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.
- [K-POP] Korean 'yami' songs that fit a blue mood
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- An emotional Korean song. A gently moving, sensitive masterpiece.
- [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 (91–100)
Dropping the tearsK.will
This is one of powerhouse singer K.Will’s signature songs.
Told from the man’s perspective in a couple about to part ways, it’s a ballad where his lingering feelings overflow as he longs for his girlfriend—now setting out on a new path—to look back.
The poignant lyrics and his clear, pure vocals intertwine to stir a bittersweet ache in the listener’s heart.
Heavenly fateLEE CHANGSUB
This song is part of the OST for the webtoon “A Not So Fairy Tale,” produced by Lee Changsub, and was released in February 2024.
It’s a track that fully showcases the charm of Lee Changsub, who also shines as the lead vocalist of BTOB.
You’ll be captivated by the beautiful melody woven by strings and vocals.
A heartrending love song about feelings for a former lover, it moves the listener with a sincere wish for the other person’s happiness.
A gem that reflects Lee Changsub’s journey.
A soulful ballad to listen to when you’re thinking of someone dear.
Rhapsody of SadnessLim Jae Hyun
Im Jae-hyun moves listeners with ballads that seep into the heart and stir the emotions.
Released in December 2023, this work is a gem that portrays the journey of facing and overcoming the pain of heartbreak.
With a delicate tone and powerful vocal prowess, it carefully conveys the subtleties of feeling—from the sorrow of parting to the resolve for personal growth.
Jae-hyun’s clear, transparent voice feels as if it gently stays by the listener’s side.
It’s a recommended listen when you want to heal from heartbreak or reflect on yourself.
It’s a deeply resonant masterpiece that’s likely to become a favorite on radio request shows as well.
As time goes byPark Boram
A track included on singer Park Boram’s EP “The Last Song,” released to commemorate her 10th anniversary since debut.
It’s a gem of a ballad that tugs at the hearts of ballad fans.
The poignant lyrics about the passage of time and parting, paired with piano melodies and her emotionally rich vocals, resonate deeply.
Released in August 2024, this song is a rearrangement of the piece she performed in the finals of a 2010 audition program.
Coming out after Park Boram’s sudden passing, it has deeply moved her fans.
It’s perfect for moments when you want to reminisce about someone dear.
편지 (The Letter)Kimu Gwanjin
This is a moving ballad by Kim Kwang-jin, a singer-songwriter highly acclaimed in Korea.
His warm, gentle voice and a simple yet heartfelt melody are truly captivating.
The piano and strings weave together with emotional richness, offering a calm yet deeply touching experience.
Included on his third album, “It’s Me,” released in 2000, this piece has been covered by many artists and remains beloved.
Its natural expression of feeling and universal themes enrich the song’s storytelling world.
It’s a track that quietly stays by your side when your heart wavers or when you’re thinking of someone—one I highly recommend you listen to.
Sing the spring(봄을 노래하다)40
A springtime ballad woven by Forty, a singer-songwriter from South Korea, heralding the season’s arrival.
Over a warm, gentle melody, he sings with a fluttering heart.
The music video features actress Hyeryeong from BESTie, with her wind-tossed hair leaving a memorable impression.
Released as a digital single on April 10, 2013, it also includes an instrumental version.
The lyrics tenderly portray a budding love discovered in the season of blooming flowers and are sure to resonate with anyone in love.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you wake up in the morning or in moments when you feel spring’s approach.
EternityDK(DECEMBER)
A tear-jerker ballad released by DK, a member of the Korea-based duo December.
It was also used as part of the OST for the film “The Last 10 Years,” which premiered in March 2024.
The gentle piano tones and DK’s heartrending vocals really sink into your heart.
The lyrics convey a vow of eternal love so powerfully that you might be moved to tears just by reading them.
If you listen to this song while reminiscing about days spent with a former lover or when you’re feeling sentimental, it may make you even more emotional.
Wrapped in DK’s flowing vocals, it might be a good time to face your own feelings.