#andup

Bestie U Ji ft. andup “Alive” (tvN’s Circle)

Bestie’s U Ji is one of the most underrated K-Pop main vocalists and she screams for you guys to stop sleeping on her in this amazing song. Her soulful voice and wide vocal range are fully utilized in “Alive”, the OST for tvN’s sci-fi drama “Circle”, especially in the chorus bass drop. andup’s rap also works perfectly with the sense of urgency illustrated throughout the track. If you want a RnB inspired pop banger like stuff by Ailee and Hyorin, check out “Alive”!

Crude Play “Peter Pan” (tvN’s The Liar and His Lover)

Not only is “The Liar and His Lover” an underrated drama, so are the songs from the show. Honestly, if Crude Play were a real group, they should be winning K-Pop awards left and right because this band from the drama slays. Their playful pop-rock style is best illustrated specifically in the OST “Peter Pan”, which features two real idols - UNIQ’s Sungjoo’s charismatic vocals and former LUNAFLY’s Teo’s stable singing. If you are a fan of CN Blue and N.Flying, you are going to love “Peter Pan”!

HA:TFELT, SURAN & Kim Bohyung “Cross Country” (MBC every1’s Cross Country)

So technically this is an OST for a variety show and not a K-Drama but I mean it’s an OST list and this song is too amazing not to put in. Featuring three of K-Pops very best female vocalists HA:TFELT (former Wonder Girl’s member Yeeun), SURAN and Kim Bohyung (former SPICA member), you know this track is going to slay before even listening to it. Featuring two unique vocalists and one power vocal, the song is a mix of alternative RnB and neo-soul which is so damn good. If you love anything from indie vocal queens like SURAN, Heize, and Hoody, this song is the stuff of dreams. 

Jeong Yewon & Jeon Taewon from Martin Smith “Why Did You” (Naver TV’s Seventeen)

Although it’s an OST from a web series, “Why Did You” is definitely able to compete and even outcompete some TV series OSTs. You know the butterflies you feel in your stomach and uncontrollable heartbeat when you have a crush. This is what the song gives you, which is fitting since the web series is about young love. It is super sweet and light, featuring two amazing indie vocalists. If you love songs Baek Ah Yeon puts out, this song is perfect for you.

Kim Nayoung “I’m Ok” (MBC’s Ruler: Master of the Mask)

Every year there is an amazing historical OST that makes you want to cry and feel dramatic af. There are many this year but the one that did not get the attention it deserved was Kim Nayoung’s “I’m Ok,” which is odd since her previous “Descendants of the Sun” OST sold a lot. Also, not only does it fit all the melodramatic checkboxes, it also has such a unique chord progression. Just when you think it’s going one way, it goes another. Even the chorus has some interestingly pleasing contradicting tonalities. If you want the perfect background music to look out of a car window on a rainy day and star in your own dramatic MV, turn up the volume for “I’m Ok”!

Lee Boram “Painful” (KBS2 The Secret of My Love)

Continuing down the melodrama OST train, Lee Boram’s “Painful” is another one that is underrated this year. This former queen who dished out memorable OSTs for legendary dramas like “Full House” and “Playful Kiss” is back at it again with this memorable track. As an ex-member of vocal queens Seeya, Lee Boram clearly showcases her ability to display sorrowful emotions in her voice in this Latin-infused track. If you are a fan of early 00s OSTs, this song will bring you back to those feels!

NiiHWA “What I Want” (KBS2 Mad Dog)

Tropical house and dancehall have definitely influenced this year’s mainstream K-Pop and they have also made their mark in K-Dramaland as seen in NiiHWA’s “What I Want” and damn this song is a major BOP, probably one of the best K-Drama OSTs of the year. Not only is it addictive, with the “really right now really really right now” line that works perfectly with the beat but the song also perfectly fits the action-packed feel of the drama. If you like stuff from K.A.R.D and Clean Bandit, check out this track!

Park Boram “Isn’t She Lovely” (tvN’s Introverted Boss)

Soothing OSTs are always a great choice to wind down at the end of a long day and Park Boram’s “Isn’t She Lovely” is that type of song. With a slow intro that sounds almost like the lyrics are being spoken to you, the song transitions smoothly into an addictive chorus that lightly asks “Isn’t She Lovely?” which fits the baby steps the male lead of the series takes to exit his introverted shell. If you are a fan of indie groups like Standing Egg and Okdal, you will enjoy this song!

Roiii “You Are the World of Me” (OCN’s My Secret Romance)

OCN made a good choice of casting two amazing vocalists in the lead roles of the channel’s first ever rom-com series because that means endless wonderful OSTs from the leads. Actor Sunghoon reveals his great voice under his DJ name Roiii in “You Are the World of Me”. The song is a catchy rom-com track to begin with, reminiscent of Korean dating show tvN’s The Romantic’s addictive af OST, but Sunghoon’s unique deeper tone makes it all the more memorable. If you love an actor with good singing abilities like Kim Soohyun and Ji Chang Wook, check out Sunghoon’s vocals in “You Are the World of Me”!

WINNER Kang Seungyoon & MINO “The Door” (tvN’s Prison Playbook)