As we celebrate the new year with a whole slew of drama premieres awaiting us in 2015, let’s not forget the drama and soundtracks which helped us close out 2014. Even when we’re all on holiday mood, dramaland knows no such thing, and OST releases are still being churned out. So let’s take at look at some of the OST standouts of this month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaLxkxMf1UE
Lee Hyun‘s “It’s Okay Even If It Hurts”, Birth of a Beauty OST
8eight is a group that’s hugely underrated, and Lee Hyun is a utterly fantastic vocalist. He’s not a rare sight to see in OSTs, and his voice perfectly emotes the desperation and longings of the characters. I like the slow build to the chorus, but really, Lee Hyun’s vocal is the real deal here. His slightly husky voice paired together with a powerful set of pipes is just simply perfection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGFcjMbdv3Q
K.Will‘s “The Only Person”, Pinocchio OST
The piano score is really lovely in this track, and I love how K.Will’s voice in the beginning gently caresses our ears. It has a very typical ballad soundtrack structure, with the quiet verses building up to the climax, but the modulation in volume and melodies prevents this from turning into a snoozefest. The control he has in his vocals that reins in and out is really impressive, and functions as the cherry on top of a already great song..
Younha‘s “Passionate To Me”, Pinocchio OST
Younha’s voice always stands out to me in the sea of balladeers, having a slightly more pop-ish and melodic lilt to her voice. Pinocchio has been doing well by word of mouth, as most singers who has sung for its OST, have left a comment about being in love with the characters and plot. This song is perfect for easy listening, with her sweet voice effortlessly ringing in the air.
Soyou‘s (Sistar) “Diamond”, Snow Queen 2 OST
I’m surprised by how much I love this song, and part of it it’s due to the whole “Never giving up on you” refrain that’s layered pretty addictively. While Soyou has mainly been making her name known through collaborations and duets, she’s fully capable of holding her own. With her slightly airy voice, this fairytale-like track fits her like a glove, and I’m glad I accidentally chanced upon this pleasant little release.
Infinite‘s “Together”, Grow OST
Although Infinite is widely known for their 80s sound and synchronized dance moves, they are also pretty decent n churning out ballads. While not all of them are vocally strong, their harmonization skills are indeed one of the better ones in K-pop. “Together” serves as the soundtrack for their documentary Grow, which follows them behind-the-scenes during their world tour in 2013. This ballad was composed by Woohyun during the tour, and all the members came together the write the lyrics. The lyrics are really heartfelt, as an expression of gratitude to their fans.
Minah‘s (Girl’s Day) “One Person”, The King’s Face OST
Minah is most certainly making her name known in OST-land, this being her third track for 2014. My one takeaway from her OST endeavours, is that her voice is incredibly versatile. While I credited her first OST track as sounding High School Musical-esque, “One Person” takes a huge step in the opposite direction. It’s a much weightier and sorrowful track, and she surprised me by stepping up to the occasion, sounding almost like a veteran singer. Kudos to her!
How did you feel the December OST’s compared to the rest of the year, readers?
