15 K-Pop Songs Written Based On Singers’ Real-Life Experiences

Apr 4, 2019

There are many things that give musicians inspiration to compose tracks, one being their personal experiences in life. When a track is composed based on a person’s own stories, it is made with a pure, genuine heart, and this has resulted in some of the best hit-tracks of all time.

With that being said, here are 15 songs that were written based on the singer’s real-life experiences.

1. BIGBANG – “This Love”

This song is G-Dragon’s remake of Maroon 5’s “This Love.” Just as the original lyrics are based on the true story of Adam Levine’s breakup with an ex-girlfriend, G-Dragon also narrates his personal experience in the lyrics of the remake. It is reported that the BIGBANG member wrote the lyrics to this song in 30 minutes after being dumped by a girl he liked back when he was still a trainee.

2. IU – “Voicemail”

During her appearance in MBC Music’s “Picnic Live” in 2013, IU revealed that “Voicemail” is actually based on her own experience with love. She stated that she composed this song after being rejected by a boy she liked.

Fun fact about the song — there’s a part in the lyrics that says, “The recording time has already hit two minutes and thirty seconds.” Right when that lyric comes up, the actual time into the song is two minutes and thirty seconds!

3. Heize – “Don’t Know You”

Heize revealed that “Don’t Know You” is about a boyfriend she met when she had just moved to Seoul and was having financial difficulties. Heize said that while they were dating, she received many gifts from him, of which she still has a lot left at home. The rapper/singer also stated that it saddens her to think that the ex-boyfriend doesn’t have anything to remember her by since she was unable to give him gifts at the time.

4. BIGBANG’s Taeyang – “Eyes, Nose, Lips”

At this point, everyone knows who the muse is behind this emotional love song. In a past variety show, Taeyang revealed that the lyrics of “Eyes, Nose, Lips” were inspired by his now-wife, actress Min Hyo Rin. He never revealed at which point in their relationship he was inspired to write this, but now they are total couple goals!

5. Baek Ah Yeon – “Shouldn’t Have”

This is Baek Ah Yeon’s first self-composed song, which the singer later revealed was inspired by a real-life experience. In a variety show, Baek Ah Yeon stated that just when she was looking for things to write about, something exactly like the lyrics occurred to her. It was sad, but she started writing down her story and turned it into this masterpiece.

The singer also revealed that she received a phone call from the person that is the subject of the track. Without knowing the song was about him, the person apparently told Baek Ah Yeon that he enjoyed the song.

6. Akdong Musician – “Last Goodbye”

Akdong Musician’s Lee Chan Hyuk shared his own breakup story in this song. During the duo’s appearance on “Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook,” Lee Chan Hyuk shared that he is the most attached to “Last Goodbye” and that he cried while writing it. Her sister Lee Soo Hyun added that she witnessed her brother crying while recording the song.

7. Dynamic Duo – “Guilty”

Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko revealed that “Guilty” is based on an actual fight he had with his wife when they were dating. According to the rapper/producer, while he was fighting with his wife, who was his girlfriend at the time, he blurted out the words “I’m the one to blame.” In that instant, he thought these words would make a great theme for a song, so he forgot about the fight and wrote the words down.

8. Park Won – “All Of My Life”

During his appearance in MBC’s “Radio Star,” Park Won shared that he tends to write songs based on his actual life experiences. When asked if there is a song in which he wishes to change the lyrics, the singer picked “All Of My Life.”

He said that he would like to change the last line of the song, which says, “Yes, this is a story about you.” He was afraid that the last line would hurt his ex-girlfriend, whom the track is about, all over again. Park Won also added that every one of his ex-girlfriends except for the one behind the song contacted him afterwards, asking if the song was about them.

9. Lee Juck – “It’s Fortunate”

Lee Juck dedicated this song to his girlfriend, who is now his wife, when she was studying abroad. Lee Juck had no intention of releasing the song; he had only wanted to express his affection and longing for his girlfriend. However, people around him encouraged him to release it, and it is now known as one of his best hit-tracks of all time!

10. Zion.T – “Yanghwa BRDG”

Zion.T wrote this beautifully-worded track while thinking about his family, especially his father. The singer previously shared that he wrote the lyrics to this song in thirty minutes while he was on his way back from a long trip he had taken by himself.

11. Busker Busker – “Cherry Blossom Ending”

Despite the heart-fluttering lyrics, Jang Beom Joon revealed that he wrote this song after he had just gone through a breakup.

According to the singer, he was inspired to write this song while at a cherry blossom festival with three of his male busking friends. At the time, he noticed that everyone except for his group was at the festival with their significant others. Him being heartbroken with a recent breakup, he wanted the cherry blossoms to “end,” thus the title “Cherry Blossom Ending.” Now he has a beautiful wife and two kids to enjoy cherry blossoms with!

12. 4MEN – “Hello, It’s Me”

Yoon Min Soo revealed that “Hello, It’s Me” is about a time he had temporarily broken up with his girlfriend, who later became his wife. The lyrics say, “While walking, I find myself in front of Exit 4 of Sincheon Station,” which is where his wife actually resided in the past.

13. Leessang – “Can’t Breakup Girl, Can’t Breakaway Boy”

The song tells an actual story of Leessang’s Gary and an ex-girlfriend of his, whom the rapper dated on and off for about six years. Gary also revealed that most of the duo’s tracks are written based on his real-life experiences. Examples include “You’re The Answer To A Guy Like Me” and “Ballerino.”

14. Kim Kwang Jin – “Letter”

When Kim Kwang Jin was not yet a well-known singer, he was dating a girl whose parents were extremely against their relationship because they thought the singer did not have a promising future. Thus, the girl ended up meeting another guy through her parents.

However, the girl eventually went back to Kim Kwang Jin. After they reunited, the man she briefly dated wrote her a heartfelt letter, which the singer later turned into his hit-track “Letter.”

15. Lee Hi – “Breathe”

This beautifully-composed track was gifted to Lee Hi by the late SHINee member Jonghyun. Lee Hi later revealed that around the time “Breathe” was released, she was having problems with breathing. She released the song hoping that it would help and comfort those who also have difficulty breathing.