Every song is better than the last.
From beautiful cinematography and addicting storylines, to brilliant humor and talented casts, there are so many reasons to love K-dramas. One aspect fans love about the television genre the most is the original soundtracks, which add to the charming atmosphere of the show. Whether it's to accompany a romantic montage or set the mood for a sad scene, OSTs never fail to make viewers feel all the emotions their favorite characters are experiencing. While many K-dramas only span one season, their soundtracks are often so timeless, fans never get tired of listening to them, even years later. You need to check out these 20 K-drama soundtracks that were just as good as the show, because they'll live on forever.
This list includes everything from classic favorites, like 2009's Boys Over Flowers, and more modern hits, like 2016's Descendants of the Sun and 2020's Itaewon Class. I guarantee you'll be itching to re-watch some shows once you listen to their soundtracks again as they take you back to the first time you watched them. You may even find your next favorite just based on hearing the music alone. These 20 K-drama soundtracks are all so good, so whatever you choose to listen to, you know you're in for a real treat.
The While You Were Sleeping soundtrack is a must-listen album, especially because it features songs performed by the show's lead actors, "I Love You Boy" by Suzy, and "Come to Me" by Lee Jong-suk.
K-Pop stars like TAEYEON, HEIZE, CHUNG HA, TAEYONG, and Red Velvet can all be found on the Hotel Del Luna soundtrack, so you know this album is full of nothing but hits.
The soundtrack to A Korean Odyssey goes perfectly with the show's fantasy setting because it features a diverse range of sounds, from ballads and guitar-heavy songs, to dramatic instrumental tracks.
Descendants of the Sun is full of emotional ballads that will make viewers remember the epic romance between Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo) and Yoo Shi-jin (Song Joong-ki).
Prepare to get goosebumps when you listen to the Memories of the Alhambra soundtrack. It's just that good.
Crash Landing On You fans will need tissues to listen to this soundtrack because it's just too beautiful.
You'll fall in love with every song on the Itaewon Class soundtrack because the lyrics are so relatable. Gaho's "Start Over" is about having the courage to chase your dreams, while Lee Chan Sol's "Still Fighting It" is about the fear of growing up. Bonus: BTS' V has a love song on this album called "Sweet Night."
Listening to the Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo soundtrack will instantly put you in a good mood. It gives off such a warm and comforting vibe, so it's a perfect album to play in the background while studying.
No list of the best K-drama soundtracks could be complete without the Secret Garden album. The show came out in 2010, so listening to this will definitely make long-time fans nostalgic.
Each song on the Guardian: The Lonely and Great God soundtrack will tug at your heartstrings.
The Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo soundtrack will stay with you for a long time after watching the series.
After everything that happened in Season 2, there's only one word to describe the Love Alarm soundtrack: bittersweet. That's because it'll make you feel happy for your favorite characters that got a happy ending, but sad for those that unfortunately didn't.
If you ever need a pick-me-up, listen to the Strong Woman Do Bong Soon soundtrack. It's full of cute love songs from popular K-pop artists like SURAN, CHUNG HA, and MAMAMOO.
The What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? soundtrack is so romantic. It includes everything from gorgeous ballads and flirty love songs, to soft acoustic tracks perfect for dinner dates.
The OST to Romance Is A Bonus Book is my personal favorite because the songs are so good they'll get you hooked on each of the artists featured.
Fans will never get sick of listening to the OST to Suspicious Partner. It's full of romantic songs that remind them of the sweet love story between Noh Ji-wook (Ji Chang-wook) and Eun Bong-hee (Nam Ji-hyun).
The I Am Not A Robot OST will take you on an emotional rollercoaster with every listen.
She Was Pretty's OST perfectly captures the innocent dynamic between Kim Hye-jin (Hwang Jung-eum) and Ji Sung-joon (Park Seo-joon) when they fall in love after being childhood friends for so long.
The Cheese in the Trap OST is full of indie artists that give the overall record a fresh sound, so if you're looking for something different to listen to than your usual favorites, this album is the way to go.
The Boys Over Flowers OST, which released in 2009, is a classic because, for many people, it was their first introduction to the world of K-dramas. Some stand-out tracks are "Paradise" by T-Max and "Stand by Me" by SHINee, but of course, the whole album is worth listening to.
No matter how much time passes, fans will always remember these 20 K-drama soundtracks for touching their hearts.
This article was originally published on
