[FEATURE] 10 K-Pop Songs For The Broken Hearted Souls

“When all hope is gone, sad songs say so much.”

Everyone’s been there. You go through a phase of losing someone you love dearly, and all you want to do is lie in bed listening to soul-shattering music.  They say it’s a self-destructive behaviour. But little do they know that when you identify with the songs, you regulate and vent your emotions. You empathise with the musician as you listen to the lyrics. Every single word makes sense, and you find comfort knowing that someone else is feeling the same way. You eventually feel less lonely.

Feel the gentle touch of these 10 K-Pop songs (in no particular order) as they echo in your room and accompany you through the painful chapter in your life.

별 시 (The Other Day) – Park Hyo Shin
Genre: Ballad
Release Date: 30 Apr 2018

Park Hyo Shin’s voice has always soothes one’s broken soul. This recent release tugs on our heartstrings as it conveys an individual’s longing for that someone who has left. That emptiness you feel as you walk down a quiet street, reminiscing the bittersweet memories you share with that special individual. As you continue wandering the streets, you look up at the sky; a blank canvas with not a single star. But little do people know, you do not need any other star. He/She was, and still is the only star you wish to study and observe. The lyrics of this song tells of this exact feeling and story as an individual patiently continues to wait for that special person, praying for that person to be the star again.

네가 없는 곳 (Where I Am Gone) – Yang Yoseop
Genre: Pop
Release Date: 19 Feb 2018

The lyrics of ‘Where I Am Gone‘ is all of your emotions after a break-up put into words, then created into a song. Saying goodbye to the person you thought was your world. When goodbye comes, you quietly begged that he/she will never forget you, and the memories shared between just the two of you. You want that person to always remember you, but the thought of tears falling from those eyes you loved pains you; and you hope that they will hurt as much as you who is breaking down. You can’t promise to forget all that has happened, you can’t promise anyone that you will be okay. You know that those tears will continue to fall for as long as you stay in that place without them.

떠나지마요 (Don’t Leave) – BLOCK B
Genre: R&B/Soul
Release Date: 8 Jan 2018

Most of the time, break-ups are unwanted as decisions were made impulsively. The feeling of regret drowns as you know that you did not mean it. You then start to yearn for that special person as you cry out for them to not leave. Block B’s ‘Don’t Leave’ describes that feeling of yearning for the one who is now gone as you wished that you had treated him/her better.  You know that if only you had loved them better, and not make that mistake, you wouldn’t have to cry out to them, to not go.

INSTAGRAM – DEAN
Genre: R&B/Soul
Release Date: 26 Dec 2017

Remember going through Instagram and realising the contrasts between your life and others? This contrast is even more pronounced after a break-up as you scroll through your ex’s posts, seeing that he/she is able to effortlessly feel happy and continue on with their lives. DEAN is one of us as he similarly scrolled through Instagram looking at the colourful lives of others. Often, we are unable to identify with other people’s happiness especially when we are feeling miserable inside. We may feel even lonelier the longer we stay on Instagram and seeing others’ smiles. Are we all living in different worlds?

I Loved You – DAY6
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 6 Sep 2017

The song narrates the story of an individual who is trying to forget the person he once loved. Forgetting the person you love is never easy. As much as the amount of effort you put into trying to forget them, the countless memories you share with them will overwhelm your mind. And when you know that there’s nothing you can do to forget that person, hatred fills you up. You begin to hate the memories both the bitter and sweet. You then slowly succumb to the hatred. You tell yourself and the world you hate them. But deep down, you know they will always hold a special place in your heart.

비도 오고 그래서 (You, Clouds, Rain) – Heize ft. Shin Young Jae
Genre: R&B/Soul
Release Date: 26 Jun 2017

Heize’s ‘You, Clouds, Rain’ is that song you would want to listen to on a rainy day, days after losing someone. We know that feeling; as we listen to the rain drops, with the cold wind that has taken over the room, our mind starts to play memories of the past. And you wish it didn’t have to, but you know nothing will stop it from continuing. Rain would remind you of him/her, especially when you’re all alone, after they had left. You remember the warmth, even during rainy days like today, when you’re together. But everything now feels unfamiliar – it feels cold. Although you don’t necessarily hate that feeling because you get to see them again, through the memories. As you remember the warmth, you feel the calmness that the rains brings you and suddenly everything feels okay.

무제 (Untitled, 2014)- G-DRAGON
Genre: Ballad
Release Date: 8 Jun 2017

Everyone has felt the need to see someone for the very last time. On some days, that feeling and the emotions take over you, but you know it’s hard and difficult for the person to come back. So you look forward to ending your night and meeting them in your dream, and you feel contented with just that. This is how it is after a break-up. Drowned with memories, the lyrics of G-DRAGON’s ‘Untitled, 2014’ narrate exactly how we wish to meet and love that person again, in the next life.

한숨 (BREATHE) – LEE HI
Genre: Ballad
Release Date: 9 March 2016

When that special person leaves, your whole world crumbles down. Every evening, you return home from school or work, you drop lifelessly in bed and tears start streaming down from the exhaustion of trying to maintain a positive front for others. It exhausts you emotionally and mentally as you struggle to pick the pieces up bit by bit. You constantly blame yourself for everything that has happened. It feels like there is no one there for you as most of the time, no one understands the pain that you’re suffering from. Lee Hi’s ‘Breathe’ reminds you that it is okay to let out a sigh (or even cry) after a hard day. The song tells you, too, that it is okay to make mistakes as everyone is guilty of it at some part of our lives. Listening to this song calms us down and allows us to forgive, as we console and encourage ourselves for the good job done for holding on till that moment.

12:30 – BEAST
Genre: Ballad
Release Date: 19 Oct 2014

One of our favourites! We first loved the song for the powerful vocals and  its instrumentals. But after reading and understanding the lyrics, we fell for it as a whole instead. Like the hands on the clock, ‘12:30′ by BEAST symbolises two people with backs turned against each other, looking at different places. These lovers do not see eye to eye again, as they walk further to a place they can never return from. But, despite the hardships, at least one of them secretly hopes for the time they are able to look into the same direction. Like the clock too, the hands will move again to meet each other as time passes and heal the scars.

TOMORROW – TABLO ft. TAEYANG
Genre: Hip-hop/Rap
Release Date: 31 Oct 2011

Compared to other songs in the list, Tablo’s ‘Tomorrow’ is more upbeat. Day by day as you live your life without the one you love, you fail to find the meaning of life as you miserably yearn for this person. You hope for his/her return, as it is only then that your life will continue again. The song’s beat builds any frustration and allows you to vent them out with every “no”. Your energy and will may be depleting, but this song’s beat will give you that burst of energy that you need for your tomorrow to come.

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We hope these songs will comfort you through the night, the time of the day when it’s the hardest. Sometimes, when we listen to songs, we are in harmony with what the music says through the composition as well as the lyrics. Even if you aren’t going through a break-up, these songs will accompany you by pulling your heart in to nurture, comfort and give strength. Do you have your own list to share? Comment down below! 🙂

Written by: Afiqah, Syaza & Lisa

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