The 10 Best K-drama OSTs of 2022

Brilliant K-dramas and even better OSTs have dominated 2022. Love songs, breakup songs, blues, soul music, dance songs, pop songs, and a constant barrage of other genres have all been included in the roster of Korean drama songs, adding to the wealth of excellent music. Here is a breakdown of the best of them.

10. “Melting” by Cheeze from Forecasting Love and Weather

“Today I’ll tell you/ These hidden words/ You know what?/ Whenever I stand in front of you/ I’m melting.”

“Melting” by Cheeze accentuates the mood of the drama. The lyrics effectively convey the building excitement surrounding Ha-kyung (Park Min-young) and Si-woo’s (Song Kang) blossoming romance. The song is an ideal backdrop to the office romance at the Korea Meteorological Agency, hotter than a tropical night and more unexpected than unseasonal rain.

I appreciate how the harmonious interplay between the soft string sound and Cheeze’s alluring vocals work together to create an acoustic burst of energy in the song.

9. “Because of You” by Chancellor from Rookie Cops

“Would be your one and only warmth/ Would be your light on a dark day/ Stay near me; you’re all that I want/ I am in love because of you.”

The emotion of love comes to the fore as Chancellor lends his voice to the youngsters who are freshmen recruits at Korea National Police University. The singer enhances the delicate rendition of this lyrical composition, which is excellent in its own right. Whether you identify love with a cutting, resonant or pulsating melody, this song will certainly make you feel something.

8. “We’ll Shine Brighter Than Any Other Star” by Lee Hi from Soundtrack #1

“The blowing wind makes us flutter/ You warmly embrace my day/ Let’s walk together wherever you’ll go with me/ We will shine more than any star.”

This ballad is a blissful outpouring of emotions between two close friends who have known each other for almost 20 years. What distinguishes the song is Lee Hi’s voice, melding well with the story’s theme of one-sided love. With lyrics that are pertinent to this K-drama about friends-turned-lovers, the soundtrack is both pleasing to listen to and crucial to the narrative.

7. “Shining on Your Night” by Jinyoung from Yumi’s Cells 2

“I’ll shine on you no matter what night comes/ So that you can fall asleep in the warmth of the moonlight/ Cause you are my star/ Cause you are my life/ I’m just shining on your night.”

The indie-pop song by Park Jin-young or Jinyoung (Got7) is based on an acoustic sound. The OST amplifies the excitement, much as the plot makes viewers’ hearts race by revealing the passionate love story of Yumi (Kim Go-eun) and Yoo Ba-bi.

Jinyoung, in particular, plays Yoo, who wins the woman’s heart onscreen while also performing an impassioned rendition of “Shining on Your Night.” It induces a lovely reverie, fuelled by the deep emotion of the song’s lyrics.

6. “Beyond My Dreams” by Sunwoojunga from Extraordinary Attorney Woo

“I hope this little sunshine covers you/ I hope with this little smile, you can wipe away my tears/ Sunset and the wind, a wave of greetings/ The sea of eyes, as blue as your imagination/ Like a mysterious landscape/ Beyond My Dreams.”

Young attorney Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) suffers from Asperger’s syndrome. She has high intelligence but has difficulties communicating with others. This is a therapeutic story, and the song “Beyond My Dreams” is even more so – a song that can relieve you from the agony and sorrow of reality and reaffirm that everyone, irrespective of who or how they are, deserves to live a dream-like, fulfilled life filled with love and happiness.

5. “Scars Leave Beautiful Trace” by Car, The Garden from Alchemy of Souls

“I will be with you, my dear/ You’ll never be alone/ Always by my side/ I want you to stay/ The wound has become a beautiful trace.”

The ‘alchemy of souls’ (a forbidden magic spell) enables souls to swap bodies in this story set in the mythical land of Daeho. It chronicles young wizards who fight their twisted fates. The drama’s album, which has so far sold thousands of copies, reached number 18 on the weekly Circle Album Chart. I particularly like “Scars Leave Beautiful Trace” from the OST.

The tone and intensity of the song are fairly well-balanced. The process of getting past the pain is detailed in the lyrics. The most significant word, “scar,” is in fact a metaphor for the remnants of Mu-deok (Jung So-min) and Nak-su’s (Go Yoon-jung before alchemy of souls) predicament that remain as a memory and also a misery. The track’s rock sound, along with ambient elements, effectively balances the ferocity of the second half with the mystical tranquillity of the first. 

4. “Starlight” by Taeil from Twenty-Five Twenty-One

“We light everyone/ Shine on each other/ The sad expression/ Will disappear soon/ Remember, we’re shining/ More than anything else.”

Twenty-Five Twenty-One is nostalgic; it tells a relatable account of five friends who fall in love and form a close friendship as they navigate the highs and lows of changing times. This theme song, with the line, “Remember, we are brighter than anything,” which repeats in the chorus, evokes the warm feelings of adolescence and also sends a message that everyone who hears it can empathize with. In addition to Taeil’s (NCT) smooth and refined voice reinforcing the retro ambiance, the rhythm of the electric guitar and bass captures the emotion of the era.

3. “Wishes” by Jamie Miller from Snowdrop

“Wish I never met you/ Wish I never touched your hand/ On the day I really thought/ You are the only one that I could ever really love.”

When a bleeding guy (Jung Hae-in as Soo-ho) storms into a women’s university dorm during a volatile political landscape in Seoul, Eun Yeong-ro (Jisoo from Blackpink) fights against all odds to hide him from his assailants and treat his wounds. Yeong-ro is oblivious to the man’s past, which could jeopardize the safety of her loved ones. Nevertheless, the two fall in love and must unite to get things fixed.

Snowdrop (which aired from December 2021 to January 2022) is regarded as one of the most highly praised dramas of this year and has a fantastic OST to its name. The song “Wishes” verifies Jamie Miller’s incredible vocal range. His ability to convey the song’s poignancy with such elegance is unbelievable. This track will always remind me of each episode and the heartbreaking finale, even though I, like many others, had hoped for a happier ending. 

2. “Love Maybe” by MeloMance from A Business Proposal

“Imagining the things I would like us to do together/ Has now become a part of my daily life/ Whenever I see you being happy/ I end up naturally smiling along too.”

With its simplistic arrangement, immaculate delivery, vibrant singing and gorgeous piano accompaniment, “Love Maybe” by MeloMance is simply stunning. It defines the budding romance between Shin Ha-ri (Kim Se-jeong) and Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop), the CEO of her company, who happen to run into each other on a blind date but end up dating for real.

This soundtrack offers the ideal setting for the intimate moments we see in the drama involving the couple whose chemistry is off the charts. “Love Maybe” is rightfully one of the best OSTs, worthy of its wins at the Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards 2022.

1. “With You” by Jimin, Ha Sung-woon from Our Blues

“Just like the stars shining bright/ You’re glowing once more/ Right here beside you I’m still/  Walking wherever you go”

Soulful songs are plentiful, but this song is an especially terrific collaboration that elevates the music and takes it to the level of becoming a classic. “With you” appears in the drama Our Blues as a desire to be close to loved ones. The plot follows the bittersweet feelings of people as they approach the end, climax, or beginning of their lives.

The exquisite harmony produced by Jimin’s (BTS) incredibly sensitive tone and Ha Sung-woon’s captivating voice, together with the harmonies of the acoustic guitar and piano, culminates in an intriguing composition and instils comfort.