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Are ballads still relevant in K-pop dominated era?
Singer Shin Seung-hun attends a press conference celebrating his new album release at a hotel in Seoul's Gangnam District, Monday. Courtesy of Dorothy Company
By Pyo Kyung-min
Genre finds new life this fall as legends return, fresh voices join
Not long ago, the ballad genre was Korea's national soundtrack — filling karaoke rooms, topping the charts and etching itself into the country's collective memory. Then came the K-pop boom, and with it, a slow fading of the genre's presence.
However, this fall, as veterans break their silence and fresh voices emerge, the music that once defined a generation is quietly making a comeback — sparking renewed hope among fans and industry insiders that ballads are on the brink of a revival.
Singer Shin Seung-hun, long revered as the "Emperor of Ballads" in Korea, made headlines Tuesday with "SINCERELY MELODIES," his first full-length album in a decade. The 11-track release features dual title tracks "Gravity of You" and "TRULY," and will be followed by two concerts at Olympic Hall in Seoul on Nov. 1-2.
Singer Yim Jae-beum, who built his legacy on distinctive rock ballads, also announced a nationwide tour kicking off Nov. 29 to mark the 40th anniversary of his career, where he will also showcase his newly released track, "Insa."
Another defining voice of the era, singer Kim Gun-mo, has also broken six years of silence to return to music, while Lee Hyun of BigHit Music, mostly remembered for his 2011 release "You Are the Best of My Life," also ended his 13-year hiatus with a new release on Sept. 15.
The resurgence isn't limited to the genre's veterans. On Tuesday, singer Huh Gak unveiled "September 24th," a reinterpretation of a 2021 Onestar song. Lee Chang-sub of BTOB is also preparing to release "ENDAND," his second solo mini album leaning into the emotionally rich ballad sound, in October.
Singer Lee Hyun performs during his "Mini Album A(E)ND Live Stage – Autumn(Evening)" in Mapo District, Seoul, Sept. 19. Courtesy of BigHit Music
New nostalgia
Ballads once stood at the heart of Korean pop culture, embodying the Korean concept of "han," the shared sentiment of unresolved grief and yearning. Thus, for years, names of famous balladeers not only topped local music charts but also dominated karaoke playlists, cementing the genre as a shared cultural language.
Yet as K-pop's global race began, ballads began to quietly slip into the background.
The shift is clear in the numbers. Streaming platform Melon's 2024 year-end Top 10 was almost entirely ruled by idol hits, with IU's "Love wins all" the lone traditional ballad to break through. Just seven years earlier, the same chart had been rich with streaming-driven ballads, including Ailee's "I Will Go to You Like the First Snow" and Crush's "Beautiful."
The explosion of short-form video platforms has widened the gap even further. Built to reward songs with addictive hooks and beats, these formats leave little room for ballads, which unfold slowly and require a full listen for the emotional impact — a difficult fit in a culture shaped by 15-second clips.
K-pop boy band RIIZE / Courtesy of SM Entertainment
Ironically, some suggest that the sameness of K-pop's formula may now be working in the favor of ballads. As critics point out that hook-driven idol tracks increasingly blur together, listeners are turning back to ballads in search of depth and nostalgia.
The shift became clear in early 2024, when SM Entertainment's rookie boy band RIIZE reimagined izi's 2005 ballad "Emergency Room" as their single "Love 119." The track quickly eclipsed the group's debut single "Get A Guitar," debuting at No. 15 on Melon's monthly chart in January 2024 and holding a spot for a full year through January 2025. For many casual listeners, it marked their first encounter with RIIZE — proof that a ballad could still propel a rookie act into the mainstream.
For veterans like Shin, that kind of endurance is exactly what defines the genre.
"Too few traditional ballad singers exist these days," he said Monday at a press conference for his latest release. "But what artists like Zion.T and Crush are doing is also a form of ballad. As long as their songs bring comfort to someone, that is what ballad means. I believe the genre will remain, like a standard."
Lee Hyun echoed that view, saying the genre is already adapting to survive.
"Ballads are no longer about wailing like before, since that does not fit today's trends," he said. "People may avoid new ballads because life feels too tough, but they still return to familiar tracks or remakes. Ballads will have to change with listening habits, and that process has already begun."