The sadness in our lives can result from various reasons, and, most times, we end up listening to the same genre of music. Sad Kpop songs have been my escape when I feel overwhelmed, and the conceptualized lyrics and illuminating nature of this type of music are great to soothe my feelings.
Whatever your heartache is, music can assist in provoking emotions deep in your heart and provide the comfort you need. The best sad songs you can listen to are those that can make you vulnerable and strong simultaneously.
It’s not wrong to have a good cry after a sad moment in life; maybe it will be a significant first step in your healing. Kpop songs are a popular music genre from South Korea and have been widespread worldwide.
The internet has played a massive role in putting Korean music on the world map, and its artists have not disappointed as they make some of the best variety of music.
| Nr | Song | Artist | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Butterfly | BTS | Learn More |
| 2 | Goodbye | 2NE1 | Learn More |
| 3 | Downpour | I.O.I | Learn More |
| 4 | Will Be Back | Im Sun Hae | Learn More |
| 5 | House of Cards | BTS | Learn More |
| 6 | Eyes, Nose, Lips | Taeyang | Learn More |
| 7 | Memories | Super Junior | Learn More |
| 8 | Falling Blossoms | Min Kyung Hoon & Kim Hee Chul | Learn More |
| 9 | Goblin | Sulli | Learn More |
| 10 | Everyone Has | Chungha | Learn More |
| 11 | Fine | Taeyeon | Learn More |
| 12 | Loser | Bigbang | Learn More |
| 13 | Forever Rain | RM | Learn More |
| 14 | Lost One | Epik High | Learn More |
| 15 | Beautiful Pain | BTOB | Learn More |
| 16 | Let Me Out | Jonghyun | Learn More |
| 17 | What Should I Do | Jisun | Learn More |
| 18 | Wasted | Younha | Learn More |
| 19 | She’s In The Rain | The Rose | Learn More |
| 20 | Untitled | G-Dragon | Learn More |
| 21 | Sailing | Girls’ Generation | Learn More |
21 Sad Kpop Songs
Most Kpop stars have a couple of sad songs that are widely popular. Their songs can help lift your pain as the message you get from these songs is relatable. Here is my top list of sad Kpop songs.
1. Butterfly – BTS
BTS is undoubtedly the most popular Kpop band internationally. The band has gained a massive following after releasing multiple romantic songs. The Butterfly song was released in the second part of their album, “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life” in 2015.
The song is known for symbolizing and comparing the fear of losing someone you hold dear to your heart to a butterfly because of the fragile nature of the insect.
Recommended: 21 Popular Songs About Low Self-Esteem.
2. Goodbye – 2NE1
After being a successful pop band for years, the members decided to part ways. 2NE1 dropped their last song as a farewell to their fans, who contributed to their success story.
Their diehard fans received the song with great sadness as it was unexpected. The vocals on the song create a whirlwind of sad and gloomy emotions.
3. Downpour – I.O.I
This is sadly the last song released by the group as their tribute to their fans. In this song, the band talks about the hardships and milestones they achieved as a group while bidding their fans a proper farewell.
The song addresses various issues that affected them through their musical journey and were a great way to connect with the band for the last time.
4. Will Be Back – Im Sun Hae
This is a soundtrack created by Im Sun Hae created for a famous Korean television show named “Moon Lovers.” This is a romantic show, and this song shows the longing of the main characters to be together.
If you are a fan of soap operas and the soundtracks that comes with the shows, this song will give you a familiar sensation.
5. House of Cards – BTS
It is evident that the B.T.S. will appear on the list of sad Kpop songs a couple of times as they specialize in the genre. This song talks about how relationships can be fragile and how it takes effort to make things work.
There are several perspectives on the lyrics you can get, but the baseline of it all is fighting not to give up.
6. Eyes, Nose, Lips – Taeyang
This was one of the most popular songs in Korea in 2014. The song hit number 1 on K-Pop Hot 100 at the time, giving the artist several awards and nominations.
Taeyang was assisted in writing the song by Teddy Park, and the style of the music is slow R&B. the lyrics were inspired by the artist’s breakup and his longing for his lost love.
7. Memories – Super Junior
Every feeling you and I experience is not only stored as a memory in our brains but in our hearts as well. The song by super junior takes us through his sadness and pain after breaking up with his lover and how his heart keeps aching from loneliness.
The pain of his experience seems impossible to erase because of memories from his previously ended relationship.
8. Falling Blossoms – Min Kyung Hoon & Kim Hee Chul
The feeling of needing to let go and heal is familiar if you were hurt before because of love. This song is about realizing the love you have when it is too late and the need to have closure.
The song’s video depicts another very sad story of sibling love and protection, which I feel correlates to the song’s theme.
Recommended: 21 Best Songs About The One Who Got Away.
9. Goblin – Sulli
The song is sadly the artist’s last song before her passing. It could make you sadder when you realize the facts and history of Sulli, who could have been a big star if she were alive.
The song’s message is about mental awareness and depicts a person with multiple personality disorders. The background melodies from the song are a blend of haunting and whimsical notes.
10. Everyone Has – Chungha
There are multiple perspectives from this song by the artist; the common thing I get is living a life of solitude. You can feel the emotions from the singer’s lyrics, conveying a message of life being mundane without having the right person with you.
The music hits the core of many living in a world longing to get into a blissful relationship.
11. Fine – Taeyeon
The vocal skills that the artist possesses are compared to those of America’s pop artist Taylor swift. Fine is a track on the artist’s first studio album that conveys a blend of emotions. If you have difficulty moving on from your breakup, this song is for you to listen to.
12. Loser – Bigbang
“Loser” is a sad Kpop song that everybody can relate to. If you are experiencing too much defeat and failure in life, you can find comfort in this song.
The piece talks about insecurities as the artist takes us through his side of fame, which is different from who he is as a person. The song can help you evaluate yourself and want the simple things out of life.
13. Forever Rain – RM
RM is the most famous member of BTS. The song is about his struggle with depression and the constant fear of change.
The color choice in the music video, being only black and white, serves the purpose of capturing the theme of loneliness and depicting the protagonist as a social outcast. I often relate to this track, and I’m sure many more people relate to it as well.
14. Lost One – Epik High
“Lost One” is a sad Kpop song that addresses the dark side of being in the music industry in South Korea. Tablo, the group leader, has said that it’s a song that contains what he wants to say to many people that are aiming for the same career that he has.
15. Beautiful Pain – BTOB
Released as a track on their “Hour Moment” album in 2018 portrays the regrets of letting go of a lover, but also the lessons that come with those memories, which help us grow as people.
The sad emotions are not only displayed by the song lyrics and the music video, but also by the members’ impactful singing. I’m sure maybe people have related to this song at least once in their lifetime.
Recommended: 21 Songs About Fake Friends – Ultimate Playlist.
16. Let Me Out – Jonghyun
This love song was released in 2017 and gained popularity among the artist’s fans. The song differs from the traditional songs that Jonghyun composes as he opens up to talk about his emotions.
I saw the protagonist of this story as sad, frightened, lonely, and begging for help. You will see his need for love to keep him living in this sad Kpop song.
17. What Should I Do – Jisun
The song is a soundtrack for a famous Korean T.V. show titled ‘Boys Before Flowers,’ the theme of the song clearly shows emotions of guilt and sadness that surround the story from the television show.
Even if I had not seen the show, the song by Jisun moved me and made me experience emotions through his beautiful singing abilities.
18. Wasted – Younha
Wasted depicts the pain you can get from suffering from heartbreak. Healing from unkept promises can be difficult if you are genuinely in love. Listening to songs like this addresses a part of the pain I am experiencing.
19. She’s In The Rain – The Rose
The subject of the song is the story of a girl who is trapped by the burden of her problems. The rain here probably symbolizes those feelings of loneliness and anxiety.
Since the girl is allowing herself to be soaked by the rain, it means that she is accepting these feelings of despair. It often happens that when we are at our lowest point in life nobody is there for us, so we have no other choice but to face these problems on our own.
20. Untitled – G-Dragon
Untitled is a song about acknowledging the pain and suffering you caused someone. In this masterpiece, G-Dragon admits his shortcomings and failing as a lover and being the cause of his relationship’s end.
This song makes us question ourselves and the contributions we make to a failed relationship. The artist conveys an emotional message of needing to redeem himself to his lover.
21. Sailing – Girls’ Generation
Not all Kpop sad songs are about the end of a relationship or death. A perfect example is a song from the Girls Generation, which is a way of paying tribute to their fans.
The song was released on the 9t anniversary of the band’s creation to thank their fans for being with them through their musical careers. The lyrics of this song are very emotional as they take us through their journey when starting.
Final Words
We all experience moments in our lives that can be depressing and put emotional scars on our lives. Personally, music is my healing potion as it helps me stay strong through tough times. Having the right mix of songs can help anyone heal quickly and give you hope for a better tomorrow.
The compiled list of 21 sad Kpop songs varies in different genres, but the message is the same across the board. Let music communicate with your feelings to touch and heal you.
I would recommend you to create a playlist of these songs and listen if you are mourning the end of a long friendship, relationship, or death of your loved one.
