The Best K-Pop Music Videos of 2024 So Far
A ranking and review of the top 50!
Note: Because these lists have been in the works for weeks, and because they are meant to focus on the best of the first half of the year only, anything released after June was not eligible. Also, some of these reviews will sound familiar because they were already published as part of previous write-ups.
#50: AB6IX, “GRAB ME”
In a previous era’s music video, “LOSER,” the members of AB6IX ran through a tunnel with a dead end, symbolizing a sliver of hope but also an air of fatalism. In the “GRAB ME” music video, the members do something even better than break through that dead end: They learn how to dance in the rain, rather than continue waiting for the storm to pass or for the dead end to magically disappear. “GRAB ME” furthers AB6IX’s ongoing, motivational story about keeping the faith and seeing journeys as being worth the roadblocks. Read more about the corresponding album here!
#49: TEN, “Nightwalker”
TEN’s character is the stuff of movie villains. He plays a scientist by day who is a puppeteer by night, using his hypnotizing power over others for no reason other than the fun of it. His desire to exert power with no greater ambitions is what causes curiosity in many movie villains, and he capitalizes on that attention with physical transformations. He makes the most of outfit, makeup, and hair changes to continually evolve, keeping suspense and curiosity high until the very end. Read more about the corresponding album here!
#48: aespa, “Supernova”
“Supernova” throws longtime aespa fans for several loops. First of all, the members flex different superpowers than their signature ones, implying this video is detached from their long-running storyline. Second of all, some scenes appear to play out in reverse, like when KARINA flies up off the roof of a car. Other eyebrow-raising scenes involve the camera flipping the entire scene over and the members popping out of a setting in the blink of an eye. They are gone like the wind, although the memory of their presence - eye-popping outfits, their knowing smiles while flexing their powers, lights bouncing off of them as if they are reflective material for literal stars - is made to last! Read more about the corresponding album here!
#47: Yves ft. Lil Cherry, “LOOP”
Backup dancers swarm Yves, she sprints away, she hides, and she then proceeds to do a choreographed dance routine with them anyway, albeit from a distance and without being in their line of sight. People follow her lead, and she shies away from that at first, but she eventually leaves her hiding place and does the rest of the dance routine in the open. As she does, she goes back and forth between two outfits. Besides the unique presentation of the dance routine and the sudden outfit changes, “LOOP” stands out for the ways those elements can be interpreted. One interpretation is that Yves sees breaking out of a “loop” as synonymous with breaking out of her shell, and while some shyness and hesitation linger, she grows more comfortable being seen as a leader as time goes on. Read more about this video and the corresponding album here!
#46: V, “FRI(END)S”
In the first half of this video, V goes through the motions of daily life alone, while everyone else is paired up and showing excessive PDA. After getting hit by a car, the tables turn. V wakes up and goes through his daily routine with a lover by his side, and now everyone else is in a bad mood. V is the one who enjoys PDA now, while all the other couples engage in heated arguments. One of the aspects that makes the video’s ambiguity substantive, rather than just for ambiguity’s sake, is the slow-motion camerawork. As those around V hug and kiss in slow motion, and as they verbally and physically fight with each other in part two, viewers have to sit with their confusion and discomfort. For whom are viewers supposed to root? Why does V’s lovey-dovey status stay at the expense of the others’ and vice versa? A potential lesson is that the grass always looks greener on the other side; maybe it just seems like the world is full of luckier people than V before he learns how fragile and precious his own life is. Just when the moral of the story seems clearer, V gets hit by a car again, leaving viewers deep in thought and the ending up in the air!
#45: (G)I-DLE, “Revenge”
This video is not for everyone but is objectively praiseworthy for its cinematography. The viewing experience is intense, with the camera person's perspective matching the viewer’s. Wherever the action goes, the viewer has to follow, and whenever (G)I-DLE’s villainous characters take out their feelings on the screen, it feels like they are taking them out on the viewer. This makes the viewer seem like a victim in the story and the character who drifts in and out of consciousness. Feeling disoriented at the hands of (G)I-DLE crystallizes their characters’ ruthlessness. They ace their acting assignment and play calculating criminals who mask the choreography of their plot under a cavalier demeanor. After (G)I-DLE conquer their enemies, including the viewer, they bask in the world they have set aflame. One of the members unwraps bandages on her face and appears perfectly unscathed, a final reminder that sometimes, the villain in a story ends up the winner.
#44: AKMU, “Hero”
LOVE EPISODE uses the little things in life - toys, sweets, games - to celebrate the biggest thing: love. That message is sweetly brought to life through the “Hero” music video, which unfolds like a fairytale movie mashup. It involves school-play-esque, homemade props and backgrounds; mid-video switches between 3D and 4D action; a shadow-puppet-like scene behind a curtain; and a host of classic children’s book characters, including knights and pirates, all making for a wholesome and re-watchable delight! Read more about the corresponding album here!
#43: aespa, “Armageddon”
aespa’s take on an apocalyptic premise has many of their go-tos, including Black Mirror-esque technology that scans them and an inexplicable cameo from a furry creature! Mysterious and dark visuals, numerous camera spins, and objects that pop out towards the camera like parts of a 3D movie all add to the strangeness and suspense. One cannot look away from the spectacle, which also involves lots of glitter, an elaborate and Disney villain-esque costume, and the burning of the Armageddon album logo into the ground! Read more about the corresponding album here!
#42: SF9, “BIBORA”
Through both the close-ups and action scenes, “BIBORA” makes the case for seeing the SF9 members as movie stars! The jam-packed scenes play out split-screen-style and eventually spill into each other, with one world’s dark haze seeping into the parallel one. The members’ abilities to influence the mirror world are questionable, and they seem entirely out of their control at times, like when one of them walks away from his reflection while the reflection stays standing there. Amping up the cinema of it all are dramatic close-ups, especially ones of the members’ hair blowing in the wind!
#41: Hui, “Hmm BOP”
While singing fun nonsense like “Hmm BOP” and “hibi hip to hop,” Hui flexes his multi-octave voice. The combination of zaniness and pure talent makes the “Hmm BOP” video’s look-at-me status much-deserved! Bored and unsatisfied with his life, Hui transforms into a traveling one-man show. He makes a scene on top of a diner table, on a TV show, and at a fancy dinner, always making his presence known in curious and sudden ways! When it comes to spicing up one’s life by not being afraid to be goofy, Hui leads by example. He also makes sure he is indeed a leader, with others following his lead - even when that requires physically pulling someone through the TV screen to become a fellow main character in his show! Overall, “Hmm BOP” is about unapologetically making one’s own fun, and Hui does that in humdrum and chaotic settings alike. Read more about the corresponding album here!
#40: CRAVITY, “Love or Die”
CRAVITY’s willingness to dabble in different sounds suits the “Love or Die” music video’s sense of unpredictability. Anguished rapping and a fast BPM rate exacerbate the high stakes the group sings about feeling. They insist they’d “rather die than live without love,” a declaration with a starkness that meets its visual match in the unnerving setting. Sinkholes in the sand, menacing winds, and black crows make it look like their surroundings could become even more ominous any minute now. Some potential symbols of silver linings appear, like a change into all-white outfits, but those moments quickly fade (a downpour starts soon after they wear that representation of a clean slate). EVERSHINE is a high-quality album, but what makes this CRAVITY era particularly well-done is “Love or Die” and the ways the video reflects the song’s urgency and uncertainty.
#39: H1-KEY, “Let It Burn”
The “Let It Burn” video speaks volumes about H1-KEY’s determination to start fresh and their ability to do so in a unique way. Rather than follow a straightforward, cliche story arc, the video shows how they go from being insecure to being a different kind of cool girl. After disobeying their school’s “club disbandment” request and making a mess of the place, the members take their teddy bear on a bus ride. They ride to a location where instruments are set up, and they rock out with DIY-ed jackets and their teddy bear as the suddenly-life-sized drummer! “Let It Burn” visually represents the end result of H1-KEY’s makeover in an unforgettable way. Read more about the corresponding album here!
#38: MCND, “X10”
MCND turn on the charm from the get-go, opening the “X10” video with scenes reminiscent of a pop-up book or a G-rated, feel-good movie. Besides biking through different seasons and settings, the group glitches in and out of 3D and 4D realms while enjoying tech-fueled superpowers and dancing up a storm! The times when they let loose come after meeting up at a “SUPPORT POINT,” as if in a multiplayer game, and before the most unconventional of football games caps things off! “X10” is a reference to a perfect score in archery, which speaks to MCND’s can-do attitude and makes the video’s boundless adventures feel very on-brand!
#37: SEVENTEEN, “LALALI”
“LALALI”’s boisterousness meets its visual match in these unrealistic misadventures! The members of SEVENTEEN’s hip-hop unit treat the world as their playground and enjoy vandalizing it. They leave their outlines carved into a hotel room wall as if they jumped through it, MINGYU intimates he is the one who smeared red lipstick on nearby surfaces, and they all add neon green spray paint to their black puffer jackets. They leave their mark in other literal ways too, including hanging out of a moving car while holding a roller brush, letting lines of bright paint cover the ground. Wielding a baseball bat, leaping off a ledge, grabbing a hot mic out of a “MICrowave”... the list of ways the members make sure all eyes stay on them goes on and on! These antics seem to have no reason beyond “because we can;” what they are making their mark for seems beside the point. After all, “LALALI” is about not needing to try too hard to cause a stir! What makes “LALALI” more than just another enjoyable music video, though, is its post-credits scene. It is the perfect finishing touch to have something abruptly fall out of the sky, much like a guitar does in “God of Music” and a baseball does in “HOME;RUN.” “LALALI” proves that no matter how off-the-rails SEVENTEEN’s video antics get, they always find a way to stick the landing with a self-reference. They add on an indicator of pride in their past eras while boasting about the sky being the limit for their future ones.
#36: Solar, “But I”
“But I” starts out like a ballad before turning into a fiery ode to independence, and Solar goes from solemnly playing the piano to smashing it! The music video ends with her slipping on some shades and confidently striding away from a fire she has set, a sign of both the new fire lit within her and the burning away of her past (comparatively) meek self. Solar’s choices of colors and their contrasts are effective magnifiers of her message. She makes her presence memorable and incapable of ignoring while in a red dress playing a black piano, while riding a white horse while wearing black, and while literally letting her hair down to rock out with a band! The point is to keep a commanding presence regardless of changing circumstances, something both this video and the corresponding mini-album have in common. Read more about the corresponding album here!
#35: WOOAH, “POM POM POM”
While WOOAH have a new look, new sound, and new name stylization, text on the screen at the beginning of the “POM POM POM” music video reminds people that they don’t mind staying somewhat a mystery too: “I don’t want anything to be ‘defined.’ Nor can [I] be ‘regulated.’” The video fulfills that wish, not sticking to one clear format. Some scenes are shown from an aerial view, while the camera faces straight ahead in others. Some scenes are set in “the real world,” while others are surreal, with members driving high in the sky at the speed of light. Some scenes are filled with neon lights, while other scenes’ primary light sources are spotlights or the glows of static TV screens. Even the literal framing is toyed with, when black-and-white scenes unfold within an expanding red border. “I’m cheering me on!” is the key lyric that summarizes WOOAH’s point: They have learned to live by their own rules and feel validated enough just from doing that. As if to emphasize their point, the dance concludes with one final collective hair flip and group pose! Read more about the corresponding album here!
#34: BOYNEXTDOOR, “Earth, Wind & Fire”
As the members of BOYNEXTDOOR spit out their feelings at a rapid clip, as if they need to spill all the words out of them before losing their nerve, they dance and move frantically through bizarre, cartoonish realms. They repeatedly poof into and out of scenes without any warning, and they at times play off their behavior as being part of a scripted show. Much like their songs, videos like this one convey sincerity in a skittish way. Their honest feelings and confessions make them feel vulnerable, so they overcompensate to the max at trying to “act natural” and “play it cool”! “Earth, Wind & Fire” brings BOYNEXTDOOR’s colorful imaginations and unfiltered thoughts alive in wonderfully peculiar ways! Read more about the corresponding album here!
#33: KISS OF LIFE, “Midas Touch”
“Midas Touch” and its music video deliver the glitzy visuals, group choreography, and catchy sound that early-aughts pop fans will love! The KISS OF LIFE members turn heads by rocking decadent nail art, hairstyles, makeovers, and outfits while posing on and by props that go with the song’s mythical inspiration. Their collective presence shines bolder and brighter than ever, although they still show off their individual sources of sparkle, thanks to different fashion choices, solo settings, and lyrical shout-outs to past solo tracks. The song and the video are displays of confidence that girl group fans of all kinds can appreciate!
#32: TRI.BE, “Diamond”
“Diamond” is all about uplifting others, and the video makes that theme loud and clear, through the members’ expressions of platonic affection towards each other and synergistic choreography. Each member of TRI.BE represents a different gemstone, and the choreography physically brings them toward each other to form a whole diamond. Diamonds do not form before pressure is exerted, though, and they visually represent the tough times that come before shining through makeup involving gashes on their faces. As the video progresses, the group seems to gain confidence, going from simply dancing on sand to dancing in a hot pink room in bright outfits. They keep the audience’s attention by changing up the setting once more, dancing in shallow water after another outfit change. “Diamond” has a classically TRI.BE sound and theme but presents them in new, stronger ways. Read more about the corresponding album here!
#31: E’LAST, “Gasoline”
After unassuming time spent chilling together, news of an impending apocalypse fills E’LAST’s world. However, rather than fixate on the dystopia of it all, the group spends a surprising amount of time focused on the days after the apocalypse. They ride out the worst of the storm together, and that togetherness offers the encouragement and morale they need to beautify the remnants of the destroyed world. They tend to an ailing butterfly, take care of the new world’s plants, and enjoy a drive together with the windows open. Just like the corresponding album, EVERLASTING, is filled with suspense but bookended by relatively calm chapters, “Gasoline” ends in an “All’s well that ends well” way that makes this take on a dystopian premise different. Read more about the corresponding album here!
#30: (G)I-DLE, “Super Lady”
“Super Lady” is a shiny, silver-filled, striking show-stopper! It is always a good sign when a song leaves viewers daydreaming about hearing it live in concert, and the “Super Lady” music video leaves them picturing a larger-than-life arena show opener! Literally and metaphorically shining in sparkly clothes, the group dazzles both individually, with close-ups showing off fierce expressions, and together, with in-sync choreography and runway-ready strutting. Rather than being worth a watch for just the bold visuals, though, “Super Lady” deserves attention for its curveballs, like mid-video Cruella de Vil cosplay! It is also shoutout-worthy because of the cool contrast from the era’s other focus track’s video, “Wife.” “Wife” opts for aesthetic minimalism, while “Super Lady” shows that (G)I-DLE can pull off the polar opposite just as well, if not better! Read more about the corresponding album here!
#29: TAEYONG, “TAP”
The story starts with TAEYONG in an empty closet. He spends the day looking for something without finding it, but when he goes back home and re-opens the closet, tons of plastic balls tumble out. Since the setting is Japan, these plastic capsules bring to mind gachapon, a type of Japanese toy found in coin-operated machines (similar to gumball machines). The potential gachapon containers in the closet are empty, but that doesn’t matter to TAEYONG. Nor does it matter that he spent a full day searching for them, only to find some back where his day started. It turns out that the actual “prizes inside” are the memories he makes! Another symbolic detail with the same takeaway: the white coat he wears, which seems to have a light source built into it. TAEYONG has been lighting his own way the whole time; the source of his joy has come from himself, rather than a specific object. “TAP” puts a surprising spin on the classic “It’s about the journey, not the destination” life lesson. Read more about the corresponding album here!
#28: YooA, “Rooftop”
YooA exudes fierceness in the “Rooftop” music video, showing off her most challenging solo choreography yet, interacting with the camera like a pro, and putting her own spin on a little black dress and other stylish pieces. She adds a personal twist to downright-cliche bird symbolism, singing about spreading her wings and flying but not needing to go very far to feel free. She is happy staying “a little bird in the cage,” as long as she can leave whenever she pleases to go to the rooftop! Her sudden disappearance from her mundane office job, leaving nothing but black feathers in her wake, is a nice finishing touch! Read more about the corresponding album here!
#27: D.O., aka Doh Kyung Soo, “Mars”
D.O.’s feelings stay contagious throughout his mission to communicate with a loved one on another planet. The audience roots for and swoons over him as he leaves his house in the morning, bicycle stocked with colorful flowers. His desperation is palpable as he spends hour after hour trying to send a “petal message” to outer space, and his sorrow when ripping up flowers and arranging the pieces to say “I MISS YOU” is equally felt. The earnestness of his emotions keeps audiences invested until the end, when they feel his relief and joy at finally getting a response. Although it starts to rain on D.O., and his lover remains unseen and distant, just that single response that reminds him his loved one is out there thinking of him is enough to buoy his spirits! Read more about the corresponding album here!
#26: ARTMS, “Pre1 : Birth”
Matching the song’s foreboding mood, the members of ARTMS depict an eerie night that becomes a well-preserved memory. The 2D scenes and 4D ones are intertwined in strange but compelling ways, with some of the same scenes appearing both in animated works of art and in “real world” settings. All the animated imagery could represent the ways memories can be molded and recreated. How malleable memories truly are is something both fascinating and unsettling to think about, a complex state of awe that forms the foundation of this ARTMS era. “Pre1 : Birth” tells a story in artistic enough ways to be transfixing from start to finish, making the deeper meaning just a welcome bonus! Read more about the corresponding album here!
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