K-pop to listen to in winter: beautiful Korean songs that touch the heart

Hot DecemberHyoJung (OH MY GIRL)

효정 (HyoJung) ‘크리스마스 야간열차’ MV

A winter love song crafted by Hyojung, the leader of the idol group OH MY GIRL.

Set on Christmas night, it depicts the warmth that blossoms when you meet someone special.

Even in the cold season, it makes you feel a passion as hot as a midsummer sea—the flutter of romance really comes through.

Released in December 2024, the track captivates with Hyojung’s clear, airy vocals and a soothing melody.

While rooted in pop, it features a warmly festive, Christmas-like sound.

It’s a perfect song not only for those in love, but also for creating cherished winter memories with someone important.

첫눈에 (First Sight)Heize

헤이즈 (Heize) – 첫눈에 (First Sight) MV

It’s a heartwarming, bittersweet winter ballad.

Heize’s clear, translucent vocals beautifully capture the poignant feelings of meeting someone for the first time.

Released in December 2018, this song has become one of the Korean singer-songwriter Heize’s signature works.

Marked by its memorable piano melody, it sings of pure love for someone she fell for at first sight on the day of the first snow.

Heize wrote the lyrics herself, and her delicate sensibility shines throughout.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to quietly on a cold winter night with a warm drink in hand.

I highly recommend it to anyone struggling with love, too.

AntifreezeYerin Baek

Antifreeze

Singer-songwriter Baek Yerin, known for her fantastical worldbuilding and dreamy pop sound, covers a song by the band The Black Skirts.

It’s a heartwarming track that portrays the strength to keep moving forward even in harsh circumstances, along with the warmth of love that stays close by.

Like tracing emotional shifts through cold natural phenomena, the lyrics weave feelings together in poetic, beautiful language.

Released in September 2021 on her own label, Blue Vinyl.

Baek Yerin’s vocals and the softly emotive atmosphere feel effortlessly stylish.

This work will surely comfort those who, through a long winter, are trying to move forward while thinking of someone dear.

BluebirdBiBi

비비 (BIBI) – 행복에게 (Bluebird) Official M/V

In February 2025, Bibi delivered a song that vividly captures the transition from winter to spring.

True to her reputation for a unique worldview and expressive depth, the gentle resonance of a heartfelt melody and acoustic guitar leaves a lasting impression.

With a tender yet aching voice, she weaves a wish to endure the harsh winter and welcome the warmth of spring.

The song quietly portrays the longing for happiness even while carrying loneliness and pain.

It’s a piece that gently stays by the side of anyone who continues to hold a small hope in their heart.

COLD (feat.10CM)YOUNG POSSE

YOUNG POSSE (영파씨) – ‘COLD (feat.10CM)’ MV

A gem-like ballad that poignantly captures both emotional coldness and warmth, YOUNG POSSE collaborates with Korean star artist 10CM.

It’s the title track of their special album “COLD,” released in March 2025.

The music video, directed by renowned Taiwanese filmmaker Remii Fan, features popular actor Tseng Jing-Hua and evokes a lyrical, cinematic atmosphere.

Since their debut in October 2023, the group glides effortlessly between vocals and rap over a guitar riff as cold as the night sky and a classical beat.

The song delicately portrays loneliness and emotional fluctuations in human relationships.

Perfect for those moments when you want to face the subtleties of your heart, wrapped in the stillness of the night.

DEAR MY WAVEKIM CHAE WON

KIM CHAE WON(김채원) – ‘DEAR MY WAVE’ M/V

A poignant love story delivered by former APRIL member Chaewon.

Released in February 2025, this gem of a ballad exquisitely harmonizes delicate emotional expression with her clear, translucent vocals.

Accompanied by a melody that evokes a calm winter sea, it gently depicts the ebb and flow of a lovestruck heart.

On stages such as MBC’s Show! Music Core and other Korean music programs, her expressive power captivated many viewers.

Highly recommended for those who want to feel a love that, like waves on the shore, sometimes crashes fiercely and other times nestles quietly by your side.

When You Say My NameFIFTY FIFTY

FIFTY FIFTY (피프티피프티) ‘When You Say My Name’ Official MV

This is a winter season song by the girl group FIFTY FIFTY.

A dreamy music video featuring the members singing around a white piano in a snowy forest has been released, and it’s gaining popularity on YouTube.

It was unveiled in December 2024 as a track on their first Christmas mini-album, “Winter Glow.” The song is an emotional ballad that expresses the feeling of one’s heart warming up just by having a loved one call their name, even in the cold snow.

Incorporating a Nordic-inspired sensibility, it highlights the members’ captivating vocals and deep emotional expression.

As a sensuous track perfect for the winter season, it’s warming the hearts of many listeners.