shows with OSTs burned into my brain
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1. Healer
Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes
From the titular ost Healer to Eternal Love to When You Hold Me Tight to the gut punch that is You, this one is scorched into my brain for sure! I still cry to 영원한 기억 10 years later.
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2. I Hear Your Voice
Korean Drama - 2013, 18 episodes
One word: 들려. I cannot see the word "echo" without thinking of the masterpiece that is Every Single Day's Echo. Circus in Court Strings is the ultimate revelations soundtrack, and Don't Forget is enough to bring me to the flashback of the court scene. Sea and Stars is a very pretty song.
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3. Summer Strike
Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
Banger after banger, but I swear Me The Protagonist was written for me. Let's take a break now, take a big bite of a peach now!!! Although the show is titled 'summer', this OST screams end of spring for me. My beloved Fromm is featured here too.
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4. One Spring Night
Korean Drama - 2019, 32 episodes
Absolutely wonderful soundtrack, each and every track on it. No Direction, Spring Rain, We Could Still Be Happy. Where do we go from here, really?
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5. Hotel del Luna
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
Another banger OST. I dare anyone to not cry during Done For Me. A Good Witch and Magic Count are straight out of a fairytale, and Long and Far is iconic.
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6. It's Okay, That's Love
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
This show was formative for me in many ways. I have the whole album, but I miss the version of Davichii's It's Okay That's Love I had on my old phone that had some of Gong Hyo Jin's lines over it. Both Chen's and Crush's songs carved a place in my psyche. Also, didn't you know, Love is Fiction?
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7. The Heirs
Korean Drama - 2013, 20 episodes
If you've watched kdramas for a while, you're familiar with this OST. While Love Is... became famous, 성장통2 (inst.) and Serendipity are the songs that are special to me. I can remember listening to them on my iPod during a particularly bad friendship breakup. I had also learned Story on the piano at the time. Big Baby Driver's songs are very dear to me.
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8. My Lovely Girl
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
As expected from a show with many idol actors, this show had such great songs. Titular My Lovely Girl is such an earworm for me, it's always the first song I think of whenever someone asks me to sing something for some reason. Rewind, Pray, and Only You have also stayed with me.
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9. Love Rain
Korean Drama - 2012, 20 episodes
An OST I obsessed over in high school. This ost has a few songs that I learned how to play on the piano when I was still figuring out the instrument so they are very special for me. Tiffany's song Because It's You never fails to make me cry. I can never forget Shiny Love and Song of Rain's beautiful violin & piano combo.
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10. Pinocchio
Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes
All of Every Single Day's songs in this are jams that make me wanna grab my tea and seize the day. Park Shin Hye's own 꿈을 꾸다 has been a staple on my bedtime playlists for years and 사랑은 눈처럼 is too cute.
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11. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes
I've sang For You with my guitar so many times, my friends are sick of it. Say Yes, All With You, Can You Hear My Heart, A Lot Like Love all make me tear up. Actually, just remembering this show exists makes me tear up. I'm not over it. Justice for women of Moon Lovers.
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12. A Gentleman's Dignity
Korean Drama - 2012, 20 episodes
Juniel, Juniel, Juniel. I don't know how many AMVs of Meahri and Yoon I watched set to Illa Illa. 8 years after this show aired I learned that the lyrics to this song are too real. Big Baby Driver's Your Sun is Stupid is also in my memory.
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13. Goblin
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
Stay With Me was a crowd favourite for a reason. Hush is in my calm down playlists. Heaven is such a sweet song and Soyou's I Miss You is iconic. Stuck in love and Winter is coming are also good.
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14. Queen of Tears
Korean Drama - 2024, 16 episodes
In a Beautiful Way sets the tone for this show so well that this song has stayed with me after the show ended.
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15. Doctors
Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes
여우비 is such a beautiful song, it was in my top 100 most listened list for years.
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16. Secret Garden
Korean Drama - 2010, 20 episodes
Many nights were spent listening to That Woman and crying under the covers back in 2010.
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17. Bubblegum
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
Because I my beloved.
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18. One More Happy Ending
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
Loving you loving you, loving you loving you, 이 심장이 멈출 때까지 짜릿짜릿하게 요란하게 사랑할게 널 안아줄게~♡
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19. Familiar Wife
Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
I love how fresh Love Me Again is, best song to drive near the sea with windows rolled down!
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20. Fight for My Way
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Good Morning and 또 밤이 지나버렸네 got places in my morning playlists. Just right as breakfast tunes!
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21. Jealousy Incarnate
Korean Drama - 2016, 24 episodes
Thank you Jealousy Incarnate for introducing me to Suran! Step Step where do we go now?
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22. School 2013
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
4minute's Welcome to the School was very iconic.
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23. Heartstrings
Korean Drama - 2011, 15 episodes
As expected from a show with a lot of singers, this had bangers. Heartstrings and The day we fall in Love are cute songs, my favourite off the album is Star.
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24. Dream High Season 2
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
HA:TFELT's Hello to Myself is the song to listen to on the bus, looking out the window.
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25. Entertainer
Korean Drama - 2016, 18 episodes
Every Suran OST everywhere is iconic automatically I don't make the rules. I See You is such a sweet song. You Can Cry is so aptly named because you will cry listening and singing to it.
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26. You're Beautiful
Korean Drama - 2009, 16 episodes
I think it's fair to say I really like Park Shin Hye's singing. Lovely Day is one of the earliest Korean songs I memorised. I tend to sing Without Words when I'm cleaning my house.