Article: Top 10 Most Emotional Korean Songs

While the collection of sorrowful songs is seemingly unlimited, why not try a different genre and pick something with just the right mix of spice and ice? We're talking about K-Pop, of course, which is noted for its conceptualised lyrics, variety, illuminating nature, and soul-soothing music. Bands like BTS and BIGBANG, as well as vocalists like Taeyeon and G-Dragon, are some of K-most Pop's accomplished ambassadors. Here are our top ten K-Pop songs. When life's roller coaster decides to hit downwards, listen to sad music that will raise you up.

1. Butterfly By BTS

This K-Pop song, which was released on the 30th of November, 2015 by BTS as part of their mini-album 'The most beautiful moment in Life (part 2),' is supposed to convey the fear of losing someone you care about. The butterfly, which is renowned as an epitome of beauty and fragility, serves as a point of comparison for the lyricist's image of someone who is as fragile and valuable as the butterfly and thus might be lost or vanish at the least touch.

 

2. Will Be Back By Im Sun Hae

Sun Hae Im recorded this song for the SBS drama 'Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo.' The words imply a wish for the return of a loved one. A burning sensation in one's heart is caused by an unsatisfied longing for something or someone. This one is for people who are familiar with this experience as well as those who wish to learn more about it.

 

3. Eyes, Nose, Lips By Taeyang

Teddy and Taeyang wrote this song for Taeyang's album "Rise" in 2014, and it went on to top the Gaon Digital Chart, make the K-Pop Top 100, and receive multiple accolades and nominations. The song is a slow-moving R&B number that was inspired by the singer and lyricist's breakup at the time and revolves around the theme of longing for a lost love.

 

4. Goblin By Sulli

Sulli's debut solo single, 'Goblin,' was released in 2019 and was the singer's final endeavour before her death. The song's lyrics depict a person who suffers from dissociative identity disorder and has numerous personas. The music is quite different, with a mix of comical and sombre background sounds. The song also emphasises the philosophy of how a person is perceived through the eyes of others, which tends to elicit an emotional response.

 

5. Fine By Taeyeon

Taeyeon's first studio album, 'My Voice,' was released in 2017 and included this 'alternative pop' track. Taeyeon's outstanding vocal abilities in the song were compared to Taylor Swift's in the United States. In essence, the words allude to the overpowering feelings that follow a breakup.

 

6. Timeless By NCT U

'Timeless,' a digital ballad-style track sung by members of NCT U- Doyoung, Jaehyun, and Taeil for SM Station, was released in January 2018. This is yet another vocal work that expresses the feelings of a heartbroken person following a breakup. Beware of the combination of high and low pitches, as well as the presentation of emotions through delicate and forceful tones! This is one of those songs that will stay on your playlist for a long time.

 

7. The Fool By Jung Seung Hwan

This K-Pop ditty, sung by Jung Seung Hwan and included on Korean Ballad Hits for 2016, criticises 'the Fool,' in this case, the lover, for producing emotional turbulence that makes the heart shudder. 'You fool, I'm hurting because of you,' says one line in the song, demonstrating the throbbing anguish the heart is in and then blaming the one he loves for his misery.

 

8. LOSER By BIGBANG

There are times in life when we feel like a nobody, when our anxieties are exposed, when we feel tiny of ourselves, when we feel like a complete zero. While it's not uncommon for ordinary individuals to go through this period, BIGBANG goes on to say in 'LOSER' that even pop artists go through it again and then, and that all the glitz and glam is simply a veil they wear to hide their true selves behind. This song's unvarnished core is designed to elicit the earthy feelings of being simply, unmistakably human.

 

9. Sailing By Girls’ Generation

This ballad, composed by group member Sooyoung and released on the 5th of August 2015 to commemorate their ninth anniversary, is Girl Generation's way of paying gratitude to their devoted fans. The lyrics begin with a trip down memory lane and inspire hope in the face of adversity. If you believe in the adage that "every cloud has a silver lining," this one will bring you happiness.

 

10. Wasted By Younha

This song reflects post-break-up emotions, as it suffers the pangs of heartache and is shattered by unfulfilled promises. This track was published in October of 2014 and is said to have a quick tempo not exactly the type you'd want to sway to but it can be a decent companion during a light workout or when you need a big weep to release all that bottled up hurt.