Top 20 Saddest K-Pop Music Videos

#20: “Falling Blossoms” (2018)

Kim Hee-chul & Min Kyung-hoon

At first, the affection between two siblings gives the story a warmth that makes its ending even harder to take. Kim Hee-chul and Min Kyung-hoon play brothers, with Park Mi-sun appearing as their mother, while Super Junior’s Shindong directs the mini-drama. Their family bond is soon swallowed by a violent feud involving Lee Sang-min’s character, who ultimately stabs Kim near the video’s climax. The aftermath is painfully quiet: Min can only sit beside his brother’s body and hold his hand. That shift from action to helpless grief is what really twists the knife. By pairing lyrics about lingering pain after separation with brotherly loss, the video leaves the sorrow hanging around long after the last frame.

#19: “Dream” (2025)

Lisa

A quiet drive gradually reveals itself as one last day with someone who is already gone. The short film casts Lisa opposite Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi as a married couple, opening at a funeral before they set off together and slip through memories of their relationship. In one tender flashback, she says she would return as a tree in another life, while he chooses a lake so he could reflect her forever. Then the illusion collapses: she has actually been driving alone, with an urn containing her husband’s ashes in the passenger seat. When she finally scatters them across a lake surrounded by trees, that earlier exchange becomes a devastating goodbye. A breakup ballad about longing suddenly feels like grief with nowhere else to go.

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#18: “To Mother” (1999)

g.o.d

One bowl of jajangmyeon carries enough guilt to haunt an entire childhood. Jang Hyuk stars as the teenage narrator, putting a face to a story of poverty, a widowed mother, and a son who only comes to understand her sacrifices in retrospect. The song’s defining memory is painfully simple: she gives up her own meal so her child can eat, then says she does not like jajangmyeon. That heartbreak has roots in Park Joon-hyung’s own childhood, though he later revealed that the real dish his mother gave him was japchae. The video pushes those autobiographical roots into an even more tragic story of loss and regret. By the end, ordinary things like hunger, embarrassment, and a simple meal carry almost unbearable emotional weight.

#17: “Find You” (2019)

Monsta X

A fatal car crash tears apart the protagonist’s family before the story has even properly begun. Played by Hyungwon, he wakes in a hospital after losing his parents, with the other members gathered around him as he struggles through the aftermath. Their support offers only temporary comfort, because he later disappears, leaving the group confronting yet another devastating absence. A mysterious watch introduces a time-travel element, turning his grief into an attempt to reach what has already been lost. That added layer makes the tragedy feel even crueler: this is someone surrounded by people who care about him, yet still pulled away by grief he cannot escape.

#16: “This Is War” (2012)

MBLAQ

An assassin’s decision to spare his target sets off a tragedy he cannot control. Lee Joon’s character rescues the wounded woman and brings her to Thunder, and the two men help nurse her back to health. Trouble follows when she and Thunder fall for each other, destroying the friendship between the men. Their conflict escalates into a fight, then a gunpoint confrontation. When the woman steps between them, Lee Joon fires a shot that curves back into himself, leaving him mortally wounded. What began as an action-heavy love triangle ends with grief and a relationship that costs one friend his life.

#15: “Baby I’m Sorry” (2013)

Myname

Five friends are torn apart when gang violence pulls them into a conflict bigger than themselves. Inspired by the 2001 film “Friend”, the video follows a close-knit group whose lives become entangled with rival gangs, placing Gunwoo and Seyong on opposing sides of the conflict. What follows is increasingly brutal, with the conflict consuming the group and pushing their friendship toward a bloody conclusion. The violence was intense enough to earn the video a 19+ rating, but the action never completely overshadows the emotional core. Beneath it all is a story about friendship collapsing under pressure, making the final tragedy hit much harder than the gunfights.

#14: “Our Page” (2018)

Shinee

One empty microphone carries the weight of someone deeply missed. Released months after Jonghyun’s death, the video follows Onew, Key, Minho, and Taemin separately before bringing them together to perform. The members helped write the song with Jonghyun in mind, and its promise to continue an unfinished story gives the reunion a quiet, aching significance. References to five members keep him present throughout, culminating in five microphone stands with one left unoccupied. The choice is simple and deeply respectful: the video does not try to fill the space he left behind. Instead, it honors his place in Shinee’s story, allowing remembrance, love, and grief to coexist.

#13: “Error” (2014)

VIXX

Grief drives this futuristic romance toward an increasingly hopeless conclusion. Hongbin plays a man devastated by the death of his girlfriend, portrayed by KARA’s Youngji. Unable to accept losing her, he transforms himself into a cyborg and recreates her in the same form, restoring memories of their relationship. Their second chance is painfully brief, as authorities move in to take her away. Even after the couple escapes together, there is no real return to the life they shared before her death. Beneath all the science-fiction imagery, the tragedy is painfully human: he goes to extraordinary lengths to hold onto someone he loves, only to find that loss cannot simply be undone.

#12: “Because I'm a Girl” (2001)

Kiss

A chance encounter with a photographer blossoms into romance before one terrible accident changes everything. Shin Hyun-joon’s character grows close to a young woman, but photographic chemicals spill on her at his studio, severely damaging her eyes. After treatment restores her vision, he has mysteriously disappeared. She eventually finds him again at a racetrack, accompanied by a service dog, and realizes what happened: he gave up his own sight so she could have hers back. The reveal transforms what seemed like abandonment into an enormous act of love, making their final reunion almost unbearably bittersweet.

#11: “You and I” (2009)

Park Bom

While a fairytale wedding starts things on a very bright note in 'You and I,' we quickly see Park Bom's marriage is much more troubling. Though the couple still bond over video games and time together, the husband's wheelchair and IV show he's in rough shape. His suffering is so dire that we even see him attempt to take his own life, before lamenting over a future he can't have. This realistic take on terminal conditions is hard to watch, especially given how hopeful Bom's character stays throughout the video. Just as it looks like she has him excited again, we're hit with heavy visual of her grieving over his death. 'You and I' is constantly tear-jerking thanks to this rollercoaster delivery for its already moving story.

#10: “Don't Say Goodbye” (2011)

Davichi

When a stargazer finds a woman passed out in his trash, it seems like 'Don't Say Goodbye' is supposed to be a whimsical romance tale. As the man nurses the girl back to health, we can't help but grow attached to their budding relationship. As the two get closer during a stargazing excursion, a flash to a past girlfriend sets a worrying tone. The touching love story turns tragic as we discover his ex is actually being held by kidnappers. It's truly heartbreaking to watch his new partner get traded off for his old life, as the innocent woman is left to face human traffickers. With such a lighthearted beginning to its narrative, 'Don't Say Goodbye' utterly sucker punches our emotions with its gloomy ending.

#9: “Hello” (2011) & “I Told You I Wanna Die” (2011)

Huh Gak

From the outset of Huh Gak's 'Hello' it's clear that the two friends at the center of its story are loyal like brothers. But after saving a girl from self harm, one of them ends up so infatuated that their friendship takes a backseat. To add insult to injury, the left-behind friend gets beaten up by gang members while his phone calls for help are ignored. 'I Told You I Wanna Die' picks up the story on a much darker note as the friends go on a bloody rampage against the mob. However it's the back-to-back stabbings of our two leads that really toys with our emotions in this stirring two-part video.

#8: “The Day Before” (2012)

Nell

There's a warm and intimate feeling to 'The Day before' that sets it up as a comforting meal. With lots of smiles and plenty of food to draw your attention, it's hard to tell what the camera in the video's background is actually for. But as we see one friend drink poison and slowly slip away, the initial happiness accents the sorrow of his death. The reveal that the whole story is actually a self harm video and the man was merely imagining he was there gives a new heartbreaking tone to repeat viewings. So by slow-burning its upsetting finale, 'The Day Before' adds to its emotional impact the more that you watch it.

#7: “Wedding Dress” (2009)

Taeyang

'Wedding Dress' shows us Taeyang and a girl laughing together like they've been dating for years. But the video hits its first sour note when we see the woman is not only taken but only sees him as a friend. While this wouldn't be inherently sad, the torment Taeyang expresses on his face pulls at your heartstrings. And it's all the sadder thanks to the girl's sweet and oblivious attitude towards him; going as far as having him play the piano at her wedding. To cap things off, the flashback to Taeyang's missed proposal twists the dagger further and leaves a second watch absolutely devastating. With its onslaught of gut-wrenching rejection, you'll need a breather after watching 'Wedding Dress.'

#6: “Severely” (2012)

F.T. Island

The funeral that opens the video for 'Severely' is heavy in itself, but the grief on Lee Hong-gi's face over his dead girlfriend is even more tragic. It's equally moving however to watch him uncontrollably hug her seconds later when she mysteriously returns from the dead. Though the idea that she doesn't remember Lee is sad as well, it's inspiring to see him accept that he's somehow time-traveling and moves on to rekindle their romance. Hong-gi's giddy smiles on the other hand actually increase the emotional tension, as he remains anxiously aware of the day his lover dies. 'Severely' earns its dramatic name when Lee dies saving her, but it's the woman's sorrowful crying that really pushes it over the top.

#5: “The Light” (2015)

The Ark

As a single mom struggles to raise her daughter, 'The Light' gives us a peek at the difficult emotions that go with parenthood. Despite some ungrateful moments from the young girl, we eventually see the two make each other smile and ultimately love each other at the end of the day. This hopeful note is instantly turned against us however, as we distressingly learn that the daughter perishes in a bus crash. 'The Light' hits our feels the most when the mom has to use her own reminders to smile just to survive mourning her daughter. Through these impactful reflections on losing a child, the video is able to be dramatic while maintaining a sense of realism.

#4: “Gone” (2013)

Jin

A blind woman and a handsome music student are divided by their parents in Jin's seemingly fairytale-like video for 'Gone.' It's brutal as the girl gets hit by her piano teacher, but this cheerfully lets our two young lovers come together. In a cruel twist though, we're left to deal with the depressing reality that the boy is suffering from a secret heart condition as well. There's also an overtly glum look as the boy succumbs to his heart troubles at the piano, but it's even more woeful as the girl falls apart in response. Though the woman's range of emotions has stirred controversy, the overall level of tragedy in 'Gone' speaks for itself.

#3: “I Need U” (2015)

BTS

The happier these seven friends look together, the more painful their isolation becomes. The uncut 19+ version of the music video follows fictional versions of BTS through violence, despair, and danger, contrasting those crises with fleeting moments of friendship. That collision helped introduce the fictional BTS Universe, a coming-of-age story that would keep returning to friendship amid suffering. BTS would later revisit grief from very different angles, through songs like “Spring Day,” which addresses lingering longing. Meanwhile, Agust D’s “Amygdala” draws on Suga’s own traumatic memories. Whether through fictional tragedy or deeply personal reflection, BTS has always known exactly how to tug at the heartstrings.

#2: “Please Don't” (2012)

K. Will

Seo In-guk’s character has trouble facing his assumed love interest in 'Please Don't,' and his face becomes more distraught seeing her with his friend played by Ahn Jae-hyun. In this way it's nearly impossible not to shed a tear for Seo as he bawls his way through his friends' wedding. While this upsetting story is increasingly distressing to watch, Ahn surprisingly gets Seo to smile. Though the whole video initially appears to be a variation of Taeyang's 'Wedding Dress,' it's shocking and heartwrenching to discover that Seo is actually in love with Ahn. By hiding its hand like this, the sombre tone of 'Please Don't' works before and after you know the twist.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Love Wins All” (2024), IU

IU and V Find Fleeting Happiness Together Before Their Dystopian World Tears It Away

“Save Me, Kill Me” (2023), CIX

A Student’s Suffering Reaches a Devastating Turning Point, Leaving His Friends Shattered

“Only” (2021), Lee Hi

A Lifelong Romance Proves Just as Tender in Old Age

“A Million Pieces” (2015), Kyuhyun

A Chance Romance in Switzerland Ends on a Heartbreaking Note

#1: “Haru Haru” (2008)

BIGBANG

Bigbang is falling apart within seconds of 'Haru Haru' as G-Dragon believes his girlfriend is cheating with T.O.P. G-Dragon's sorrow is visceral to watch and easy to sympathize with, as he not only laments losing his relationship but his friendship too. The heartbreaking reality however is that his partner is faking a romance with T.O.P so that her boyfriend won't learn she's dying. While the initial deception creates a gloomy mood, it's impossible not to cry as G-Dragon returns to her far too late. The good intentions add to the agonizing story, especially since they only limit how much time the lover's have left. Thanks to G-Dragon's stirring performance in an already downcast video, 'Haru Haru' keeps you in low spirits from top to bottom.

Which K-Pop music video left you staring at the screen in stunned silence after the music stopped? Break our hearts in the comments!