K-Drama soundtracks are often hidden gems for picking out great K-Pop tracks. And when said K-Drama in question is about K-Pop, well, you know you’re in for a treat.
Dream High was a 2011 drama about a fictional performing arts high school, and the students who came from various backgrounds to achieve their dreams. We’ve seen this plot before in practically every other anime series, but Dream High’s idol-focused cast garnered pre-release attention, and the drama itself actually turned out to be pretty decent.
Most of the idol actors are still recognizable today, some more than others: Suzy and IU are still household names, while T-ara’s Eunjung and the various 2PM members have faded somewhat. But the real breakout Dream High actor was Kim Soo Hyun, who portrayed an innocent, bumbling country boy who turned out to be gifted with genius musical intellect.
Kim Soo Hyun would go on to become one of the most popular actors in Korea, appearing in chart-topping dramas and films like Secretly, Greatly and Moon Embracing The Sun and winning countless awards. Before going on to become a mega-star, though, he participated in this simple yet uplifting song, which remains a staple of my Feel Better playlist.