You are my everything by Gummy from Descendants of the Sun
Walk the path of memories past once again with this song that is guaranteed to unlock memories you never knew you had. OG K-drama watchers know what it was like to wait for each episode with bated breath just to catch a moment between Shi-jin and Mo-yeon to this song, and shipping the SongSong couple as hard as possible. The lyrics of this vocal-heavy song are saccharine-sweet, romantic and perfect to describe the unwavering devotion between Shi-jin and Mo-yeon.
Sunset by Davichi from Crash Landing On You
As if BinJin did not already put us in our feels this month — this song captures just that feeling of being there for someone after a long day. Of comfort, love and support. Each instance the OST took to screen, we could feel Jeong-hyuk’s presence even when he wasn’t there. Music truly traverses distance and time, and Sunset is just one example of that.
Wishes by Jamie Miller from Snowdrop
If Snowdrop’s plot wasn’t enough to have us emotional, the addition of this OST to scenes had us sobbing. Exploring notions of regret and remorse about an encounter — it fits right into Young-ro and Soo-ho’s fateful yet ill-fated relationship, echoing thoughts that never were spoken throughout the series. We’re not crying, you are.
Snow Flower by Park Hyo-Shin from I’m Sorry, I Love You
This old classic from Park Hyo-shin is a treat to the auditory senses of its listeners, especially if they have watched I’m Sorry, I Love You when it first came out. Instantly being transported to the early 2010s, this ballad is a heartbreaking one. The lyrics talk about the season during which the singer lost the one they loved, which is a stunning parallel to the plot of the K-drama. Listening to Snow Flower is a sublime experience, and the listener can expect being hit by a gust of nostalgia whenever they do so.
Don’t Worry by Lee Juck from Reply 1988
The average Reply 1988 fan knows the sheer pain of whenever this song would play in the K-drama. Moments such as Deok-sun letting her father into her feelings of inferiority, as well as Bora’s dad getting her medicines when she was off to live alone for the first time are punctuated by the guitar strings at the beginning of the song. The lyrics, sung carefully in Lee Juck’s earthy and rich voice, are about letting go of one’s youth and a time well-enjoyed. Just reading the translation of the lyrics is enough to bring you to tears.
Cherry Blossom Love Song by Exo’s Chen from 100 Days My Prince
One of the most soulful compositions of all time, Chen’s soft yet strong vocals come through to make you tear up almost everytime you listen to the song. Staying true to the storyline, the song speaks of lovers whose “names are engraved in each other’s hearts deeper than a wound from a knife” and how the 100 days spent with each other were more beautiful than any other day. With the lyrics ringing with a sense of love and longing and the music bringing forth the hope of reuniting with their loved one again, this song is going to stick with you for a long time.
Very Slowly by Bibi from Twenty-Five Twenty-One
This melodic beauty by BIBI has us immersed in another reality. Just like Baek Yi-jin and Na Hee-do were at first hesitant, but then slowly became each other’s comfort and solace, the song speaks about how the kindness and the warmth of a person is another’s safe place when faced with the harsh realities of the world. BIBI’s dream-like vocals echoing in the background as Baek Yi-jin says, “I don’t need a rainbow” is a scene that we all wish would come true for us someday.
Already One Year by Mido and Falasol from Hospital Playlist
“Heartbreaking” doesn’t begin to describe this beautiful song that talks about one’s feelings after a year of their breakup has passed. Originally sung by Brown Eyes about 20 years ago, the song was covered by Mido and Falasol in the second season of the drama Hospital Playlist. When Ik-sun listens to this song in her car on a rainy night and she spots Jun-wan outside the hospital, her eyes well with tears and her expression morphs into that of grief, her sobs uncontrollable. As the band covers the song and Jun-wan plays the guitar with a desolate expression, with a year of his own breakup with Ik-sun nearing, we all ended up shedding a few tears.