K-Pop Songs That Could Have Been A K-Drama OST Pt. 2

The Confession Song

So, I lied when I said I would pick lesser-known groups as Sechskies is a well-known OG group. Also, I lied when I said I wouldn't pick title tracks, but I couldn't help myself when I randomly clicked on this during my search. I don't know much about Sechskies, and this is my first encounter with the song, and it immediately struck me as an excellent song to be an official soundtrack!

All For You give off an old-school retro vibe. It's slow, upbeat, but groovy beats along with its lyrics of the gentleman confessing. I have to be honest, though, guys, this song could easily be a romantic night kind of song, if you know what I mean. Or it could be my not so innocent mind, so please click the link in the gif and let me know in the comments!  

All For You is a perfect confession song that would fit with any drama that has romance, particularly modern romantic dramas. This group's age range could influence it, but the sort of drama that came to my mind was Discovery of Romance (2014), where the romance is between a couple that is older and has some romantic history together.

A Book In Memory is a title track song! It was actually written by the main vocalist Yonghoon after being inspired by a movie. In their illusion' Highlight Medley interview, Yonghoon said, "As you go towards the end of the song, the band sounds and the guitar sounds build up into a climax to give that grand and explosive feel." You will definitely feel this as you listen to the song. The build-up of the song brings you this sense of desperation in the song. I can best describe it as knowing something is reaching the end while you don't want it. There's a push and pull to the music as the song builds up in the chorus but pulls back in the verse until we reach the end. 

This is a perfect song for couples that aren't destined to be with each other or have sad endings. However, I do think that this song would work best in a historical or fantasy drama, mainly due to the lyric reference to a book/story. It sounds like it would be a good fit for a drama like A Korean Odyssey (2017). The drama is a modern drama with fantasy elements and would be fitting for this song! 

The Breakup Song

Lee Sang is a member of IMFACT, a five-member boy group that debuted in 2016. This is another group that most of its members have participated in the KBS Idol Rebooting Project The Unit (2017). IMFACT is not new to the drama OST world. They have graced dramas, such as Andante (2017) and Children of a Lesser God (2018) with their music. Member Lee Sang has participated in several dramas, with his first main role in the drama Wish You: Your Melody From My Heart (2020). 

IMFACT has a handful of original songs that are written and produced by the members themselves. I wanted to include some unofficial released ones, such as member Lee Sang's Tell Me I Love U.

Tell Me I Love U is a song about the end of a relationship, and with it comes the different phases after a breakup. We get to hear about the aftershock, the regrets, and the self bargaining. The chorus specifically highlights the regrets and longing with hopes of the relationship working again with phrases like, "Tell me: I love you" or "Tell me: There's no one but you." 

I would throw in Tell Me I Love U into the drama 18 Again (2020). Most of the soundtrack for 18 Again is really toned down, and I think this acoustic version would fit right in. Although, the biggest difference I see in the official soundtrack and this song is that the songs in the official soundtrack are a bit more lighthearted. 

The Melancholy Song 

WOODZ or Cho Seung Yeon is a member of UNIQ and a former member of X1. He participated in the popular Mnet series Produce X 101 (2019) and ranked 5th place in the final rankings. UNIQ is a five-member boy group from Yuehua Entertainment. The group includes a mix of both Chinese and Korean members. While the group may not be active as a whole, you may have seen or heard of their solo activities in China and Korea. 

I actually knew him as Woodz first a few years back through a random click on YouTube. I seldom follow his works, so I was surprised when I stumbled on this song, which is different from his title tracks.

As the title states, it is a song that reminisces on fond memories. The song gives off a melancholy feel with the piano and electric guitar solos. The first drama that comes into mind that this song would match is A Piece of Your Mind (2020). I find it really fitting as both the drama and the song give this sense of being in a dark spot, and the good memories you have left are keeping you afloat. Both the song and drama give this feeling of being enveloped in warmth even though you're filled with sadness. Does that even make sense?

_{Woodz - Feel Like MV}

The "You're My Light" Love Song

I'm not too familiar with The Boyz and have only heard of them during their appearance in the Mnet survival show Road to Kingdom (2020). My first listen of their songs was the REVEAL album while I was looking for a suitable OST song, and I'm definitely impressed! They are currently participating in Kingdom: Legendary War (2021). Global fans can vote for this show, so do tune in!

Spring Snow is a song that depicts a love across seasons. The song holds beautiful lyrics that reference winter and spring compared to love, while the music gives off tender love with winter vibes. I realize that the winter and spring couplet is a strong theme in Korean lyrics as spring signifies new beginnings/re-birth, while the cold, harsh winter refers to suffering.

Spring Snow would be best suited with a song that has a spring theme or complicated relationship. My Korean drama pick for this song would be Love Alarm 2 (2021). I think the lyrics really suit the couple's complex relationship. It is really fitting for all of the spring blossom scenes that we see in Love Alarm 2. 

The "First Time in Love" Song

SF9 is a group filled with talented actors that have worked in popular dramas such as Extraordinary You (2019) or Sky Castle (2018). All of the members have participated in dramas before and are known respectively for their works. However, I feel like their music and SF9 aren't as well-known as their acting works. They are another boy group that is participating in Kingdom: Legendary War (2021).

SF9's Lullu Lalla is an upbeat song and fun about a boy pursuing a girl. Lullu Lalla is an adorable song! We can pick up hints of nervousness and hesitation in the lyrics. It reads similar to someone's first time in love or experience with their crush. The best part about this song is the chorus, with its catchy lyrics and explosive beats! I can imagine this being on a youth drama or less serious web drama. My drama pick would be A-Teen (2018). This song would be a great soundtrack for the main lead in this drama, two youths and their first time in love! 

The "Sad Romance" Love Song

Hyuk is a member of VIXX and is an actor himself! VIXX is now a five-member boy group that debuted in 2012. The members are currently focused on their own individual activities. Hyuk's Boy with A Star is a gauntly beautiful song that was written and composed by Hyuk. Most of his solo songs are actually really beautiful, and if you haven't, please do take a listen! 

Boy with A Star is a song about stars, the only thing stagnant in a relationship from the beginning to the end. As a person who loves romance and stars, the comparison of the two in the lyrics definitely makes it a favorite on the list! There's a bit of sorrow and longing mixed in the song that calls out to me. 

This is one of the few songs on this list that would fit just about any drama type so long as is there's romance involved. However, it would definitely fit romantic dramas that have more complex relationships. My drama pick for this song would be The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (2018). The leads have a soundtrack in the drama called Star. I think the theme suits the drama, even though the context of the two songs is different.

_{Hyuk - Winter Butterfly MV}

The "Love Pursuit" Song

100% is another group on this list that has participated in the KBS Idol Rebooting Program The Unit (2017). Their RE:tro album stood out to me the most in terms of OST likeability. The biggest difference between this group and the rest was that I thoroughly enjoyed all the songs on the album. After some tough decisions, I decided to pick To. 

To. is a sweet song about the gentleman trying to get trust in love through sweet gestures. The lyrics alone are so sweet that I feel like I don't need to reference a drama. I can envision a simple plot in my head already. Boy pursues girl in a sweet romantic drama. It ends with them walking hand in hand in a scenic backdrop.

For some reason, dramas like Fight For My Way (2017) come into my mind when I listen to this song. It's a romantic drama, but it's lighthearted and sweet, matching the upbeat sound and lyrics. Another reason for my drama pick is due to that in the lyrics, the rap portion speaks about how the girl has been hurt in love before.  To. would definitely be fit into any other soundtrack list to web dramas or youth-themed shows. 

To. English Lyric Video 

The "Coming of Age" Song

Hui is part of the nine-member boy group Pentagon. The group is most known for its song Shine and are doing fairly well this past year due to their appearance in Road to Kingdom (2020). Hui's the mastermind behind most of their songs, including this one. 

Boy in Time is about growing up and growing old. Hui's melodic vocals are accompanied by toned-down instrumentals, making the song even more emotional. Boy in Time sounds uplifting yet melancholy at the same time. It's a song where I would play to comfort myself when I'm down in the dumps. In my opinion, this is a song everyone can easily relate to, even with different experiences in our youth.

The song would suit any coming of age or family drama. My personal choice for drama pick would be Record of Youth (2020). I think it ties in great themes of a boy in his youth growing up. In fact, we see a lot of character growth in the drama from a handful of the characters. 

Boy in Time English Lyric Video

_{Pentagon - Daisy (live)}

The Anthem Song

Special feature number ten! Purple Rain isn't a Korean pop group but a band that slides more towards rock music. Purple Rain is one of the few bands formed through the popular jTBC Network show Superband (2019). I wanted to spice up this list with songs that aren't just mellow, romantic, or upbeat songs. I wanted something dramatic, but I couldn't find something along those lines. 

New World is not as rockingly dramatic as their title tracks or their soundtrack, Bird, from My Country: The New Age (2019). In New World, the rock elements are toned down. Instead, we get more piano and some symphony added in, giving it more of an emotional effect.  

As I am not fluent in Korean and did not find good English translated lyrics, a song quote will not be provided. If you decide to give it a listen, I find that this is one of those songs that makes music transcend beyond language barriers. In the description box of the linked New World live video, the English description states that the song is about "hope of facing a new world and running toward a dream." The music and melody do a great job at making us feel the desperation for chasing after something we are craving.

The song's build, the breaks in-between, and "na's" make this song feel like an anthem. I can imagine this being a soundtrack to dramas in coming of age or even revenge dramas. My pick of drama for this song would be Itaewon Class (2020). New World gives me uplifting vibes that, even though it's not the same style of music, remind me of the iconic Itaewon Class' soundtrack by Gaho, Start Over.