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
Heart-wrenching K-pop Ballads: Korean Tearjerker Songs (21–30)
헤어지자 말해요(Let’s Say Goodbye)박재정(Parc Jae Jung)
Park Jae-jung, whose voice blends gentleness with power, is loved by many.
Among the songs he sings, the heartbreak ballad “헤어지자 말해요 (Let’s Say Goodbye)” is especially known for making listeners cry.
As the title suggests, it portrays a man who wishes the woman would be the one to bring up the breakup, and a woman who tries to do so but hesitates.
However, if you listen closely, you can tell that deep down they don’t really want to part—that’s the part that brings tears.
STAYBLACKPINK
A beautiful acoustic-sounding classic that represents BLACKPINK’s early era, “STAY.” Released in 2016 and included on their second single album SQUARE TWO.
The song wraps its languid, ennui-tinged verses in a tender, wistful atmosphere.
Its message simply longs for someone to stay by your side.
It captures both feelings—the confession of love and that aching softness—in perfect balance.
There’s a beauty in that expression that really hits you.
It’s a song that stays with you not just in love, but also when you’re feeling low.
The sense of unity in the crowd is amazing, and it’s a ballad that’s guaranteed to make you cry even more when you hear it live.
WHO YOU?G-DRAGON
“WHO YOU?”, a double-title track included on G-DRAGON’s 2013 album COUP D’E TAT, is a sad breakup song about discovering your lover was seeing someone else.
While the sound has a bright feel at times and even conveys a defiant “screw it” message, it’s overflowing with the helpless frustration of being unable to do anything and the longing for them to come back.
When you’re betrayed by someone you trusted, everything becomes incomprehensible.
What really gets me—my personal highlight—is the non-lyrical vocal parts; they seem packed with so many emotions that they make me want to cry.
I’m HomeEXO
A beautiful pop ballad by EXO where delicate piano melodies intertwine with rich, full-bodied strings.
It captures the joy of returning to a loved one after time apart, wrapping you in a warmth that feels like time has started moving again.
As you listen, you’ll truly feel, “This is where I belong,” and find deep peace.
Released ahead of the January 2026 album REVERXE, the music video dropped in December 2025.
The song’s first live performance at a fan meeting, coloring the reunion between the members and fans, is another heartwarming episode.
It’s the perfect BGM for returning home after a long time or reuniting with someone special.
Give this track a listen—a song that will gently warm your heart through the bitter chill of winter.
Sing For YouEXO
A ballad where EXO’s rich vocals sink in over a moist, gentle acoustic guitar melody.
It’s one of the double title tracks from their 2015 winter album, “Sing For You.” When you’re in love, that person can feel larger than anything else.
The more time you spend together, the harder it somehow becomes to say those simple, ordinary words—why is that? While this song centers on the theme of a confession, it warmly stands by you in conveying those everyday feelings, making it a tender tearjerker.
Its mystical mood slowly seeps in, too.
Can You Hear MeTAEYEON 태연
A classic, gently swelling ballad that seeps into your heart: “Can You Hear Me (들리나요).” It was featured as an insert song in the 2008 MBC drama Beethoven Virus.
Taeyeon’s exceptional vocal prowess and expressive delivery are truly overwhelming.
The lyrics, which convey feelings like “I love you but can’t take the step,” and “Being by your side isn’t the only form of love,” squeeze your heart tight.
Even if it isn’t fate, I want to believe; I can’t stop.
If you’re caught in an unrequited love, this song will resonate deeply and likely move you to tears.
It’s a ballad that lets longing spill out—perfect for long nights.
Don’t Wanna Cry (울고 싶지 않아)SEVENTEEN
A signature song by SEVENTEEN released in 2017.
With its beautiful, fragile melody and atmosphere, it felt like a new frontier at the time, as if it overturned the image Seventeen had up to that point.
The title is “Don’t Wanna Cry,” but the tears overflow and won’t stop.
While facing that kind of sadness, the way the song heats up in the latter half makes my heart swell.
It also carries a sense of strength that pushes you to go out and search.
I think it’s a song that lets you feel the power that comes after the tears.
CrybabyZia
The song released by solo singer Jia in November 2024 is a ballad that delicately portrays the pain of heartbreak and self-loathing.
Blending piano melodies with orchestration, it highlights Jia’s rich, resonant vocals.
It captures the protagonist’s shifting emotions and loneliness as they self-mockingly call themselves a “crybaby,” leaving a powerful impression on listeners.
With deeply introspective lyrics and a sophisticated arrangement, this track is perfect for anyone who’s experienced heartbreak or is seeking a song that truly moves the heart.
See The LightGOT7
This song by GOT7 from JYP Entertainment, released in 2006, hooks you right away with Jackson’s cool rap at the beginning! The title has a meaning like “You Who Shine.” The man in the song feels very happy because he has a radiant, wonderful girlfriend, but at the same time, he’s jealous.
Since his girlfriend is so amazing, he can’t help worrying about other men’s feelings toward her.
It’s kind of cute, isn’t it? That’s exactly why its straightforward message of “only you” really captivates women.
How can I love the heartbreak, You’re The One I Love악동뮤지션 (AKMU)
Akdong Musician’s tearjerker.
It portrays lovers on the verge of breaking up.
From the man’s point of view, you can tell he doesn’t really want to part with her.
The song is set on a nighttime sidewalk—only streetlights shine; everything else is pitch-black.
The darkness of the night brings out the couple’s loneliness and sorrow.
There’s no sudden, dramatic swell like in classic sob songs, but the quiet delivery only deepens the sadness.
