How are we already getting ready for Christmas, and how is it already time to do my musical Christmas countdown.
I feel like I've had a busy year when it comes to concerts this year, with some within days of each other. This year I got to see both Eric Nam and The Rose in march, Busted and Stray Kids in July, The Boyz in September and NCT Dream concluding my concerts in November. You may not think this looks busy but when it comes to travelling especially when most were in London it becomes tiring. That being said I wouldn't change it for the world, each concert brought the emotions, the fun and the laughter as well as tears. Skye came along with me to see Stray Kids and I can't wait to share another concert with her next year.
I already have 3 concerts booked for 2025, which I can't wait for, it all ads to the memories.
Skye is still loving an enjoying college, she's applied for her university place, so it's scary to think this time next year she'll be in university.
Well that's my little recap over and done with, so let's get into my musical countdown.
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Starting this years countdown is one of my favourite K-pop Christmas songs. It's scary to think this song came out 9 years ago and next year marks it's 10-year anniversary. It really shows how good this song is as I still love and and still include it on my countdown 9 years later.
Today's song is Girls' Generation-TTS with Dear Santa.
Today's song is a regular in my countdown, it's one of my favourite Christmas songs. I love the older songs, so when this got released, I fell straight in love with it, it was a mixture of the classic songs I love as well as having a more modern and up to date sound.
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Today's song is Girls' Generation TTS' 'Dear Santa'.
It's that time of the year again, full normality pretty much returned this year, I went to my first K-pop festival, the MIK Festival, where I got to see Holland, Cherry Bullet, Golden Child, Chungha, Viviz, Pentagon, Suho and Red Velvet, 2 of which I've been listening to for the past 8 years. Sadly I didn't get to go to any other K-pop concerts, but hopefully next year there will be a few announced that I can actually go to.
Skye has started her final year of high school and has already applied to college for Sixth Form, she's interested in forensic science as well as being a CSI.
It's pretty much been the same old stuff for me of work, sleep, repeat, something which did take a toll on me mentally, but hopefully things are looking up.
Let's get into this magical and musical Christmas countdown.
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Starting this years countdown, we have one of my favourite K-pop Christmas songs, it's been one of my favourite's since it's release 7 years ago. It never fails to make me feel festive and excited for the festive season.
Today's song is Girls' Generation-TTS' "Dear Santa.
Today's song is one of my favourite of the more 'recent' Christmas songs, and it's been one of my favourite's since it's release back in 2015. It's a song that I always sing-a-long to from start to finish and I'm sure you will too.
Google Images
Today's song is Girls' Generation-TTS' 'Dear Santa'.
I wait all year to be able to listen to this song and the album it's from, I love that it starts of making you think that it's going to be a completely different song and then boom, you can't help singing and dancing along, it's definitely one of my favourite of the more modern Christmas songs.
Google Images
Today's song is Girls' Generation-TTS' 'Dear Santa'.
Today's song we're returning to Girls Generation-TTS and my favourite modern Christmas song. Each year I look forward to being able to play this album in December and the bonus of this song is that not only is it in Korean it's also in English.
This is another one of my favourite Christmas tracks and it was only released last year and is another track from Girls Generation-TTS, we heard from them last week with Merry Christmas, and today's track comes from the same album. No matter how many times I hear this track I can't help grinning, singing and dancing along to it, it's one of the few latest Christmas releases that actually make me feel like it's Christmas. I've waited a whole year to be able to get this song on again but this time I agree with the starting lyrics, enjoy this track in both English & Korean.
We're back to K-pop this week and if you're a K-pop fan then you know from the title what this post is all about, this week we have a mash up of two albums: Girls Generation-TTS' new comeback Christmas special Dear Santa and EXO's first Christmas album Miracles in December.
I'm going to start with EXO's Miracles in December because as I'm writing this I have it on (it's been a while that I've listened to it). Released 9th December 2013 this was EXO's closing album for the year and was described by SM as a special winter album and like all their other albums this too came out in both Korean and Chinese (I only have the Korean version) with the cover of the Korean being white and the Chinese red. In Japan the albums sold was 36,264 copies with the Korean version selling 24,530 copies and the Chinese version selling 11,734 copies, while in Korea the albums sold was 528,044 copies with the Korean version selling 328,727 copies and the Chinese version selling 199,317 copies making a total of 564,308 copies sold.
As they have done before on the 2nd of December 2013 SM released a teaser for the Music video and as you can hear it's a Christmas ballad, check out the teaser now.
Owned by SM Entertainment
I'm not really one for a Christmas ballad as I love Christmas songs to be high in energy and make you feel all festive and excited for the big day but I can't deny the beauty of this song it may only contain the vocals of the 3 of the 12 members (at that time) but to me they have the strongest vocals and are often seen as the main vocals of their respective units. The MV shows Baekhyun, D.O & Chen (the Chinese version swaps D.O for Luhan) in performance mode while the other members are shown preparing gifts and thinking of the girl they love. The first time I watched this video I won't deny that by the end I was crying and whether you speak Korean or not you'll get the message from the MV which to me is no matter who you are or where you are, we all have a loved one that we can no longer spend Christmas with. I love the whole setting for this MV and I just hope the scenes outside were with actual snow as that adds even more beauty to the MV. EXO have just released their second Christmas album which again the lead single is a ballad with many fans taking away that the track Sing For You is their way of closing the chapter of 12 members with 3 scenes being said to be about Kris (Sehun in space meaning galaxy), Tao (Suho & Chanyeol fighting I'm assuming because of his martial arts background) and Luhan (the members playing basketball), EXO haven't had the best year but things can only look up for them. Check out the MV's below.
Miracles in December - Korean version
Owned by SM Entertainment
Miracles in December - Chinese version
Owned by SM Entertainment
Sing For You
Owned by SM Entertainment
I love the layout of this album, the case is a box case like their Overdose mini album but this one has a 3d effect to it with the group picture on the front layered onto the case. The colour theme is red and green (the colours of Christmas) and throughout the booklet EXO are sharing some of their Christmas wishes that would indeed be a miracle if they came true, each member is dressed the same with their hair being styled the same too.
Track List:
12 월의 기적 (Miracles in December)
Christmas Day
The Star
My Turn To Cry
젓 눈 (The First Snow)
12 월의 기적 (Miracles in December) Inst.
Baekhyun
Luhan
Kai
L-R Chanyeol & Lay
L-R Xiumin & Sehun
Luhan
L-R Tao & Baekhyun
L-R D.O. & Chen
Sehun
L-R Lay & Suho
L-R Luhan & Kai
Xiumin
L-R Chen & Chanyeol
L-R Suho & Tao
Kris
L-R Baekhyun & Kris
D.O.
Album credits
D.O. Snow globe card
Check out all the tracks below
12 월의 기적 (Miracles in December)
(By uyutea)
Christmas Day
(MBCkpop)
The Star
(By xoxo_xoxo)
My Turn To Cry
(By uyutea)
젓 눈 (The First Snow)
(By uyutea)
Now it's time for Girls Generation-TTS's comeback for this year, after a sad year for Sone's with Jessica's departure, Girls Generation came back stronger than ever with Party, Lion Heart and You Think to check out their group comeback click here, then TaeYeon released her solo mini album in October, this month saw the return of the groups sub unit TTS, you could say it's been a busy and successful year for the girls with each release being a hit.
On the 30th of November SM released the first teaser for TTS's winter special album and lead single Dear Santa hinting that the track would be a Christmas ballad, showing them in stunning red gowns and teasing their beautiful voices, check out the 1st teaser below:
Dear Santa teaser 1
Owned by SM Entertainment
On the 1st of December SM released another teaser this time with a more upbeat track and showing this girls in a new outfit, I love the outfit in this teaser. SM also revealed that there were two versions of the track that would be released at the same time with the girls releasing both a Korean version and an English version, they also revealed that SeoHyun had a part with writing the lyrics. Check out the 2nd teaser below:
Dear Santa teaser 2
Owned by SM Entertainment
On December 3rd SM finally dropped the music video for Dear Santa and it has to be my favourite Christmas for this year, I've not really been a fan or recent Christmas songs but this one hit the nail on the head and like many other people that watched the MV was taken by surprise with how the track progressed, you think it's a stunning ballad but then Tiffany takes it to another level and the track becomes an upbeat Christmas track. I normally prefer the version I hear first but lyrically I prefer the English version as to me it sounds more Christmassy, there's nothing I dislike about either the MV or track, check out the music videos below:
Dear Santa - Korean version
Owned by SM Entertainment
Dear Santa - English version
Owned by SM Entertainment
I love the layout of this album it's absolutely gorgeous and very Christmassy, the album came in two version a red version and a green version, I got the green version and I'm glad I did as it's a deep green and with the red writing makes it feel more Christmassy than the red. I love that SM have created a little Christmas tree with the TTS. On opening the case I couldn't help but smile at the glossy green booklet and fold out card picture of the girls with both pictures in black and white, the CD is also green with a red TTS tree. The pictures within the booklet are stunning with the girls having 5 different themed shoots. The first theme being an all white look with fluffy jumpers and lace shorts and all posing with white Christmas lights. The second theme is a more mature and sophisticated look wearing a black lace pencil skirt and white pussy bow blouses. The third theme saw them in a more childlike light with them wearing pastel coloured cardigan style dresses with matching coloured socks with them all having their hair pulled back. The fourth theme took on a more casual look with them all in cami tops and denim shorts/jeans, these pictures were also used by SM as individual teaser shots of the girls. The final and fifth theme to me can only be described as a 90's girl group look, when I saw these pictures especially the shoes all I could think was The Spice Girls with their hair in pigtail buns. All the pictures were stunning and showing off their individual personalities.
Track List:
Dear Santa
I Like The Way
겨울을 닮은 너 (Winter Story)
Merry Christmas
젓눈 저럼 (First Snow)
Dear Santa (English version)
L-R TaeYeon, SeoHyun & Tiffany
TaeYeon
Tiffany
SeoHyun
Tiffany
L-R SeoHyun & TaeYeon
Tiffany
SeoHyun
L-R SeoHyun, Tiffany & TaeYeon
L-R TaeYeon & Tiffany
SeoHyun
L-R SeoHyun & TaeYeon
Tiffany
L-R TaeYeon & Tiffany
L-R TaeYeon & SeoHyun
L-R TaeYeon & Tiffany
L-R SeoHyun & TaeYeon
SeoHyun
L-R TaeYeon & Tiffany
L-R SeoHyun & Tiffany
Tiffany
TaeYeon
L-R TTS TaeYeon, Tiffany & SeoHyun
TaeYeon
Tiffany
SeoHyun
Tiffany
TaeYeon
L-R SeoHyun & Tiffany
TaeYeon
TaeYeon
Tiffany
SeoHyun
L-R SeoHyun, Tiffany & TaeYeon
L-R TaeYeon, SeoHyun & Tiffany
Album credits
SeoHyun photo card
Check out all the tracks below.
Dear Santa Live
MBCkpop
I Like The Way
(By 나하아티쿠)
겨울을 닮은 너 (Winter Story)
Owned by SM Entertainment
Merry Christmas
(By yankat)
젓눈 저럼 (First Snow)
(By Ng Guo Hung)
Dear Santa (English version)
(By Soshi Lyrics)
Both of these albums are good Christmas/winter releases but I have to say my favourite has to be TTS's and that's not because Girls Generation are my favourite group I just think in general Dear Santa is a better album and it has more of a Christmas feel to it, plus I love the layout of Dear Santa.
What's your favourite track from Miracles in December?
