master's sun had a great set of OSTs, i feel so nostalgic when i hear them

Great summary/analysis and so true - I loved the music in the dramas you mention

You are so right about scarlet heart! I didn’t even see the drama, but have the OST on my playlist. And another recent “You are” is from “The King Loves” with Roy Kim’s “You are my starlight.” If you’ve not listened to this drama’s OST I think it’s even better than scarlet heart.

i think for me the show with the best OST was Its Ok Its Love. every song felt like it had been handpicked for that scene/moment and made everything so much...more. if that makes any sense

My favourite thing and the only thing I actually enjoyed about Master's Sun was the OST. Never in my life have I watched an entire drama just to hear the songs, and I've never done it again after then.
I love OSTs especially when they express some part of the story and/or character's feelings that doesn't get told in the story.

I read the title as I sang internally "You're my destiny.... geudae" (YFAS OST). Who else also sing when reading the title?

i did not know that there are so many kdram ost's that starts with "you are my _____". And you're right, kdrama music has a set formula, one for the funny moments, the angsty scenes and the ost for when they finally reciprocate each other's feelings. I enjoyed reading this post. Also love, love, love master's sun ost.

"A 10 course meal all in one flavour profile" - I really like this as a way to describe certain drama OSTs, but I think it's not always a bad thing. I love the Cheese in the Trap soundtrack, for example, because the OSTs blend together so well - probably because the whole thing was curated by one group, Tearliner . As a whole, they create a warm, gloomy autumnal mood that is inseparable from that drama, and really elevated the viewing experience for me.

OMG I loved this writing entry! I haven't watched Moon Lovers yet but I love that song "Can You Hear My Heart" and this is my first time actually reading the lyrics...they are just as beautiful as the song itself. I especially liked that line "falling out of love is harder than falling in love"...aahh so heartbreaking.

I don't mind english words being mixed into the song..."Can You Hear My Heart" does it well but sometimes when not used in the right context, it can def be cringy.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart definitely has one of the best OST. "Can You Hear My Heart" is a gem, thanks to Lee Hi's beautiful voice but I still hate the rap part. I remember watching the beach scene of So and Soo in episode 11 and I kept hearing the voiceover rap of "never ever...never ever" and it completely spoiled my mood.

Yays to Epik High & Lee Hi's Can You Hear My Heart being mentioned! I just posted this song last night on my wall. HAHAHA!

I love this piece SO MUCH. My favourite from Scarlet Heart. <3

So true.A thing I have picked up after reading all the "Music and dramas" post is,that almost all the respective beanies mentioned Moon Lovers for it's uncanny combination of story that went messy and epic ost.
But,actually for me,the said epicness belongs to the instrumental ost s,not the songs. I agree that since the heroine was from future,it was okay for modern styles to be included in the songs.But for me,songs by female=heroine,sung by a male=hero.(just the personal preference) Call me silly,but it irked me when a male voice started rapping behind an emotional scene for Wang So,Wook.
So the songs "Forgetting you" by Davichi and "please come back to me" saved the mood for me with their saeguk appropriate ballad tone and perfectly scene-relating lyrics."Can you here my heart" was ethereal beautiful too,minus the rap.
But the outstanding gem was the set of the instrumental ost.Some of them held such a level of epicness that I never expected to hear from a 20 episode drama,but a 50 episode daeha saeguk like Dae Jang Geum,QSD or Yi San.
I have listened to many saeguk instrumental,just because I have a soft spot for traditional music,and ML completely swept me from my feet. It probably could be because they had a touch on Celtic music(?),not just the traditional Korean,which really gave it a "took straight out from a Disney fairy tale" vibe when used properly.
My favourite are "wing of Goryeo","Gesture of Ressistance" and "Pastoral Morning".
Yes those are pretty titles, too.As you said,pity that the drama couldn't live up to its soundtrack.
Thanks so much for the beautifully thoughtfull post,yjgclone,and heh,sorry for the long rant.

I was one of those people who was not fond of English lyrics in sageuk drama osts, which I was actually unaware of.. and ironically it was while watching Moon Lovers that I figured that out..😁
But then came 'No matter how hard I try' from 7day queen and I was in love with it..not just the song but how it fit with the drama's mood was amazing and it wasn't awkward at all..<3 <3

Of course Master's Sun was perfection. From casts to the plot even the ost. It would never get expired to watch it again and again.
But in 2016, Beautiful Mind had only one ost, yet it was epic as LeeYoungOh <3

I really enjoyed your article. My favorite part of Boys Over flowers was 'What Do I Do' by Ji sun

Thanks for the wonderful article @yjgclone!
You just described what I felt like listening to "Ruler of the Mask" OST. I stopped watching it halfway because not even the music was memorable ... The opposite was the case with "Queen for Seven Days" ... I think it only released 5 or 6 songs, but almost all of them unforgettable, placed and written with intention, and meaningful lyrics, and unforgettable music (e.g. Junggigo (정기고) part 4 track or part 2 by Yael Meyer's) ...

Music is key!

Heol...

I didn't expect this to be posted since I realized after sending this, it was too messy (and believe me, there are some random stuff I wrote that I even don't know why I wrote it).

But just like how Scarlet Heart had its OST as its redeeming quality. The copyreading and editing of the dramabeans staff saved this work. Haha.