I think, for me, Love is Over from Moonlight Drawn by Clouds was one of those OSTs that I just had to go and press the mute button for. Every time it played I found myself screaming at the screen that no, love is not over, stop torturing our OTP and just SHUT UP!

Chicago Typewriter's OST however, is one that brings back all I felt for this show and its characters and I just cannot give it a listen without tearing up, especially Writing Our Stories By SG Wannabe, I can just hear Shin Yul going "Oye, Seo Hui Hyung, I’m sorry I made Su-hyun cry, I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promises in this life, if there is a next life, I’ll keep my word, I’ll come to you and make you two happy.." And, yes, I still remember this because of how much it got me!

Thank you for this @missvictrix.

Goblin's Beautiful was so good it instantly makes me feel relaxed.

As to your article - you're so mean! Now I have to rewatch Healer, Goblin, Heirs, ... well, it is the power of the k-drama OST!

To summarize this write-up—which, as always, is another one beautifully written and articulated by @missvictrix 🥰🥰🥰— into 3 words:

The Mozart Effect

The way I sang the title though

Almooost paraaaadise~~~~

"How can something that started out as egregious and annoying become something that can manifest nostalgia in a snap?" This is so on point! Congratulations, @missvictrix, your writing is funny and insightful!

Almost Paradise was legendary.

I can hear it as I read the title above. I can hear it as I typed it....

🎶Almost paradiiiiiiiiiisssssssseeeeeeee~~~🎶

I don't dislike almost paradise. But love is the moment...ugh.

I love the healer song - it just brings me back to the drama and all the feels
I think music helps to also connect the story to the audience - at the moment while watching CLOY , I think Yoon MR Flower plays a huge part for my liking of the drama - it’s a understated beautiful song that undertones the silent romance.

I absolutely hated “love is the moment” in heirs - hello I pick the moment to identify love you don’t have to scream it in my ears!!! It hugely distracted me from the scenes - I remember rolling my eyes when it’s comes on play or anticipating when it will start (and it always will!)

Believe it or not but our office doorbell is Memories of Alhambra Guitar tune and yes i jump every time I hear it, i was so confused when i first heard, it was o

@missvictrix lovely write-up as usual, thank you for this post! I found myself listening to the 'It's okay, that's love' soundtrack last night after scrolling through youtube.

I've discovered so many new artists that I love through kdrama soundtracks like Jannabi, MeloMance, Sondia etc. If I'm up to date with a show and waiting for the next episode, I will wait by listening to the soundtrack again.

I've noticed the production team will hold back on releasing a track whilst the show is running. Tracks like 'We all lie' in Sky Castle, 'Something in your eyes' in My ID is Gangnam Beauty were addicting to listen to and along with the next episode, I couldn't wait to finally hear the full track.

For dramas like Pretty Noona which started off with so much promise, I think I had watched at least 4-5 episodes at a time. By the time we had reached the halfway point, I was sick and tired of 'Sometimes it's hard to be a woman' and 'Stand by your man'. It felt like the music director was mocking us because all I wanted SYJ to do was to stand up for herself and run away from everyone! I recently went shopping and heard 'Stand by your man' I left the shop.

I have a list but they are different from the ones mentioned (we and I guess entire drama community shares the love-hate for almost paradise and Love is the moment lol i just sang these two)

Cheese in the Trap
Falling for innocence (more instrumentals than Ost's)
Jealousy Incarnate
Misaeng
Signal
My Ajusshi
Just Between Lovers
Chicago Typewriter
Be Melodramatic
Come and Hug Me (more instrumentals than OST - great instrumentals btw)
Seven Day Queen
Weightlifting fairy KBJ
City Hunter

There are many others that I liked but won't go back to listening them time and again, unlike these mentioned above. There's clearly a pattern. It's not the Ost's liked by the majority. And I remember a post by m3lon4 once on an old OT that mentioned many music producers. The people that hardly get any recognition and amongst the shows music I liked there were the same three /four people working on them. The names I remember are Tearliner and Nam Hye Sung.

Awww I just love the BOF OST. Almost Paradise is great. But I also really liked the other T-Max, Shinee and SS501 songs in it. And in fact the OST also has a lot of songs which were not used in the drama at all. I still listen to the OST of BOF.
So I generally grow to like the music played in any drama and then I download them and play them over and over. But I guess when the effect of the drama wears off the songs dont seem so good. Like they only sounded good in the drama. I dont know that happens to me with many songs, does that happen to you'll?

Agree, @missvictrix! VERIVERY’s “My Beauty” from Extraordinary You brings me back when we were first introduced to Haru! Just to add, Sondia's and Stray Kid's OSTs were memorable too!

Other memorable OSTs for me are Kim Bo Kyung's Suddenly from City Hunter; Dear Cloud's Remember and Ben's Hug Me from I Remember You/ Hello Monster, and of course, Jang Jae In ft Nashow's Auditory Hallucination from Kill Me, Heal Me.

I also make sure to check the OST queens regardless if I'm watching the drama or not: Baek Ji Young, Yoon Mi Rae, Ailee, Hyorin, Ben, Gummy, Punch, Kim Na Young, LYn, Ali, etc. There are too many artists to mention, haha :)

For me, as much as i dislike the overuse of Ost in dramas i think that is the thing which triggers my memories and remember more about the drama after ages watching it.
I never knew i would remember korean osts so much because i am not much into this language music, but i am happy that even though i can sing with wrong lyrics but the tune and feelings would be on point.

My favourite Osts
1. Back in time - Moon Embracing the Sun
2. Full album of You're beautiful
3. Full album of Secret garden
4. You are my destiny- My love from another star
5. Full album of Extraordinary You
6. Beautiful - Goblin
7.Love is you - Me too flower
8.Eternal love - Healer
9. Touch love - Master's Sun
10. Full album of My girl
11. Because i'm stupid - Boys over flowers
12..Dream- Hwarang

You're right, @missvictrix! A show's theme song lingers for a long time. Until now, I still remember when Bambalbambam (of Queen Seondeok fame - I don't know if that's the correct title but I'm sure it's part of the song) plays which means turning on the sadness. And 'That Man' from Secret Garden walking while imagining the woman. Huh - actually makes me remember the whole angsty part!

"I love the team behind Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food and One Spring Night, and they have a way of carefully curating songs that fit the tone of these dramas — but then they murder them by repeating the songs multiple times per episode. No exaggeration."

Agree 110%!!!

I actually finished both dramas, because of the hype and Jung Hae In (loved him in WYWS)... but I think their OSTs played a BIG role in me hating - - - well, sort of grown to "not like" both dramas.

Recent OSTs that I ❤️❤️❤️ are:
"Stay with Me" from Goblin
"Take my hand" from RIABB
"Rainbow" from My Mister
to name a few.

And can I say... I can't seem to get on the K-Pop bandwagon... but I absloutely love my OSTs. 😍

Mr. Sunshine isn't my favorite drama, nor is Good day by Melomance may fav OST.
But that moment in the final episode where that song start to play with the camera closing in on Ae-Shin's bloody wedding ring, I was so overcome with emotions that I still get something stuck in my throat when that song comes up on my shuffle.

I would make my family laugh by singing the "We all Lie' track from Skycastle at the end of every episode. I had to download it afterwards, it is such a good track. Now I have made it my mission to sing this whenever anyone I know gives surprising news.

Also concur with the comments on One Spring Night. I was singing "Peoooople maaaay changeee" by episode 4 even though I thought the song was annoying at first.

My Ahjussi OST was pretty powerful. I loved 'adult' and 'one million roses' the most.
I did like 'No Direction' From 'One Spring Night'

Wow. Thank you for this! Some of the OSTs you mentioned were among my fave of faves! They're those that stay in my playlist long after the drama has ended. And yes, they bring back memories every. single. time. In addition, here are some of the songs that evoke nostalgia for me:
-Reply 1988, Youth, Don't Worry
-Secret Garden, That Man
-Miss Hammurabi, Someday, Somehow
-I Remember You, Remember (by Dear Cloud)
-Arang and the Magistrate, Fantasy
-Reply 1997, All for You
-It's okay, it's love, Best Luck
-Master's sun, Driving me Crazy
-Kill Me, Heal Me, Auditory hallucinations

And many more! Thanks for this, @missvictrix

Something in the rain had some of the worst English ost I've ever heard.... It's original osts although overused are very good. But SITR is a case study on how to ruin your drama with the osts.

While You Were Sleeping, Just Between Lovers, Chicago Typewriter, Come & Hug Me, The King Loves, Extraordinary You & Miss Hammurabi are some of those drama with osts that transport me to the feelings I had when I was watching the drama, & are good as stand alone songs.

This is great, most OST's I ignore, there are some I actively hate( you are MY DESTINNNNNNNNNNY), but there are two that always make me happy, Eternal from Healer and more recently Moments from At Eighteen. I have them on my ipod I love them so much. I'm not as big on music as some people are unless it is driving the drama like Secret Love Affair. Absent that I don't need music for a drama, some of the best moments are when the music stops.

For all the OSTs listed, I'm surprised nobody listed Goong's "Perhaps Love" as one of the major classics. I still love that song and play it once in a while for my dreamy childhood memories.

As for OSTs I adored?
Six Flying Dragons
Muiiya? Was my shit. All the remixes of Muiiya were well deserved. And listening to Byun Yohan croon The Song of Chosun to make you go into a crying fit about Bangji? Yes please.

Lookout
I loved that each individual song was tailored to each of the leads. From the get-go you knew which song was for who, and "Amen" for one was such a jam.

The King's Face
Frankly? "Goodbye Those Words" was the only song I loved and the only song that made it here.

History of a Salaryman
The best orchestrals I've listened to in a while. "Determination" is automatically recommended.

Squad 38
It only has 2 songs but both songs are perfect! "Run" and "Cool" really made the mood for the show and it was fantastic for something so short.

When the Devil Calls Your Name
Every! Single! Song! Was great! Even the remixes. Indisputedly one of the better OSTs I've earwormed towards for a while.

Anything written by Noh Heekyung
Death! Death! Listening to anything she ties to her dramas instantly wallops my feels into the next week. Not recommended if you're trying to live your daily life.

Personally, I'm the kind who, when she loved a song, can listen it repeatedly (that has a lot of advantages when you are in a car with your young nieces because I can listen Moana's songs during one hour without problem). So I'm not bothered by the fact they always played the same song if I like it.

I really like the fact to discover the story, actors and the OST when I start a drama. I like the fact they make specially the song for one unique story. It became weird when I hear an old song in a drama except for Girl Generation 1979, the OST was great!

For the good OST, I can't list them... Too many songs. I did start a post on the forum of Viki a long time ago. OST let me discover artists like Sondia, Yoon Mirae, Every Single Day, etc. or idols who have a good voice they can't express in their usual songs.

In my case it’s not so much the overuse of an OST but bad English lyrics that makes me screech for help. “Love is the moment” is a prime example of that. 🙉

I must be one of the few beanies that likes “Almost Paradise”. It’s so silly and bouncy that it always made me smile during the drama (as in “ok, here we go, let’s have some fun!”) and still makes me smile now from nostalgia.

I don’t know if music producers have taken a hint, but I hardly associate dramas with one song anymore. The recent big dramas (except ARTHDAL hololololo) have a new OST every week that they play at the end credits, so I am not exposed to the theme song as much as I used to be.. If there is even a theme song. Is that just me? Or maybe I just watch too few dramas nowadays.

I have a dedicated playlist of Kdrama OSTs, and “Incurable Illness” by Navi (feat. Kebee) off the Secret OST is the most played song. Every listen returns me to the person I was, watching Secret for the first time.

It’s songs like “Who Are You” by Sam Kim (Goblin), “Maybe” by Lee Hae-ri (Her Private Life), “My Way” by ISU (Money Flower), “Secrets Can’t Tell” by Moon Myung-jin (Kill Me, Heal Me), and “Grown Ups” by Sondia (My Ajusshi) that act as auditory cues for transportation back to that state of first enchantment with a drama, all the way through to the end. It’s reliving without rewatching, saving me hours.

Even though most dramas play the same song(s) over the series, I find that the dramas using one song to accentuate certain emotional beats are the dramas that excel. I think “Grown Ups” is used in every episode of My Ajusshi at least once except for the last one, and yet it never gets tired. It seems to change in meaning as the story changes, the lyrics and music mellowing and maturing, like the characters.

Francisco Tarrega's 'Recuerdos de la Alhambra' is a gorgeous piece- and extremely difficult to play. The 'eeriness' stems from the use of an extended tremolo technique- one has to be a very good guitar player to even try it. It was not 'original' to the drama sound track, having been written over 120 years ago, but It is a great example of existing music being successfully used as part of the sound track to a drama. Many of the best soundtracks have done this and the effect can be even greater as we are often moved even more on hearing music that we already know- so it comes with added emotional punch.

You are right about over use of a song diminishing its effect.

And, darn it, sure enough "Almost Paradise" is now playing in my head.

I think whether any ost is going to be my favorite depends on how much I like the show. If I like the show, I tend to like the songs that are associated with certain things, feelings, incidents in the show.

I am not a music person, so I listen to music sparingly. These are some of the songs I like:
1. Weighlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo - From Now On
2. Romance is a Bonus Book. - I Could Not See the Story (Jannabi)
3. DoTS - Everytime
4. Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim - Walk On
5. Healer - Eternal Love, Run, When You Hold Me Tight
6. Yong Pal - Actually, I Am, So We Are, Coming To Me
7. Chocolate - Always Be Here, Special, etc

Thank you for bringing back so many memories with Almost Paradise. And yes it started playing in my head as soon as I read the title. I actually liked the OST and even its overuse in One Spring Night but the only OST I've ever downloaded in my life is Another Oh Hea Young, As I've Waited, More by the Black Skirts.

The songs that I end up liking tend to remind me of a character that I found to be quite memorable. Some that are still in my playlist are:
Growing Pains from The Heirs (Choi Young Do - Kim Woo Bin)
Only U from Uncontrollably Fond (Shin Joon Young - Kim Woo Bin)
All About You from Hotel Del Luna (Jang Man Wol - IU)
Heart from The Producers (Cindy - IU)
Starlight from The King Loves (Won, Rin and San - Im Si Wan, Hong Jong Hyun and Yoona)

I've found that in almost every Kim Eun-sook drama there's gonna be that ONE song (terribly or well-used, but mostly terribly for me). A few are:

- "Appearance" by Kim Bum-soo in Secret Garden which is a close second to "Almost Paradise" for me.
- The Heirs OST was already mentioned
- And while the DOTS OST was in itself great, by the end of the show I couldn't listen to Yoon Mirae's "Always" anymore.
- On the other hand, Goblin had an amazing and well-used OST. To this day, I cannot listen to "And I'm Here" by Kim Kyung-hee without my heart twisting, because I immediately go back to Kim Shin turning to ashes. 😭

But beyond its use in dramas, for me K-drama OSTs is almost a genre on its own. There is something so distinct and atmospheric about these melodic ballads; and I find it hard to find this exact vibe in non-Korean ballads. So, I'd like to thank K-dramas with blessing me with so many great songs that I would've never discovered had I not watched them!

Goblin OST is hands down my favorite. I use it as my study playlist and aghhh it's just so well done. Every time I listen to it, I can imagine the scenes where each scene was used. I love "Beautiful" as most people probably do, but my favorite is definitely is "I will go to you like the first snow". Ailee killed it in this song and it was used in such a pivotal moment of the show and takes my back to that scene whenever I listen to it *cries*. A recent fave has been "Can you see my heart" by Heize for the Hotel Del Luna OST. I love her voice and that soundtrack overall is amazing.

Why no mention of Hotel del Luna's OST though?
I think they have the best OST list in 2019!

This is such a great post! Kdrama OSTs have been a staple in my playlists for years. I love when the soundtrack of a drama really suits the tone of the drama. Some of my favourites are:

1. Hwang Jin Yi - amazing songs and even more amazing instrumentals! Ha Ji Won was my favourite actress for years after watching this and I can still remember all the music and the dances they matched.
2. Princess Hours - awesome instrumentals as well which really suited the modern monarchy theme. Also loved the song "parrot" by Howl, as well as the classic "perhaps love"!
3. Another Oh Hae Young - seo hyun jin was so amazing in this and the songs "like a dream" by ben and "if it was you" by jung seung hwan really highlighted her feelings.
4. My girl - never say goodbye was so upbeat and catchy, which really suited lee da hae! Loved the sad song (which was sung by several singers and the title of which I can't remember) as well.
5. Delightful girl chun hyang - emergency room is a classic!
6. School 2015 - Reset and I'll listen to what you have to say both really suited the themes of the drama.
7. Scarlet heart - really loved forgetting you by davichi, everytime it came up I felt like crying! The rest of the ost, while nice songs on their own, were not really suited to the drama imo.
8. Hong gil dong - "if" by taeyeon will forever make me feel sad about what happened to hong gil dong and gang at the end :(
9. Iljimae - "flower letter" by park hyo shin and all the instrumentals were so good!
10. Dream high and dream high 2 - the theme song "dream high" is so uplifting! All the individual songs are amazing as well!
11. You're beautiful - "mal do eob shi" by 9th street

And then there are those dramas which I haven't watched, but the songs are so good that I listen to them on repeat anyway!
1. Descendants of the sun - "talk love" by k will and "everytime" by chen and punch always lift my spirits!
2. It's ok it's love - best luck by chen! Chen's voice is so suited to drama OSTs :)

Apart from korean dramas, some crdramas have amazing soundtracks as well! Some of my favourites are:
1. Eternal love - liang liang by zhang bi chen and yang zong wei is such a classic and was so popular when it was released. I played this song on repeat for months!
2. The untamed - wu ji by xiao zhan and wang yibo is not only a great song, but also holds so much meaning in the drama as the song which lan wangji composed. The instrumental versions using wei wuxian and lan wangji's signature instruments are so amazing as well. Qu jin chen qing by xiao zhan is also an awesome song!
3. The story of minglan - "zhi fou zhi fou" by hu xia and yu ke wei
4. Goodbye my princess - "chu jian" and "ai shang" suit the drama so much and the MVs are really well made as well!
5. Yanxi palace - "xue luo xia de sheng yin" by lu hu reminds me so much of the tragic fucha fuheng :(
6. Legend of chusen - "qing yi yao" by yu ke wei is amazing and...

There haven't been too too many OSTs that have stood out in my memory thus far - though Goblin might be one if I had to pick. I actually didn't mind the overyplayed-ness of One Spring Night/SITR's OSTs... the songs kind of turned into characters themselves, like the Greek chorus.

I actually adored the My Country score. Not so much the OST songs (except Remember, cause it's so epic), but I found a lot of the instrumentals got me super into the mood of the show.

I haven't watched many of the dramas mentioned here but from the ones I've watched I've loved every song of the OSTs of Boys Over Flowers, City Hunter and surprisingly Woohoo Waikiki. Then there have been single or a couple songs from every drama I've watched.
But my most favourite OST which is also a guilty pleasure is Arieband-Dumbhead from Fight for my Way. :P Its just so catchy and energetic! I also like the BTOB song Ambiguous and the HerCheck song Fight for My Way.
And have to hand it to Coffee Prince for giving a treasure trove of songs some of which I'm still discovering.

My folder of 35GB Drama OST is a statememnt of so many great OST over the decade i've gathered and fell in love(and that i'm a OST hoarder) that i just can't name just one because i love way too many...In the recent years i realized i actually tend to be swayed more for the BGM's used in a drama as priority leaving the main songs as a side dish but being the type that when it falls for something i become sooo obsessed with it i would actually have the song play on my player x times and in my head as well so the wait for the release of the V.A is always the hardest and the most frustrating is when they don't include some bgm's they use(still hate u,I Miss You one in charge)...A good OST&BGM without any doubts elevated a drama for me and makes me cry more easily seeint me in that mood and bringing the tension and despair if in sync with the story...Among the 2019 memorable OST&BGM's for me are When The Devil Calls Your Name that elevated the drama way more and made it keep a special spot in my heart and made me cry quite a lot(The Day We First Met),Hotel DeLuna,Arthdal Chronicals,Class Of Lies,Nokdu,Perfume,WWW,Psychometric,Possession,The Wind Blows,ExtraOrdinary You,My Country,Catching The Ghost,Justice,Chocolate...

When watching kdramas I savor the melodies as much as I can because they are in korean and i cannot understand a single word of it. There are also quite a lot that irritated me with too much repetition that has become distraction. There are only 2 soundtracks that I truly liked so far that I have to go to youtube to search for them and those are: Satellite Love in Chicago Typewriter and The Ship and The Globe in It's OK That's Love. Satellite Love is so lyrical it is perfect for the kdrama. The latter song...? If someone enjoys it like I do, please, please someone please help me describe the feeling when listening to this song. It's such a happpy feeling.

I'm going to go back to Hyun Bin's earlier dramas "My Name is Kim Sam Soon" and Clazziquai's "She Is." Ooh, remembering every time that song played after a character just made a big emotional gesture or revelation.

Also, remembering Princess Hours/Goong soundtrack was also well-fitting. I found the instrumentals very memorable like the "A Dancing Teddy" and of course, titular "Perhaps Love."

Hwayugi's soundtrack songs were also memorable for me.

I agree with you on so many points.
Theme song of Mishil (https://youtu.be/qmYItuqnjyI) still gives me the chill to this day, and that old and modern instrumental from Queen In Hyun's Man (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjTiCikgtrg) still gives me all the fuzzy feelings. I like all the OST of that drama.

I remember listening to "Let It Go" so many times before I actually got to see the movie. By the time I saw it, strangely I had a negative reaction to it. Same goes with "My Heart Will Go On", and I LOVE Celine Dion.

Great write-up, missvictrix!

I love listening to OST ballads, even ones from dramas I haven’t seen. The singers just seem to pour lots of emotion in them and they sound more heart-wrenching than usual.

Like K.Will. I’ll check out all of his OST songs. Hehe

I like that I get to discover new artists from their OSTs too. Or listen to artists I had overlooked. Good exposure for them, especially when they are a part of a big hit drama.

One of my favorite OST’s strangely enough, even though I never even finished the drama is every day, every moment by Paul Kim in Should we kiss first? I also loved all the OSTs in Moonlovers: Scarlet heart, they were all so good! Also anything by Ailee! ( Carry on, Because of tears) 🥰