[K-POP] Korean 'yami' songs that fit a blue mood
K-pop captivates us with its powerful dance and outstanding vocal prowess.
At the same time, I feel that K-pop uniquely shines through songs with dark concepts or a melancholic atmosphere.
There’s also a subtle elegance that invites multiple, indirect interpretations.
So I’ve decided to spotlight some Korean “yami” songs—tracks that dwell in darker emotions.
When you’re going through sadness, hardship, or a streak of bad days, it’s natural to feel low.
There’s something called the “matching effect,” which suggests that listening to music with a similar mood can cleanse the heart.
Sometimes, it might be nice to relax and spend time with masterpieces that fit your blue feelings.
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[K-POP] Korean “yami” songs that fit a blue mood (1–10)
COLOR RINGWINNER
WINNER, the first K-POP boy group to surpass 100 million streams.
This track, included on their first full album “2014 S/S” released in 2014, is their debut song.
It’s a heartbreakingly poignant ballad that portrays scenes mirroring the emotions of a broken heart as they link with the song.
The words you don’t want to hear and the pain of loss resonate in your chest as if answering each other.
Thanks to the members’ expressive performances, you’ll find yourself empathizing even more.
It’s truly a number that stays close to your blue mood.
DaydreamMONSTAX
MONSTA X is a boy group born from an audition show.
Their song Daydream lays bare the turmoil in their hearts.
It portrays a man alone in a pitch-dark room, thinking about the loved one he’s lost.
Just hearing that setup already conveys a heavy, tangled atmosphere, doesn’t it? But if you listen to the lyrics, packed with subtle psychological depictions, you’ll be able to savor an even darker world.
Another appeal is how easy it is to empathize, thanks to the careful, detailed portrayal.
Sleepless Night9Muses
Debuting in 2010, 9MUSES is a group where every member has an outstanding figure and is gorgeous, but the song already gives off a mentally troubled vibe right from the start of the MV.
It’s a “menhera girl” song about how thinking of the person you like keeps you from sleeping, makes you feel like you’re going crazy, yet also makes you hungry.
Its honesty makes it kind of cute.
[K-POP] Korean “Yami” Songs That Fit a Blue Mood (11–20)
Night ReminiscinLUNA
Debuting in 2009 as a sister group to Girls’ Generation and gaining popularity in Japan as well, f(x) featured Luna as the main vocalist.
Her 2018 solo track “Night Reminiscin,” a duet with fellow Korean male singer Yang Da Il, drew attention for that collaboration too.
It’s a simple piano-based ballad, yet their beautiful voices and the melody overwhelm you with a flood of emotion—even if you don’t understand the lyrics.
The inner landscape of the protagonist, who spends night after night swaying with feelings for a loved one that will likely never reach them, is profoundly lonely and sorrowful.
If you’ve had similar experiences, be careful not to empathize so deeply that it becomes painful.
LONELY2NE1
Often hailed as the original “girl crush,” 2NE1 has had a massive influence on the K-pop girl groups that followed.
Their one-day reunion at Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the U.S., in 2022 made huge headlines.
The song featured here, “LONELY,” released in 2011, is a very unusual type of K-pop track: beatless, built simply around acoustic guitar backing, bass, and strings.
It drew significant attention from industry peers at the time.
While the repeated line “I’m lonely even when I’m with you” and the protagonist’s decision to break up despite being in love may seem incomprehensible, many people surely harbor these feelings in real life.
There’s also a Japanese version of the song, so be sure to check that out as well.
INTO THE VOIDVIXX
Wrapped in a dangerous allure, “INTO THE VOID.” VIXX, who captivate with a unique concept every comeback, included this track on their 2017 mini album Shangri-La.
It’s a shockingly dark song, where the group’s expressive delivery heightens the sense of peril and the provocative lyrics.
Set against a wistful piano timbre, the lyrics trace love’s descent into madness, sending chills down your spine.
The obsessive vow to never let go—even in death—exudes a hair-raising terror.
LOVE YOU TO DEATHTAEYANG
The ultimate heartbreak song that resonates so deeply with unrequited love.
It’s a track from Taeyang—also famous as a member of BIGBANG—off his 2014 album “RISE.” The lyrical melody sinks in quietly, and the message, as if questioning one’s feelings to the other person, really hits home.
That aching thought: if loving someone might hurt them, then I’ll suppress myself instead… It makes your chest tighten.
Why are feelings that can’t reach the other person so frustrating? This song will surely stay by your side when you’re feeling blue and can’t believe in anything.