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Christmas EveL (song)

"Christmas EveL"
Single by Stray Kids
from the EP Christmas EveL
Language
  • Korean
  • English
  • Spanish
A-side"Winter Falls"
ReleasedNovember 29, 2021 (2021-11-29)
StudioJYPE, Seoul
GenreHip hop
Length2:59
LabelJYP
Composer(s)
  • Bang Chan
  • Changbin
  • Han
  • HotSauce
Lyricist(s)
  • Bang Chan
  • Changbin
  • Han
Stray Kids singles chronology
"Scars"
(2021) 		"Christmas EveL" / "Winter Falls"
(2021) 		"Maniac"
(2022)
Music video
"Christmas EveL" on YouTube

"Christmas EveL" (pronounced "Christmas evil") is a song recorded by South Korean boy band Stray Kids. It was released on November 29, 2021, as a title track and dual lead single alongside "Winter Falls" from their single album of the same name, through JYP Entertainment and distributed by Dreamus, which marketed as "holiday special single" as part of Season Song project. Written by 3Racha (Bang Chan, Changbin, Han) and HotSauce, the song expresses a different point of view about Christmas, rather than romance and warmth with a funky hip hop sound.

Background and release

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On November 11, Stray Kids announce to release the single album Christmas EveL, scheduled for release on November 29, 2021.[1] The official track listing was posted on November 19, serving "Christmas EveL" as a lead single, alongside "Winter Falls".[2] Two music video teasers of "Christmas EveL" were released on November 20, and 27, respectively.[3][4] "Christmas EveL" was released simultaneously as the single album on November 29.[5][6] Stray Kids will not promote the song on any music program, as a thank-you gift to their fans.[7]

Composition and lyrics

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"Christmas EveL" is a funky hip hop song written by the group's in-house production team 3Racha, consisting of Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han, and co-composed with Hot Sauce in the key of F minor, 140 beats per minute with a running time of 2 minutes and 59 seconds.[8] Lyrically, "Christmas EveL" said about Christmas from a different point of view,[9] Bang Chan said the song "contains our naughty side and energy", while Changbin "wanted to express the reason why naughty boys looked at Christmas differently, rather than a romantic and warm Christmas".[4] Elite Daily described the title track as an "anti-Christmas song", described the downsides of the holiday.[10]

Commercial performance

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"Christmas EveL" debuted at number 114 on the South Korean Gaon Digital Chart.[11] The song landed at number 51 on the Billboard Japan Download Songs[12] and number 25 on Singapore's RIAS Top Regional Chart.[13] The song entered the US Billboard World Digital Song Sales at number 10[14][15] and Hungary's Singles Top 40 at number 23.[16] "Christmas EveL" debuted at number 197 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S.[17]

Music video

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An accompanying music video of "Christmas EveL" was premiered alongside the single on November 29, 2021, preceded by two teaser videos.[5] The music video surpassed 100 million views on November 5, 2022, becoming Stray Kids' eighth music video to reach this milestone after "God's Menu", "Back Door", "Miroh", "My Pace", "Thunderous", "Maniac", and "Hellevator".[18]

Directed by Lee Hye-sung,[19] the music video begins with Stray Kids in a traffic jam and listening to radio news. The news was presented that Santa Claus lost his voice due to the attack of the "sound monster", who appeared in the Noeasy trailer, and he will hire substitutes, who are Stray Kids, to spread joy to children instead of him. They go to a convenience store to find presents to deliver to the children and make a mess. Later, Bang Chan pressed the button to warp everyone again and left the store. A pink gift box fell from the sky and transformed into a magical pink truck. They threw the gift boxes out of the truck to deliver the children while it was driving. Suddenly, the truck got into an accident and skidded off a cliff to a sink. They crawled out from under the sink and dropped presents under the Christmas tree in the house, but the girl opened the door and saw them by chance. They introduced themself as Stray Kids, but she screamed that "You're not Santa." Later, Stray Kids and the girl played together. It ends with Stray Kids leaving the store and receiving the text to work instead of Santa Claus again.[6][20][21]

Live performances

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A year after the song release, Stray Kids gave the debut performance of "Christmas EveL" at 2022 2022 SBS Gayo Daejeon on December 24, 2022, alongside "Case 143" and "24 to 25".[22]

Accolades

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"Christmas EveL" received one music program award on the December 10, 2021, episode of Music Bank.[23]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from the official website.[9]

Locations

Personnel

Charts

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Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Christmas EveL"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various November 29, 2021
JYP [25][26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ahn, Byung-gil (November 11, 2021). "스트레이 키즈 'Christmas EveL' 포스터 깜짝 공개" [Stray Kids 'Christmas EveL' Poster Surprise Release]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  2. ^ Kang, Min-kyung (November 19, 2021). "'커리어 하이' 스트레이 키즈, 새 싱글 트랙리스트 공개...STAY에 화답" ['Career High' Stray Kids Unveiled New Single Tracklist...An Answer to STAY]. Tenasia (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  3. ^ Ahn, Byung-gil (November 20, 2021). "스트레이 키즈 'Christmas EveL' MV 티저" [Stray Kids 'Christmas EveL' MV Teaser]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Kim, Yu-jin (November 27, 2021). "스트레이 키즈, 겨울 산타 변신…악동 산타들의 유쾌한 크리스마스" [Stray Kids, Winter Santa Transformation… Merry Christmas from Naughty Santas]. Xportsnews (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Chin, Carmen (November 29, 2021). "Stray Kids save the holidays in music video for 'Christmas EveL'". NME. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Jung, Ga-young (November 29, 2021). ""아슬아슬 우당탕탕" 스트레이 키즈, 산타 된 악동들의 '크리스마스 이블' [SW신곡]" ["Risky and Chaotic" Stray Kids, Naughty Boy Became a Santa in 'Christmas EveL' [SW New Song]]. Sportworld (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  7. ^ Hwang, Hye-jin (November 17, 2021). "'컴백' 스트레이 키즈 방찬X리노X창빈X현진 'Christmas EveL' 티저 공개" ['Comeback' Stray Kids Bang Chan×Lee Know×Changbin×Hyunjin Teaser Release]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  8. ^ "Key, BPM of Christmas EveL by Stray Kids". Musicstax. November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Christmas EveL". Stray Kids Official Website (in Korean). JYP Entertainment. November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  10. ^ Mendez, Michele (November 30, 2021). "Stray Kids' Wild "Christmas EveL" MV Is Like A Mini Holiday Movie". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Digital Chart – Week 49 of 2021". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Download Songs [ 2021/12/08 公開 ]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "RIAS Top Charts Week 52 (24 - 30 Dec 2021)". January 6, 2022. Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Stray Kids Chart History (World Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  15. ^ Lee, Seung-hoon (December 13, 2021). "스트레이 키즈, 'Christmas EveL'로 가온차트 1위→美 타임 '베스트 K팝 앨범' 선정[공식]" [Stray Kids, 'Christmas EveL' topped Gaon Chart → Selected as 'Best K-pop Album' by US Time [Official]]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  16. ^ a b "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  17. ^ a b "Stray Kids Chart History (Billboard Global Excl. US)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  18. ^ Hwang, Hye-jin (November 6, 2022). "'빌보드 1위' 스트레이 키즈 'Christmas EveL' MV 1억뷰 돌파" ['Billboard No. 1' Stray Kids 'Christmas EveL' MV Surpassed 100 Million Views]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  19. ^ Sushivisual [@sushivisual] (November 30, 2021). "STRAY KIDS - CHRISTMAS EVEL". Retrieved November 30, 2021 – via Instagram.
  20. ^ "Stray Kids reluctantly fill in for a sick Santa Claus in comical MV for 'Christmas EveL'". Allkpop. November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  21. ^ Sara (December 3, 2021). "Stray Kids are All About Festive Fun in "Christmas EveL"". Seoulbeats. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  22. ^ Cha, E. (December 25, 2022). "Watch: Performances From 2022 SBS Gayo Daejeon". Soompi. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  23. ^ Ji, Min-kyung (December 10, 2021). "'뮤직뱅크' 스트레이 키즈, 첫 시즌송으로 1위..하하 컴백+XH 데뷔 [종합]" ['Music Bank' Stray Kids, 1st Win with First Season Song..Haha Comeback+XH Debut]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  24. ^ "Download Chart – November 2021". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  25. ^ Stray Kids (November 29, 2021). "Christmas EveL". Melon (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  26. ^ Stray Kids (November 29, 2021). "Christmas EveL". Apple Music (US). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.