For a moment, I debated whether or not to go forward with this particular countdown this year. Yes, K-pop music videos are generally great, but to be honest I just don’t watch them as intently as I used to. I’m much more familiar with the music than the visuals, which threatens to turn this list into a countdown of my favorite artists whose videos I actually watched intently rather than a somewhat objective look at visual achievements. What you end up with here is a bit of both, which means I’d be very curious to hear your own lists!
Honorable Mentions:
NTX – Over N Over
Close Your Eyes – All My Poetry
ILLIT – Little Monster
&TEAM – Back To Life
ILLIT – Do The Dance
ARTMS – Icarus
Tempest – In The Dark
BABYMONSTER – We Go Up
AHOF – Pinocchio
10. NOUERA – N (NUMBER OF CASES)
I love sci-fi themed music videos and NouerA delivered with both of their title tracks. I give N (Number Of Cases) the slight edge because its variety of set pieces are very visually striking.
9. NMIXX – BLUE VALENTINE
Blue Valentine uses surreal imagery to enhance the song’s emotional wallop, delivering memorable visuals that feel ripped from a dream (or nightmare?).
8. ILLIT – JELLYOUS
ILLIT were music video MVPs this year and it was hard to choose a favorite. When it comes down to it, I found Jellyous‘s quirky stop/start staging to be most visually compelling.
7. AHOF – RENDEZVOUS
This has the feeling of “bringing the Avengers of K-pop together” and perfectly compliments the song’s gradual build. I love the contrast between light and dark.
6. TWS – HEAD SHOULDERS KNEES TOES
My favorite TWS music video of the year is the least TWS-coded. There are some visuals here (the dancing in the elevators, the slow motion bullet) that instantly replay in my head whenever I hear the song. That’s the sign of a video that works.
5. LE SSERAFIM – SPAGHETTI (FT. J-HOPE)
The song calls for a crazy, campy, colorful video and LE SSERAFIM delivered. It knows its kitschy theme and plays it for all it’s worth.
4. CRAVITY – SET NET G0?!
I love the colors, tone and fashion in this video. It has a nostalgic, found-footage feeling that compliments the quirky twists of the song.
3. AESPA – DIRTY WORK
I may not be totally convinced by the song, but the grimy, mud-soaked video is a real highlight. SM threw the budget at them and it shows.
2. RIIZE – ODYSSEY (Visual Album)
I’m not sure this quite held together in the way I’d hope from a visual album (and I’m still irked that Ember To Solar didn’t get a full mv), but I feel like they need to be high on the list for their ambition alone. Having visuals for so many of the tracks on this fantastic album is a real treat.
1. CLOSE YOUR EYES – SNOWY SUMMER
Close Your Eyes’s music is quite idiosyncratic and deserves visuals that echo that style. Snowy Summer‘s silly story of ghosts and pizza and snow in summer offers a feast of fun, world-building imagery that elevated the song from a simple ditty to a cinematic highlight.