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-wrenching K-POP songs that touch the soul: setsuna songs that resonate with various emotions (21–30)
Hate YouJung Kook
Jungkook, a member of BTS.
Let me introduce “Hate You” from his solo album Golden.
While the album features many pop songs with an American vibe, this track is crafted as a moody, wet ballad.
It delicately conveys the complex feeling of hating someone precisely because you love them.
The quiet melody also does a great job of highlighting his vocals.
By the way, the music video has drawn attention for being filmed in Japan.
I miss you (I want to see you)Kim Bum-soo
Many of you may know it as part of the OST for the drama “Stairway to Heaven,” starring Choi Ji-woo and Kwon Sang-woo.
It’s a love ballad with an overwhelming afterglow.
Kim Bum-soo’s beautiful high-tone voice is soothing, and the chorus line “I Miss You” is so memorable that it sticks with you even after a single listen.
He sings with gentle restraint throughout, but at the very end his emotions erupt, and it’s hard not to burst into tears.
It’s a masterpiece that portrays the heartbreak of a man in love.
봄날, 벚꽃 그리고 너Epitone project
Epitone Project’s signature song, “Spring Day, Cherry Blossoms, and You,” from Cha Se-jong’s one-person project.
It’s a ballad where a beautiful piano-centered melody and a light waltz rhythm resonate pleasantly.
In contrast to the brilliant spring scenery, the lyrics portray a poignant remembrance of a departed lover that strikes the heart.
Its delicate worldview gently accompanies the sudden loneliness that visits in bright seasons, which is truly lovely.
Included on the April 2008 EP “At Your Favorite Place,” it was also featured on the OST for the 2012 film “Eighteen, Nineteen.” If you listen alone on a quiet spring afternoon when you want to sink into memories, you’ll feel a kindness that seeps into your heart.
Be sure to give this long-beloved classic a listen.
SHENIEL
A work distinguished by rhythms reminiscent of 70s soul music and a wistful, melancholy melody.
Niel—who is also active as a member of TEEN TOP—delivers vocals that delicately convey subtle emotions with a soft timbre.
It’s the title track of his fourth mini-album, “SHE,” a poignant song that portrays the emotional turbulence after a breakup.
Released in April 2025, it coincided with his activities in the musical “6 O’Clock Off Work.” The words spun from his sweet, gentle voice accompany listeners as they struggle to accept the end of a romance and attempt to move forward while still holding feelings for a former lover.
It’s a perfect track for a night drive or a quiet room when you want to sort through your thoughts.
Cry For LoveBAEKHYUN
Cry For Love squeezes your heart with the ache of love slipping away.
It’s included on EXO’s Baekhyun’s third mini album, Bambi, released in 2021, and he’s highly regarded as a solo artist as well.
The lyrical melody paired with the acoustic guitar is beautiful.
Because we can’t always be smooth or skillful, we sometimes let chances slip by, or our feelings run so strong that we just spin our wheels.
Right after a breakup, you’ll find it especially relatable—and it overlaps with many kinds of love.
Baekhyun’s endlessly soaring, crystal-clear, ultra–high-tone vocals unleash all that bittersweet emotion.
If you need to cry, let yourself cry.