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)
Glowing LightHYNN
A song by the accomplished Korean vocalist HYNN, released in June 2024.
Alongside its beautifully resonant melody, it carries a powerful message that you can find hope even in difficult times.
The story that she sang on a Christian music channel even before her debut also conveys her convictions and deep passion for singing.
Performed on the Korean music program “The Show,” this track truly shines in live performances as well.
It’s a song that gently gives you a push forward when you’re experiencing setbacks or feeling stuck.
Another LoveHa Yea Song(송하예)
When you listen to Song Ha-ye’s track, try pairing it with her breakup song “니 소식 (News About You).” The title “Another Love (새 사랑)” means “a new love,” so the two songs are connected as a story.
After breaking up with her boyfriend, another man says he likes her.
That’s something that’s very comforting and makes you happy, right? And yet, she finds herself thinking about her ex, comparing him to the new guy.
The song captures those complicated feelings a girl might have.
Many listeners will probably relate to that bittersweet desire to move forward while still feeling heartache.
Heart-Wrenching K-POP Ballads: Korean Tearjerker Songs (101–110)
MissingKARA
KARA is a four-member female idol group that was active from 2007 to 2016.
Their song “Mister” was a huge hit in Japan, and they frequently appeared on TV shows, making them popular across a wide range of age groups.
봄을 그리다 (One Spring Day)Urban Zakapa
With crystal-clear melodies and a gentle singing voice, Urban Zakapa’s song paints a portrait of spring in a quiet city.
It’s included on the album “01,” released in May 2011.
Delicately expressing the bittersweet feelings of longing for spring’s arrival while reminiscing about days gone by, it truly resonates with listeners.
The trio’s harmonies, wrapped in the tender tones of acoustic guitar and piano, feel like a spring breeze.
In this season where new encounters and farewells intertwine, it’s a song that stays close to the heart.
lie (미안해)Yang Da Il (양다일)
A track included on the 2017 album “inside.” The piano melody and Jan Dyle’s deeply emotive vocals really sink into your heart.
I think it’s a breakup song, but it could also be taken more broadly.
It sings of the sorrow of losing someone precious.
Even after parting, they can’t forget, and their bravado as they struggle to forget brings tears to my eyes.
It’s unbearably heartrending…
If you listen to it when you feel the same way, you probably won’t be able to hold back your tears.
Bye bye my blueYerin Baek
Singer-songwriter Baek Yerin, known for her delicate, emotionally resonant vocals, captivates listeners.
One track from the EP released by the Korea-born artist in June 2016 is a ballad that feels wistful yet hopeful.
The lyrics, which portray complex romantic emotions, convey envy and self-doubt while also expressing a longing so strong it makes you want to hold someone close.
Written and composed by Baek Yerin herself, the song unites with a repeating piano motif to deliver a moving experience with exquisite balance.
It’s a piece you’ll want to sit with and savor in spring, a season when encounters and farewells can leave hearts feeling especially fragile.
My DreamYoonmirae(윤미래)
Here’s an OST from the drama Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung, which portrays a love story between Joseon’s first female historian and a prince who has never fallen in love.
Yoonmirae, a Korean R&B singer and rapper, also performs under the artist name Tasha.
Though she’s an R&B singer and rapper, she’s a bundle of talent who’s also phenomenal at singing ballads—her soaring high notes make you want to hit repeat over and over.
This song, from a woman’s perspective, has a slightly bashful feel, as if she’s asking the man she loves to hold on to her.