It’s the holiday season, and part of the fun of this time of year is the holiday releases that come from our favorite K-Pop groups. In past years, we often got full-blown album releases for Christmas, but even these days, we still get surprise single releases for the season. To celebrate the holidays, we thought we’d take a look back at our team members’ favorite holiday releases from the past.

Roxy - CMO: “그냥 한번 (Just Because) (Feat. JB Of GOT7)” - Baek A Yeon & “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” - WENDY, Moon JungJae & Nile Lee

In 2016, Baek A Yeon teamed up with GOT7’s JB for a cute Christmas duet. Something about their vocal timbres together elicits a feeling of warmth and nostalgia, and it’s my go-to track for the holidays.

Also in 2016, WENDY of Red Velvet joined with Moon Jungjae and Nile Lee for the SM Station single “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” WENDY’s vocal prowess is what makes this song so special, but the jazzy tone of the song is what makes it so nostalgic. A lot of the classic holiday songs come from the 1940s, and heavy jazz melodies aren’t exactly part of popular culture, so this cover feels like it is true to the original work while showcasing the beauty of WENDY’s voice.

Khannie - CEO: “Christmas Love” - Jimin & “Snow Flower (feat. Peakboy)” - V

In 2020, Jimin gave a gift to ARMYs in the form of a Christmas release. “Christmas Love” is a classic pop holiday track, which makes it addicting and a favorite for many.

If you’re more into a softer winter vibe, then V’s “Snow Flower (feat. Peakboy)” may be more up your alley. V’s solo work has always been more R&B and jazz-focused, and that reigns true in this single. The slower tempo makes it a more sentimental and relaxing track, and V’s vocals always add a lovely note to the overall tone.

Jay - Marketing Director: “Christmas Day” - EXO & “Ex-Mas” - SOMI & BIG Naughty

Back in the day, EXO was the king of Christmas releases, which started in 2013 with their Miracles in December mini-album. For many K-Pop fans, this is a quintessential part of the holiday season, which still rings true ten years later with “첫 눈 The First Snow” suddenly going viral on social media out of the blue. The legendary MBC performance of “Christmas Day” will never be forgotten.

“Ex-Mas” is a new release for the 2023 season, where we see soloist SOMI team up with rapper BIG Naughty for a modern R&B track. It is surprisingly cute, and the duo works well together. Despite having a heavier R&B sound to the melody, the song has plenty of a holiday feel.

Cara - Editor: “Christmas EveL” - Stray Kids

Two years ago, Stray Kids crashed in and redefined the holiday track style with their trap Christmas release, “Christmas EveL.” Despite being unconventional, the track remains a favorite of many, with Felix’s verse still featuring on social media pretty much every year that it hits December 1.

Jacob - Writer: “JOY” - NCT Dream & “White” - Fin.K.L

In 2017, NCT Dream released the holiday single “JOY” on SM Station, a song that blends the group’s style with classic holiday tracks “Joy to the World” and “Jingle Bells.” The composition of this song is indeed memorable, as in general, groups either release a cover of a classic or their own original work.

Described as “a true Winter classic,” Fin.K.L released the holiday single “White” back in 1999. It’s always fun to look back at the first generation of K-Pop and see that even with everything that’s changed, there’s still so much that hasn’t.

Jean - Photographer & Writer: “눈(SNOW) (feat.이문세)” - Zion.T & “Christmas Day” - VERIVERY

Zion.T is a K-R&B singer that got famous for his sentimental ballad sound, and his 2017 single “눈(SNOW) (feat.이문세)” certainly fell into this category. The track has a melancholy jazz feel to it and is certainly a more somber release, but it is quite beautiful and definitely has a holiday feel.

In contrast, VERIVERY’s 2022 single “Christmas Day” is about as upbeat and Christmassy as it can get. Written and composed by the members, this song is certainly particularly sentimental for VERRERs.

Cidney - Writer: “Confession Song” - GOT7

2015 was a great year for GOT7, and we finally got a winter mini-album from them in the form of repackage MAD Winter Edition. The lead title, “Confession Song,” captured the hearts of many for its sweet message and classic holiday sound in the heavy use of jingle bells in the melody. The music video certainly elicits the most heartwarming feelings of the season.

Nicole - Writer: “Miracle” - GOT7

If the melancholy ballad holiday release is more your speed, GOT7 also has you covered there. The 2018 holiday repackage PRESENT: YOU &ME gave us a softer and more sentimental feeling from the boy group. “Miracle” is just as heartwarming as the previous release, but even more emotional.

Rina - Writer: “24 to 25” - Stray Kids & “Universe” - EXO

While Stray Kids is definitely best known for “Christmas EveL,” they also have a softer classic holiday release in “24 to 25.” For those that are adverse to the unique sound of “Christmas EveL,” you’ll certainly find solace in “24 to 25.” It shows that Stray Kids has the ability to release cute and soft music, too.

For many years, EXO was always our go-to group for holiday mini-albums. 2017’s “Universe” was another ballad title along the lines of “Miracles in December,” and as always, it showcases the strong vocal prowess of the group’s singers.

Angelica - Writer: “Don't Believe In Santa (산타를 안 믿어)” - DAVII Urban Zakapa

While it may not be a classic holiday sound, “Don't Believe In Santa (산타를 안 믿어)” from DAVII brings a fresh yet bright feeling to the holiday season. The track is super catchy, and anything featuring Urban Zakapa is guaranteed to be great.

Marjolaine - Writer: “Christmas Day” - Jimin & Jungkook & “Lonely Christmas” - MONSTA X

BTS isn’t a group that releases holiday singles, but in 2014, Jimin and Jungkook teamed up to create “Christmas Day,” which was an arrangement of Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe.” The duo proved they have great chemistry, and it is surprising how smoothly the original song transitioned into Korean.

In 2017, MONSTA X joined the Christmas train with the release of “Lonely Christmas.” The song is a classic in composition, and these days it is particularly nostalgic given all that the group has gone through since then.