K-pop and Korean love songs: Love songs that really capture the Korean view of romance

너라는 별고추잠자리

너라는 별

The love ballad by Red Pepper Dragonfly is stirring listeners’ hearts.

Released in December 2024, this work stands out with its high school band style.

It blends rock elements with gentle melodies.

The lyrics, delicately weaving a bittersweet longing for a presence that shines like a distant star, resonate emotionally.

The tender tones bring out the feelings even more richly.

You can’t help but be moved by its pure depiction of first love.

It’s a heartwarming track that accompanies quiet moments with someone special.

나였으면na yungwon

유희열의 스케치북 Yu Huiyeol’s Sketchbook – 나윤권 – 나였으면. 20180526

This is a ballad that sings of a man’s aching heart—helplessly watching the one he longs for look happy with their partner, able to do nothing but gaze from afar.

He spends his days wishing, “If only it were me.” It’s painful precisely because he cares so much that he can’t do anything.

The earnest desire to tell them “I love you,” even just once, combined with Na Yoon Kwon’s tender, heartfelt vocals, makes it all the more moving.

In Korea, when it comes to songs you want to listen to during unrequited love, this is almost always on the list—a quintessential unrequited love song.

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노래방에서Jang Bomjun (Chan Bomujun)

장범준3집 #03 노래방에서 Audio

Released in 2019 by Jang Beom June, the singer-songwriter who leads the rock band Busker Busker and has been active as a solo artist since 2014.

It’s a love song that exudes a uniquely Korean sense of romance.

Filled with the cuteness and pure feelings of someone doing their best to prepare to confess to the person they like, it’s a track that people with unrequited love—or those who’ve fallen for someone who already has a partner—can deeply relate to.

The warm, laid-back vibe is soothing, too.

The lyrics tell a story that hints at a happy ending, and the way feelings are entrusted to the song—and saved by the song—gives you a hopeful outlook on love.

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Spring Snow10cm

10CM / 십센치 – 선재 업고 튀어 OST ‘봄 눈 / Spring Snow’

A poignant song with lyrics that evoke the arrival of spring, it was also selected for the OST of the drama “Lovely Runner.” Kwon Jung-yeol’s delicate vocals make a strong impression.

Comparing a long-awaited reunion of love to spring snow conveys both deep affection and a sense of transience.

Listeners will surely relate to the aching feeling of waiting for a lover and the pure hope of dreaming about a reunion.

Its dreamy, romantic tone will make hearts flutter—whether you’re in love now or just about to fall.

Released in May 2024, the track is filled with the charm of 10CM, a standout in Korea’s indie scene.

If you change your mind2AM

2am – 혹시 니 생각이 바뀌면 (If you change your mind) [가사]

2AM’s new song, which weaves a bittersweet love story, beautifully captures the complex emotions of a breakup moment.

The conflict between caring for the other person and suppressing one’s own feelings resonates deeply.

Released in January 2024, the track is a collaboration with producer Bang Si Hyuk.

Like the group’s signature songs “Never Let You Go (Even If I Die)” and “You Wouldn’t Answer My Calls,” its delicate vocals are a major draw.

It’s perfect for those who want to heal the pain of love or sort out their feelings for someone important.

This work is a heartwarming love song that conveys a sense of Korean views on romance.

Sing the spring(봄을 노래하다)40

[MV] 40(Forty) _ Sing the spring(봄을 노래하다)

A love song themed around the arrival of spring by Forty, a singer-songwriter from South Korea.

It’s marked by a gentle vocal tone and delicate melodic lines.

Released in April 2013, the piece tenderly portrays feelings of love fluttering on the spring breeze.

In the lyrics written by Forty himself, he lays out emotions that bud in the blossoming season, offering a gentle comfort to listeners.

The music video featuring actress Hyeryung from BESTie also drew attention.

It’s a fresh, warm track that makes you want to go for a walk in the pleasant spring weather—perfect for when you want to feel the start of a new season.

Stay With Me (Feat. Skinny Brown)ASH ISLAND

ASH ISLAND – Stay With Me (Feat. Skinny Brown) [Official Audio] (ENG/JPN)

A perfect number for a winter night, Ash Island’s song captures the ache of unrequited love.

Released on December 18, 2023, by the Korean-born artist, the track features Skinny Brown and delivers an emotional vibe.

It expresses the longing to have someone by your side on a lonely winter night.

The honest feeling of “I want to be with you” is sure to resonate with listeners.

Ash Island won the New Artist award at the Korean Hiphop Awards in 2020, and his delicate sensibility shines in this work as well.

It’s a song that gently accompanies those troubled by love.