Every winter, I turn to the warmth and comfort that Korean dramas and OSTs radiate. I decided to look back and put the spotlight on some of the releases that caught my eye. Nothing quite captures the cozy aura of winter better than emotional Korean drama ballads. Also, the fact that I'm writing this as a new year begins is mostly because ofAge of Youth, the beautifully written drama, that captured my attention and became one of favorite dramas of all time. Thus began my deep dive yet again into the world of Korean dramas (Signal, Misaeng, My Lawyer, Mr. Jo, Angry Mom, etc)and its soundtracks.
There was a span of about a year where I hardly watched any dramas because of a lack of interest and disenchantment. Because of that, I missed last year's OST scene. It was unfortunate because dramas and OSTs introduced me to world of South Korean cinema and since then, I have even become a dedicated OST listener more than a drama viewer.
To put forth the most comprehensive and objective list humanely possible, I first went through the list of dramas on AsianWiki for this yearand then searched for their OSTs on MelOnand subsequently onSpotify. In an effort to make this list inclusive, I went through and listened to about 75+ different OSTs albums, mini albums and single albums. In the last month, I listened to 500+ songs before deciding on the best ones and the chose to highlight the highest-rated albums here. The process gave me a more realized perspective on the prolificacy of the Korean drama scene and almost overwhelmed me.
Seoul, Korea. 08th Sep, 2016. Song Joong Ki, Min A Shin, Hyeon Jun Shin, Seong Hun, Cnblue Min Hyuk Kang, Girlsday Hye Ri, Minah And Jong Hyun Hong Etc. Attend Seoul International Drama Awards In Seoul,
Before I begin, I want to reiterate the fact that this list is subjective and reflects my taste in music, which might be different from yours.Without further ado, I present to you some of my favorite Korean drama OST albums of 2016, beginning with 10 that were strong contenders and definitely worth checking out.
There's enough standout tracks in the album to garner it a spot here. Han Seo Yoon sings the touching lyrics beautifully inLost Childwith a wonderful mix of instruments from piano to drums backing her. The album works mostly because the producers don't try to do too much. The songs borrow from a wide variety of genres (indie rock, hip-hop, etc.) but the tracks retain and don't stray too far from their pop foundation. Suran's To Your Dreamis really easy on the ears with her smooth vocals.Gaekowith his sharp but smooth rap verses dazzles inSend Me Your Picturesand Eunjiputs in an emotional performance in A Love Before.
I expected the soundtrack to blow me out of the water so it was a little disappointing seeing that the producers had taken zero risks. It was made even more apparent because of the fierce competition fromGoblinandWeightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo.Don't get me wrong, the tracks are solid enough to land a spot on the list but they're a bit on the monotonous side so don't manage to stay memorable. The album starts off strong withLYnthough the misplaced and unnecessary english lyrics bring down the quality of the track.Yoon MiraeandJung Yupalso make the most of what they're given. I know I'm being a little harsh here but disappointment can be powerful.
Asia Falls For South Korean Military Romance Descendants Of The Sun
The sweet and bubbly feelings of joy just radiate from the soundtrack, which creates a very uplifting atmosphere. The arrangement stays grounded to its indie pop base while featuring notable indie artists likeHan Hee JungandStanding Egg. InYou and I, Kim Jong Wanbreezes througha lighter but stillNell-esque sound.Dreamis one of the mellower tracks along withIs It Lovebut they don't stand out like a sore thumb. The album is very lighthearted and certainly something that would be good to listen to on a sunny day.
Signalwas for me, without a doubt, the best drama of the year and one of my favorites along withAge of YouthandMy Lawyer, Mr. Jo. The soundtrack similarly excels in evoking feelings of admiration and nostalgia with its blend of classic and modern tunes. The producers accomplish that mostly by pursuing an indie/folk rock sound with traditional arrangements while bringing together vocalists with deep and rich voices. I'm reminded of the drama's brilliance every time I listen to the soundtrack. I can't remember the number of times I listened to the contrastingA Happy Personthat stands out with its mellow tunes. However, the highlight of the soundtrack stands to beJaurim'sKim YunaandLee Seung Yul'sperformances.
The soundtrack ofWperfectly complements its unique plot. The tension in the vocal, lyrical and instrumental arrangement is palpable and so is a sense of urgency that no doubt relates to the drama. All the vocalists withInkii, Jung Joon YoungandPark Boramin particular bring to life the drama's deep duality about existence. I felt that the songs were perfectly curated right after my initial listen even though I haven't seen more than four episodes of the drama.Inkiiemerges as a star with a breathtaking performance inIn The Illusion. I liked that the lyrics forWhere Are You?directly related to the story of the drama. It doesn't get any more obvious than Whether I go to you or you come to me. Let's be under the same sky.(1)
Korean Drama Review — Ddanddara (a.k.a Entertainer)
Though I took a break from the drama to complete this post, I have been listening intently to the soundtrack. The overall sound is R&B heavy and therefore, very subdued and sweet. Even though the restrained arrangement is refreshing, some of tracks suffer drawbacks because of it. Nevertheless, it pays off in Beautifuland I Miss Youbecause of Crushand Soyou's distinct and smooth vocals.Punchalso shines inStay With Meand cements herself as an emerging vocalist and one to keep an eye on along withInkii. The drama has also impressed me with the way they've used their songs. The synergy between what we're hearing and seeing is so incredible that it's no surpriseGoblinis has taken Korea by storm.
I read music reviews of my favorite albums from time to time and sometimes scroll through on Pitchfork to learn how to write about music. Many music reviewers adhere to the repeatability factor (how albums fare under multiple plays) as the benchmark in critiquingmusic. The soundtrack toAnother Miss Ohpasses that high bar and for me, also fares exceptionally well in the download-and-keep factor. The most impressive thing about the album is the fact that the songs flow remarkably well together. The arrangements don't go over the top and the album benefits from that simplicity. I wonder if having seen 3/4 of the drama made the soundtrack more memorable or diminished its effectiveness for me but nothing I can do about it now. I'm just grateful I get to enjoy good music.
The album's strength is in its variety. There really is something for everyone here in a musical sense. It does have its fillers but succeeds with contributions fromEpik High, Lee Hi, TaeyeonandPunch. InSay YesandCan You Hear My Heart, the calming and infectious choruses sprinkled besidethe rap verses work to full effect.Can You Hear My Heartis particularly moving because of its haunting tunes that highlight the powerful combination of Epik Highand Lee Hi. Taeyeonsinging formally inAll With Youin the same fashion as the way characters talk in sageuks adds additional color to an already breathtaking song. The soundtrack isn't far behind in terms of quality compared to the two above.
Best Korean Osts Of 2016
Making music for a popular drama with a high budget certainly does come with a lot of benefits. You can haveGummy, Sung Si Kyung, andBaek Ji Youngall in one album, who along withLYnhave sung countless OST hits. The soundtrack infuses the orchestral sound that sageuks (historical dramas) usually go for with simple piano tunes and it works because of the emotional performances and captivating melodies. It's even got a pop ballad byK.Willin the same fashion asDescendants of the Sunthough it creatively doesn't come up to par. Overall, the album is filled with good songs but suffers a bit because of itsmonotonous execution. The repeatability factor for most of the songs is not quite as high as I thought it'd be. But that's alright, because the soundtrack is in the top .5% in terms of quality.
The soundtrack is packed with powerhouse vocalists and that is what ultimately puts it over the top. Gummyputs forth her annual signature OST song and shines in the emotionalYou Are My Everything while K.Will's Talk Lovemight be the best pop offering from a soundtrack. Even though the arrangement of the tracks in the album stay within the traditional routes, they are nonetheless intricately layered. That is perfectly exemplified by SG Wannabe's By My Side andDavichi's This Love.Both begin unceremoniously but develop into formidable ballads. I really like the mellow jazz tunes of Xia's How Can I Love You. It's understated elegance just shines through the verses and its chorus. Though I haven't seen the drama, the tracks are undeniably impressive.
It didn't seem fair comparing soundtracks with uneven number of tracks so I decided to make a separate list for the albums that only had between 4-6 songs. I present them below.
The 30 Best Korean Drama Osts Of 2016 Part 1
----------------------- THE 10 BEST KOREAN DRAMA OST MINI ALBUMS OF 2016 (only those with 4-6 songs considered)
Though I took a break from the drama to complete this post, I have been listening intently to the soundtrack. The overall sound is R&B heavy and therefore, very subdued and sweet. Even though the restrained arrangement is refreshing, some of tracks suffer drawbacks because of it. Nevertheless, it pays off in Beautifuland I Miss Youbecause of Crushand Soyou's distinct and smooth vocals.Punchalso shines inStay With Meand cements herself as an emerging vocalist and one to keep an eye on along withInkii. The drama has also impressed me with the way they've used their songs. The synergy between what we're hearing and seeing is so incredible that it's no surpriseGoblinis has taken Korea by storm.
I read music reviews of my favorite albums from time to time and sometimes scroll through on Pitchfork to learn how to write about music. Many music reviewers adhere to the repeatability factor (how albums fare under multiple plays) as the benchmark in critiquingmusic. The soundtrack toAnother Miss Ohpasses that high bar and for me, also fares exceptionally well in the download-and-keep factor. The most impressive thing about the album is the fact that the songs flow remarkably well together. The arrangements don't go over the top and the album benefits from that simplicity. I wonder if having seen 3/4 of the drama made the soundtrack more memorable or diminished its effectiveness for me but nothing I can do about it now. I'm just grateful I get to enjoy good music.
The album's strength is in its variety. There really is something for everyone here in a musical sense. It does have its fillers but succeeds with contributions fromEpik High, Lee Hi, TaeyeonandPunch. InSay YesandCan You Hear My Heart, the calming and infectious choruses sprinkled besidethe rap verses work to full effect.Can You Hear My Heartis particularly moving because of its haunting tunes that highlight the powerful combination of Epik Highand Lee Hi. Taeyeonsinging formally inAll With Youin the same fashion as the way characters talk in sageuks adds additional color to an already breathtaking song. The soundtrack isn't far behind in terms of quality compared to the two above.
Best Korean Osts Of 2016
Making music for a popular drama with a high budget certainly does come with a lot of benefits. You can haveGummy, Sung Si Kyung, andBaek Ji Youngall in one album, who along withLYnhave sung countless OST hits. The soundtrack infuses the orchestral sound that sageuks (historical dramas) usually go for with simple piano tunes and it works because of the emotional performances and captivating melodies. It's even got a pop ballad byK.Willin the same fashion asDescendants of the Sunthough it creatively doesn't come up to par. Overall, the album is filled with good songs but suffers a bit because of itsmonotonous execution. The repeatability factor for most of the songs is not quite as high as I thought it'd be. But that's alright, because the soundtrack is in the top .5% in terms of quality.
The soundtrack is packed with powerhouse vocalists and that is what ultimately puts it over the top. Gummyputs forth her annual signature OST song and shines in the emotionalYou Are My Everything while K.Will's Talk Lovemight be the best pop offering from a soundtrack. Even though the arrangement of the tracks in the album stay within the traditional routes, they are nonetheless intricately layered. That is perfectly exemplified by SG Wannabe's By My Side andDavichi's This Love.Both begin unceremoniously but develop into formidable ballads. I really like the mellow jazz tunes of Xia's How Can I Love You. It's understated elegance just shines through the verses and its chorus. Though I haven't seen the drama, the tracks are undeniably impressive.
It didn't seem fair comparing soundtracks with uneven number of tracks so I decided to make a separate list for the albums that only had between 4-6 songs. I present them below.
The 30 Best Korean Drama Osts Of 2016 Part 1
----------------------- THE 10 BEST KOREAN DRAMA OST MINI ALBUMS OF 2016 (only those with 4-6 songs considered)
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