Do you believe in magic?

Netflix’s most recent K-drama project, The Sound of Magic, invites audiences to whimsical wonderlands and bizarreness across its 6 episodes. 

As the trailblazing mini-series for its individualistic genre of fantasy musicals, the star-studded show has undoubtedly caught the attention of drama lovers across the board. 

Starring the likes of Ji Chang-Wook, Choi Seung-Eun, and Hwang In-Yeob, The Sound of Magic tells the story of a struggling student’s fated encounter with a mysterious magician whose eccentricities and tricks provide an escape from the harsh realities of life. Along the way, the pair find solace and warmth in each other, speaking directly to the wondrous inner child in each individual. 

Developed from the original webtoon, Annarasumanara, the magical television series one-ups the manhwa by injecting incredible visuals, helmed by the power of CGI. Furthermore, the major adaptation allowed viewers to delve deep into the fictional world beyond the webtoon’s restrictive panels, through its awe-inspiring music soundtrack that left little to be desired.

Hence, to reminisce and feel the childlike flutters the drama evoked once again, here are the most memorable songs from The Sound of Magic. 

Magic In You – Ji Chang Wook, Sondia, Ye. Z, Lee Yeseul

If there were any track to encompass the energy of this K-drama on a whole, Magic In You would undeniably be in everyone’s top pick. Packaged with swing and a stylistic nuance of bossa nova, the song replicates the bubbling adrenaline you feel in your stomach as a magic show unfolds. 

Additionally, actor Ji Chang-Wook has dabbled in musical theatre beforehand and commented that he’d work heavily with the production crew on “how to express the emotions of the characters at the point where there was a transition to the music in the play." 

I Mean It – Hwang In-Yeob

After gaining global attention for his singing in his prior work, ‘True Beauty’, Hwang In-Yeob had fans yearning to hear more of his melodic vocals. Thankfully, The Sound of Magic posed the perfect opportunity. 

In the drama, In-Yeob is joined by lead actress, Choi Sung Eun, where their dull library session is uplifted through the acoustic track. Similarly, the song uncovers the reformative powers of music in the face of life’s hardships. 

Have A Good Night – Choi Sung Eun, Hong Jung-min

When asked about her experience working on the soundtrack, Sung Eun happily remarked that the lyricism had given her further insight on how to play the character of Ah-yi. As a rather dark character going through a tumultuous chapter in her life, Sung Eun managed to overcome the difficulty through her “lightbulb” moment when conveying her emotions through singing. 

In essence, ‘Have A Good Night’ portrays the character’s consuming loneliness and hopelessness in her situation, turning the ballad into one that is comforting and relatable to viewers going through a tough time. 

Fantasy – Lee Chi-Hoon

Vibrant and upbeat, Fantasy by lyricist Lee Chi-Hoon, is one of the few fast-paced songs from the soundtrack. Music director Park Sung-Il shared that he had “limited and minimised fast numbers to the fantasy scenes and arranged ambient music for the emotional scenes”. 

Aptly titled, this track unites various vocalists to put together a colourful electronic track for the fantastical magic scenes. 

Fantasy – English Band Version – Sondia, 남종

While the Korean version is undoubtedly a better show of live vocals and stamina, Fantasy’s English Band version flaunts the true potential of the thrilling song with its studio version. Moreover, it's the go-to version for international fans who want to karaoke without the hassle of searching the romanised lyrics. 

Did You Hear That Rumor? – 김선경

Simply featuring the lyrical soundtracks of this musical masterpiece would be absolutely criminal so here is the mystical melody of Did You Hear That Rumour brought to audiences by composer Kim Sunkyung. 

Perfectly capturing the mystery and dark side of the elusive magician played by Ji Chang-Wook, this track leverages off chime sounds and string sounds to juxtapose the innocence and lightheartedness of his character while also the numerous rumours that he is shrouded in.