It’s Christmas Day here in the States, so I’ll be taking a one-day break from the end-of-year countdowns to focus on 2020’s K-pop holiday offerings. Every year, the industry delivers a glut of seasonal material, though there haven’t been that many recent classics.

I already reviewed The Boyz’ festive Christmassy earlier this month, but now it’s time to look at the rest of December’s offerings.

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Brand New Year 2020 – Chandelier

Okay, how can this random holiday release be better than both of AB6IX’s 2020 title tracks? Chandelier seems only tangentially tied to the holidays, but it’s the kind of brassy funk song that’s welcome any time of the year. I especially love that bombastic post-chorus. Brand New Music released two other holiday-themed tracks as part of this project, but Chandelier is the strongest. (Plus, the other two aren’t all that festive…)

Hooks	8
Production	9
Longevity	9
Bias	8
RATING	8.5

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Gavy NJ – Last Christmas

No, it’s not that classic Wham song! But, Gavy NJ’s Last Christmas harnesses a similarly sprightly pop beat. Its emotive melody is a lot closer to what you’d expect of a K-drama OST. It’s wonderfully overwrought, but lacks the kind of catchy hooks that would make a track of this style soar.

Hooks	7
Production	7
Longevity	8
Bias	7
RATING	7.25

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Jamie – 5 Christmas Languages

Bringing a bit of energy to this year’s holiday offerings, 5 Christmas Languages has a nice doo-wop beat, helped along by a healthy dose of sleigh bells (of course!). This style fits Jamie’s voice very well, and packs in a ton of fun hooks. It’s nothing we haven’t heard a million times before within this sub-genre, but it’s a welcome addition to the holiday playlist.

Hooks	8
Production	9
Longevity	8
Bias	8
RATING	8.25

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Jimin (BTS) – Christmas Love

Though it didn’t arrive with music video, we can’t not cover BTS, right? Jimin strikes out on his own for Christmas Love, and it’s a fun little holiday track. I’m digging the optimistic sound, and it’s nice to hear his vocals on their own. There are some satisfying touches in the production, too, like the bounding brass synth during the chorus.

Hooks	8
Production	8
Longevity	8
Bias	8
RATING	8

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Jung Seung Hwan – Winter Again

Ah, those familiar strings and sleigh-bells. Winter Again introduces itself as a cozy ballad from the start, which fits right within Seung Hwan’s wheelhouse. I don’t know that this is any better than his other work, but its gentle lilt is certainly suitable for quiet nights by the fire.

Hooks	7
Production	7
Longevity	7
Bias	7
RATING	7

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Oh My Girl Banhana – Snow Ball (with Pororo & Loopy)

Still craving some sugar after eating all those holiday cookies? Well, Banhana may just give you a cavity. As much as I love Oh My Girl, I’ve never been a big fan of this sub-unit’s sound. The video is delightfully ridiculous, and the catchy hook begs for a sing-along. But when it comes down to it, this is just too much aegyo for me.

Hooks	7
Production	7
Longevity	7
Bias	6
RATING	6.75

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VERIVERY – Love At First Sight

Well, it’s a little depressing to watch this video and see that member Minchan isn’t part of the festive fun. Other than that, this is a standard idol group Christmas track, bounding with good energy but never finding a melody that sticks. At the very least, it’s nice to hear VERIVERY move back to a lighter sound – even if it’s limited to the confines of holiday fare.

Hooks	7
Production	8
Longevity	8
Bias	7
RATING	7.5

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2020 Antenna Christmas Carol – Our Christmas Wish For You

We didn’t get many company-wide holiday tracks this year, but the indie-leaning Antenna Music delivered this jolly present. If you watched K-pop Star, you’ll recognize a lot of these faces. My love for this style of jazzy pop music only really materializes during Christmas, but even so there’s not a lot about this track that feels memorable. It’s got a nice vibe and a fun video. It just isn’t really my thing.

Hooks	7
Production	7
Longevity	8
Bias	7
RATING	7.25