Soundtrack of Your (Drama) Life: Your Choice

[agenth]

Is your Spotify / Youtube list filled with songs from your favourite dramas? Do you feel nostalgia when listening to a song that has been used in a particularly awesome scene? Then you're at the right place. 

 

 

Vote your favourite iconic soundtracks here: Iconic as in unforgettable, and simply a great reminiscence of your time watching such drama, it was used often with important scene, and basically, you just can't help but love the song (even if it isn't a masterpiece - it's just a great fit for the moment you watch the actors!) 

 

We listed some iconic songs from kdramas. Feel free to nominate more iconic, memorable songs/instrumentals from other dramas  (cdrama, lakorn, whatever, or a movie). Just post your choice that you miss and we'll add them for you. Please note that you can only vote once. 

 

Here are the current songs in the running, which will be the most iconic? 

 

 

Boys over Flowers / Paradise - T-Max

Iconic because... "almost paraaaaadise!" & as the BOF-opening theme

Spoiler

Full House / I Think I - Byul 

Iconic... that princess-like feel of meeting an angry celebrity and becoming his maid and ending up in love with him.

Spoiler

 

 

Temptation of Wife / I Can't Forgive - Cha Soo Kyung

Iconic... when you want to exact revenge and feel the fire of injustice in you

Spoiler

 

 

Descendants of the Sun /  This Love - Davichi

Iconic... the song that plays when he catches her windblown scarf. 

Spoiler

 

 

Goblin / Stay with Me - Chanyeol & Punch

Iconic... because of the intro. 

Spoiler

 

 

Itaewon Class / Start Over - Gaho

Iconic ... as a song that would be on your gym "pumped!" playlist

Spoiler

 

 

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo / Can You Hear My Heart - Epik High feat. Lee Hi

Iconic... because of her torn heart

Spoiler

 

 

Kill Me Heal Me / Auditory Hallucination - Jang Jae In feat. NaShow

Iconic - an auditory display of the many split personalities of the male lead

Spoiler

 

 

School 2015 / Reset - Tiger JK feat. Jinsil

Iconic in depicting the struggling life of a high school girl

Spoiler

 

 

Bad Guy / Thorn Flower - Jung Yeop

Iconic as these smooth tunes as seductive as this bad guy 

Spoiler

 

 

Cinderella and Four Knights  / For You - BTOB

Iconic as you feel like cinderella stepping into a new world

Spoiler

 

 

Healer / Eternal Love -  Michael Learns To Rock 

Iconic ... using this Danish band to portray a classic kdrama 

Spoiler

 

 

Faith / Carry On - ALi 

Iconic as the song is travelling from the future to the past and back

Spoiler

 

 

The K2 / Anemone

Iconic ... German lyrics to portray these songs featuring a church

Spoiler

 

 

The Princess' Man /  Destiny

Iconic from the first beat on

Spoiler

 

Fated To Love You / Goodbye My Love - nominated by @partyon

Heart ache for time our snail and her man

Spoiler

 

 

Secret Garden / That Woman - nominated by @partyon

Love Hyun Bin's character or not, he loved that woman.

Spoiler

 

 

Hospital Playlist / all the songs - nominated by @partyon

There are too many songs that were good in this drama!

Spoiler

Mido and Falasol

 

Aloha

 

 

Do you have any other idea or wish for a future event? Let us know and we'll do our best! 

 

 Your Event Organizers,

@partyon @Sleepy Owl @confusedheart @agenth

 

tagging:

Spoiler

@MayanEcho  @joccu  @Thong Thin  @kokodus  @Ameera Ali  @superspace  @000231846597  @Wuzetian  @4evrkdrama  @Min2206  @gm4queen  @sadthe1st  @Learry  @larus  @SilverDawn  @singlebilingual  @pompyavi 

 

@SuZy Leoo  @Shining tiara  @*.:AnGeL*BAbII:.*  @willenette  @rocher22  @africandramalover  @Pyar  @rogue  @LovelyBirdAndYoo  @RollyPenny  @Megan  @kdramagrandma  @msdot  @CallieP  @syntyche  @Nikaa  @JoannaID  @scrawford  @madmad min  @CarolynH

 

@tas82  @Gisell Gisell  @Jeannie  @Sakurafairy  @gtLmh0622  @Jiyuu  @kittyna 

 

@UnniSarah  @booha  @YongZura⁷  @maribella  @pauliza  @valinor500  @flutterby06  @kembie  @tinatrix236  @inspiredbyshj  @sakurapotter  @SophieH  @nrllee  @ktcjdrama  @Biology Lesson

@azureblue7  @Prettysup  @Ayame  @yoeda  @dramafan33  @Joanna Alfson  @morningdew 

 

@hola2jin  @airgelaal  @lebeaucouple  @xylaxyly  @usadango 

 

@pad-hari  @Naty828  @tofumochu  @Yinye  @Firefly  @SophieH 

 

@asiaren  @blackberrypie  @SexyDolceVita  @goshhh  @brooksmom  @LeftCoastOppa

@frozentundra  @rogue  @ibru  @itsmeash  @rocat  @Tamakins  @Hannahmiriam  @Rumaizah Muhammed 

 

@liyahsbutterfly @SC2019  @ferily  @serenilmauve  @Lmangla 

 

@Lu099  @andy78  @TheQueenReturns  @lilian c  @-jadecloud-  @D27Gjk68  @Sunset  @youactlikeicare  @Kdramabae  @youngae  @chickfactor  @DrBooger  @tiMadam  @hsmz 

 

@tulip06  @Kris Silva  @Tongtong  @ptp321  @Dhakra  @sweetroad  @hyall  @nohamahamoud2002  @Gumiho  @angela0612  @Kate Llama 

 

@kimlees  @lduc  @anyeze  @jadore1  @haruhi17  @lila21  @grrly  @ElleSor  @kiotzo 

 

@TheaN  @wywp  @balletgoddess  @Lusianaaolivary  @RollyPenny  @nateko  @Pitchoum  @sugarplum892 

 

 

@leo2020  @knkg @Kathy  @Kari Sama  @irilight  @illay  @Haeun  @Fata Morgana  @DreamCatcher2011  @cherry47  @bunnycotton143  @aprilfive  @anzomi  @Annykey  @an-naum  @ammu82  @AkiChan  @0ly40  @-Love Blossom-   

 

@CupcakeEonni  @Auntie Mame  @Yazusa    @cikqueen   

  @SleepyKitty  @marrez1  @suga02pearl    @fieza1871  @Tuiwgn  @lilyphenix  @omiki  

 

@breakmyheart  @Rollito Deprimavera  @Pinkypoo  @ilovenico @Jcanqueen12 @Newbie21SG @Helena  @caterpillar59

@whome  @u8017  @vintage  @Table122000  @sugarcream  @roli  @Rabbit_Small  @pocca  @Nermeen نرمين   @Man-O-Man  

 

@mirimiri  @byeolie  @Angelfish  @Lindyloo421  @yamiyugi     

 

 

[partyon]

@agenth I have more nominations

 

The OST from Que Sera Sera (an old drama that kinda reached cult status. I think  @africandramalover is the only one on this forum I know who has watched it -except for me )

 

 

Heart to Heart had the most amazing songs - super quirky, not like normal kdramas' OSTs.

 

Who can forget the Goong (Princess Hours) soundtrack?

 

I think Goblin had some other songs that were good too - this iconic scene will forever be etched in our memories partially due to this song

 

Flower of Evil had music that was on-point.

One soundtrack that shouldn't be included in this poll, is Empress Ki's
That sageuk was totally destroyed by the most horrible background music featuring electric guitars in late 80s style.

[agenth]

13 minutes ago, partyon said:

Flower of Evil had music that was on-point.

 

the others are really meh imho  but this one is really, really good.

 

13 minutes ago, partyon said:

One soundtrack that shouldn't be included in this poll, is Empress Ki's

 

how about this empress ki song? has no electric guitar

 

 

 

 

[partyon]

37 minutes ago, agenth said:

how about this empress ki song? has no electric guitar

 

You really are promoting your oppa in every event.

[MayanEcho]

Thanks for tagging @agenth ❤️

 

At the moment, Under the Skin cdrama OST/BGM album is my favourite. The theme is sang by the ML, and I love the beat and jazzy feels of the song. Among the 22 BGM in the playlist, its the 4th "Sudden Case (案件突发)" I really like.

 

 

 

From older Cdramas I've seen, another favourite is the official MV of the ending theme of TMOPB. It's the beginning scenes of Ep26, when Su Su (Bai Qian) would jump off after she gave birth.

 

 

This BGM of the trailer wasn't included in the official soundtrack of ELOD, but listening closely, one could hear familiar notes of the predecessor drama TMOPB's ending theme. I especially like the crashing drum beats nearing the end.

 

 

 

[rocher22]

 

One Spring Night OST...No Direction

 

 

 

Moon River OST

 

 

 

 

SFD OST

 

 

 

[YongZura⁷]

Of course, I have to mention BTS   :

 

We (at the Bangtan Academy) are also having a rewatch of Hwarang as part of our KCKC (Korean Culture KDrama Class) session at the moment.  This drama is also the beginning of my BTS journey and I still can't forget when the thread in this forum was locked temporarily because of a heated debate between the favourites of the two main leads PSJ vs PHS.

 

It's Definitely You by  V and Jin from BTS

 

 

and this is another one of my favourite dramas and OST (just to mention) 

Christmas Tree by BTS V

 

 

ctto

[maribella]

I can't remember what I had watched, much less the songs. I think it's old age, I have good long term memory. 

Dae Jang Geum's song onara (?) was so memorable, I even remember it's name. But I can't remember Full house' songs at all.

 

Winter sonata's memory is like international. I remember liking Save the last dance's song but darn if I remember what it's like. Now I am watching hilarious dailies, I don't even remember the plots much, only it's very funny. Forget about their OSTs.

 

Oh yes I like Goong's ost. The FL was funny and endearing at the beginning but got on my nerves by being so whiny later.

[CarolynH]

I voted, but have a couple of nominations:

1.  Orbit-Hwasa from The King Eternal Monarch

Spoiler

cr: as tagged

2.  Let's Live for Today-The Grass Roots-Pachinko

Spoiler

CTO

3.  You are My World-Yoon Mi Rae-Legend of the Blue Sea

Spoiler

CTO

4. Windflower-Lee Sun hee-Legend of the Blue Sea

Spoiler

CTO

 

My favorite of the 4 is Windflower.  I feel like crying every time I listen to the song. 

[LeftCoastOppa]

Just a few of my favorites off my kdrama playlist ...

 

I have many songs by Sondia on my playlist, but these two are the standouts that I enjoy most ... they captured the feel of each drama perfectly for me.

 

Spoiler

From the drama LOST - From Me

 

 

From the drama Yonder - Diver

 

 

 

 

The next song actually drew a tear ( or 5 ) from me when I first heard it watching this particular scene - The song is Aching by Kassy.  It was from the Alchemy Of Souls OST - First Season, however the scene in question was the first time the music was played in the Second Season ... and it was used perfectly -  Jin Bu Yeon/Naksu having regained her memories is struggling to come to grips with what has happened, and what she's put Jang Uk through ... I loved how they used this song in the first season when we saw Mu Deok/Naksu struggling to come to grips with her feelings for Jang Uk, and this scene is still one of my favorites specifically for their use of this song  - ( side note: its also the first scene I actually yelled at the screen   ... JUST TELL HIM WHO YOU ARE! )

 

Spoiler

Aching by Kassy - song begins at 2:02

 

 

 

 

A piano instrumental piece - Plasir D'amour from Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol ... I hated what they did at the end but I still love this music.  Music begins at 1:33

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

And finally, an instrumental piece from the drama More Than Friends - its from the reunion scene in the last episode, and captures the the revelation perfectly the female lead makes as she visits the male leads photography exhibit ... and of course he shows up

 

Okay here's the rub ... this drama is several years old, and I still cannot find this music. Its not on the OST, and I don't know its title or who its by ... so if any of you can fill in the blanks you'll be my new best Chingu

 

This is the only video I could find of the scene, and the music is already playing so you only hear about 50 seconds of it before dialogue starts - sorry

 

EDIT: the fates really don't want me to find this music - it won't let me link the video because it supposedly has an emoticon in it somewhere

 

 

 

 

 

[Learry]

This make my heart beat faster when i listen his songs  

 

 

 

and 

 

 

 

 

Also like this soundtrack of Moon Lovers /also the soundtrack Secret Garden / That Woman 

 

 

 

 

[YongZura⁷]

2 hours ago, maribella said:

I can't remember what I had watched, much less the songs. I think it's old age, I have good long term memory. 
Dae Jang Geum's song onara (?) was so memorable, I even remember it's name. But I can't remember Full house' songs at all.

 

 

I remember Song Sohee's cover of the song during Immortal Song.2

 

 

This is better I guess

 

 

ctto

[gm4queen]

guys!!

 

Thank you so much @agenth chingu for tagging me in! Music sweet music.. Glad that I have some stuff to vote this time. I think That Man/ Woman from Secret Garden would be my forever favorite OST. It's so soothing! Loved Hyun Bin oppa...

 

And can I drag in my Daniel oppa here?? Among all his dramas, my favorite OST is Dream Me from The Ghost Detective in 2018. This is a fan MV that I edited back then! I really feel the pain of the two silent lovers. Sung by Red Velvet's Joy and NCT's Mark.. Hope you enjoy the video!

 

 

Oh.. One more thing! I haven't watched True Beauty but it was telecasted in one of local tv channels in my region. I just love the local theme song of the drama! You may not get the lyrics but I guess we all can enjoy the music here...

 

 

[larus]

There are so many beautiful OST. I think I like all. Many were not included on the list. It is hard to make a poll.

And many sageuks have beautiful background music.

 

 

Just a few....

Spoiler

 All  the songs from When the Devil calls your name

 

I bet all Sondia OSTs are beautiful.

 

 

OST from Punch

 

 

Beautiful Bride OST

 

Iris OST

 

Dr Champ OST

 

I did not watch the drmaa but I like this OST

 

 

[Lmangla]

@partyon has shared some favs of mine. 'goodbye my love' is ailee is definitely something very iconic. I have had family members listen to it as I had it on and they instantly asked "why is this so sad?" -- you don't need to know korean to undertand this song is about pain, loss and moving on.

while there are plenty of sad songs in dramaland, what sets this song apart is that it conveys a feeling of bittersweet and poignant goodbye. world over, we all know what a sad song sounds like because it is usually set in the same key and there is a kind of rhythm and movement that tells us a feeling. so why does one song hit you more than others and fill you with a kind of emotion?

I don't have enough music knowledge but I will try to break this song down -- ailee's voice starts on a low note and then hits a high note at the end of the line as you can hear her remembering the past and then on to the present and moving on to future. her voice is rather soft when she first starts out and then, you can hear a small choke and a kind of hard normalcy/passe as she sings "even if break ups are sad and hearts break". then you hear the trill as she talks about moving on, "I will cry more than today. like fate, that will never come back. my only one." then her voice lifts on to a high as she sings "I wish you the best". so you can hear the journey of the emotion through her voice as she really feels the lyrics. she does such a good job that you don't even need to know korean or know the lyrics -- you can guess what the song is about just based on how she enunciates, pauses and trills -- it is all there in her voice. 

you can also hear that feeling in the way the music flows -- instead of a steady slow rhythm in sad songs, the song picks up and slows down. it gets softer and louder as drums and other instruments are added and then reduced. the music swells and builds and there is a peak in the cresendo. because of those ups and downs, you feel a sense of real bittersweet poignant type melo feels. just from the music, you understand this song is about a journey of loss and finding a way to move on. what makes it bittersweet is that you know this is the type of loss that stays with you and there will always be a small part of you that misses and feels a bit of sadness -- the music beautifully captures that poignant feeling, emotion and situation. 

the official MV itself is one of a kind because it is like watching a short movie. there is so much emotion in jang nara and jang hyuk that you don't need to watch the drama to know what this song is about. every emotion is visible on their face. while jang nara is great at crying, it is jang hyuk in the visuals who stands out to me for his quiet understated grief and soldiering on.

in one interview, he was asked how he managed to convey that grief so well and move audiences in the drama -- his answer was that as a father of 3 boys himself, he just thought of what a parent would feel in that kind of situation and he naturally chocked and felt tears. 

now if you just read the subs (turn on CC in the video), the song really hits you even more. how is this for an poignant bittersweet ending -- "I wish you all the best. You will think of me once in a while. I hope you look back on us from time to time. That's all I need. I will wait for the day we meet again. I wait goodbye my love" 

so it is a combination of visuals, voice, music and lyrics that makes goodbye my love really iconic and something that people can feel even when they don't know the drama or the language. loss and grief is always hard and moving on is bittersweet and thats what makes the song so poignant and makes it stand apart from the huge library of sad songs. 

 

already long, will be back later with some other songs.  

[Lmangla]

7 hours ago, maribella said:

Winter sonata's memory is like international.

I remember watching drama years ago just to find out what the hoopla was and I totally got sucked in.  even though I felt the plot was ridiculous, I kept watching anyway. hahahahha... so yea, definitely great visuals and awesome OST that really set the feeling of winter. I remember my cousin sister said "play the snow song" and we were like huh? and realized she was referring to this drama.

just the instrumentals OST evoked the feeling of snow, a quiet cold wind and rustle of trees. waah, that is great music! when the visuals almost get imprinted within the music itself. also the PD seemed to have taken the word sonata quite seriously because this was one soundtrack that had a lot of violins. 

 

but when it comes to seasons drama series, I preferred the summer scent. whether it was the gorgeous scenery or just the good looking leads (a very dapper song seung heon), the main theme song evoked a feeling of short lived summers -- ofcourse that belongs to temperate regions like korea and not for us living in the equators or deserts (like @Thong Thin, @sadthe1st @MayanEcho ) who are sweating in heat waves. 

but maybe I just remember the song for this scene -- 2.25 -- dancing silently at night on grass. they don't make romance like that anymore. hahahhaha...

 

 

[Lmangla]

5 hours ago, LeftCoastOppa said:

Okay here's the rub ... this drama is several years old, and I still cannot find this music. Its not on the OST, and I don't know its title or who its by ... so if any of you can fill in the blanks you'll be my new best Chingu

I feel you; I usually like the background instrumentals for revenge dailies but they are never released and we don't find them floating anywhere. frustrating to say the least! 

 

so one OST I come back to is from 'find me in your memory' and how how the PD has chosen the soundtrack to evoke the theme of memories. rather than randomly insert a song into the background, all of the songs in this drama were carefully chosen and they also made a MV that really emphasizes the lyrics and theme of memory.

 

there were two songs in particular I enjoyed.

the first one -- really like the first half of the song especially the beginning because it has guitar as opposed to piano that you usually find in kdrama music. what is also interesting is the the instrumental and vocals are actually two separate tunes but then mashed together -- there is some musical term for this type of music/genre but I don't know what it is. think it is referred to as harmony and melody being separate? that is something very common in Indian musical style. so it naturally appeals to me. 

I also like the visuals of the song as it is interpersed with his daily life and a mix of flashbacks. rather than a sappy love song, the song is about memories good and bad and the lyrics convey that well -- "countless expressions, countless scenes, it is endlesslessly repeated in my head". so I like that we see the ML's daily work life as he weaves in and out of the day. thats how it is all for us right? even though work life can be mundane and monotonous, somehow that too becomes part of our memories and journey no? 

 

 

the second song I enjoyed is below -- I liked that we see regular memories such as two sister eating and hanging out as well as some sad and traumatic ones. lyrics like these are so evocative -- "my records of life gradually accumulate in my heart; don't let that moment go. those warm times made me laugh a lot and also cry."

these are the times when knowing the language matters -- won't a line like that hit you because it can mean so many things at so many moments in so many different ways depending on the season of our life. 

 

  

I like how the music rhythm fits the theme of memories as well. so you can't have a peppy type feel to a song about memories because essentially you cannot go back to that time -- that is what makes memories so poignant for us. it evokes a kind of melo feel in us even if they are happy memories and so the music is appropriately in that middle -- neither happy nor sad. but something a mixture of two which is what memories make us feel no?

wah, as I write all this, it makes me realize how much thought actually goes into a soundtrack in terms of visuals, lyrics as well as music! 

 

wrote so much today. guess I was in the mood! hahahahha... 

[maribella]

1 hour ago, Lmangla said:

but when it comes to seasons drama series, I preferred the summer scent. whether it was the gorgeous scenery or just the good looking leads (a very dapper song seung heon), the main theme song evoked a feeling of short lived summers -- ofcourse that belongs to

 

That particular time seemed to be full of miserably sad stories. Autumn in my heart was so sad and  my getting use to fauxest took some time. I don't remember watching summer scent. Winter sonata was so exasperatingly slow, you made coffee, came back and it was still the same scene. My first kdrama. But the acting was excellent, the scenery was gorgeous. I went to the island in fall, it wasn't as beautiful. I didn't notice a fancy hotel that they were building - just kdrama I guess. But after Autumn story, I saw the same actor in summer scent, oh no forget it. Stairway to heaven was so sad, windstruk - Jang Hyuk and Gina Jung- was heartbreaking, Damo made me cry, just so many sad ones. Can't remember their songs. Thank goodness for a happy ending in Dae Jang Geum.

 

[Lmangla]

my final post for the day -- I promise! hahahaha...

so in most saeguks I watched, it is all modern music. bossam (which had about 20 songs in its OST!!!) had one song that was a fusion of pansori and rock -- found that really interesting. it really sets the mood and without knowing the lyrics, you can tell this is a story -- pansori is a style of traditional musical storytelling and just the way, the singer holds her voice, it all feels rather poetic. wonder how one trains for this kind of singing because it sounds difficult?

so if you want to hear a modern take on pansori, definitely have a listen. 

 

 

 

 

[larus]

I discover new Korean artists and international ones  through the drama OST.

 

For exemple

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, maribella said:

Damo made me cry,

 

I did not watch the drama but the OST was so good.