November OST Roundup: Birth of Modern Mister Pinocchio

Welcome to this month’s edition of OST Roundup! OSTs are always a great way for some of the skilled idol vocalists to take centre stage. A pretty fulfilling month for OSTs, which surprisingly feature quite a number of idol vocalists. It’s an easy way for these talented idols, whose vocal abilities get downplayed due to their level as an idol, to prove to everyone that there’s more to them. Hey, if they’re good, they’re good. Let’s take a look at November’s list, and do also check out Melody Day‘s release for Tomorrow Cantabile, which was previously reviewed on this site.

D.O.‘s (Exo) “Crying Out,” Cart OST

Fans of D.O. will be glad to see the Exo idol debut on the silver screen, and with an OST release to boot. While most OSTs revolve around some version of love story, the grim atmosphere of the film actually shape its OST to be the same way. A stirring track with the gravitas of societal issues, D.O.’s clear and stable voice helps the listener to be swept up in the emotions of the film.

Junsu‘s (JYJ) “When I Loved You,” Mister Baek OST

The best part about Junsu’s voice is that there’s literally nobody else who even sounds close to it. When the ending credits were played during Episode 2 of Mister Baek, I easily identified Junsu’s voice and rejoiced for the upcoming OST track from him. His husky voice has a variety of different textures hidden in it, and the way he stretches his high notes actually drives the passion of his song further into our hearts. His effortless ability to rein in his powerful voice to a gentle whisper provides a great contrast with the majestic climax is so beautiful, and seriously he can make any song sound good.

Hong-ki‘s (FT Island) “When Love Comes,” Modern Farmer OST

Hong-ki released the acoustic version of Woohyun’s OST, and it just reminded me how I can never get enough of Hong-ki’s voice. Supported by a very minimal instrumental, the rhythmic drum beats add some structure to the song, but Hong-ki’s voice is the highlight of it. Acoustic tracks often bring more scrutiny to the artist’s vocal abilities, and Hong-ki has always proven that he’s has what it takes.

Roy Kim‘s “Pinocchio,” Pinocchio OST

Swoons. Despite constantly dealing with plagiarism claims, Roy Kim’s rich voice never fails to lull me into a trance. His natural vibrato is really exquisite to listen to, and you get the sense that he knows exactly what makes him sounds best. His musical colour is so distinct even in this drama soundtrack, and this could easily be one of his album tracks.

Jonghyun‘s (Shinee) “She,” Birth of a Beauty OST

Whoa, I never knew Jonghyun’s voice could sound like that. I always assumed that Jonghyun would be a big notes kind of guy, but I definitely didn’t expect to see this tender side of his vocal ability. This song is relatively high for a guy to sing, and I’m pretty impressed with how Jonghyun used his higher range to turn this into a pretty whimsical and laidback track.

Hae-na‘s (Kiss&Cry) “Dazzling,” Birth of a Beauty OST

The main thing that attracted me to this song was the fantastic guitar instrumental in the intro. The breezy vibe of the song meshes splendidly with the guitar and synths, and Hae-na’s sweet voice completes this package with a little bow. An upbeat and fun song that’s worthy of being put on replay.

N-Sonic‘s “I Miss You”, She’s So Lovable OST

It’s great the OSTs give lesser-known artists a chance to possibly gain recognition from the audience through exposure of the drama. And while She’s So Lovable is a flawed drama on many fronts, its expansive OST list definitely contains some gems, giving the artists some limelight. “I Miss You” is possibly one of my favourites of that list, purely because its melody, which is very simple and soothing — it’s actually addictive as hell.

What were some of your favourite OST releases from November?

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