BTS member V (Kim Taehyung) has once again earned recognition as Christmas Tree was named to Billboard’s list of “The 30 Best First Christmas Songs of the 21st Century.”
On December 2 (local time), Billboard released its list of “The 30 Best First Christmas Songs of the 21st Century,” where V’s Christmas Tree ranked No. 24, making it the only K-pop track included. Billboard highlighted the representative lyrics:
“Your light's the only thing that keeps the cold out / Moon in the summer night / Whispering of the stars / They’re singing like Christmas trees for us.”
Released on December 24, 2021, Christmas Tree is part of the soundtrack for the drama Our Beloved Summer, starring V’s close friend, actor Choi Woo-shik. Written and composed by Nam Hye-seung and Kim Kyung-hee, the song is a warm ballad built around a gentle acoustic guitar melody. Although it is not a traditional Christmas carol, it is regarded as a romantic track that conveys the emotional connection between the drama’s main characters.
Upon release, V became the first Korean solo artist to debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart with this song. It also entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 79. Christmas Tree topped Billboard’s Holiday Digital Song Sales chart—the first K-pop song to do so—and debuted at No. 55 on the Holiday Hot 100.
Although not originally released as a Christmas carol, the song was included in Elite Daily’s “24 Christmas Season Songs Released After Y2K” playlist. UK media outlet Edinburgh Live even named it “the most popular Christmas song on Spotify,” surpassing Mariah Carey.
Fans around the world expressed enthusiastic reactions to Billboard’s latest recognition. Comments included: “a masterpiece,” “my favorite Christmas song,” and “from V’s voice to the atmosphere, Christmas Tree is the pinnacle of Christmas energy.”
One fan noted, “It’s definitely one of my favorite songs. Absolutely stunning, comforting, beautiful, and sincere. And V’s voice is just incredible.”
Many fans emphasized that the track has evolved from a simple seasonal release into a modern winter classic. One comment read: “Christmas Tree keeps proving it's more than a seasonal song. It’s a timeless winter classic in the making.”
The song continues to re-enter playlists worldwide every December, reaffirming its lasting impact. Billboard also selected Christmas Tree in last year’s ranking of the “Top 25 Christmas Songs of the 21st Century.”
Written by Lee Yoon Jeong
Translated by Lee So Yun
