K-POP and Korean tear-jerker songs: tracks that deeply resonate and bring you to tears

GO AWAY2NE1

2NE1 – GO AWAY M/V

This is a breakup song by 2NE1, YG’s original girl-crush group that, sadly, disbanded a few years ago.

2NE1 tended to have more cool, edgy tracks and was one of the female units that resonated strongly with women rather than men.

Although this is a sad song, it’s quintessentially 2NE1: packed with a cool, decisive attitude that cuts off love, the kind of cool that makes even women who watch them admire them.

LONELY (Japanese version)2NE1

2NE1 – LONELY (Japanese version)

The lyrics, imbued with the complex feeling of “feeling lonely even when together,” come through plainly and directly thanks to the simple arrangement of just acoustic guitar and strings and their unadorned words.

The music video further highlights the loneliness, using imagery like black umbrellas in the rain and faded photographs to evoke a sense of isolation.

Expiration dateSEVENTEEN

SEVENTEEN (세븐틴) “Expiration Date” Official MV

Do emotions have an expiration date? That question stirs the heart in this ballad.

The Japanese melodies woven by the boy group SEVENTEEN resonate beyond language barriers.

Set to a beautiful interplay of strings and guitar, the song delicately portrays the lingering warmth in a room after a loved one is gone, and the everyday moments when one can still feel their presence even when alone.

Released in November 2024 as the theme song for NHK’s late-night drama “Will My Future Self Knock Some Sense Into Me?!,” the piece was written and composed by member Woozi, offering a deep reflection on the fragility and permanence of emotion.

In the music video, created as a sequel to “Now -Even If the World Ends Tomorrow-,” the members’ expressions as they immerse themselves in past memories aboard a spaceship are striking.

When you reflect on your relationship with someone precious, your heart will surely be moved, too.

AngelEXO

EXO-K 너의 세상으로 (Angel) Music Video

A single released by EXO in 2012.

Speaking of EXO, one of the fans’ joys is solving the puzzles each time—through member backstories and ciphers that incorporate sci-fi elements.

In this song, EXO take on the role of angels, singing a grand love song about their feelings for “you” in another world.

The lyric “Anywhere with you is heaven” is especially romantic.

Don’t Forget(잊어버리지마)Crush(크러쉬) (Feat. Taeyeon(태연))

[MV] Crush(크러쉬) _ Don’t Forget(잊어버리지마) (Feat. Taeyeon(태연))

The 11th single by Crush, a hugely popular singer whose releases have been consecutively hitting number one on the charts.

Filmed in Otaru and Sapporo, Japan, it features familiar scenery for Japanese audiences, heightening the sentimental mood.

Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon duets on the track, and the pair’s powerful vocals, combined with a wistful atmosphere, make for a superb ballad.