Tearjerker K-pop ballads: Korean songs that will make you cry
When do you break down in tears?
When you go through a breakup, when you can no longer see someone important to you—so many emotions can well up at times like these.
Here, we carefully curate and introduce K-pop “songs that make you cry” that stand close to each person’s desire to weep.
From tracks that overwhelm with grand, expansive worlds to songs that intimately capture everyday life, we cover a wide range—classic staples, of course, and new releases added as they come.
May these emotion-rich songs unique to K-pop help soothe your heart, even just a little.
- K-POP and Korean tear-jerker songs: tracks that deeply resonate and bring you to tears
- [Exquisite Ballad Songs] K-pop that touches the soul. Korean Ballads
- K-pop that touches the heart: masterful ballads by Korean male artists
- K-pop that touches the heart: iconic ballads by Korean female artists
- K-pop and Korean love songs: Love songs that really capture the Korean view of romance
- A poignant, heart-touching K-pop song. A bittersweet track that resonates with many different emotions.
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- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
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- [Korean popular music] Popular trot songs. Masterpieces by trot singers.
- A J-POP song highly popular in South Korea [with a Korean-language cover too!]
- [Korea] A ballad-style friendship song. A roundup of classic K-pop masterpieces
- K-pop to color your Instagram stories: recommended Korean songs
Tearjerker K-pop Ballads: Korean Songs That Make You Cry (71–80)
To You My Light (Feat 이라온)MAKTUB
A song about thinking of a beloved girlfriend on sleepless nights.
MAKTUB is a singer-songwriter who became famous with this track.
It’s not a sad tearjerker, but a song that brings tears over the wonder of love.
As the title suggests, he sings that she is like a light to him.
MAKTUB’s delicate vocals and the beautiful melody convey his single-minded devotion to her.
It’s perfect as a lullaby for bedtime, soothing you even as it brings you to tears.
Falling UT-ARA
T-ARA is currently a four-member female idol group, and their popularity in Japan grew after “Bo Peep Bo Peep” became a hit.
It’s a very feminine tear-jerker, so I especially recommend it to women; it’s a song that brings a sense of calm when you listen to it.
DIVINEshōjo jidai
A grand ballad adorned with a crystal-clear, beautiful melody and lyrics that are both heartrending and powerful.
It was included on the 2014 album “THE BEST.” The strong harmonies of all nine Girls’ Generation members stir the heart, singing of courage and hope to move forward through hardship.
Within the magnificent soundscape woven by strings and piano, each member’s voice blends beautifully.
As the final official recording by the group’s nine-member lineup including Jessica, this song holds deep significance for fans.
It is a gem of a ballad that showcases Girls’ Generation’s musical prowess—one that resonates when you’ve faced setbacks or farewells and need the courage to look ahead.
K-POP Ballads That Will Make You Cry: Tearjerker Songs from Korea (81–90)
MoonASTRO
A memorial song filled with memories and hope.
This digital single, released in April 2025 to mark the second anniversary of Moonbin’s passing, features a collaboration between the boy group ASTRO and 22 artists who were close to him.
With lyrics contributed by ASTRO’s members and composition by Jinjin, the piece is a quietly moving ballad.
The careful vocals by all members and the gently flowing, soothing melody line leave a strong impression.
Imbued with deep feelings for a beloved person, the song is sure to resonate with many listeners.
Endless EndingBEAST (HIGHLIGHT)
After nine years, the boy group HIGHLIGHT releases a moving ballad under the name BEAST.
It’s a pre-release track from their mini-album “From Real to Surreal,” which came out in April 2025, and it’s a poignant love song likened to a movie’s ending.
The song features contributions from Nu’Maker and other artists from Room01, capturing the group’s emotions as they overcame a name change and trademark issues.
Main vocalist Yang Yoseop’s crystal-clear voice and the members’ expressive harmonies resonate deeply.
It’s a gem of a ballad to listen to on nights when you want to dwell on past memories or in moments when you’re thinking of someone special.
FOREVERD.O
A ballad that fuses a heartwarming melody with delicate vocals.
D.O., the main vocalist of EXO, released it in April 2025 as part of the OST for the drama “Someday, a Wise Resident Life.” The gentle tones of piano and strings leave a strong impression, and the song richly conveys the importance of supporting one another.
D.O.’s soft voice combined with the melodic lines delivers an even deeper emotional impact.
It harmonizes beautifully with the drama’s moving story and is sure to resonate with viewers.
It’s a wonderful track that makes you want to cherish the bonds you share with your loved ones.
Cry AgainDavichi
A Korean ballad with a poignant melody that sinks into the heart and vocals that convey overflowing, uncontrollable emotion.
Released as one of the double title tracks on Davichi’s fifth mini-album “Davichi Hug” in January 2015, this song portrays the pain of parting and the tears that fall once again.
The music video, filmed in Budapest, Hungary, also stirs the heart with its bittersweet storytelling.
It’s a track that stays close to you when you want to heal the wounds of heartbreak or when your feelings for someone are about to spill over.
Its delicate emotional expression and beautiful harmonies resonate deeply.