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-tugging, bittersweet K-pop songs. “Setsuna” tracks that resonate with many emotions (31–40)
DittoNewJeans
NewJeans is a five-member girl group that debuted in 2022.
Their song “Ditto” is a heartbreakingly wistful track that knocks you out right away with an intro that feels dreamlike and weightless.
While programmed drums reminiscent of breakbeats lead the song overall, the key is that those drums come to a dead stop in the chorus.
The drum breaks also appear several times outside the chorus, and the moments when only the heavily echoed synthesizer and vocals remain are absolutely electrifying!
DaisyPENTAGON
It’s the title track of the 2020 mini-album WE:TH.
At first listen the song can feel intense, but the members’ vocal delivery and the way the chorus bursts with emotion give it a deeply aching quality.
While wishing happiness for a loved one, the lyrics confess a hidden hope that they might be unhappy instead… torn between wanting them to go so far away that the time they spent in love can no longer be remembered, and wanting that person to long for love again.
The white daisies on the cover symbolize “innocence.” The song also plays on the Korean word deida, which means being burned or going through something painful and difficult, to portray the wounds of love—another layer of poignancy.
Never let you go(죽어도 못보내)2AM
Have you ever had the experience of thinking, “I want to stay by this person’s side for the rest of my life”? On that note, I’d like to introduce “Never Let You Go (죽어도 못보내).” It’s a song by the boy group 2AM—a love song that straightforwardly expresses the feeling of not wanting to part from the one you love.
Though the theme is heartrending, the lyrics somehow leave you with a warm feeling.
By the way, a Japanese cover version titled “Never let you go ~Shindemo Hanasanai~” has also been released.
The First LoveMinseo
A love song that captures the bittersweet feelings of first love.
Lyrics like “I can’t look at you…” and “Even so, my heart still remembers you…” express a sweet-and-sour, somewhat innocent affection.
Minseo gained recognition on Superstar K7 and debuted in 2018.
Although she hasn’t yet drawn much attention overseas, her song “Is Who” surged in popularity on YouTube, and since then she’s been seen as having the potential to attract global attention.
empty(허전해)Paul Kim(폴킴)
It’s a classic K-POP ballad—gentle, unhurried, and deeply resonant.
Written and composed by Paul Kim himself, the simple theme of wanting to see the precious person who became his light is enough to bring you to tears.
It’s perfect for a season when you long for someone.
The song is included on the 2019 album “Maum, Part.1.”
Heartfelt, bittersweet K-POP songs. “Setsuna” songs that resonate with a variety of emotions (41–50)
Sleepless NightCrush
The drama It’s Okay, That’s Love aired in 2014.
One of its well-known songs is Sleepless Night.
It’s a collaboration between Crush and Punch, and as the title suggests, it’s a track themed around a sleepless night.
It portrays a woman sinking into the sorrow of a broken heart after getting into bed at night.
The lyrics in that part are also appealing for their use of metaphors unlike anything you’ve heard before.
When you listen, you’ll likely think, “I see—yes, it does feel like that,” and find it relatable.
Good NightJeong Sewoon
Good Night, sung by Jeong Se-woon, which was the theme song of the popular Korean drama “Touch Your Heart.” The lyrics are about recalling a love that has ended—so bittersweet that it hasn’t even become a memory yet.
His delicate, heartrending voice makes you feel deeply that it’s a sad romance.
It’s the perfect love song for immersing yourself completely in sorrow.
