A poignant, heart-touching K-pop song. A bittersweet track that resonates with many different emotions.
There are many Korean songs and K-pop tracks that stay close to those bittersweet feelings.
Whether it’s a gently sung melody or a delivery rich with emotion, they draw you deeper into the world of the song.
There are also many ballads that truly tighten your chest and make your heart ache as you listen.
Not just “sadness,” but nostalgia, memories of days that won’t return, and a tender kind of poignancy—here are some ‘setsuna’ songs that capture a range of emotions.
Please listen while reflecting on your own circumstances.
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Heart-touching, bittersweet K-pop songs. “Setsuna” songs that resonate with various emotions (161–170)
Ashes (feat. Ai Tomioka)Zior Park
A poignant love story woven into an emotive rock ballad.
This gem of a track was born from a collaboration between Jiol Park from Korea and Japanese singer Ai Tomioka.
The lyrics, which earnestly sing of feelings for someone lost, resonate deeply.
Emotional vocals and powerful instrumentation beautifully convey both the sense of loss and the yearning for renewal.
Beginning quietly and gradually building, the arrangement deftly portrays fragile hope and swelling emotion.
Released in May 2024, this work moves listeners with its profound poetic expression.
I WillHa Dong Qn
A ballad that portrays a heartrending state of mind, Ha Dong Qn’s deep, resonant vocals strike straight to the heart.
Known as a powerhouse singer-songwriter from Korea, he remade his own debut track after 22 years.
You can feel past memories intertwining with present emotions, and it’s genuinely moving.
Released in April 2021, this work beautifully expresses the sorrow of being trapped by a lost love.
It’s a song that stays close to those burdened by the powerlessness of being unable to move on and the ache of unforgettable feelings.
Recommended for anyone who wants to dwell on thoughts of someone precious or to feel the pain of heartbreak.
Watch memories(꺼내본다)Kimu Nayong
Kim Na-young with her beautiful voice.
This is a track from her 2016 debut album, “From The Heart.” It portrays the hollow feeling after losing someone important, and the moments in everyday life when you misread things or find yourself yearning are heartbreakingly depicted.
The title, which means “to retrieve a memory,” holds the feeling of something unforgettable; it’s the kind of song that makes you recall an old love or quietly seeps into a heart right after a breakup.
The music video, with its drama-like, delicate storytelling, keeps you deeply immersed.
It stays by your side in those times when you try to forget but just can’t shake it off.
Lonely NightYun Doojun (Yun Doojun from HIGHLIGHT)
This is the title track from DAYBREAK, the first solo album released by Yoon Doojoon, the leader of HIGHLIGHT, in July 2020.
Set to a mature-sounding track, it expresses a melancholy mood that evokes the loneliness and swirl of emotions that strike late at night, leaving you with a bittersweet feeling.
Yoon Doojoon’s vocals are wonderful as always.
It may feel empty at first, but by the time it ends, it’s a song that somehow leaves you feeling bittersweet yet strangely uplifted.
Give it a listen with your favorite drink in hand.
나만 아픈 일 (Heartache)i he-ri (i he-ri)
A ballad by Lee Hae-ri, a member of the female duo DAVICHI.
It’s a song released in 2019.
With its lyrical melody and a progression that gradually becomes grand, it feels like your emotions will overflow.
Known as the goddess of ballads, Lee Hae-ri’s passionate performance—savoring each and every word—makes it all the more moving.
The title means something like “My Own Pain” in Japanese, and it sings about the sorrow of a breakup.
It especially hits home on sentimental autumn nights.
Pray임한별, 에스페로
As a ballad from Korea that sings of a heartrending love, it has captured the hearts of fans.
Released in February 2024, the song exquisitely blends Lim Han-byul’s warm vocals with E’LAST’s harmonies.
Crafted by composer Cho Young-soo, it features melodies and lyrics that evoke deep emotion.
While portraying high school baseball players on the brink of defeat, it conveys the importance of moving forward.
The lyrics, imbued with messages of effort and hope, resonate with many.
It’s recommended for times when you need courage or a boost of support.
바람 (Wind)Jeon Seunghwan (Chon Sunfuan)
Ballad singer Jung Seung-hwan released this in 2016.
It’s part of the OST for the drama Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, known in Japan as “Rei: Hana Moyuru 8-nin no Oujitachi,” starring Lee Joon-gi and IU.
Carried by gentle piano and acoustic sounds, Jung Seung-hwan’s delicate expressiveness and deeply emotive vocals draw you right in.
No matter how much you love someone, things don’t always work out—differences in circumstances and other hardships inevitably arise.
There’s also that fleeting ache that sometimes slips through your fingers.
You’ll be moved by the protagonist’s feelings—their single-minded sincerity that resonates so strongly.
Love Is You From “Arang and the Magistrate”K.will
This is the OST from the 2012 blockbuster Korean historical romance drama Arang and the Magistrate, starring Lee Joon‑Gi and Shin Min‑a.
K.Will’s delicate vocals tug at the heartstrings and resonate deeply.
There’s nothing more heartbreaking than feelings that can’t reach the one they’re meant for, is there? It’s a moving song that captures the straightforward love so characteristic of the world of Korean dramas.
STAYBLACKPINK
BLACKPINK is hugely popular not only in Asia but around the world.
Their bittersweet yet pop-infused ballad “STAY” is a perfect example.
In the first half of the song, set to a simple guitar tone, the lyrics express both hatred toward the man who hurt her and a love she still can’t let go of.
In the latter half, the mood shifts dramatically: accompanied by handclaps and a brighter melody, the song turns to declaring love for him.
The message comes through not only in the lyrics, but also in this key change.
LetterBaek A
Love isn’t all fun and games, is it? This song, which delicately captures those fragile emotions, was released in May 2024 by Baek A, who delivers a retro-folk sound.
With lyrics and situations that anyone nursing a crush can’t help but relate to—jealousy, fluttering hearts—it’s achingly poignant and tightens your chest.
Also keep an eye on how Choi Jong-hyop, who drew attention with “Eye Love You,” portrays the world of this song.