Friday Feature: Pop goes the K-drama

The same few songs are played ad nauseum over the course of any given series. Here are the best and worst K-drama songs we were forced to listen to.

Let’s Eat

One of my favourite K-drama openings ever. The song is upbeat and playful, kind of like the series. Also, the alternating scenes of delicious food with the actors laughing naturally and eating passionately are so pretty. – Junggugeo Kaenada 중국어 캐나다

I literally can’t hear this song without getting hungry. In fact, I’m hungry right now. – Only 만

Dal Ja’s Spring

The beginning of this drama made me question whether I should even proceed with watching it; the opening song is horrendous, and the imagery looked like material sourced from the 1980s. What followed was a soundtrack of cat meows and poor attempts at spunky. It was like the soundtrack for a tampon commercial. – 중국어 캐나다

Shut Up Flower Boy Band

Considering that the series is about a music band, the soundtrack had better be good. Fortunately, I liked the opening song as well as the two others: the poppy “Jaywalking” and the sweet “I’m Looking at You”. Now, if only the band of delinquents could rock out more convincingly. – 중국어 캐나다

The Heirs

While I’m not a fan of sappy songs in general, this song managed to set my teeth on edge every time I heard the nonsensical chorus. I don’t know what “Love is the Moment” is supposed to mean, and by the end of this series, I didn’t care. – 만

Miss Korea

For a long stretch in the middle of “Miss Korea”, this song was the only upbeat thing about this show. It’s catchy, has some nice harmonies in the chorus and it’s by Every Single Day, the band responsible for the song that opens “I Hear Your Voice”. What’s not to like? – 만

I Hear Your Voice

Just as the “Let’s Eat” opening song reminds 만 of food, this song reminds me of something someone fresh and dewy in an aquarium… – 중국어 캐나다

I Need Romance 3

“I Need Romance 3” features a a painfully childish sing-songy tune that makes me cringe every time I hear it. Usually played over flashbacks to Joo Wan’s (Sung Joon) and Shin Joo Yeon’s (Kim So Yeon) saccharine childhood memories, it takes the flashbacks from mildly annoying to aural torture. It hasn’t been released, so I have no idea what it’s called, but if you’d like to assault your ears, go to 27:45 of Episode 4. That said, the “I Need Romance 3” OST also includes a few decent songs as well. Lee Hyori’s mellow ballad “Don’t Cry” is a highlight; high praise, considering ballads are not my thing. – 만

Readers: what K-drama song is stuck in your head?

List the earworm in the Comments that is burrowing into heart, or making you sick.