.jpg)
THANKS to globalisation, Korean pop music (K-Pop) has broken past the boundaries of their country; especially with global stars like BTS and Blackpink.
While these groups have made history by successfully breaking into the Western market, let us not forget past generations of K-Pop stars that paved the way for these youngsters to be able to even start their journey as trainees in Korea.
During the Christmas season, shopping malls have been playing Christmas jingles on repeat all month long, and you might be getting bored of listening to Michael Bublé’s Christmas album.
How about adding these Christmas K-pop soundtracks (that isn’t BTS nor Blackpink) to the mix.
For a more classical feel, try listening to some of Korea’s powerhouse vocalists Sohyang, Park Bom and Lee Hi’s cover of Oh Holy Night and All I Want For Christmas Is You.
Internationally dubbed ‘Korean Mariah Carey’, Sohyang first did the cover of Oh Holy Night during her time competing in a popular South Korean singing competition programme, I Am a Singer, before recording it in 2001 for her Letter to the Sky album.
Former 2NE1 main vocalist and YG artist, Park Bom, paired with the runner-up of SBS' K-pop Star Season 1 (a competition series where the three big recording companies – SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment – are looking for the next K-pop star) Lee Hi, did their version of the too-well-known All I Want For Christmas.
These three powerhouses are living proof that K-Pop is more than just looking sharp and dancing to the beat of pop music, but the raw talent and soulfulness deep within their core.
Of course, K-pop in itself is a genre on its own, which was part of the reasons why it took a while for the world to acclimatise to their style of music. (In other words, KPop is almost like an acquired taste).
That being said, the Korean music scene is no stranger to coming up with their own Christmas tunes.
Starting with one of the 21st century’s OG K-pop girl groups, Girls Generation (SNSD), who rose to fame with their 2009’s Gee (Or you may know it as Gee Gee Gee Gee, Babeh Babeh Babeh), brings some Christmas joy with their song, Diamond in the 2011 Winter SMTown – The Warmest Gift album.
A few years later, Kim Taeyeon from the same group, came up with her winter album “This Christmas – Winter is Coming,” in which the song This Christmas is featured; bringing us a more heartfelt and solemn tune to reminisce and remember all whom we love and lost during these times.
But returning to more upbeat and cheerful Christmas music surrounding the theme of companionship, Monsta X and Twice both have the songs you need to add to your playlist this joyful season.
Lonely Christmas by Monsta X and Merry & Happy by Twice will definitely add to your Christmas spirit while bringing the K-pop vibe.
Now, Christmas won’t be Christmas if you didn’t celebrate it with friends and family and people you know and love.
Likewise, the K-pop scene would not forgo the opportunity to form collaborations among artists and groups. Of course, this is more likely a marketing strategy to expand the artists’ fan base, but let’s all be a little more optimistic this season.
The 2018 release of All I Want is a collaboration between former girl group, Hello Venus (2019), present girl group Weki Meki and boy band Astro.
If All I Want pleases your ears, you do not want to miss an even bigger collaboration with singers and groups, HyunA, Jang HyunSeung, BTOB, Roh Ji Hoon, CLC & Pentagon, with their Christmas collab, Special Christmas.
These seasonal collaborations are often a treat for fans as we can see how artists of different genres collaborate in these types of songs; Hip-Hop artists like HyunA and HyunSeung with R&B singer Roh Ji Hoon, EDM girl group CLC along with modern pop boy bands BTOB and Pentagon. Talk about rojak.
If you have made it this far, here are some bonus 2021 Christmas songs that you might also be interested in.
Topping the music charts in Korea, indie recording label Antenna produced their very own Hello Antenna, Hello Christmas, which incorporated all of their artists, performers and entertainers; including South Korean comedian, host and television personality, Yoo Jae-suk.
Pop duo, Davichi has also released Everyday Christmas. Sticking closely to their R&B influenced power ballad style of music, Davichi shows their fans that they are capable of singing more than the heartfelt soundtracks like The Descendants of the Sun’s This Love.
As the season keeps giving, Korea is yet to deliver their final Christmas soundtrack of the year, ending with bombshell HyoLyn’s A-Ha that was released December 22.
What are you waiting for? Switch up those same-old Christmas tunes with some K-pop this year. – The Vibes, December 25, 2021
Oh Holy Night by Sohyang:
All I Want For Christmas Is You by Park Bom and Lee Hi:
Gee by SNSD:
Diamond by SNSD:
This Christmas by Kim Taeyeon:
Merry & Happy by Twice:
.jpeg)
