Music videos are the backbone of K-Pop and my favourite part of the genre! I’ve been watching K-pop music videos since I was 8 years old, and there’s something captivating about them, such as the endless possibilities for costumes, set designs, graphics, and storytelling. For a long time, my dream job as a child was a K-pop music video director. In celebration, let me share some of my absolute favourite K-Pop music videos!
Twinkle – Girls’ Generation-TTS
Twinkle was probably the first K-pop music video I ever watched. As a little girl, seeing all the colourful outfits, makeup and hair was fuel for my daydreams until I was at least 11. Being one of these girls was my ultimate goal, yet I had no idea who any of them were until I truly became a K-Pop fan in 2020 – that’s Tiffany, Taeyon and Seohyun of Girls’ Generation-TTS, a sub-unit of Girls’ Generation, which was one of K-Pop’s most influential groups back in the day. It’s a classic K-pop music video, so reminiscent of its time, and this is why it’s one of my favourites.
All Night, Lion Heart and FOREVER 1 are my favourite Girls’ Generation MVs!
Boy with Luv – BTS
The video that started it all. I grew up in Japan, so I had heard of BTS for quite some time. It was always the debate of BTS vs EXO in my school cafeteria. But this video? For some reason, it did it for me. I was absolutely hooked. Sitting on the floor of my bedroom, I watched this video once. Then twice. Then fifteen times, and the next day, I knew all seven of BTS’s names, ages, and life stories. It was something in the way that everything was pink – men in pink. I had never seen that before. And they were comfortable in it, smiling, singing and dancing around. It was a complete breakdown of toxic masculinity, and I loved it.
I also wanna plug in Black Swan, ON, and Save Me, which are three more of my favourite music videos from BTS.
Bad Boy – Red Velvet
This was the era in which I was discovering the girl groups. And oh my god, the first time I saw this video I think I died. It was something in the pretty pink visuals mixed with the bold blacks, beautiful girls holding guns and staring into my soul. I was taken aback. How could some people be so beautiful? And the video visuals are stunning – saturated and neon, the camera mirroring their movements. It was hypnotic and an immediate favourite. Like BTS, I was hooked. Long live Red Velvet Bad Boy.
Their other music videos are also accolade-worthy, such as my favourites of Peek-A-Boo, Psycho and Feel My Rhythm. Feel My Rhythm, specifically, I think, deserves an Oscar.
Nxde – (G)I-DLE
Literal perfection. The nods to Marilyn Monroe and Banksy, the Chanel, the incorporation of animation, and the commentary on women’s bodies in society make for an immaculate video. It’s almost missed in the gorgeous aesthetic, but I understood the meaning of the song immediately. (G)I-DLE often incorporate commentaries on societal messaging in their music and videos, and this one is no different. Hats off to these super-talented girls. My other favourite music videos by them specifically are TOMBOY, Oh my god, and LION.
HOT – SEVENTEEN
The editing in this is spectacular. Clean, smooth and effortless, it’s so satisfying to watch and hooks the viewer in. Not to mention, a super catchy song and the choreo is perfect (per usual by SEVENTEEN). I love how each member gets their own little moment, which can be hard with 13 members, but it’s accomplished in this video. I was never a big fan of SEVENTEEN, but after seeing this video, I did consider it.
Daechwita – Agust D
Ooooooh I love this one. Such an amazing blend of traditional Korean culture and modern references. It tells Suga’s rags-to-riches story (and has a Jin and Jungkook cameo!) from an unknown K-Pop trainee and rapper to one of the biggest stars in the world. I love the metaphorical way in which he decided to tell his story, and how every scene means something. This video demonstrates to audiences that he will never forget his roots, even under Western pressures to conform in order to be successful in North America. Yup. Give me 14 of them right now.
0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) feat. Seori – TXT
I literally remember where I was when I saw this video for the first time. I lived at my cottage during the pandemic, and I was sitting on my bed, watching this video with hungry eyes. This song and video encapsulated the teenage life I wanted to be living so badly, yet I was stuck at home. Watching this video again now, I’m realizing the way that TXT captures the complexities of youth is very accurate. The carelessness of well-being yet fierce loyalty towards friends, the seeking of adventure but timidness in actually doing it, the imagination yet insecurity. Just wow. They nailed it, and this is why it will be forever one of my favourite K-Pop music videos (and song. Don’t even get me started on this song).
I also gotta add the thrilling Can’t You See Me?, the colourful Blue Hour, and the beachy Sugar Rush Ride by TXT.
Lovesick Girls – BLACKPINK
By far my favourite BLACKPINK music video ever. The perfectly messy aesthetic is stunning, with the dark blues, neon pinks, and bright purples shining through. Girlhood and mourning are translated beautifully through the screen with this colour palette, and you can tell the video (like all BLACKPINK music videos) is high-budget and meticulously planned. At every chorus, every member has a different look. Incredible. The sets are super realistic and highly detailed, making for an overall engaging video and a super fun watch. Their company, SM Entertainment, does something right every time an artist under them puts out a music video.
In their prime, BLACKPINK really did set the standard for music videos. Some of my other favourites are Kill This Love (classic), Pink Venom, and two of Rosé’s old videos – Gone and On The Ground. Monumental.
God’s Menu – Stray Kids
SUCH HIGH PRODUCTION. The transitions, edits, colour palette, outfits and choreography are stellar. This is the video that got me into Stray Kids. All the aesthetics seem random, but they are blended together so well in this video: chefs, racecars, schoolgirls, and construction teams. It’s just so clean, smooth and catchy. DU DU DU DU DU DU.
Back Door, Thunderous, and Get Cool are some of my other favourites from Stray Kids. They always put on a great performance, and their music videos are no different.
Goblin – Sulli
This video, especially after learning about Sulli’s suicide, hits hard. It’s a beautiful yet rare portrayal of mental health in K-Pop, and the video does an amazing job of using metaphors and visuals to tell a story. I love how she splits up the video into three alters, but shows at the end how they are all a part of her. Her last line of dialogue is chilling – “Would it not be better for everyone to disappear?” It’s a telling music video. Rest in peace, Sulli.
Feel Special – Twice
How can I talk about K-pop music videos and not mention TWICE? Out of all their amazing videos, Feel Special has a special place in my heart. The opening glittery outfits and background are to die for, and I love how they incorporate a unique outfit, set and storyline for every member. The message of the song is also adorable, and I love how they demonstrated it in the video by having each member connect and uplift each other. A good rain scene with neon lights always gets me too. My runner-up for TWICE music videos is Perfect World, one of their Japanese debuts, as well as Doughnut (also Japanese) and I CAN’T STOP ME (Korean).
Another music video covered in glitter is MAGO by GFRIEND, which I literally love. And I have to plug in Apple by GFRIEND too – two more of my absolute favourites.
WIND FLOWER – MAMAMOO
Can you tell I enjoy a good late-night music video with neon lights and gorgeous women? MAMAMOO is fantastic with their mature concepts, and this aesthetic is what I wanted when I was younger as an adult friend group. The perfectly messy theme strikes again! I love how they also show off their personalities in this one, and the juxtaposition between the day during the bridge of the song and the night during the chorus is a great visual connection. Starry Night, which has a similar aesthetic to Wind Flower, is another favourite along with Maria by Hwasa, one of the members of MAMAMOO.
Honourable Mentions!
Killing Me and PLAY by CHUNGHA
You can’t sit with us and Gashina by SUNMI