The Best KDrama OSTs
*In my opinion*
Official Sound Tracks (OSTs) are a huge part of Kdramas. OSTs are part of what makes Kdramas different from other forms of television. Because a limited group of songs are used frequently throughout the drama, the songs have to be placed carefully. This can make the drama great, or somewhat obnoxious (*cough* Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food *cough*). And it can be difficult to become accustomed to for first time drama watchers. Here is a list of what I consider to be the best OSTs. Please bear in mind that I haven't seen every single drama in existence and I picked OSTs that have stuck with me, even years after I've watched a drama.
Goblin
How could I not include Goblin? This drama has one of the most iconic OSTs. It was epic tragic and beautiful. There were so many songs that I loved and listened to over and over again.
"Hush" by Lassie Lindh was not as hugely popular as some of the other ones, but it left a large impact on me. It's softer and sweeter; it makes life move more slowly. When I hear this song, I'm transported back to Quebec. I see Kim Shin sitting by the fountain watching Eun Tak, slowly falling in love.
"I Will Go to You Like the First Snow" by Ailee is another song that I absolutely love, but for completely different reasons. It's the type of song you listen to when you want to cry, when you want to experience all the emotions. When I hear this song, I see Kim Shin fading away on the rooftop, leaving Eun Tak devastated on her own.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
MLSHR was another epic, sweeping drama with a memorable OST. The OST was just as star-studded as the cast with songs from EXO CBX, I.O.I, and Taeyeon. In many ways I think the OST was not necessarily best fit for the major themes of the drama. I said this in my MLSHR review, but the OST made the drama seem light and juvenile, when it was much deeper and darker than that. Never the less, there are many songs in this OST that I enjoy listening to on my own.
"Can You Hear My heart" by Epic High and Lee Hi is one of the songs on the OST that does have dark sorrowful undertones. After all, Hae Soo and Wang So's relationship was surrounded by pain and it ended tragically. This is one of the songs that truly represents the sentiments the drama gave viewers. When I hear this song, I think of Wang So and Hae Soo on the beach at sunrise.
"I Love You, I Remember You" by I.O.I is completely different. The vocals are somewhat sentimental, but the music is very poppy. It makes me think of a song created by a teen singer in the early 2000s. Although this song is an example of what makes MLSHR come off as a youth drama, I still really like the way it sounds. When I hear this song, I think of the last happy day between Hae Soo and Wang Soo. I think of the night they visit the village festival in disguise.
Queen In Hyun's Man
This drama made its romance feel so real. Part of that is due to the real chemistry between Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo. But there were so many moments where the OST swelled and made the moment truly memorable. In this case it was often the instrumentals, as opposed to singers.
I want to CRY every time I hear this instrumental. Boong Do and Hee Jin never had very much time to spend with each other. This song perfectly encapsulates the desperation they must have felt every moment they were able to spend with each other. There are countless moments I remember when I hear this song, but I always think of Boong Do appearing before Hee Jin after a long time of separation.
Another song that makes me want to cry, "Same Sky, Different Time" by Joo Hee. It's another song that brings out the frustrations and pain of not being able to be together because of reasons that cannot be fully understood. When I hear this song, I picture Hee Jin regaining her memories of Boong Do in her car, and later pulling to the side of the road to sob in the rain. It is easily one of the most impactful drama scenes I've watched.
Reply 1988
All of the Reply series have great OSTs, but Reply 1988 takes the cake. As a nostalgia drama, it's important to build a feeling of being transported back in time, and the music plays an integral part in that. Lingerie Girls Generation is another great example. Reply 1988 did an amazing job of using its OST to create the image of simpler times. I wasn't even alive in 1988, but this drama made me nostalgic for those times. There are so many songs in this OST that I loved and it was difficult for me to choose just two.
"I Can Only Give You Love" by Byeon Jin Seob is one of those songs that has a strong nostalgic feel. There's a peaceful droopiness to it that instantly transports you back in time. It makes me want to drift off to sleep. When I hear this song, I think of Jung Hwan waking up to Deok Sun next to him in bed. I was a hard Jung Hwan x Deok Sun shipper and I still believe that Jung Hwan was meant to be the husband before Park Bo Gum's popularity blew up and the writers changed their minds.
"Like a Bird" is by the same artist but it has a different feel. Whereas the first song is like a warm blanket of safety, this song explores the more playful side of youth. It's like a group of childhood friends meeting together to play games and enjoy each other's company. When I hear this song, I think of the very first episode when Deok Sun and her friends are all called back home by their moms on the same street. It set up the drama really nicely.
Suspicious Partner
Suspicious partner isn't known for its killer OST like many of the others on this list, but I really like it! The OST built a perfect mood for spring. It also strangely felt like it came out of Bong Hee's head, her voice, and inner thoughts. The songs are just really nice to listen to!
"Why You" by Seenroot is a sweet, playful song. It fills you up like a balloon and let's you fly away. I think it also nicely represents Bong Hee and Ji Wook's cat and mouse relationship, endlessly messing up and chasing each other. When I hear this song I think of Bong Hee doing the walk of shame after waking up in Ji Wook's house in the first couple of episodes. I find that to be one of the most hilarious scenes I've ever seen and I've watched it several times.
"Eye Contact" by Kim EZ is another song from this OST I listen to frequently. I particularly like the full version, which has more of a jazzy genre. This song manages to remain playful, but also more mature. I think Bong Hee matures quite a bit throughout the drama and so I think this song portrays that development well. When I hear this song, I think of Ji Wook watching Bong Hee in the rain, starting to fall for her.
Hwayugi
Hwayugi was very similar to Goblin in many ways, including its soundtrack. There were many powerful songs, as well as beautiful ones to highlight different emotions. Many of the songs were impressive and impactful. It was difficult for me to choose just two of them here, as well!
The moment I heard "If You Were Me" by Jimin and Yuna ft. Too Hwe Seung, I HAD to find it! Unfortunately, it wasn't released until a week or two after it aired. I love the way it builds up anticipation and curiosity in the beginning. It was absolutely perfect for the first scene in which it was used. When I hear this song, I automatically picture Oh Gong walking confidently up to Sun Mi to kiss her in front of Jonathan. It was so perfect in that scene.
"If We Were Destined" by Ben highlighted the more somber moments of the drama. It's such an enchanting, haunting song. It fits perfectly with the theme of dangerous fate. I also like how the song fits well with many relationships within the drama. It can be applied to Oh Gong and Sun Mi, as well as Mawang and Princess Iron Fan. When I hear this song, I think of Sun Mi ringing the death bell and smiling as Oh Gong appears because she mistakes it for the love bell.
Official Sound Tracks (OSTs) are a huge part of Kdramas. OSTs are part of what makes Kdramas different from other forms of television. Because a limited group of songs are used frequently throughout the drama, the songs have to be placed carefully. This can make the drama great, or somewhat obnoxious (*cough* Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food *cough*). And it can be difficult to become accustomed to for first time drama watchers. Here is a list of what I consider to be the best OSTs. Please bear in mind that I haven't seen every single drama in existence and I picked OSTs that have stuck with me, even years after I've watched a drama.
Goblin
How could I not include Goblin? This drama has one of the most iconic OSTs. It was epic tragic and beautiful. There were so many songs that I loved and listened to over and over again.
"Hush" by Lassie Lindh was not as hugely popular as some of the other ones, but it left a large impact on me. It's softer and sweeter; it makes life move more slowly. When I hear this song, I'm transported back to Quebec. I see Kim Shin sitting by the fountain watching Eun Tak, slowly falling in love.
"I Will Go to You Like the First Snow" by Ailee is another song that I absolutely love, but for completely different reasons. It's the type of song you listen to when you want to cry, when you want to experience all the emotions. When I hear this song, I see Kim Shin fading away on the rooftop, leaving Eun Tak devastated on her own.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
MLSHR was another epic, sweeping drama with a memorable OST. The OST was just as star-studded as the cast with songs from EXO CBX, I.O.I, and Taeyeon. In many ways I think the OST was not necessarily best fit for the major themes of the drama. I said this in my MLSHR review, but the OST made the drama seem light and juvenile, when it was much deeper and darker than that. Never the less, there are many songs in this OST that I enjoy listening to on my own.
"Can You Hear My heart" by Epic High and Lee Hi is one of the songs on the OST that does have dark sorrowful undertones. After all, Hae Soo and Wang So's relationship was surrounded by pain and it ended tragically. This is one of the songs that truly represents the sentiments the drama gave viewers. When I hear this song, I think of Wang So and Hae Soo on the beach at sunrise.
"I Love You, I Remember You" by I.O.I is completely different. The vocals are somewhat sentimental, but the music is very poppy. It makes me think of a song created by a teen singer in the early 2000s. Although this song is an example of what makes MLSHR come off as a youth drama, I still really like the way it sounds. When I hear this song, I think of the last happy day between Hae Soo and Wang Soo. I think of the night they visit the village festival in disguise.
Queen In Hyun's Man
This drama made its romance feel so real. Part of that is due to the real chemistry between Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo. But there were so many moments where the OST swelled and made the moment truly memorable. In this case it was often the instrumentals, as opposed to singers.
I want to CRY every time I hear this instrumental. Boong Do and Hee Jin never had very much time to spend with each other. This song perfectly encapsulates the desperation they must have felt every moment they were able to spend with each other. There are countless moments I remember when I hear this song, but I always think of Boong Do appearing before Hee Jin after a long time of separation.
Another song that makes me want to cry, "Same Sky, Different Time" by Joo Hee. It's another song that brings out the frustrations and pain of not being able to be together because of reasons that cannot be fully understood. When I hear this song, I picture Hee Jin regaining her memories of Boong Do in her car, and later pulling to the side of the road to sob in the rain. It is easily one of the most impactful drama scenes I've watched.
Reply 1988
All of the Reply series have great OSTs, but Reply 1988 takes the cake. As a nostalgia drama, it's important to build a feeling of being transported back in time, and the music plays an integral part in that. Lingerie Girls Generation is another great example. Reply 1988 did an amazing job of using its OST to create the image of simpler times. I wasn't even alive in 1988, but this drama made me nostalgic for those times. There are so many songs in this OST that I loved and it was difficult for me to choose just two.
"I Can Only Give You Love" by Byeon Jin Seob is one of those songs that has a strong nostalgic feel. There's a peaceful droopiness to it that instantly transports you back in time. It makes me want to drift off to sleep. When I hear this song, I think of Jung Hwan waking up to Deok Sun next to him in bed. I was a hard Jung Hwan x Deok Sun shipper and I still believe that Jung Hwan was meant to be the husband before Park Bo Gum's popularity blew up and the writers changed their minds.
"Like a Bird" is by the same artist but it has a different feel. Whereas the first song is like a warm blanket of safety, this song explores the more playful side of youth. It's like a group of childhood friends meeting together to play games and enjoy each other's company. When I hear this song, I think of the very first episode when Deok Sun and her friends are all called back home by their moms on the same street. It set up the drama really nicely.
Suspicious Partner
Suspicious partner isn't known for its killer OST like many of the others on this list, but I really like it! The OST built a perfect mood for spring. It also strangely felt like it came out of Bong Hee's head, her voice, and inner thoughts. The songs are just really nice to listen to!
"Why You" by Seenroot is a sweet, playful song. It fills you up like a balloon and let's you fly away. I think it also nicely represents Bong Hee and Ji Wook's cat and mouse relationship, endlessly messing up and chasing each other. When I hear this song I think of Bong Hee doing the walk of shame after waking up in Ji Wook's house in the first couple of episodes. I find that to be one of the most hilarious scenes I've ever seen and I've watched it several times.
"Eye Contact" by Kim EZ is another song from this OST I listen to frequently. I particularly like the full version, which has more of a jazzy genre. This song manages to remain playful, but also more mature. I think Bong Hee matures quite a bit throughout the drama and so I think this song portrays that development well. When I hear this song, I think of Ji Wook watching Bong Hee in the rain, starting to fall for her.
Hwayugi
Hwayugi was very similar to Goblin in many ways, including its soundtrack. There were many powerful songs, as well as beautiful ones to highlight different emotions. Many of the songs were impressive and impactful. It was difficult for me to choose just two of them here, as well!
The moment I heard "If You Were Me" by Jimin and Yuna ft. Too Hwe Seung, I HAD to find it! Unfortunately, it wasn't released until a week or two after it aired. I love the way it builds up anticipation and curiosity in the beginning. It was absolutely perfect for the first scene in which it was used. When I hear this song, I automatically picture Oh Gong walking confidently up to Sun Mi to kiss her in front of Jonathan. It was so perfect in that scene.
"If We Were Destined" by Ben highlighted the more somber moments of the drama. It's such an enchanting, haunting song. It fits perfectly with the theme of dangerous fate. I also like how the song fits well with many relationships within the drama. It can be applied to Oh Gong and Sun Mi, as well as Mawang and Princess Iron Fan. When I hear this song, I think of Sun Mi ringing the death bell and smiling as Oh Gong appears because she mistakes it for the love bell.
Comments
Post a Comment