The track, set to drop Nov. 29, comes ahead of V’s highly anticipated collaboration with Bing Crosby on “White Christmas.” Described as a jazz-pop collaboration, “Winter Ahead” reflects the 28-year-old K-pop star’s desire for his fans to experience a “warm and joyful winter.” It follows V’s past holiday releases, including “Snow Flower” and “Christmas Tree,” and a 2022 cover of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”
V, who has long expressed his love for jazz, personally reached out to Park, with whom he shares a “longstanding friendship,” to record the song together. The track was written by Jesse Harris, known for penning Norah Jones’ hit “Don’t Know Why.”
“Winter Ahead” will precede another holiday release from V, a new version of “White Christmas,” due out just a week later. Produced by Gregg Field, the duet blends V’s vocals with a restored, isolated recording of Crosby’s legendary rendition of the classic.
“I’m so grateful to have had the chance to be featured in a song with my all-time favorite jazz artist, Bing Crosby,” V said in a statement when the project was first announced on Nov. 6. “I grew up listening to his song ‘It’s Been a Long, Long Time’ countless times a day, and I feel incredibly fortunate and honored to have sung along on ‘White Christmas’ with the voice of someone I consider an idol.”
V is currently completing his mandatory service in the South Korean military, alongside BTS bandmates SUGA, RM, Jimin, and Jung Kook. Earlier this year, Jin and J-Hope finished their service, and full BTS activities are expected to resume in 2025.
Before enlisting, V released his six-track EP Layover in September 2023, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.