[K-POP] Korean songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: classic crowd-pleasers

Love LightCNBLUE

Love Light (사랑 빛)

CNBLUE is a rock band that steadily built their popularity through grassroots activities and training in Japan, such as street performances.

“Love Light” is a track included on their second mini-album, BLUE LOVE, released in 2010.

It’s a romantic mid-tempo number characteristic of Yonghwa, describing a lover as a light more beautiful than the stars.

With a relaxed, gentle melody centered on acoustic guitar, it’s relatively easy to sing aside from the high vocal range.

It also helps create a soothing atmosphere, making it a great pick from a song selection perspective.

Hear The Wind SingGFRIEND

[GFRIEND – Hear The Wind Sing] Comeback Stage | M COUNTDOWN 170309 EP.514

They were a group that raced through the Korean music scene with classic idol looks and songs.

They ended their activities in May 2021, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only fan who felt disappointed, thinking, “They were just getting started…” The name GFRIEND was derived from the words GOOD FRIEND and GIRL FRIEND, reflecting their wish to win support from both men and women.

Their song “Hear The Wind Sing” also carries that quintessential idol-like bittersweetness.

I’d love to hear women who like Japanese idols sing it!

기다리다윤하

기다리다

Younha, a singer-songwriter known in Japan for songs like “Houki Boshi” and active in both Japan and Korea, delivers a medium-tempo ballad, “While Waiting.” It’s a track from her 2006 Korean debut album, “Audition (Time2Rock).” The lyrics offer comfort when your feelings don’t reach the one you love and the longing hurts.

The steadfast desire to wait even a thousand years further enhances the song’s appeal.

Neither overly subdued nor featuring extreme vocal range, this song is easy to sing in various settings and is recommended both for encouraging friends and for singing together.

Forever YoungBLACKPINK

Forever Young

Forever Young, which captures the swelling emotions of a blossoming romance, is a track included on the 1st mini-album Square Up released in 2018.

It showcases BLACKPINK’s signature, self-assured charm—and the song itself is undeniably cool! The distinctive melody is addictive.

It features a highest chest note of hi B, yet among BLACKPINK’s songs, the overall range is relatively narrow.

That makes it a bit high for men and a bit low for women, so it’s quite approachable to try! Compared to their harder-hitting hip-hop tracks, the melody here is more familiar and easy to sing along to, making it a great choice to get the crowd excited.

발자국Monday Kiz

Monday Kiz – 발자국 (Footprints)

Monday Kiz is a group known for handling many drama theme songs, including for Hotel del Luna, and for their acclaimed ballads.

Footprints is a track included on their third album, Inside Story, released in 2008.

It’s a poignant ballad that expresses the feelings of seeing off a cherished person you can no longer meet, and it’s well-suited for singing alone with focus.

The wide vocal range and overall mood can feel challenging, but let’s ride the rhythm and let it grow on us.

아프고 아파도Sol Flower

솔 플라워(Sol Flower) 아프고 아파도 (가사 첨부)

When you want to sing a smooth, heartfelt ballad, why not choose “Even If It Hurts, Even Though It Hurts”? It’s a song by Sol Flower, an artist who explored neo-soul and sang about Korean women’s identity, released in 2006.

In 2020, Luna, formerly of f(x), covered it.

It’s a classic ballad that swells at the chorus, gently spreading the bittersweet emotions of heartbreak and farewell.

Luna’s version is softer, and since the original also features a steady key, it’s a comfortable choice for many women to sing.

GratitudeKim Dong-ryul

김동률 – 감사

If you’re looking for a calm, easy-to-sing ballad for karaoke, I recommend Kim Dong-ryul’s “Thank You.” If you have a wonderful low voice, why not show off your rich bass with “Thank You”? Just be mindful of the song’s wide pitch range.