must admit that I’m the type to welcome the holiday season as soon as Halloween is over, so while some might complain that Christmas seems to come earlier every year, I couldn’t be happier. Eggnog and sugar cookies with snowmen printed on them on November 1? Yes, please!

Of course, while the twinkling lights, ugly Christmas sweaters, and letters to Santa Claus are all an integral part of the season, one can’t fully enjoy the holidays without some merry tunes, right? Fortunately, I’ve got a list of songs prepared that’s sure to bring you loads of holiday cheer.

(As a side note, although there are tons of fabulous covers out there, for this list, I’ve opted to highlight artists’ original songs.)

VAV – “So In Love”

This song was pretty much my Christmas anthem last year, if there is such a thing. In fact, the last time I was this hooked on a Christmas single was when INFINITE released “Lately” (keep reading for more on that one). I often even find myself playing the video on loop because there’s just something oh-so-heartwarming about it. I guess you could say I’m “So In Love” with this one, which is why it’s the perfect way to start off this list!

TWICE – “Merry & Happy”

“Merry & Happy” is a cheery tune that’s sure to give you a case of the warm fuzzies. I can’t help but want to throw my own Christmas party with my friends, baking sweet treats, hanging decorations, and making unforgettable memories with them. Also, can we all take a second to appreciate how adorable the paper tree in this video is (1:43)?

LOONA – “The Carol”

First of all, I love the girls’ brightly colored outfits in this video, which really make them pop against the subdued tones of the city streets. As for the song itself —  well, it’s very catchy, to say the least. It’s one of those songs that makes you want to frolic around without a care in the world. And if you like this version, then go check out “The Carol 2.0” as well!

TVXQ – “Magic Castle”

Some of you may be aware that this song is actually a remake (the original is by The Classic), which goes against what I said about this list being only artists’ original songs, but I had to include TVXQ’s rendition of “Magic Castle” because it’s positively beautiful. I seriously get goosebumps whenever I listen to Junsu and Changmin belt out the chorus. Although these outfits and hairstyles haven’t aged particularly well over the course of the past decade, the song itself is undoubtedly timeless.

Starship Planet – “Christmas Time”

All I want to say right now is I love MONSTA X and Wonho a lot. Well, that and I need a full version of this song that features just them. Okay, fine, shout out to all the other amazing Starship artists too, because this is definitely one of my favorite label-collaboration Christmas songs released in recent years.

FNC ARTIST – “It’s Christmas”

Any other big-time Jung Hae In fans reading this? Any of you also get excessively excited when he starts singing? Just me? Oops… In any case, it’s really nice to see so many non-singers join in on the caroling fun in this one. It feels like everyone from FNC was able to include a part of their personality while making “It’s Christmas,” which makes this song all the more endearing.

Eric Nam – “Melt My Heart”

If anyone can melt this ice-cold heart of mine, it might just be Eric Nam. In fact, I’m sure his rich voice and radiant smile could easily sweep just about anyone off their feet this holiday season, especially if he whipped out this jam from several years ago. Also, I know he just blessed us with an entire English album, but would it be too much to ask Santa — er, Eric — for a Christmas single too this year?

INFINITE – “Lately”

“Lately” has got to be one of my top five favorite songs during the winter months, year after year. I can’t help but smile whenever I listen to it, and I firmly believe that no holiday K-pop playlist is complete without this song. The video is a real treat too, showing off the members’ radiant smiles and casual charm. Here’s to hoping that INFINITE will finally give us another Christmas single like this one in the upcoming decade!

FM201.8 – “All I Want”

“All I Want,” as well as its accompanying video, is pure cuteness and joy. It’s like if you took a puff of freshly spun cotton candy and turned it into a K-pop song. Okay, maybe that made no sense, but for real, just how many sweet, soothing voices can you fit in one song? It seems like Fantagio knows no limits! I’m also a little obsessed with JinJin and Rocky’s rap break toward the end, though that might just be the AROHA part of me shining through.

Girls’ Generation-TTS – “Dear Santa”

To borrow the words of a random YouTube commenter: “Girls’ Generation. They slay the whole year except December. Because that’s when they sleigh.” TTS is sure to make your spirits bright with their fantastically merry track “Dear Santa.” I have to imagine Santa would find it hard to say no to these girls, regardless of whether they’ve been naughty or nice.

BTOB – “The Winter’s Tale”

If the videos/songs leading up to this one have yet to fill your soul with enough adorableness to last you until the new year, have no fear — BTOB’s got you covered. With their somewhat (if not very) cheesy dance moves, pastel duffel coats, and Disney-themed onesies, BTOB is sure to delight in “The Winter’s Tale.” And, of course, the song itself will have you smiling too. Now to figure out where I can get a snow globe like the one in the video…

MAMAMOO – “Memory”

If you like your Christmas songs to be a little mellower — perfect for a quiet evening by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa — then this one is right up your alley. It definitely gives me some “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” vibes, evoking feelings of times gone by with its jazzy piano chords and contrabass. Plus, the lovely ladies of MAMAMOO never disappoint with their heavenly voices. “Memory” will for sure be part of my heavy rotation this December!

Jellyfish Artists – “Because It’s Christmas”

While this song isn’t quite representative of Jellyfish’s artist lineup anymore, it’s pretty hard to beat this group of artists, which explains this somewhat old Jelly Christmas pick. Besides, I can’t help it that I’m very partial to Sung Si Kyung‘s vocals (I may or may not slightly regret not seeing him in concert during his U.S. tour this year). Let us not ignore the bit of sophisticated charm that the artists show in this video, either, what with their bow ties and classy sweaters. All in all, a solid Christmas song to listen to even in 2019!

Teen Top – “Snow Kiss”

The Christmas energy is strong with this one. Seriously, does this song not make you want to get up and dance? It’s just so… merry! Teen Top sure knows how to spread some holiday cheer, even while seemingly trapped in a hotel room. Time for me to hold a Christmas party at the Holiday Inn down the road, I guess!

GOT7 – “Miracle”

I really debated about whether to close out the list with this one because, while it’s a very lovely song — and a stunning video to boot — it’s also a deeply emotional one. For one thing, the song is about memories from before the group’s debut, and for another, there are symbols of iGOT7s in the lyrics. In fact, many fans associate this track with an iGOT7 who unfortunately passed away before having the chance to see GOT7 in person. Although this song might put a bit of a damper on all the Christmas cheer that’s been steadily building up inside of you as you’ve scrolled through this list, I think it’s a good one to end on nevertheless. I hope all of our wonderful Soompi readers can experience their own Christmas miracles this year!

Which delightfully wintry K-pop songs are a must for your holiday playlist?

seheee is a software engineer by day and an avid K-pop concert goer by night. She also occasionally makes an appearance on Twitter (@_seheee).