7 Relatable K-Pop Songs That Will Help You Through The Struggles Of Growing Up

Whether we like it or not, we’re constantly getting older. But growing old doesn’t always equal growing up. Becoming of age is weird and complex and difficult, and definitely not as easy as we perceive it to be. Luckily, we don’t have to go through these struggles alone. Find comfort in your shared troubles when you listen to these featured songs about growing up below!

IU – “Palette (feat. G-Dragon)”

“Palette” is deeply intimate and reflective on IU’s personal maturity throughout the years, and that intimacy is exactly what makes this song so relatable. We’ve all looked back at our younger selves before – at the things we once loved, the hairstyles we stuck to, the clothes we wore everyday. And while we might still love those same things or have the same habits, we’re not exactly the same people we once were. We have different interests, new favorite songs, better habits. We’re different, yet still the same. That’s the beauty of maturity, and the beauty of the lyrics in “Palette.”

BTS – “Adult Child”

Sometimes we can’t wait to get older, but being an adult isn’t always the utopia we imagined it to be in our youth. At least, that’s what BTS says in the non-album release of “Adult Child.” The song teaches you to enjoy your youth and the blissful ignorance that comes with it, because finally becoming an adult isn’t all that spectacular.

Kim Na Young – “Being An Adult”

Does anyone really know how to be an adult, or is maturing just a thing that people say they do but no one ever actually does it? In “Being An Adult,” soloist Kim Na Young tries to find the meaning behind adulthood while still holding on to the safety net of her youth.

U-KISS – “Not Young”

U-KISS immediately let everyone know they weren’t kids anymore when they stepped onto the music scene in 2008. They were all grown up and wanted to be treated like it – and that feeling of not being taken seriously because of your age is definitely one we’ve all felt or might be feeling now.

Jung Joon Young – “Teenager”

Your teen years really sneak up on you, and in some ways they can be the hardest ones of your life. Despite technically being a minor, you’re expected to know exactly how you want to spend the next 60 years of your life. It’s crazy, and it can get overwhelming. But as Jung Joon Young sings in “Teenager,” there might come a time when you actually miss those days of hectic living and big dreams.

Lim Kim – “Goodbye 20”

Being 20 or somewhere in your 20’s is an awkward time for many. You’re old enough to be considered an adult, but you don’t really feel like an adult, and everyone else seems to be better at the adult game than you are. Lim Kim voices those high expectations we have for this time in our lives and compares it to the not-so-flashy reality in her song, “Goodbye 20.”

BTS – “Move”

Moving on to a new phase of life is always hard to do, especially when you take the time to look back at how far you’ve come. Looking back might give you that bittersweet feeling of not wanting to forget past memories but also looking forward to hopefully better and greater things. BTS’s “Move” really captures this feeling, and is a beautiful song about growing up, having the courage to change, and (of course) moving on to the next stage of your life.

What K-pop songs help or have helped you face growing up? Let us know in the comments!

brookenicole writes from YG’s basement until her (indefinitely) postponed debut. You can find her on Twitter.