[OST Corner] If Spring Comes: A Melodic Soundtrack for the Season

Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People is one of my favorite K-drama soundtracks of all time. Unlike most K-drama OSTs, where typically only one or two songs stick with me, this entire soundtrack is as epic and memorable as the show itself.

And I think a big part of that has to do with how the songs featured in the story. Rebel wasn’t a musical by any means, but that didn’t stop the characters from breaking into song when the situation called for it — which was fairly often and always meaningful. I still get chills thinking about the ragtag group of rebels defiantly singing “Spring of Ikhwari” together while under siege.

Beyond putting these beautiful songs into the mouths of the characters, though, I’d argue that much of the real magic behind the Rebel music comes directly from Ahn Ye-eun, who wrote and sang many of the songs herself. From the heartbreaking “Magic Lily” to the inspiring “New Day,” her unique voice and style is a perfect match for the story it accompanies. Which makes sense — and yet seems even more amazing — considering she actually wrote some of the songs before being asked to work on the OST!

But if I had to pick one song that represents the entirety of Rebel for me, it would probably be “If Spring Comes” (with the aforementioned “Spring of Ikhwari” as a close second choice). It’s as exhilarating as many of the other songs are sad, but I think that’s what gives it its own magic. Because Rebel may have taken its characters down to the very depths of despair at times, but it was also a story of hope and of standing up against seemingly insurmountable odds. And the joyous shouting of “Manse!” in this song’s chorus feels so earned in light of all the tears we shed along the way.