DAY6, Chung Ha, and KIIRAS Release Christmas Singles as K-Pop Holiday Music Heats Up

December 2025 brings a surge of festive releases as three K-pop acts drop Christmas singles, continuing Korea's growing tradition of seasonal tracks that return to charts year after year.

DAY6 Debuts First Christmas Song After 10 Years

Pop-rock band DAY6 will release "Lovin' the Christmas" on December 15 at 6 PM KST through JYP Entertainment-their first holiday track since debuting September 7, 2015. The release caps a milestone year celebrating their 10th anniversary, which included the full-length album "The DECADE" in September and sold-out concerts at KSPO DOME.

The Christmas single precedes their year-end concert series "2025 DAY6 Special Concert [The Present]," running December 19-21 at KSPO DOME in Seoul. All three dates sold out, reflecting the band's sustained popularity after hits like "You Were Beautiful," "Welcome to the Show," and "Time of Our Life."

DAY6 consists of four members-Sungjin, Young K, Wonpil, and Dowoon-who all contribute vocals alongside their instruments. Known for their signature emotional sound, the band renewed contracts with JYP Entertainment earlier this year.

Chung Ha Returns with Second Annual Christmas Release

Soloist Chung Ha released "Christmas Promises: Again" on December 5, marking her second consecutive year of holiday music. The digital single follows 2024's "Christmas Promises," which featured tracks "Sleigh" and "There Goes Santa Claus!"

The title track "Christmas Again" delivers comfort through soft winter sentiments and a warm 6/8 rhythm. The album includes the new track "It's That Time of Year," a shimmering pop song layered with sleigh bells and guitar melodies, plus two tracks from last year's release.

Known for powerful choreography and dynamic performances, Chung Ha shifts focus to her vocal abilities with this gentler seasonal offering. The release came eight months after her previous work and emphasizes healing and warmth during the year-end period.

Rookie Group KIIRAS Drops Debut Holiday Track

Six-member girl group KIIRAS released their first Christmas song "KIIRASMAS" on December 8, just months after debuting May 29, 2025. The cheerful pop track captures the group's fresh energy with the catchy refrain "KIIRASMAS IS COMING TO TOWN!"

The song showcases the rookie group's bright, playful charm while delivering familiar carol warmth. KIIRAS consists of leader LingLing (the first Malaysian K-pop girl group member), Harin, Kylie, Kurumi, Doyeon, and Roah. The group operates under LeanBranding with production involvement from R&B artist Saay.

The Power of Seasonal Songs in K-Pop

Korean seasonal tracks have proven remarkably durable, returning to charts annually when their seasons arrive. Spring brings consistent chart re-entries from Busker Busker's "Cherry Blossom Ending" (2012), 10cm's "Do You Like Spring?," and HIGH4's "Spring Love Cherry Blossom" featuring IU.

EXO's "The First Snow" from their 2013 winter album "Miracles in December" exemplifies this phenomenon. Released December 9, 2013, the track initially debuted at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart. Each December since, it re-enters charts when Korea's first snow falls.

A 2023 TikTok dance challenge propelled "The First Snow" to number one on the Circle Digital Chart-ten years after release-becoming EXO's first chart-topper in six years since "Ko Ko Bop" (2017). The track simultaneously topped all real-time Korean charts, achieving the first boy group "real-time all kill" of 2023.

As this year's Christmas releases compete for listener attention, the K-pop industry watches to see which track might achieve similar enduring status as a holiday staple.

About the Artists:

DAY6 debuted September 7, 2015, under JYP Entertainment as the company's first band. They've built a reputation for self-produced tracks and emotional storytelling across multiple albums and world tours.

Chung Ha debuted solo in 2017 after gaining recognition through the project group I.O.I. She's accumulated over 1.1 billion streams worldwide and established herself as a versatile performer across pop, house, and dance genres.

KIIRAS made their debut in 2025 with the mini album "KILL MA BO$" and won Rookie of the Year at the 2025 Korea Hallyu Entertainment Awards.