B-Sides Christmas Special: The Boys
My favorite time of year is finally here! The holidays have officially begun, and I am constantly in my happy place. Yes, I am one of those super cheery, holiday-obsessed people who gets inexplicably happy every holiday season. So, of course, I will be featuring some of the best Christmas songs K-Pop has to offer for the next month, and to kick things off, we're featuring boy groups!
“이별 The Star” - GOT7
Probably one of my favorite Christmas albums of all time, it was difficult to just choose one song off of Mad to feature in this article. “이별 The Star” has the sweet sound of a soft winter song perfect for Christmas time, if you ignore the angsty lyrics. Regardless, “이별 The Star” is an absolutely beautiful ballad that is only made more lovely by JB, Jinyoung, and Youngjae’s stunning vocals. If you’re not familiar with the Mad repackage, I highly recommend all of the holiday songs GOT7 released on the album.
“Christmas Day” - EXO
With three holiday-themed albums and a fourth one on the way, you could argue that EXO are the kings of Christmas releases. I chose “Christmas Day” off of their first holiday venture Miracles in December because to me, it encompasses everything excellent in EXO’s holiday releases. “Christmas Day” is a slow R&B track that is reminiscent of quiet winter nights. Plus, that suspender dance is truly a gift to all EXO-Ls.
“The Winter’s Tale” - BTOB
Moving on to an upbeat and bouncy holiday track, “The Winter’s Tale” is a classic choice off of BTOB’s The Winter’s Tale mini-album released in 2014. It’s not surprising that the kings of comedy could execute such a cutesy stage to go along with the happy song. While BTOB often focuses on melancholic ballad releases, the cheery angle of this song truly fits the hyperactive boys well. Who doesn’t want the cute seven members dressed up in costumes singing of happy holiday times?
“Last Christmas” - SHINee
It’s been awhile since SHINee has graced the music scene with their talents, and I’m feeling deprived. Released on The Warmest Gift (2011 SM Town Winter), SHINee performs classic Christmas carol “Last Christmas” completely in English for fans. I have to say, the boys of SHINee do an amazing job with this song despite English being a second language. I never knew that I needed my Christmas carols in K-Pop form before this, so thank you for that gift, SHINee. Their version is a perfect mix of the classic that we all love during the holidays with the fresh perspective of a K-Pop beat.
“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town" - TVXQ
We’re going all the way back to 2010 for the next one! Legendary SM Entertainment boy group TVXQ (or DBSK if we’re sticking to the terms of the time) released a Christmas album with a mix of their own songs in Korean and English covers of famous Christmas carols. I’m particularly fond of “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” for the same reason I am fond of “Last Christmas” by SHINee; it’s a fresh perspective on a classic (not to mention that the acapella version is particularly sweet). If nostalgia is your game, TVXQ has got you covered.