What does it take for a ballad to grab your attention? (1 Viewer)

[Administrator2]

In a sea of Korean ballads, what does separate one ballad from the other? I noticed that I don't like many Korean ballads, because they all sound the same (especially OSTs), but some are amazing and I can't really distinguish why. For example Ben's ballads really hit me hard, I think it's her voice. Taeyeon's ballads don't touch me at all. What is it for you?

 

[Jimimis]

a pretty man singing it

 

[Willow]

I am not a fan of ballads but I like Baek Yerin and IU ones

 

[Belgizen]

an upbeat chorus. Many ballads just stay the same throughout the whole song.
The only ones I really enjoy are those from Super Junior members (especially from the group and Kyuhyun)

 

[Administrator2]

an upbeat chorus. Many ballads just stay the same throughout the whole song.
The only ones I really enjoy are those from Super Junior members (especially from the group and Kyuhyun)

What do you mean by upbeat? Like, louder during chorus? Because if it's upbeat it's not a ballad.

 

[MinMint_Swagist]

a pretty man singing it

YES SIRY


hehehehehehe (and a good voice)

 

[maruberry]

For me I am overall a sucker for ballads, even the generic ones... but when it comes to my favourites that stand out to me...
I like ballads that are both sad and happy at the same time. Or maybe a bitter feeling or a feeling of being resigned.

I don't really connect the usual straightforward sad ballads as much. I love ballads that have a more nuanced feeling and sound.

My favourites would be iKon's don't forget and Seventeen's Smile Flower.

Don't forget has this very matter of fact and tired vibe. Like they have already cried all the tears out and while they are still just as sad, they don't really have the energy to continue to cry or scream etc and are just sitting with their head hanged low.

Smile Flower on the other hand I would even call a happy ballad. It is full of this tentative hope and love. The feeling you would get wheen sitting next to your sleeping child and just looking at them or maybe telling them things you couldn't say to them when they are awake bcs it would feel too embarrassing. And you can't be too loud bcs that would wake the child up, but just being there with them makes you really happy and kinda sad as well in a way.


I hope I'm not being too vague or confusing.
ALso Woozi's ballads overall seem to work very well for me.

 

[RandAlThor]

Soaring vocals and add tight harmonies for groups.
The correct emotion for the song.
Sound enunciation i would like to think that they at least know what they are singing.
for example i watched amazing Saturday and they had park hyoshin i think it was .. pretty awful mumbling moaning.
Songs like Complete , Forever, Sunflower, OOTN , Not alone, Let it rain.
Wendys ost from last year i like alot.


and i did like Taeyeons and Bens from iu's show

 

[Ahsoka]

I'm not super sure, but harmonies are nice and stronger choruses are nice too.

 

[Belgizen]

What do you mean by upbeat? Like, louder during chorus? Because if it's upbeat it's not a ballad.

I mean like a difference in tone, a more powerful chorus, a change in instrumental music in the bg
like here
The song doesn't stay the same and the chorus switches it up a bit

 

[Administrator2]

I mean like a difference in tone, a more powerful chorus, a change in instrumental music in the bg
like here
The song doesn't stay the same and the chorus switches it up a bit

Yeah, that's very typical for OSTs, I know what you mean. I like that in a ballad as well.

 

[Belgizen]

Yeah, that's very typical for OSTs, I know what you mean. I like that in a ballad as well.

Then you'll love Kyuhyun's other songs too

 

[yeji]

I think it comes down to who is singing. I could for example listen to an IU ballad over and over again while another soloist doesn't have that affect on me

 

[Tickita]

It depends on the artist. If I like one ballad from someone I usually like all of them. If I don't like one, I don't like the others.

For me it takes the emotion, I guess? I really like K.Will's ballads.

 

[RandAlThor]

I think it comes down to who is singing. I could for example listen to an IU ballad over and over again while another soloist doesn't have that affect on me

she is like a god in Korea but i am not sure i have ever made it thru a whole iu song. maybe its like rapping gotta know what they are saying to even begin to connect with her for me.
And that is counter intuitive for me, great music should know no language. The classics in Italian ect i do not need to know what they are saying to enjoy.

 

[potato]

I like ballads that divert from the usual singing and piano accompaniment. Other instruments added into the mix really changes up a ballad for me and makes it better. I think the emotion behind the song and what that singer means to me as a listener is also important. Sometimes, I'm okay with just a simple piano and singing when the singer has the emotion and feelings packed into their voice; it feels like it's enough to keep the song going without it becoming boring.

 

[JakeyWantsCakey]

I think when I'm listening to foreign language ballads, there needs to be a hook in the instrumental right off the bat and the vocal performance needs to sound super sincere also, like even if I can't understand what your saying then I need to FEEL your emotions.

 

[kodoku]

Poetic sorrowful lyrics that I relate to

 

[lexus]

I'm a bitch for ballads so it isn't very hard for ballads to grab my attention

 

[daesuki]

Does their voice(s) fit the ballad? Does the ballad have the ability to put me to sleep? Is the ballad memorable? Does the ballad have a skip factor?

The ballad must have a yes to at least 2 of the questions, and a necessary no to the last question.