Meri Kuri

* Japanese single
* Korean single

**Merry Christmas (Also known as *メリクリ "Meri Kuri"* in Japan, and 메리크리 *"Meli Keuli"* in Korea)** and, is the fifteenth Japanese single and the third Korean single by BoA. It was released simultaneously in both countries on December 1, 2004.

The single peaked at number 5 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and number 10 on the South Korean Monthly Album Chart. It was certified by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) in four categories, including two times in double platinum for digital and ringtone sales. "Meri Kuri" has become a Christmas favorite in Japan and has consistently re-appeared on the charts around Christmas time. BoA has performed "Meri Kuri" on numerous concert tours, including her five Christmas concert tours.

## Background and release

"Meri Kuri", marketed in South Korea as "Merry-Chri", was released as two singles in Japan and South Korea simultaneously on December 1, 2004. The holiday-themed single contains three tracks that revolve around the theme of a winter atmosphere; the track "Mega Step" conveys imagery of footprints in the snow while the track "The Christmas Song", a cover of Nat King Cole, is a carol that uses jazz. The B-side tracks were used as background tracks in advertisement campaigns for Skechers and Toshiba in Japan, respectively.

The title track was composed by Kazuhiro Hara, who had previously composed the single "VALENTI" (2002). Its Japanese lyrics were written by Chinfa Kan while the Korean version lyrics were written by BoA herself. The song tells lovers promising to stay together forever on a snowy winter day. She re-recorded the song with new instrumentation to mark 15 years as a pro singer; it was released as a b-side of her December 2015 single "Lookbook ". The song was covered by American rock band Weezer on the Japanese version of the Deluxe Edition of their 2008 self-titled album. On July 20, 2018, several members of the reality competition show *Produce 48* performed the Japanese version of the song live on Mnet.

## Reception

The song has received positive reviews from music journalists. Character Media's Amanda Walujono praised its production and was especially favorable towards its "sweet, but slightly melancholic verses to the gradual buildup of the soaring chorus". The *Korea JoongAng Daily* wrote it is often dubbed Japan’s "All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey due to its immense popularity in Japan. It has also been compared to the song "Cherry Blossom Ending" by Busker Busker, which is known to re-enter the charts every year in South Korea during the springtime. *The Korea Herald* included the song in their list of 15 best K-pop Christmas Songs, where they complimented its timelessness and wrote that it has experienced long-term success, particularly in Japan, becoming one of the country's Christmas favorites.

Commercially, the single performed modestly on the charts in both countries. In South Korea, the physical single peaked at number ten on the monthly MIAK album chart for December 2004, selling 20,000 copies. On the Oricon Singles Chart in Japan, "Meri Kuri" peaked at number five and charted for eleven weeks. Despite charting comparatively low as compared to her previous releases, it sold 136,725 during its charting time and was ranked the 74th best-selling single in the country in 2005. It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) in the chaku-uta category in August 2006, and was certified gold for physical shipments of over 100,000 units in January 2013. It was further certified double platinum for surpassing 500,000 units in digital sales in January 2018 and gold for streaming in August 2021. In January 2018, the song attained a new peak of number 23 on the *Billboard* Japan Hot 100 after more than a decade after its release.

## Live performances

BoA performed "Meri Kuri" live for the first time for Fuji TV's FNS Music Festival on December 1, 2004; she recorded a special stage on a rooftop of a building for the event in Dongdaemun, where it was broadcast on television throughout Japan. She again performed the song at the Anugerah Musik Indonesia Awards in Jakarta on December 16 and on Mnet's Christmas special broadcast the following day. The song has been included on the set lists for several of her concert tours throughout her career, including her five Christmas concept tours.

## Track list

1. Merry Christmas - 5:34
2. MEGA STEP - 4:32
3. THE CHRISTMAS SONG - 5:13
4. Merry Christmas (Instrumental) - 5:34
5. MEGA STEP (Instrumental) - 4:32

## Lyrics

* KOREAN
* JAPANESE
* ROMAJA
* RŌMAJI
* ENGLISH

사랑하는 사람을 만난 날
내겐 더 없는 행복이 온거죠
자연스레 많은 연인처럼
팔짱을 끼고 거리를 걷고 있죠

같은 하늘 아래 있다는 것과
같은 순간들을 느끼는 것도
조금씩 서로를 닮아가는 우리죠

네겐 너무나 소중하기에
조금 더 함께 하고픈 나의 사랑 이죠
그 아픈 상처도 아물어가요
그대가 곁에 있기에 자유로운 거죠

외로웠던 너무 힘들었던
겨울까지도 봄이 되는 거죠
첫눈이 와도 혼자였던 나는
울지 않아요 미소 지을 수 있죠

사랑을 두려워하던 나에게 그대가 들려준 cd는
내게로 보내준 그대의 Love Letter

다신 못 만날 사랑이기에
하루에도 난 몇 번씩 내게 다짐 하죠
Always 하고픈 말이 있어요
나를 만나준 당신께 너무 감사해요

하얀 눈이 내리는 이 거리에서
그대가 내게 해준 소중한 약속
눈보다 하얀 사랑을 속삭이며
함께 하자고

Always 부족한 나였었지만
그대의 사랑이 나를 채워주고 있죠
snow flakes 하늘도 축복하네요
나의 전부인 그대를 너무 사랑해요

The White White snow's coming tonight
Make a wish upon your Kiss

ふたりの距離がすごく　縮まった　気持ちがした
自然に腕が組めて　冷えた空　見あげた時に

コンビニでお茶選んで　当たり前に分けあって
きみの胸にくるまれている

ずっと　ずっと　そばにいて
大好きなきみを　見つめてたい
Snowflake　きみの暖もりは
冬の贈り物　ほら　雪だよ

どこかで辛いことや　淋しさに　ぶつかっても
きみ想うこの気持ちに　正直でいると誓うよ

メゲるとこれ聴けよって　貸してくれたCDは
きみがくれた　歌のラヴレター

ずっと　ずっと　言いたくて
付きあってくれて　ねぇ　ありがとう
もっと　好きなヒト強く
抱きしめなさいと　雪は降るの

贈り物を探しながら　結ぶはずのない気持ちが
結びあえたことの不思議　感じてた

ずっと　ずっと　そばにいて
同じ夢さがす　旅をしたい
Snowflake　空が　街角に
白い息を吐く　ほら　雪だよ

The white white snow's coming tonight,
Make a wish upon your kiss.

saranghaneun sarameul mannan nal
naegen deo eopsneun haengbogi ongeojyo
jayeonseure manheun yeonincheoreom
paljjangeul kkigo georireul geotgo issjyo

gateun haneul arae issdaneun geosgwa
gateun sungandeureul neukkineun geosdo
jogeumssik seororeul talmaganeun urijyo

negen neomuna sojunghagie
jogeum deo hamkke hagopeun naui sarang ijyo
geu apeun sangcheodo amureogayo
geudaega gyeote issgie jayuroun geojyo

oerowossdeon neomu himdeureossdeon
gyeoulkkajido bomi doeneun geojyo
cheosnuni wado honjayeossdeon naneun
ulji anhayo miso jieul su issjyo

sarangeul duryeowohadeon naege geudaega deullyeojun cdneun
naegero bonaejun geudaeui Love Letter

dasin mot mannal sarangigie
haruedo nan myeot beonssik naege dajim hajyo
Always hagopeun mari isseoyo
nareul mannajun dangsinkke neomu gamsahaeyo

hayan nuni naerineun i georieseo
geudaega naege haejun sojunghan yaksok
nunboda hayan sarangeul soksagimyeo
hamkke hajago

Always bujokhan nayeosseossjiman
geudaeui sarangi nareul chaewojugo issjyo
snow flakes haneuldo chukbokhaneyo
naui jeonbuin geudaereul neomu saranghaeyo

The White White snow's coming tonight
Make a wish upon your Kiss

futari no kyori ga sugoku
chijimatta kimochi ga shita
shizen ni ude ga kumete
hieta sora miageta toki ni
konbini de ocha erande
atarimae ni wake atte
kimi no mune ni kurumarete iru

zutto zutto soba ni ite
daisuki na kimi wo mitsumetetai
Snowflake kimi no nukumori wa
fuyu no okurimono hora yuki da yo

dokoka de tsurai koto ya
samishisa ni butsukatte mo
kimi omou kono kimochi ni
shoujiki de iru to chikau yo

megeru to kore kike yotte
kashite kureta CD wa
kimi ga kureta uta no Love letter

zutto zutto iitakute
tsuki atte kurete nee arigatou
motto suki na hito tsuyoku
dakishime nasai to yuki wa furu no

okurimono wo sagashi nagara
musubu hazu no nai kimochi ga
musubi aeta koto no fushigi
kanjiteta

zutto zutto soba ni ite
onaji yume sagasu tabi wo shitai
Snowflake sora ga machikado ni
shiroi iki wo haku hora yuki da yo

The white white snow’s coming tonight
Make a wish upon your kiss.

So much space between us
But I felt it suddenly shrink away
The moment we locked arms
And looked up to the cold sky
Picking out tea at the store
We share it like usual
I’m wrapped in your chest

Always, always, stay by side
So I can forever gaze at the one I love
Snowflakes, your warmth is
Winter’s gift, look, it’s snowing

Even if I’m met with pain
And loneliness along the road
I swear to always stay honest
To my feelings for you

The CD you lent me
To listen to when I’m down
Is a love letter of songs

Always, always, wanted to tell you
Hey, thank you for being with me
The snow falls, as if to say
Hug the person you love tighter

All that time I spent looking for something special
I didn’t expect to feel
The mystery of being this
Connected to you

Always, always, stay by side
I want to go on a journey to find our dream
Snowflakes are the sky’s cold white breath
Falling on the street corner, look, it’s snowing

The white white snow’s coming tonight
Make a wish upon your kiss

## Audio

### Other versions

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## Trivia

* "Meri Kuri" is included in two BoA compilation albums: BEST OF SOUL and Best & USA.

## Video gallery

* Music videos
* Audio

メリクリ - BoAJapanese PVBoA 보아 '메리-크리 (Merry-Chri)' MVKorean MVBoA - 「メリクリ(Happy 15th Anniversary)」Music Video Short Ver.

메리-크리 Merry-Chri (Korean Version)メリクリ(Japanese version)