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.
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Tearjerker K-POP Ballads: Korean Songs That Will Make You Cry (31–40)
RomanticSHINee
This is a ballad that gently seeps into the heart, showcasing SHINee’s outstanding vocal prowess.
Included on their debut album “The SHINee World,” released in August 2008, the song beautifully captures the pain and memories of a lost love.
The lyrics portray the bittersweet feelings after a breakup—memories in photographs, the warmth of the other person you can still feel—and they resonate deeply with listeners.
The emotive voices of this Korean group carry a comforting warmth, as if soothing the pain of heartbreak.
It’s a track that keeps you company on solitary nights or in those moments when you want to remember someone special.
APOLOGYiKON
APOLOGY is a heartbreak song that makes you painfully realize that nothing lasts forever.
It’s a track released in 2015 by iKON, the junior group to BIGBANG.
iKON often delivers emotionally resonant songs, and this one hits in that same way.
The lyrics are from a male perspective, where he initiates the breakup, and what’s unusual is the added sense of cool detachment.
It seems to reflect differences in how men and women think, and the gradual misalignment that led to the decision to part ways is all the more heartrending.
That sadness, contrasted with the strength it takes to choose the next step, tugs at your heartstrings.
Love PoemIU
A track from the album of the same name released in 2019.
The lyrics were written by IU.
It’s a love song dedicated to everyone going through pain or hardship.
Carried by IU’s beautiful voice, the feelings swell and it’s enough to bring you to tears.
The way the song gradually expands in scale also lets your emotions overflow.
Some say it was written for her close friend Sulli, which gives it a lot to think about—about what it means to live.
It’s a song filled with her earnest feelings, like she’s quietly staying by your side.
Your eyes tellBTS
An original Japanese ballad by BTS overflowing with emotion and featuring an exquisite high-tone vocal.
It was chosen as the theme song for the film “Your Eyes Tell,” starring Yuriko Yoshitaka and Ryusei Yokohama, a remake of the Korean drama “Always.” The Japanese lyrics are very beautiful.
The sound—which Jung Kook took part in—feels like the light of dawn, and conveys a powerful resolve to “move forward no matter what happened in the past.” A song that brims with Jung Kook’s talent! With an atmosphere like offering up a prayer, this track stays close to you in hard times and brings you to tears.
Remember MeKYUHYUN
Speaking of Kyuhyun, the youngest (maknae) of Super Junior under SM Entertainment, he’s renowned for his outstanding vocals even among K-pop idols.
This track is a poignant love song from his 2015 solo release, “Again, When the Fall Comes – The 2nd Mini Album.” No one dates with a breakup in mind, yet we inevitably go through such experiences.
The heartrending feelings of a man trying, with a fragile heart, to let go of the woman he still loves will move you to tears.
Loving someone, yet not being able to make it work—that’s just too painful!
K-pop ballads that are sure to make you cry: Korean tearjerker songs (41–50)
Only I didn’t knowIU
A song wrapped in IU’s heartrending vocals.
It’s a track from the mini-album Real+, released in February 2011.
The lyrics, depicting the pain of heartbreak and regret, deeply resonate.
The feelings of blaming oneself for not realizing the breakup with a lover are expressed with delicate nuance.
IU’s crystalline voice and the grand orchestral sound are a perfect match.
It’s said that Yoon Sang composed this piece as a gift for IU.
When you want to heal the pain of a broken heart, why not listen to this song and sort out your feelings?
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.