It’s the most wonderful time of the year. In Korea, Christmas is a day for friends and family as well as a time for consuming entertainment be it Television or music.

Here, we have chosen our favourite 25 songs released from the world of K-pop ranging from first generation bands to songs released as recently as 2024.

Out of a list of 50 classic Christmas songs, we could only pick 25, so for those of you wanting to explore more, check out our compiled playlist of K-pop Christmas songs here.

Finally, we will also be having our Christmas special broadcast on December 21 and to view our previous K-pop Christmas Broadcasts make sure to check out our Spotify and Mixcloud page.

TURBO – White love.

As we approach the end of our advent calendar, today we take you back to the beginning of K-pop Christmas music and once again reflect on K-pop’s first generation as we bring you first-generation idols TURBO and their dance-infused song “White love”.

One of Korea’s premiere dance acts in Korea alongside duo DUEX, TURBO established themselves in the 90s for their modern dance and electronic style, inspiring and progressing dance in K-pop as we know it today.

Released in 1998, “White love” is one of the group’s most infamous Christmas songs, often performed year-round at TURBO and Kim Jong Kook concerts and performances. The song has also seen several K-pop stars, with the most famous being Stray Kids Danceracha in 2023 at MBC Music Festival.

While the Danceracha boys focused on the dancing aspect of “White love” and provided a modern spin with R&B style vocals, the original is the opposite. It focuses rather on the vocals of the main singer, Kim Jong Kook, and his ballad-esque vocals provide the song with a complete contrast to its heavy dance track filled with special effects and heavy sound engineering. The sound is a perfect representation of the 90s. At the same time, the clever use of rap verses shows the early blueprints of K-pop’s incorporation of genres.

Rap is definitely limited in “White love”, and much like most 90s dance music, it sometimes suffers from being too busy. However, suppose you are looking for a perfect nostalgia trip or for something to spice up your Christmas playlist. In that case, it doesn’t get much better than “White love”, and with various variety Christmas shows coming up, don’t be surprised to hear this song popping up on TV at some point.

What are your thoughts on “Winter Love”? Let us know on Social Media via X or Instagram.

Check our previous entries through the calendar below: