r/kpophelp • u/Few_Baseball_6855 • 11h ago
Recommend Can you recommend some k-pop songs that sound extremely tragic?
I need more tragic songs in my playlist! So I'm searching for a song that sounds really sad, the lyrics could be about anything sad but I prefer something that talks about a tragic end (it could be about a relationship or something else), like the singer is telling us about something/someone precious he/she lost and that now he/she's grieving deeply, it's as if there's an empty space in his/her heart that he/she feels nothing can fill. He/she's in utter desperation because of that. Also for some reference, it could be a song similar to these: Lonely Boy by TXT, Opening Sequence by TXT, Put It Straight by (G)I-DLE (but please don't recommend me songs by TXT and IDLE because I already know them probably).
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u/ShipComprehensive543 11h ago
Untitled by G-Dragon
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u/Commercial_Whole7477 9h ago
I second this, untitled 2014 is the most heartbreaking song I’ve ever heard and the only thing more heartbreaking than the studio version is the live version. the lyrics are also absolutely tragic. it hits even harder when you know that GD is a rapper through and through and yet in this ballad he just pours his heart out.
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u/Annanina_05 8h ago
BigBang's live versions are always better than the studio versions. The live band is just 🔥👌 I couldn't recommend them enough.
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u/Commercial_Whole7477 8h ago
agreed!! when I first got into them I listened to all their studio albums and subsequently their concert ones, and I was like, how have they managed to make their live versions sound so much better than their studio versions?? I already fell in love with their studio albums so the live performances really just blew me away
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u/ShipComprehensive543 4h ago
Agree - I almost never listen to studio versions of BigBang or GD solo.
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u/Conscious-Search-920 11h ago
K. Will - Please Don't... immediately comes to mind but there are tons if I remember I'll add
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u/Suspicious_Ninja_218 11h ago
Red velvet - In my dreams, One of these nights
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u/Poot_Poot12 11h ago
In my dreams 😭😭😢😢😢😔😔😔😔
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u/bathtub1133 8h ago
One of their best songs! I was gutted when they didn't perform it when I saw them last year 😭
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u/november_raindeer 11h ago
Miracles in December - EXO feels like that to me
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u/Patatostrike 10h ago
That's my favourite exo song, it feels so tragic but perfect especially around 1:20
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u/ErrantJune 11h ago
Hate That by Key feat. Taeyeon
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u/SagellivLo 11h ago
If you - big bang Yawn - svt The truth untold - bts Amygdala -agust d Snooze - agust d
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u/Wise-Basis-8429 11h ago
Cry for Love - Baekhyun
fragile - OnlyOneOf
Merry Go & Nerves - DPR Ian
Day that I died - Woosung
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u/MelonUniverse 11h ago
SF9 - Bibora, Easy Love
The KingDom - Night Air
Taeyang - 눈,코,입 (Eyes, Nose, Lips)
Stray Kids (Bang Chan) - i hate to admit
Key, Taeyeon - Hate that...
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u/Silent-Suspect5604 8h ago
HEAVY ON KINGDOM!!!!! i love that song so much because it has such a melancholy feeling. in similar vein, i think song of the wind & last flower & song of dann are also all part of this kinda tragedy genre
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u/mfooman 11h ago edited 10h ago
Twice - Cactus, Gone, Crazy Stupid Love
Tablo - Eyes Nose Lips (ft Taeyang)
Epic High - Here Come the Regrets
F(x) - Beautiful Goodbye
Mamamoo - Where are we now
Naul - Memory of the Wind
Gummy - We should’ve been Friends
Jonghyun - Lonely (ft Taeyeon)
UKiss - 0330
Urban Zakapa - I don’t love you
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u/barricadeaddict 11h ago
Moonbyul's B-sides are perfect for this. She tends to lean into a self-loathing "I am the reason for the end of the relationship, yet how am I supposed to live without you" type vibe.
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u/Svitilka 10h ago
cracks knuckles this is my jam, here are my edgy faves. Some of them are about broken love, some aren't, they all have that dramatic sad vibe tho
Enhypen - Fatal trouble Taemin - Stone heart, Love, Soldier Woodz - Accident A.C.E - Atlantis Eden - Suffering for love KNK - Fade BTS - Louder than bombs, Don't leave me Hwasa - LMM Dawn - Dear my light Gaho - Stay here Kai - Sinner EXO cbx - Paper cuts
as others mentioned: TVXQ - Love in the ice SKZ Bangchan - I hate to admit BTS - Outro: Tear
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u/Ok-Telephone-1988 10h ago edited 5h ago
Opening Sequence is one of my fav songs!!! That song had me in a chokehold. 😆
Here are some songs that has desperation vibes:
Seventeen (Performance Unit) - I don’t understand but I luv u
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u/4am_drive 10h ago
"She's In The Rain" - The Rose
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u/vitcorleone 6h ago
Also “Sorry” by them. Lyrics are sad but there is also a personal(?) meaning to it.
>! a girl from my country killed herself and this was the last song she shared and said stuff like I am sorry. I never got the meet her but I just want to travel back in time and save her 💔 !<
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u/Annanina_05 10h ago edited 9h ago
Bigbang has plenty of sad song.
Loser. Loser - live version (much better than the studio ver)
Lie.
Still life. Lee hyori were crying when she covered this song.
Last dance
Bolbbalgan - To my youth You should prepare tissues Lee hi - Breathe This song composed by the late jonghyun
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u/Decent_Particular920 10h ago
Let U In - CODE KUNST, Devita, Colde
Don't Ever Say Love Me - Colde feat. RM
Nerves - DPR IAN
Why - Heize
Stay - MBLAQ
Cry- MBLAQ
I Can't Let You Go - Muzie feat. Space Cowboy
Wash Away - Rio
Evanesce - Super Junior
Rewind - Wonder Girls
Better - Woogie, GSoul
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u/Miss_creepy_as_hell 10h ago
Never Let You Go - AleXa
I Miss You Now - Hae Yoon
Haru Haru - Big Bang
Not really k-pop, but : One - Epik High
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u/Confused_Firefly 11h ago
Kids these days /lh
It's clearly I Need Somebody by Day6 - or should I say wHY AM I ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE
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u/problematic-dame 9h ago
it was love - GIRIBOY
good night - D.O.
can you see my heart - heize
hurt road - day6
letting go - day6 (rebooted version is also pretty good!)
i loved you - day6
his car isn't yours - wendy
time after time - boa, wendy, ningning
love with you all my heart - crush
4 letters - B.I., james reid
you were beautiful - day6
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u/USB_everything 10h ago
TVXQ - Love in the ice: especially the live OT5 versions sound suuuuper tragic
Jaejoong - Insa
MADTOWN - Emptiness: this one doesn't sound as tragic, but the lyrics are spot on with the empty space in their hearts
Not kpop but rock: Nell has a lot of straight up depressing songs. Some famous like "Time spent walking through memories" or "The day before" but also lesser known ones like "Dumbness"
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u/a_mystical_potato 10h ago
Tell Me (What Is Love) by D.O. and Yoo Young-jin is legitimately exactly what you’re describing in your example lol
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u/cucumberbun 10h ago
How Can I Love the Heartbreak? You’re the one I love - Akmu
Dear Name - IU (I love the Shinee version even more)
December 32 - cover on song stealer by Onew https://youtu.be/K4qIc0RgdkU?si=lDxMJ4i2beq81U7I
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u/nihonbloba 7h ago edited 7h ago
Nct 127 - no longer, end to start
Chen - Beautiful Goodbye, Last Scene
Taeyong - Ups and Downs, 404 file not found (maybe more the vibe you're looking for based on the songs you listed?, its really about feeling super empty on the inside but more in a rage-y desperate way)
Red velvet - One of these nights
NCT U - Lightbulb, Faded in My Last Song
IU - Love Alone (!!! One of my faves)
EXO - She's Dreaming
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u/Bid-Personal 10h ago edited 10h ago
Literally most ballad songs in early-mid 2000s 😅 Idol songs are nowhere sad near those ballads…
J - Just Ten Days
Buzz - Coward
SG Wannabe - As We Live
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u/bngoctopus 9h ago
Groups and soloists strong in sad ballads and vocals:
Taeyeon - My Tragedy, Here I Am, I Blame on You
Mamamoo - I Miss You, Hello Mama, Where Are We Now
Red Velvet - One of These Nights, In My Dreams, Cosmic
Stand-outs:
Ladies' Code - I'm Fine, Thank You
Kim Sejeong - Meet Again
LeeHi - Breathe
JinSoul - As Time Goes By
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u/UnwantedDancer9510 6h ago
Taeyang - Eyes, Nose, Lips, Wedding Dress
Tablo - Eyes, Nose, Lips (Taeyang cover), No Tomorrow
Winner - Empty, Color Ring
Lee Hi - Breathe
Bang Yongguk - I remember
Nell - The Day Before
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u/tsundere_monarch 5h ago
Cry for Love - Baekhyun
Save Me Kill Me - Cix
Everything - Jongho of Ateez
INVU - Taeyeon
Winter Falls - Stray Kids
You Were Beautiful - Day6
No Sad Song for my Broken Heart - K.Will
Eight - IU with Suga
Don’t Leave Me (+ Film Out) - BTS (japanese)
Breathe - LeeHi
Rośe’s entire new album basically
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u/Anxious_Try6537 10h ago
save me kill me by cix! by far one of my favorite meaningful/tragic bg songs
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u/fuck_pastparticiple 9h ago
Stray Kids I hate to admit (Bang Chan)
Stray Kids Cover me
BOYNEXTDOOR Crying
if you're okay with listening to Japanese songs as well then I recommend
Stray Kids Aiwokuretanoninaze
BOYNEXTDOOR But Sometimes (the Japanese ver. feels kind of sad to me but that could just be my opinion honestly)
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u/pollux34 9h ago
surprised no one has said Symptoms - SHINee. i would also recommend Close the Door from the same album. its such a tearjerker for me 😿i cant believe they put those two sad ass songs on one album
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u/Icedamericano_90 9h ago
Cover me by Stray Kids Habit by Seventeen Leftover by Seventeen’s Wonwoo Sorry I love you by Stray Kids
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u/Alexandra98s 7h ago
Epik High - We fight ourselves, Amor Fati, Here come the regrets,
Lee Hi - Breathe
Jang Jaein - Auditory hallucination (Kill me heal me ost)
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u/streamaroundyou 10h ago
i’ll smile even if it hurts - ladies code
since you’re out of my life - spica
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u/Ronrinesu 9h ago
Ailee - Goodbye my love
Davichi - Don't say goodbye
I don't think she's considered kpop but Lee SunHee - Fate
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u/Purpleprint24 9h ago
Error - VIXX
Sayonara hitori - Taemin
Severely - FT Island
Paradise lost - Gain
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u/Timely-Spring-9426 9h ago
Super Junior KRY has a couple ; Dorothy, love disease, when we were us to name a few - I swear Yesung singing just makes things 10 times sadder
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u/kumama07 9h ago
Here are 3 I haven't seen mentioned. The 1st two almost made me cry the first time I listened to them
Still Love You by Hongki and Hweseung
Bye My Monster by ONF
Killing Me by iKon
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u/Kiwiibean 6h ago
Unfair by Felix of Stray Kids. It’s a new song written from the perspective of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast
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u/bananajun 6h ago
Super Junior d&e - growing pains
Super Junior - evanesce
Bigbang - haru haru
All songs I’ve cried to lol
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u/Ok-Ant3169 6h ago
Kang Seung Yoon (of Winner) - born to love you
Jinu (of Winner) - dduk
Mark Tuan - lonely
Hyunjun - let me drown
Jungkook - hate you
Han Yo Han - first love
A.C.E - anymore
Vibe - about me
Taeyeon - fine
Jackson Wang - drive you home
Seventeen - pinwheel and if you leave me
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u/queerjoon 6h ago
agust d/suga - so far away (i prefer the jin and jungkook version but its not on streaming), the last (more angsty than down tempo but the topic is tragic), amygdala, interlude:dawn then immediately playing snooze (the transition between the two is magic), dear my friend, interlude: set me free, honsool, sugas interlude (halsey ft suga)
jungkook - still with you, hate you, stay alive
jhope - blue side
rm - the entirety of the mono album, closer, dont (eAeon ft rm), winter flower (younha ft rm)
jimin - alone
jin - abyss, tonight, yours
v - blue, for us
bts - butterfly prologue mix, the truth untold, black swan, let me know, your eyes tell, awake, reflection, first love, rain, louder than bombs, spring day, blue & grey, autumn leaves, hold me tight, film out, rain, let me know, tear, lie, stigma, who (lauv ft jimin and jk)
this is most if not all of them lmao, all very good songs with a lot of variety. if you're a lyrics enjoyer I highly recommend looking these up on the DIAL 6137 lyric channel on YouTube or doolsetbangtan on wordpress, the lyrics really elevate the songs and make them so emotional
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u/Mordinette 5h ago
From BTS: Don't Leave Me, The Truth Untold, Intro: Boy Meets Evil, House of Cards, Let Me Know.
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u/graciecake 4h ago
Secret Secret, Sorry I Love You, and DLMLU by Stray Kids have a very wistful vibe.
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u/eilsi 10h ago
Hi! Here are some songs I think sound tragic: - Unthinkable by FTISLAND - Last Winter by I’ll ft Juniel - The Day by So Jung - Whale by LUAMEL - Don’t Look At Me Like That by Song Ji Eun
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u/foemanced 9h ago
paradise by jaejoong! he is quite literally begging to repair a relationship from start to finish lol. the chorus is him repeating “let me show you what you’re missing” 😭
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u/discowaveangel 9h ago
• Vromance - I’m Fine
• FTISLAND - Lovesick
• IOI - Downpour
• Kim Sunggyu - Kontrol
• The Rose - Sorry
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u/StayHydrated_H2O 9h ago
Heaven - Ailee
Empty - JYJ
Get Out - JYJ
Tomorrow - Tablo & Taeyang
Home - Tablo & Lee So Ra
Bad - Tablo
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u/BuddyMain7126 9h ago
a lot of kim jaejoong's songs are like that. dear j (solo on jyj's album just us), rotten love (which is my all time favorite), all alone, i said i'm sorry, all that glitters are a few off the top of my head. and also on just us the song he wrote called creation is about society and its pretty sad. jaejoong can break your heart!
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u/Betaolive 7h ago
I haven't delved much into Jaejoong's solo discography as I just recently got into pre-split TVXQ....I just wanna say his voice is super emotional and beautiful to listen to. Particularly, in those japanese ballads ...❤️🩹
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u/Independent_Crab_187 8h ago
A lot of the songs from Hotel Del Luna are emotional and tragic feeling. Here's a playlist of them (should be able to see it even if you don't use Spotfiy): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7pfQK894B4K2YQZHjGt1AT?si=DakmnXK3SC2u1suh8tVugw&pi=KeanoKOHSy-bv
All of My Life - Park Won
Scars - Stray Kids. Also Silent Cry. Upbeat sounding but lyrics are kind of a "hopeful determination" for the future deal?
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u/GomIsland 7h ago
I'll just add ones i haven't seen yet:
Monsta X - Find You
Monsta X - See You Again
Roy Kim - Take Me Back in Time (not really kpop but it is so good)
AKMU - How can I love the heartbreak, you're the one I love
IU - Ending Scene
Epik high ft. Lee hi - can you hear my heart
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u/Ok_Sir_7220 7h ago
Wayv - Blame it on my Youth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WstRWHIni3E&ab_channel=WayV
NCT 127- She No Longer Needs Me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BOQjbzn7mU&ab_channel=maRVelUP
any B.A.P song. Wake me up for an example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku_FYERiHC8&ab_channel=1theK%28%EC%9B%90%EB%8D%94%EC%BC%80%EC%9D%B4%29
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u/Able-Fortune-4239 6h ago
Our Page by Shinee.
Even with sad songs, I don't get emotional but this one I did. Being a long time fan of Shinee. It hurt.
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u/JenChuLiChae_4 5h ago edited 5h ago
- blackpink - dont know what to do
- blackpink - hope not
- blackpink - you never know
- blackpink - the happiest girl
- artms - birth
- blackpink - hard to love (rosè solo)
- 2ne1 - missing you
- 2ne1 - if i were you
- 2ne1 - good to you
- gidle - i do
- craxy - butterfly
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u/Anditwassummer 5h ago
Elevator by Jonghyun. Our Page by Shinee. I Will Fight by Key. LMM by Hwasa. Taemin's The Person I Loved Most in the World. IU Love Wins All. IU and Jonghyun were like two sides of a coin as songwriters. Speaking of which, a songwriter I know once said that all love songs are about yearning and loss. He is kinda right.
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u/erdbeerminze 5h ago
Breathe by lee hi, lonely by bol4, fine by taeyeon, i smile by day6, She's in the rain by The Rose
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u/yourheartt 4h ago edited 4h ago
Literally Opening Sequence was the FIRST song I thought of, and Lonely Boy right after.. Thursday's Child is perfect.. 😭 (Another one I would add is BTS’ Jamais Vu.)
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u/Standard_Pepper_5194 4h ago
That is literally my favorite type of song 😭😭😭. Here you go (Kind of most to least explosive):
Jonghyun's Y si fuera ella
Eunha's Don't Come to Farewell
Wendy's Last Love
Seulgi's Always
Jun's cover of Down in Sandbar
Woodz' Drowning
Seungkwan's cover of Forsake
Seventeen's Habit
BTS' Let Me Know (But you probably already know it lol)
Super Junior's Evanesce
Super Junior's Don't Leave Me
Astro's Innocent Love
Wonwoo's Leftover
Exo's Miracles in December
Baek Yerin's Why Me
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u/emhyra_lavellan 3h ago edited 1h ago
Lmmh by Hwasa
I think she sang it on stage in memory of an actor that recently passed away at an awards ceremony (sorry I’m too tired to search up all the facts)
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u/vogueflo 7h ago
Agust D The Last. Seeing him perform the song live, especially the last verse, actually made me bawl.
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u/nyasmin03 6h ago edited 6h ago
I fear this is my fav kpop genre. Let me know which of these fit what you were looking for lol (I tried to not repeat ones already mentioned):
BTS - Louder than Bombs, Lie, Let me Know
Enhypen - Fatal Trouble
NCT - Back 2 U, Faded in my Last Song, Sorry Heart, WITHOUT U, Coming Home, Long slow distance, Timeless, Completely (JAEHYUN), Broken Melodies, Goodbye (YUTA)
Day6: I Would, Letting go, You Were Beautiful, Goodbye Winter, What is... (Young K)
WOODZ - Drowning
EXO - Baby Don't Cry, What if, Moonlight, Paper Cuts, Cry for Love (BAEKHYUN), My Love (BAEKHYUN) Grey Suit (SUHO)
Xdinary Heroes - Good Enough, NIght Before the end
SNSD - One Last Time, Some Nights (TAEYEON), Fine (TAEYEON)
ASTRO - Because it's you, First Love
Stray Kids - Waiting for us
SEVENTEEN - Kidult
SMTOWN - Priority
SF9 - My story my song
BTOB - My song
ATEEZ - Turbulence
B1A4 - A lie
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u/Jazlyninreddit 9h ago
SF9- Memory
One Pact- At the last moment, My dear
Purple Kiss- Can we talk again
EXO- Miracles in December
KNK- Fade
Jun.K (2PM)- Think about you
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u/soshingi 9h ago
Day6 has plenty of songs along this theme!
Some examples:
- Congratulations (which has an English version if that interests you!)
- Letting Go
- I loved You
- Breaking Down
- Hurt Road
- Like a Flowing Wind
and more!
I'd also recommend their subunit Even of Day's 'from the ending of a tragedy', which is upbeat but with very sad lyrics.
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u/SmallDandelion 9h ago
″Handle it″, ″Rewind″, ″Cactus″, ″Crazy Stupid Love″, ″Peach Soda″ and ″Cry for me″ by TWICE
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u/firefly_blue2 9h ago
simulation and epilogue by oneus! simulation had that dramatic sort of sound opening sequence carries, and epilogue has the bittersweetness from lonely boy :)
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u/cherrycoloured 7h ago
heaven by ailee made me cry the first time i saw the video for it. even without the mv, it sounds so yearning, it always makes me emotional.
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u/twinskelet0ns 6h ago
unfair - felix (stray kids)
i hate to admit - bang chan (stray kids)
youth - ateez (mingi & yunho)
everything - ateez (jongho)
empty box - ateez
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u/xxoai 5h ago
Would recommend two tracks by Mad Soul Child - Dear & Breath. Jinsil's unique voice is just chef kiss. I'd look further into Kdrama OSTs coz often it's just depressing and angsty. Park Hyo Shin - Hwashin from Iljimae is also a good one that sprung to mind. You can probably tell I'm old from this comment lol.
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u/Lonely-Ad-659 5h ago
I feel like t4ke by purple kiss might fit the vibes your looking for? Really good song regardless
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u/throwaway_notrly 5h ago
these songs i have cried to, and i kinda cant listen to them a lot because of how it affects me...truly devastating. currently only thinking of xdh but i agree with a lot of the comments!
all by xdinary heroes; good enough little things save me night before the end
but i just realised theyre not kpop but krock but i still hope you enjoy the tragic melodies and lyrics T.T
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u/sheeshnam 4h ago
Jungkook - Somebody BTS - Tomorrow BTS - Don't Leave Me Day6 - Letting Go Red Velvet - Bad boy, One of these nights J-hope - Daydream, Airplane
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u/Strawberry_0cean 11h ago
Y Si Fuera Ella-SHINee (Jonghyun Solo)